Maybe not.
The fact that Scully appeared happier than he�d ever seen, that was probably the worst part.
Krycek spun her around, grabbed both of her hands to pull her close then pushed her back out again. They both laughed; Scully grinned happily back at him. She had never acted like that with Mulder.
That was definitely the worst part.
��I search myself�I want you to find me�I forget myself�I want you to remind me��
Mulder stared in disbelief as Krycek pulled Scully back towards him. She missed his hand and instead crashed into him, her hands on his chest. They both laughed hard and continued to dance. They were both singing.
�...I don�t want�Anybody else�When I think about you�I touch myself��
Mulder looked back, between the Lone Gunmen. 'When are you guys going back out there?'
'They just invited us out for Thanksgiving.' Byers said.
'Book me a ticket with yours.' Mulder said.
Frohike grimaced. 'They'll probably cook Tofurkey or some damn thing.'
***
�Alex?�
�What�s wrong?�
Scully stood in the doorway of Krycek�s bedroom. She was reluctant to answer.
�What�s wrong, Dana?�
�I can�t go back to sleep.� She said softly. �I had a horrible dream.�
�You wanna tell me about it?� He sat up in his bed, leaning back against the headboard, and patted next to him, inviting her to sit down.
�Spender was there, and Mulder was there.� Scully replied, easing down on the bed. �They were working together. They were trying to take the baby. Someone shot you.�
�We both know that Mulder would never try to hurt you or the baby.� Krycek said. �And he completely despises Spender.�
�I know.� She replied, her voice a bit shaky. �But it seemed so real.�
�Hey.� He looked into her face. Tears were in her eyes. �Dana, it was just a nightmare.�
She sniffed. �I know. But it seemed so real, Alex. It was so real.�
�Maybe you�re just scared. There�s a lot going on.� He brushed hair behind her ear. �Besides, you know I�d never let anything happen to you or the baby.�
She met his eyes and he grinned. �Big, Bad, Hit-Man Tough-Guy like me hanging around? And you�re scared?�
Scully tried to give him a dirty look, but couldn�t manage. She grinned in response. �You�re such an arrogant asshole, Alex.�
�Triple A, that�d be me.�
She laughed. �A cubed.�
They were silent for a few moments before he broke it.
�You wanna get up and talk, pull another all-nighter? I can make tea.�
�You�re so domestic.� She smiled.
�Nah, it�s actually pretty simple. There�s this little thing called a tea bag. And when you put it in hot water, voila, instant tea.�
�Get out.� She replied in mock disbelief.
�I know.� He said, widening his eyes back at her. �I was shocked and amazed.�
�And here we�d been putting those big jars out in the sun, confused as to why the water never turned brown.�
�Imagine how foolish I felt when the water instantly changed color. I�m glad you weren�t there.�
Scully shook her head. �Oh, I would have been devastated.�
He nudged her with his shoulder. �Feeling better?�
�I am.�
They were silent again.
�You know, Dana.� Krycek said, staring down at her. �This will be over soon. Some sort of life will work itself out for you. And Mulder will eventually pull his head out of his ass.�
Scully stared in his eyes for a couple of heartbeats, then nodded.
�You want some of that miracle tea?�
�No.� She shook her head. �Can I just sit in here for awhile?�
�Of course.� He grinned lopsidedly. �Ten bucks every fifteen minutes.�
�Oh please.� She rolled her eyes. �You�re not worth that much.�
�Whatever!� He exclaimed, pointing towards the door.
�Ten bucks for two hours.� She replied. �I should at least get the discount.�
�Every half hour.�
�Hour.�
�Deal.� He grinned at her.
She laughed in his face. �Just a gigolo.�
�I�ll start singing.�
�Please don�t.�
�Ten bucks an hour doesn�t cover the cost of David Lee Roth impersonations anyway.�
�Okay.� Scully said. �But can I at least get a Mickey Mouse or a Felix the Cat?�
Krycek grinned evilly. �I can do a Bullwinkle and pull something out of my hat.�
�Pig.�
�Babe is extra.� He said. �But I�ll do a mean Porky Pig for free.�
She laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder.
***
Scully woke up, confused. She was curled up on her side, her hands tucked under her chin. This wasn�t her bed. She looked around and remembered. She had come into Alex�s room and they must have fallen asleep. She was huddled under some blankets, wrapped up like tamale. Alex was on top of the covers, out cold.
She stared at his sleeping profile. Aside from the five minutes when he�d collapsed on her couch months ago, she�d never seen him sleep.
The memory of her first meeting with Krycek fell into her thoughts. She had been doing an autopsy for Mulder. He had been working on a case with Krycek.
�Spleen or pancreas?�
Scully had looked over at Mulder�s entrance. �Stomach. I was just about to start on it.�
Her eyes took in the man that followed behind Mulder. He was squeaky clean and looked just like the kind of company man that Mulder despised.
�This is Alex Krycek.� Mulder said, trying not to smirk at the look on Scully�s face. �We�re uh, working the case together.�
�Nice to meet you.� She�d replied indifferently.
Krycek smiled. �You too.�
She walked by him, ignoring the hand he�d extended towards her.
Staring at his sleeping form, Scully couldn�t decide whether she wanted to laugh, or feel guilty.
What a weird life this was turning into.
Scully suddenly thought back on when she had wandered down to Mulder�s office in the basement and found Krycek and Marita, hanging out with Mulder and Skinner. Just before Mulder had been abducted and sent her life spiraling in this weird direction.
She had hated Krycek then.
Back then her life had been directionless. She had been so damn wrapped up in Mulder and the X-Files. She�d had no life of her own, no hope of ever having a family. Krycek had been a big mystery back then. A huge puzzle she�d had no intention of putting together.
How different would her life have been now if she hadn�t let him into her apartment?
He had been calm. He had been peaceful. He had been logical and patient.
She had never expected that and another memory invaded her mind.
'Brewski's!' Langly exclaimed. 'Flow me a Heinie?'
'Have at it.' Scully said, waving in the direction of the refrigerator.
'I'm impressed.' Krycek said. 'I didn't know that about you.'
'What?' Scully asked.
'That you were a boardhead.'
'I went to Berkeley for my undergrad.' Scully said. 'Spent a lot of time with the surfers in Santa Cruz.'
'Sharky.' Krycek smiled.
'Woofy.' Scully replied.
They smiled at each other in spite of themselves.
The momentary connection they�d shared had at first amused her, then irritated her. She didn�t want to think that he was human somehow. The fact that Krycek had been a child at one time, had been a teenager, and had crossed from seventeen to eighteen like everyone else, seemed wrong.
He had taken her out for vegetarian food. He had saved her life in Seattle. He had tried to talk to Mulder.
She had never expected that either.
He had a love for music. He was very spiritual. He loved to dance.
She had never in a million years expected any of that.
Scully smiled at Krycek as he slept. She almost believed he�d become her best friend. But that�s what Mulder was for.
The thought of Mulder erased any happy feelings she�d been reliving. He�d watched her drive away with Alex Krycek. He hadn�t been out to visit. He never seemed like he wanted to talk.
It was Thanksgiving.
Everyone was coming out, her family, the Lone Gunmen, but where was Mulder?
Damn him. She thought. Damn his everlasting obsession with the X-Files and the truth and his sister. How does he expect to move on with his life if he won�t let go of the past?
Tears slipped out from under her eyes. She moved closer to Krycek, needing comfort, and laid her head on his shoulder. She could feel his heartbeat when she rested a hand on his chest, splaying her fingers.
She closed her eyes. She had almost fallen back asleep when she felt him cover her hand with his own. She looked up to see him staring at her. He gave her a small smile.
�Sleep better?�
She nodded at him.
�I asked you if you wanted to go to sleep.� He said softly. �And you took over my bed.�
�I�m sorry.� She whispered.
�Don�t be.� He said. �I�m glad you were able to get some rest.�
�That�s right.� She replied. �We have a busy morning to contend with.�
Krycek smiled larger. �Happy Thanksgiving.�
She smiled in return. �Happy Thanksgiving, Alex.�
They were silent again, staring at each other.
The phone rang and Scully jumped, taking her hand off of his chest. �That�s my Mom.�
Krycek grinned as she got out of bed. �And you say you�re not psychic.�
***
They had been in the kitchen all morning. He had insisted on playing the Beatles. She was surprised at how many songs she hadn't heard, and how many songs she liked that she'd never known they sang.
��Hey Jude�Don�t make it bad�Take a sad song�And make it better��
The preparation for the Thanksgiving feast was a heavy task. Since it was going to be a vegan meal, they were trying to be as creative as possible. The main course was individual pumpkins stuffed with an apple-chestnut stuffing. They were cleaning out pumpkins. Scully had taken off her Celtic ring and shoved it under the counter, into the corner, to keep it safe.
They had wanted a couple of people over for Thanksgiving and it was turning into a full-blown brouhaha. It started with her Mom, then they invited the three freaks, then Bill said he had some time off too so he was bringing the whole family. The house really wasn't that big but Bill insisted on staying at a hotel while the Lone Gunmen were just going to hang out in the rec room like always. If it gets too crowded, Frohike had said, Langly has a friend in Rancho Cucamonga.
'That's too far away.' Scully had said.
That's because she doesn't know we're bringing Mulder. Frohike thought to himself, thankful that he was across the country so Scully couldn't reach out and 'probe his brain' as Mulder called it.
'You're not very neat in the kitchen.' Scully said, cutting open another pumpkin.
'Cook first, clean later.' Krycek said, scooping out seeds and innards.
'Clean as you cook, then you wont have to do it later.' She said, sticking her hand in the mush. 'And it won�t look like this.'
'Relax, Special Agent Scully.' He plopped another gob onto the counter. 'Life is not the same as the rest of the orderly world when you live within five miles of the beach.'
'Hey!' She exclaimed as he headed towards the trashcan with two handfuls of pumpkinseeds. 'I'm going to bake those! Keep them out.'
Krycek turned back towards her, grinning mischievously. He picked all the seeds out of his hands, and was left holding the goo. He flicked his eyes up at her.
Scully slowly looked over at him, shaking her head. 'Don't you dare.'
'What?' He asked innocently.
She smiled, trying to be serious. 'I know what you're thinking.'
He took a step towards her and she took a step back. 'How could you possibly know what I'm thinking?'
'Alex.' She warned, trying to be stern. It wasn't working and she knew it. Oh well, she thought, reaching into her pumpkin, the kitchen is already hopeless.
Krycek took another step towards her and was rewarded with a nice splat of pumpkin right in his face.
'Dana!' He acted surprised. 'What on earth would posses you to do such a thing?' He threw his own handful and it landed with a resounding 'smack' on her forehead.
They stared at each other in a standoff for a moment, then reached for more ammunition. They spent half a minute engaged in the grisly pumpkin scene, laughing hysterically when Krycek slipped in some innards and fell on his ass.
'You okay?' She asked. She walked over to him, hands still full of pumpkin, tears streaming down her face from laughing so hard.
'I'm fine.' He said reaching up for the hand she was holding out, thinking she was helping him up. Instead, she smeared his face with what was in her hands.
'Oh, sure. Cheat.' Krycek grabbed her hands, laughing and spitting out pumpkinseeds.
'No! No!' She protested, laughing.
Krycek grew still. He turned his head and looked beyond her, into the living room.
The three stooges and Mulder were staring at them, having just witnessed the whole scene, 'Hey Jude' playing throughout the house.
Krycek looked back at Scully. He could tell by the way that she returned his stare that she knew Mulder was there. She could feel him in the room. He grinned at her and released her hands as she turned around.
Mulder stared at her. He couldn't believe this was Scully. This giggling, longhaired, blonde covered in pumpkin mush, pregnant Scully. Her hair wasn't really all that long yet, but it was well on its way. She was wearing a sundress that was so unlike her. And she was so pregnant.
She smiled at him through the disbelief on her face. 'Mulder.'
He couldn't quite smile back at her. He still couldn't believe it. He swallowed and managed a lopsided grin.
'Hey Scully.'
She slowly walked over and stood in front of him, smiling up into his face. 'You're here.'
Mulder nodded. 'Better late then never.'
After a few moments, she shook her head. 'I can't believe you're here.'
'Surprise.' He grinned.
She laughed. 'I'd hug you if I weren't covered in slime.'
Mulder reached for her and gently pulled her against him. 'I think it'll wash off.'
Scully closed her eyes and hugged him back, aware of the awkward feeling floating in the room.
'Feels weird with another person between us.' Mulder said.
Scully's eyes flicked open, immediately thinking he was referring to Alex. Already, she thought.
'How far along are you now?' He asked, looking down at her.
'Oh.' Scully put her hands on her belly, realizing he had been talking about the baby being between them. 'Seven and a half months.'
Mulder whistled and wiped some pumpkin off her cheek. 'Bet you can't wait for the kid to come home.'
'I'm enjoying this.' Scully smiled sweetly at him. 'Being pregnant's fun. Except for the mood swings that Alex has to deal with.'
She turned to look over her shoulder at him, Mulder eye's searching him out as well. This man, who was supposedly his brother, who was supposedly the father of Scully�s baby. This man who he felt certain was trying to take her away. Regardless of how involved Krycek may or may not be in any international conspiracy, he was Mulder�s enemy in new and exciting ways.
Krycek was still sitting on the floor, covered in pumpkin. He looked young to Mulder. Young like when he�d shown up in the Bureau as his partner, forcing his way into the X-Files and inadvertently, into the rest of their lives.
Mulder fought back a sliver of animosity that threatened to shoot out of his mouth. Yes, he looked young. Young and electric and very alive. Mulder didn�t know where Krycek got his charisma from and he didn�t care. All he knew was that when they had walked into the room, Krycek and Scully could have been mistaken for highschool sweethearts.
Sensing all the hostility, Krycek attempted to smile up at Mulder. 'It's not all that bad. The food cravings are worse than her mood swings.' His attention was diverted to the Lone Gunmen. They were all gathered around Stout, lavishing attention on the dog, who was licking pumpkin off the floor.
'Oh, you guys, don't let him eat that.' Krycek tried to get up and slipped again. Frohike went over and pulled him up. The second Krycek was on his feet, he dropped pumpkin all over Frohike's head.
'Punk ass!' Frohike scooped his own ammo off the counter and flung it in his direction.
'You throw like a girl.' Krycek said, smiling, then ducking as more orange sailed over his shoulder.
Scully looked up to see Mulder eyeing Krycek. She smiled. 'He never had a childhood so he's making up for it now.'
'Yeah.' Mulder said softly. 'It looks like he's happy.'
They sat down, holding hands and watching the war wage between Krycek and the Lone Gunmen.
'Deal with this often?' Mulder asked, leaning back to avoid orange goo.
'Only when Alex's friends come over to play.' She said as Krycek walked over to them.
�Why don�t you go ahead and get ready, Dana.� He said, offering a hand to her. �I�ll clean this mess up.�
'That's not fair.' She said, taking his hand so he could help her up. 'I made the mess too.'
'Yeah, but what do you think they're for?' Krycek had nodded over his shoulder at the Lone Gunmen. 'We sure as hell didn't invite them for their company.'
Scully grabbed Krycek's face and squished it like a fish. 'You are so terrible.'
Krycek smiled while his face was still crushed in her hands. 'I was engineered that way.'
'Whatever.' Scully turned and walked to her room to take a quick shower.
Mulder had watched their exchange, annoyed, jealous. He didn�t like Krycek taking her hand, and he sure as hell didn�t like her touching his face. Once she had gone, Mulder and Krycek stared at each other in silence for a moment.
Frohike sensed the rivalry and punched Krycek in the arm. 'We're gonna go down to the rec room, make some margarita's. Want one?'
Krycek shook his head. 'No, but you can bring me up a Pacifico when you get a chance.'
'Mulder?' Frohike asked. 'Margarita?'
'Nah. I'll have a beer too.'
They stared at each other as Frohike walked away, then Mulder turned and walked to open the French doors.
'Nice view you got here.' He said, looking out over the ocean.
Krycek began to clean up the pumpkin disaster. 'Thanks.'
'Scully seems happy here.' Mulder said.
'I think she is.' He responded.
Mulder turned to face him. 'You in love with her?'
Krycek stopped wiping off the counters and stared at the tiles. 'Don't beat around the bush, do you?'
'I've flown across the country.' Mulder said. 'I don't have time to play games.'
Krycek looked Mulder in the eye. 'It doesn't matter how I feel about Dana. She is in love with you.'
'Kinda hard to tell when you two are falling all over each other-'
'You have no idea what kind of relationship Dana and I have.' Krycek said. 'She is going through a very important time in her life. She needs anyone who will give her support. Just because I choose to be here for her and my child does not mean that I'm running around behind your back trying to steal her away.'
Mulder didn't say anything and Krycek took advantage of his silence.
'Where have you been, Agent Mulder? What is important enough that you give up a woman like Dana?'
'I'm not giving her up.' Mulder said softly.
'But you are. The more time you keep away, the more she doesn't need you. The more you ignore her, the more she questions your relationship. This is the most important time in her life and you are missing it.' Krycek looked away and resumed his cleaning. 'And you are losing her.'
'What would I be losing her to?' Mulder asked.
Krycek huffed in exasperation, looking up at him. 'How can you be so smart and so stupid at the same time?'
'I notice you never answered my question.' Mulder said.
'Which one is that?'
Mulder sneered. 'Don't you read minds.'
'Am I in love with Dana?'
Mulder nodded and Krycek smiled at him. 'That is number one, none of your business, and number two, doesn't mean a damn thing in the grand scheme of things.'
Mulder stared back at him and Krycek could feel the hate seeping from him.
'I'm trying to help you, Fox.' Krycek said softly. 'And it's not that easy when all you do is think of me as your arch enemy.'
'I don't need your help.'
'With Dana? Yes, you do.' Krycek said. 'She trusts me, she listens to me, she can feel me. You are just a mystery to her.' Krycek leaned close to Mulder, across the tile counter. 'Believe me, I'm not particularly fond of you being in her life because you treat her like shit. But she loves you, she cares about you. She believes that you can make her happy and all I want for Dana is happiness. And since I can't give it to her, then maybe you should.'
Mulder stared back at Krycek, surprise evident on his face. He opened his mouth and was interrupted by Langly.
'Here you go.' Langly held the beers out to the both of them, not noticing the stare-down competition brewing between them.
Krycek looked over at Langly before taking a big swallow of his beer. 'Wanna do the wedge?'
'But its afternoon.' Langly looked down at his watch. 'The best waves are out in the morning.'
'I just really need to get out of here.' Krycek said, walking away from Mulder.
'Running away, Krycek?' Mulder asked.
'Don�t talk to me about running away, Fox.� Krycek turned and pointed a finger at him. �Don�t ever talk to me about running away. The next time you want to talk about running away, have a conversation with the man in the mirror. He�s the one that does the running away.�
Mulder didn�t respond. He wanted nothing more than to pull out his gun and shook Krycek in the head.
�I'm giving you every opportunity you've ever wanted, Fox.' Krycek didn't look back at him as he turned away. 'If you don't take it now, then I will later.'
We clear on this? Krycek's voice invaded Mulder's mind.
Mulder shook his head, not liking the feeling of Krycek kicking around in his head.
