'Give her to me.' Krycek said again in a low, menacing voice, pointing at the ground by his side.
Some of the lights exploded, covering the room in a shower of sparks.
'Oh Alex.' Diana said, stepping in front of him. 'Do you really think your tricks can frighten us?'
Mulder stared at Diana, not able to understand what was going on. Even though he couldn�t stand the sight of his Ex-wife, even though he knew that she was greedy and manipulative, he had believed in the cause they'd both been working towards.
What the hell was going on? Why was Spender here?
He couldn�t believe that he�d been fooled and betrayed.
He refused to believe that he�d been fooled and betrayed.
'We have already taken everything we can from Dana Scully.' Spender said, stepping over to stand next to Diana. 'We have the anti-agent. Now we need the alien DNA to perfect the vaccine. In other words, Alex, we need you.'
Krycek stared back at them. Other people stepped into the room. The bounty hunter appeared, moving down the stairs. Krycek looked around, accessing the situation.
He suddenly jerked his head up towards the staircase, his eyes alert.
Running footsteps sounded on the stairs and Krycek moved towards the sound. Mulder watched as Scully appeared into view, moving down the staircase, two people behind her holding her by the arms. She looked haggard. Like she could blow over in the wind, dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was grown out one length and halfway down her back.
Mulder wanted to reach out to her, to go to her. Everything was happening so fast. His mind was still spiraling out of control. He kept a clear enough head to remember that he was covering their exit.
Krycek stared up at Scully. 'Let her go.'
Diana moved to stand in front of him. 'What are you prepared to offer, Alex?'
Krycek and Scully stared at each other. 'Let her go and I'll stay.'
Scully's face was terrified; she gave a small shake of her head. Krycek only stared back at her, swallowing a lump in his throat. 'You need me. I'll stay.'
'Fair enough.' Spender said, moving away. 'The Rebels will be pleased.'
Scully was released. She ran full-speed down the stairs, skipping the last two steps and launching herself at Krycek. Her caught her and held her as she sobbed against his neck.
Thoughts flowed through Krycek. Her torture, her loneliness. All the tests they had run, all the pain they had inflicted. Krycek turned towards Diana, she had been the cause. She was behind all of it. He could see it in all of Scully's memories, her scheming face behind everything. A rage unlike any Krycek had ever known filled him. He had never been as angry as he was now. He had never hated anyone as he hated her now.
He turned towards Diana and approached her, his arm around Scully as she hung onto him; both her arms were around his waist, letting him support her.
Krycek held out a hand out and pointed a Glock in between Diana's eyes, the gun shaking in her face.
'You take two years away from this woman? Away from her child?' Krycek asked in a low, shaky voice. 'And you give her two years of pain in return?'
'You can�t shoot me, Alex.' Diana said. 'There�s pure oxygen in this room.'
Krycek's eyes flicked around the room as he took everything in. He dropped the gun on the floor.
Diana's face smiled at him, snake-like. He reached his right hand out and a scalpel from a nearby table flew into it. Before anyone could realize what was happening, Krycek reached out with the scalpel and slit Diana's throat.
Mulder's eyes grew wide at the sight of Diana falling to the floor, blood spewing out of her neck.
Krycek watched her die in disgust, not saying a word. Scully hung onto to him. She really wanted to get out of this prison which had been her home for over two years.
'Jesus.' Mulder said softly, looking at Krycek.
Spender stepped over the twitching Diana, looking into Kyrcek's face. 'You are going to keep your side of the bargain now, aren't you?'
Scully shook her head. 'Alex...'
Krycek only nodded in response. He knew it was the only way they'd let Dana out. In spite of all his 'weird, alien powers', he knew that they'd all be killed instantly if he didn't comply.
Dana, he thought. You have to go now.
Scully shook her head, her eyes haunted after all she'd seen. I can't leave you here.
You have to go, Dana. Just turn around and walk away.
Scully shook her head again, tears falling down her face. She couldn't let him stay here and be a part of all this, she couldn't.
'Fox.' Krycek said out loud, not breaking eye contact with Scully.
'No, Alex.' She said again.
'I owe big time, Dana.' Krycek said. 'I have to stay.'
Before she could protest again, Krycek turned her towards Mulder and set her in his arms.
'Just turn around and walk away.' He said again.
Scully bit her lip, tightly holding onto his hands. 'I can't leave you here.'
Krycek searched Mulder's eyes. Please take care of them for me.
I will. Mulder looked Krycek in the eyes. I promise.
Scully knew it was unavoidable. She was going. He was staying. The thought wouldn�t compute.
She couldn't let him stay there.
'Fox. You're going to have to take her out of here.' Krycek said, staring down at Scully. 'She won�t leave without me.'
Mulder put his arms tighter around her, ready to carry her out if he needed to.
Scully and Krycek locked eyes again. He tightened his hands in hers, giving them a last squeeze.
Dana, just turn around and walk away. That's all you need to do.
Scully shook her head again.
Krycek yanked his hands out of hers and backed away to stand next to Spender.
Scully burst into tears the second Krycek's hands cleared of hers. Even though she could still feel his thoughts, it was like a piece of her was gone. Mulder's arms were around her, but she couldn't bring herself to turn around and walk away.
There was no way she could leave him there.
Mulder stared at Krycek, really wishing that there were some way to end this differently. He knew that Krycek was trying to be strong, but even Mulder didn't need to have psychic powers to see in Krycek's face that he was terrified. That he was doing this for Cade and Scully. That it had to be one or the other and Krycek had made that choice for all of them.
Please go, Fox. Krycek's thought burned into him. Get her out of here.
Mulder turned and began to walk away. Scully cried, holding onto him. Mulder wished there was something he could do, but he knew there was nothing. He had no power to help this in any way. The only thing he could do was take Scully out of here, take her home to Cade.
'I can't leave him here.' Scully said, her voice shaking through her tears.
'I know, Scully.' He replied, powerless to do anything.
She began to cry harder. 'I can't leave him here.'
'I know, Scully.' Mulder kicked open the door and they both squinted in the bright sunshine. 'I know.'
Mulder put her into the car and ran around to the other side.
Scully was sobbing, feeling Krycek's anguish at losing her and Cade. She felt that he knew in his heart that he would never see either of them again.
Mulder started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. �Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds� was playing on the stereo.
��Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain�Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies��
Scully gasped, her eyes were wide. Krycek was gone. Her eyes flicked back and forth, she searched for him. But just like that, he was gone.
***
The next summer...
Mulder brought Scully a glass of iced tea. They were sitting on the bottom deck of the beach house. She smiled her thanks at him as he sat down in the chair next to her.
They both watched Cade, building some crazy sandcastle.
'I can't believe how big he's getting.' Mulder observed. 'Every time I come out, he's doubled in size.'
Scully smiled. 'It's amazing.'
Mulder came out to visit Scully every chance he got, which wasn't as often as she�d like. At least it's better than the last time, she sighed. She didn't blame him for not being there with her, she knew he thought he was doing the right thing, trying to fight Spender. Wherever he was.
Things were different between them.
A lot had happened while she was away. People had moved on with their lives. Back when she had been pregnant, it had seemed that Mulder would never be able to forgive her for having Krycek's child, that they were always going to have problems.
Now she saw how much he loved Cade. She saw that he had even managed to half bury the hatchet he�d had for Krycek. Mulder seemed happy and at ease with himself and with her. With Cade and with Krycek. She knew that Mulder had loved her, that maybe he still did. She made sure that he knew how much she cared about him.
But things were still different.
Mulder knew that Scully missed Krycek terribly. Hell, he himself did. He had just started to get to know the man. Had just started to get over the past. Had just started kicking the idea around in his head that maybe it�d be nice to have a brother.
Mulder had always wondered what had happened between Krycek and Scully the night before Cade was born. He didn't know. He figured he never would. Mulder knew that Scully had loved him, that maybe she still did. He made sure that she knew that he cared about her.
But things were still different.
Later on that evening, Mulder was preparing some veggie burgers on the grill; Scully and Cade were sitting together on a bench, visiting without saying a word.
'Mommy?'
'Hmmm?'
Cade had looked up at her with his beautiful blue eyes.
'Sometimes I hear Daddy.'
Scully smiled at him sadly. 'I know, sweetheart. Sometimes I do too.'
Cade had left it at that, seeming to understand without needing to hear a word.
After 'Uncle Fox' had put Cade to bed, he and Scully had sat in the full moon, having a glass of wine.
'You've never told me.' Mulder said. 'Krycek talks to you?'
�No.� Scully shook her head. ' Alex would never torture us like that. I think that sometimes when he thinks about us, that's what we're feeling.�
Mulder sighed, putting a hand over hers. She immediately interlaced her fingers with his, enjoying the support he gave her.
'Tell me about my brother.'
Scully smiled over at him. Mulder had never called Alex that before. 'He loves music.'
'Yeah?' Mulder returned her smile. 'What's his favorite group?'
'Pink Floyd.' Scully said. 'He said that he'd always thought they were singing to him. That all their songs mirrored his feelings.'
Pink Floyd, Mulder thought to himself. I remember that. They kept him sane.
Krycek, sitting in a huddled black ball on the beach getting drunk.
He shook his head to clear it before Scully could pick the image out of his head. She didn�t need to know any of that. It would just upset her.
He took a sip of his wine. 'What's his favorite song?'
'Imagine.'
Mulder looked surprised. 'John Lennon?'
'Yes.' She nodded. 'Alex may have seemed evil and mean and harsh, but underneath, he wanted nothing but peace on earth.' Scully smiled, remembering all the times Alex had told her he was bitter he'd missed the sixties. 'He was just a big hippie.'
Mulder was silent for a moment. 'I've missed a lot, haven't I?'
'Yes.' She said softly. 'You have.'
They didn't speak for a very long time. Scully suddenly took a deep breath. When Mulder looked over at her questioningly, she smiled and set her other hand on top of his. 'See what I mean?' She asked softly.
Mulder felt Krycek, thinking about Cade, Scully, and him. He smiled at the odd feeling that his brother was reaching out to him. He tried to reach back, to let him know that all was okay, that all was finally forgiven. That he hadn't been forgotten.
That he was his brother.
Mulder spoke aloud softly to put more effort behind it.
'Hey Alex.'
The End
