4/30/99
Slip VI- One More Step in the Right Direction 
Author- Araxdelan (krycekluvsmulder@hotmail.com)
Disclaimer- Fox Mulder belongs to Alex Krycek. Krycek belongs to himself. Go
on, try and tell them otherwise!
Rating- R 
Summary- Krycek meets The Lone Gunmen, and he and Mulder get... friendly. 
Notes- This story was finished, entirely, before "Three of a Kind" ever 
aired. Any similarity in Lone Gunmen jokes are purely coincidental. Scouts
honor! I didn't even read any spoilers for the episode.

Big hug to Lone Gungirl!

___________________________________________________________________________



	I wonder how much longer this is going to take. I have the sick urge
to turn to Mulder and whine, "Are we *theeerreee* yet?" But he looks
absorbed in his driving. And I shouldn't be complaining. I'm on an 
incredible winning streak, and if the worst thing that happens to me today
is being stuck in close quarters with Fox-freaking-gorgeous-Mulder, then I
can consider myself the luckiest man who ever lived.

	And I still can't believe what new hope he's instilled in me.
Suddenly, I (and the world, for that matter) have a fighting chance again. I
don't think I really realized how bleak things have been until I started
vocalizing them. It gave me new insight on why I showed up to call a truce
with Mulder on a crazy whim. Maybe I was lonely.

	I think that scares me a bit. I've been living this life for awhile;
I should  be used to it. Hardened against it. But now that I consider it, I
never have lived the lone life. When I first started, I was Mulder's 
partner. After that, I was assigned others to work with, and while they 
were annoying scumbags, they were still people for me to relate to. And then
I was on the run, and I was so busy worrying about not getting killed that
I never noticed how damn lonely I was. Not much, anyway. And after that, it
was a whole string of half-hearted alliances, and I *tried* to make nice
with the people I had to work with, I really did. 

	After that, I joined up with the British fellow's resistance. Among
it's members, there was a sense of camaraderie. We were all fighting for
the same cause, etc. After that fell to pieces, I tried working it on my
own, spying on the old men. And just like the other times, I had co-workers.
But I was too busy focusing on which dirty bastards were deep in it, and
which of the underlings could stab me in the back to have much human
connection. My paranoia isolated me, with good reason. Besides, this time
around, I was more wary of the deeds these people had committed.

	It's hard going in everyday, with a mask on. It's hard to pretend
you're one of them when they're all evil, when you despise them. It's *work*
just to have a conversation with one of them. So I avoided it as much as
possible. I went home every night, to the roach motel of the week, and I
sat. Contemplated the mysteries of the world, of the conspiracy. Got
seriously depressed. Drank a little, to take the edge off the pain.
But never enough. I couldn't get drunk. It'd be too risky. I knew I had a
job to do, and I wasn't going to die with a bottle in my hand. I wasn't
going to risk this whole fucking planet because *I* was sad.

	And that's what I didn't realize, even then. I wasn't just depressed
because of the impossible job in front of me. I was *sad*. Pathetically,
horribly sad, because I had nothing in my life.

	"You stupid dumbass pieces of crap!" Mulder yells, as he honks the
horn. I smile. 

	Suddenly I have everything.

	What a lovely thought. I have a fighting chance in my quest, people
to assist me with it, and a man who's interested in me. I have a life again.
Sure, the world's being invaded by hostile aliens, but, as they say, "It's
all good."

	It's funny how youth slang can have such wise undertones. That
statement, right there, is so optimistic, so very philosophical. So bright
and beautiful.

	Ugh. Listen to me. Face it Alexei, you're in love, full of coffee
and donuts, and nothing in the world could be wrong at this moment.

	Even the weather seems nicer today. It's still chilly, but at least
it's sunny. I have the urge to roll my window down, to bask in the bright
light, but what little logical portion of brain that's still functioning
reminds me that I'll just freeze my ass off.

	I wish it was spring. Isn't that supposed to be the season of love?

	I look over at Mulder. We're at a stop light, so he has time to
look back over at me. I see some of the tension from his road rage melt off
his face. Is it me doing that? The light changes, and he turns back to the
road. I wonder if he'll still want me around by the time spring rolls 
around. I'd like to go on a picnic with him. I haven't gone on one in years.
Haven't done very much just for pleasure in years. I wonder if the planet
will still be around by then. 

	And now, suddenly, I *want* to be around next spring. Before, it was
always a matter of *having* to be around. To fight. But now.... I want to
see the sunshine bouncing off Mulder's hair, want to smell the earth on his
body, see grass stains on his bare skin.

	Shit. I am *so* falling in love with him.

	And since when do I talk like that? Like a character off that
Friends show. 

	Jeeze. I shake my head, and lean it on my hands.

	Oh yeah, another benefit of the events of late; I haven't had much
time to think about my arm. I remember how hard it was, in the beginning,
to remember to say "hand", and "arm", instead of "hands", and "arms". I
think that bothered me even more than the phantom pains, the difficulty,
the loss of balance. And the other thing that bothered me was when I'd reach
for something with my left arm, and it'd take me a moment to remember that
I didn't *have* a left arm. 

	So it was the whole "forgetting that my damn arm was cut off" aspect
that pissed me off. And, just as I was learning to deal with the loss, just
when I finally was able to say, "I only have one arm!" and just when I was
able to remember that, from the first moment of consciousness in the
morning, right down to the last coherent thought at night, I get my arm
back. Boom! And that really messed with my head. Suddenly I was forgetting
that I had two arms! 

	So now I'll have to learn to deal with it all over again. But at
least this time I'll have Mulder here with me. And I have to admit that
there's something quite comforting in the fact that I can actually
*embrace* Mulder. Hold him in my *arms*. This morning, he hugged me. And I
hugged him back. He's the first person I've hugged since I got my arm back,
and I find the whole idea wondrous. Today, I threaded my *left arm* through
Mulder's right, and we walked downstairs, together.

	What a wonderful world! What a *fucking* wonderful world, that's
*worth* fighting for!

	"We're here."

	And now Mulder's going to introduce me to his friends, and they're
going to help us save this place.

	Mulder's looking at me weird. Oh. He's stopped the car, and I'm
just sitting here. "Well, I'm ready." I say.

	Mulder, nods, and exits the car. I get out, lock my door, and slam
it behind me. He waits for me by the hood of the car, and I walk up to him,
and let him lead me to where ever this place is. I've heard a lot about
these guys. Most of it was mocking, but some people realized their potential
threat. Especially after that whole DAT tape fiasco. 

	Mulder gives me an evaluating look.

	"Do I have food on my face?" I joke.

	"No, it's just.... the guys have heard some stories about you, and
I'm thinking that I should have called first, explained some of what's going
on...."

	Oh.

	"I think I kinda... well, villianized you. And now I know that
you're not a villain, but it'll probably be harder for others to see you as
anything other than that. Especially Skinner..."

	I don't even want to *think* about that. I hope Scully's a fast
talker, because otherwise I'm screwed.

	Mulder's hands are stuffed in his pockets, and he looks miserable
and cold. I guess my Russian blood keeps me from feeling the cold. Or maybe
I'm just used to it. His nose is all pink, and I wonder how much farther we
have to walk. Couldn't we have found a closer parking spot?

	I glance around, and the street is empty of people. Why not? I slip
my arm around Mulder, and draw him closer to me, warming him with my body
heat. Mulder snuggles into it for a moment, and then stiffens. "What's
wrong?" I ask.

	"It's just that I'm not sure how The Gunmen would react to me and
you..."

	I laugh. That's the problem? "Don't worry Mulder. I'll be discrete
around them. It's just that it's so cold out, and you parked so far away,
and I can tell that you're freezing your ass off."

	He smiles. "Yeah, I am. And this is nice."

	"But you're not ready to tell your friends, and that's okay with 
me."

	"Thank you."

	We continue walking. I can't help but sniff his hair, but I think
better of rubbing my face in it. Or kissing him, which is the other thing
I'd like to do. It's hard, having this temptation so close. I rub his arm,
trying to help to warm him. I can feel his breathing quicken, the rise and
fall of his side against mine. I want him, completely bare, against me, skin
to skin...

	"This is it."

	Shit. Okay, I have to calm myself down. We turn down an alley, and
I back a reasonable distance away from Mulder. A friendly distance. But the
loss of contact his driving me nuts, and suddenly I too can feel the cold.

	Mulder stops, and I stop too. The only door I can see is up ahead,
and I don't know why we've paused. I look curiously at Mulder. Oh, *that's*
why. He leans forward and his lips are cold against my own. But so *good*.
He laces his fingers through my hair, and his tongue slips through my lips
and I part them to accommodate it, and I'm about to loose it. If I faint,
Mulder better catch me....

	I can feel my brain melting, and my cock hardening. I... I can't. I
pull away, and I'm breathing heavily. "You are such a fucking *tease*
Mulder!"

	He looks just as affected as me, but somehow he manages a cool
smile. "I couldn't help it."

	"Couldn't you have done that before? Did you have to wait till
*just* before we have to go in and meet your friends?"

	"A grievous error on my part. Besides, I needed something to tide
me over." 

	He's such a fucking lunatic sometimes. But I love him.

	Wow. Did I just say that? 

	Yup, seems so. I love Fox Mulder.

	Why do I get such a thrill from saying that?

	Well, I guess I really didn't *say* it. I just thought it. And now
I want to say it.

	"I love you Mulder." Oh yeah, that was a nice thrill. 

	He pauses in his knocking, and his jaw drops open. Shock. I expected
that. But his eyes... they look warm. Happy. And then the door creaks open.

	"Hey Mulder." a voice calls. Mulder ignores it, and continues
staring at me. "Mulder, buddy, you okay?" it asks. Mulder snaps out of it,
and turns towards the door.

	"Oh, umm..." Mulder's voice croaks, and he clears his throat. "Yeah,
I'm fine. And I've brought a... a guest."

	I have to smile. I like the results of my admission. Maybe I should
be honest more often.

	"Is it Scully?" the person behind the door asks, excitedly. Note to
self- whoever that is, they have a thing for Scully.

	"No, Frohike, it's not." Mulder replies.

	So now the voice has a name. Frohike.

	"Damn." Frohike says.

	So much for a warm welcome. This guy must *really* have the hots
for Scully. I look at Mulder, and he stares at me warmly before seeing the
question I'm shooting at him with my eyes. He waves me forward, towards the
door.

	I stand in the doorway, next to Mulder, and get my first look at
Frohike. Short stub of a man, glasses, balding, ratty clothing. Thoughtful
look on his face. He's probably seen my picture, and is trying to place me.
I wait, for the dreaded introduction.

	But before Mulder can tell him who I am, Frohike remembers. I see
the realization hit his face, followed by suspicion, and finally fear.
Mulder moves to hold the door open, but Frohike manages to slam it close
anyway. Mulder starts pounding on the door.

	"Frohike! Open the door, dammit! Fro-hike!"

	The voice from behind the door is frightened, but insistent. "No
Mulder. I know who that is! No way Alex Krycek is coming in here!"

	I know that this should be insulting, but I actually find it quite
amusing. "What the hell did you tell him about me, Mulder?" I say, giggling
a bit.

	Mulder pauses in his pounding to look at me. He's *blushing*. Which
makes me laugh again. I know I promised him before, but I can't help it...
I lean over and kiss him on the cheek. The door's closed anyway, it's not
like they're going to see anything

	I pull back, and, if it's possible, I think he's blushing more. He
looks like a bashful teenager. And, of course, that makes me want to kiss
him again, but I think better of it.

	Mulder's still giving me that look when the voice sounds from
behind the door again. "Mulder? You okay? He didn't kill you, did he?"
Frohike asks, nervously.

	Mulder finds this hilarious. I laugh right along with him. Then he
answers. "No Frohike. Quite the opposite."

	"Huh?"

	"Nothing. Nevermind."

	"You still can't come in if you're bringing *him* with."

	"Stop with the games. He's on our side now."

	"Just like the last time. And the time before that."

	"Yeah, and we've talked about that. It's all been squared away."

	There was a pause. "Really? Are you *sure* that he won't kill us,
or steal information, or..."

	"NO! Now open the damn door, or I'll come in there and kick your
ass."

	"Yeah right!"

	"Fine, I'll get Scully to come over here and kick your ass!"

	The door opened.

	"Melvin Frohike, meet Alex Krycek."

	Beady eyes look me up and down.

	It's going to be a long day.

	After a moment, Mulder and I are let in. Finally. It's freezing
outside! I rub my hands together, trying to warm them up. Another benifit
of having two again. I look at Mulder, and he's doing the same thing. 

	Frohike leads us down a hall, walking backwards, never taking his
eyes off of me.

	"Frohike...." Mulder says, warningly.

	Frohike throws me one last dirty look, and turns, hurrying down the
hall. When he reaches it's end, he shouts, "You'll never believe who
Mulder's brought here!"

	"Who?" I hear someone ask.

	"Krycek!"

	"No fucking way!" a third person replies.

	By this time, Mulder and I have reached the end of the hall, as
well. It opens into a large room, completely filled with computer equipment,
wires running everywhere. A guy with long, stringy blonde hair is crashed
on a couch in the corner. He too is wearing glasses, an his attire is...
computer nerd meets stoner. I look up from him, and find the third member
of this unusual trio standing indignantly in the middle of the room. He's
wearing a pressed suit, has a trim beard, and isn't that bad looking. I try
and picture his face, under the beard. I bet it's sweet.

	Man, *these* are the guys? I look over at Mulder, and raise an
eyebrow. He shrugs, and turns towards the others. "Hi Byers, hi Langly."

	"What's going on?" the bearded one asks.

	"We're going to save the world." 

	This elicits some skeptical looks and raised eyebrows from... what
does Mulder call them? The Gunmen. Yes, that's it. He points to the one on
the couch, and says to me, "That's Langly." he turns towards the bearded
one, and says, "This is Byers. Guys, this is Alex Krycek."

	The guy on the couch, Langly, gives me a terse nod, and a
suspicious look. But Byers reaches his hand out, and I can see outrage in
his eyes as I politely shake his hand. Smooth skin, strong grip, probably
from all those hours typing. 

	He shifts his attention from me to Mulder. "So, Mulder, are you
going to tell us what's going on?"

	Mulder looks pained. This is his second time having to explain me
today, and it can't be a fun experience. 

	"Alright, I'll explain. But you have to trust me." he looks at his
friends, and they all nod.

	Byers and Frohike take seats next to Langly on the couch, and
Mulder pulls a chair across from them. I take a seat on a stool, away from
the group.

	"Okay," Mulder begins. "Krycek came to see me, to call a truce."
Mulder ignores the snorts from Langly and Frohike, and continues. "Well, we
got to talking, and I realized that I had mis-judged him. And he apologized
for some of the things that he did do. 

	"Anyway, we decided to sit down to breakfast, and then Scully came
over, and I explained things to her. She agreed to hear Krycek out, and
Krycek offered us both information. Not just information, but an alliance.
The chance to bring the bastards down, and stop the invasion.

	"He's always had the same basic intentions we've had. And now he
wants to join up with us. And I think that, together, we can save this
planet."

	Mulder finishes his pro-Krycekian speech, and sits back, folding
his arms. The three others look over at me, and I smile and shrug my
shoulders. They then simultaneously turn back to Mulder. He looks
expectantly at them.

	Byers speaks up first. "I'll work with him, if that's truly his
goal, and you truly trust him."

	Frohike and Langly nod in agreement.

	Suddenly I realize who they remind me of; The Three Stooges. 

	Mulder looks pleased. "Good. So, Krycek, where do we start?"

	Oh, great. The ball's in my court. I need to think....  I need to
plan. This whole day has been so un-expected...

	"Well, I really haven't had time to work out a battle plan." I tell
them, honestly. "I just wanted to make sure you were onboard, wanted to
know how many people we have on our side."

	"And how many do we have?" Langly asks.

	Oh no. Bad question. "Including all of us, six. Seven if Scully can
sweet talk Skinner into helping."

	"That's it?" exclaims Frohike.

	"It's what we have to work with. And, if we play it right, it'll be
all we need."

	Byers gives me a serious look. "What can we do? What do you have
for us?"

	"I need you three to gather information, mostly. Later on, I'll
probably need you for other tasks as well, but I can't be sure what they
are just yet. 

	"And what do I have for you? Directions, I suppose. To point you
in. I know where they're hiding stuff. And I think I know how to get it. A
lot of it is right here." I reach in my jacket pocket, and pull out the
disk that I had grabbed from my car, before Mulder and I left.

	At sight of the disk, three pairs of eyes light up. I can
practically hear them chanting, "Answers.... answers...." I walk over, and
hold it out in front of them, and I wonder who'll be the one to grab it.
They all go for at once, and, after they struggle a bit, Langly is the
one to take the disk over to one of the computer consoles, and insert it
into the Zip drive. All three Gunmen gather around the monitor, happy as
clams. 

	I smile over at Mulder, and he smiles back. Three new dedicated
members of the resistance. I can check that off my "To Do" list. But I
still have to see if Skinner is on our side, get my ass out of The
Consortium, make some kind of plan for this rag-tag bunch of freedom
fighters to follow, and have sex with Mulder.

	Damn. Way too much stuff in front of that last one. But I know I
can get rid of two of them right now. 

	"Mulder? Can you please call Scully, and see if Skinner's with us."

	"Sure thing." Mulder says.

	"Can I use one of these computers?" I ask The Gunmen.

	"Huh? Oh, yeah. I guess." Frohike responds.

	I sit myself down at one of the computers, and log onto the
internet. I call up one of my email addresses, and quickly pound out an
angry email, addressed to all the senior members of The Consortium.
Basically, it says that if they come after me, or any of my "associates"
that I'll release certain classified information. And that, if I'm killed,
I'll have someone else release it for me. And, to show them that I'm not
joking, I pull out another disk from my pocket, and attach one of the
documents in question to the email. 

	I then make sure that the email can't be traced (not too hard when
you're working off a computer that belongs to three of the most paranoid
people in the world) and hit the send button. That's it. I'm out. I know
them, and I know the information I have. It doesn't have anything to do
with the aliens, and therefore isn't particularly helpful resistance-wise,
but it is something the old men won't risk exposing. Which is helpful for
me.

	"So that's it? You're out?"

	I jump. I didn't even notice Mulder standing behind me. My reflexes
are shot. I turn my chair, to face him, and say, "Yup, that's it. I'm done
with them."

	"And you're sure they won't come after you?"

	"Almost positive. They might try it once, to test me, but, if they
do, I'll call their bluff, and release some of the information. That should
stop them dead in their tracks."

	Mulder smiles down at me, happily. "That's great." For a moment, it
looks like he's going to lean down and give me a congratulatory kiss, but
he remembers where he is, and stops himself. The three happy hackers are so
absorbed with the disk I gave them, I don't think it would have mattered if
he did kiss me anyway.

	"So," I ask, smiling at his aborted attempt at kissing me, "Did you
talk to Scully?"

	"Yeah. She's still answering some of Skinner's questions, but he's
in. And he wants to talk to you."

	I groan. "Oh no! Do I *have* to?"

	"Yeah, he has questions that only you can answer."

	Shit. But I guess I shouldn't complain. He's on our side, he's
accepting me, that's a good thing. And I'm another step closer to having my
way with Mulder. 

	And the way Mulder's looking at me, I'd say he's ready to have his
way with *me*.

	So why am I hanging around here?

	"Mulder, you ready to go?"

	"Are we done here?"

	"Yeah, that disk should answer some questions, and keep them busy
for awhile. When I'm more sure of what's going on, we'll come back, brief
them on what's happening."

	"Okay." he turns towards them. "Guys? We're leaving."

	"Wait!" I say. "One more thing! I copied a folder onto that
computer." I point to the one that I was using. "If they happen to kill me,
send the whole thing out to all the people I have listed in the 'readme'
file. Please."

	"Insurance?" asks Byers.

	"Precisely. Goodbye, and thank you all."

	Mulder waves at them. "Bye guys!" 

	Mulder and I walk down the hall, out the door, and back into the
cold.

	"Where to?" Mulder asks me.

	"Well, my car and my backpack are back at your place."

	"Okay, back to my place. And then where?"

	I look at my feet. "I don't know. I don't really have any place to
go."

	Suddenly, he's slamming me up against the wall, and his mouth is
ravishing my own. He's pressing against me, gyrating his hips against my
own. I'm so stunned, I let him do whatever he wants with me. Happily let
him do what he wants. But I don't know how much more I can take....

	He breaks the kiss, and I gasp for air. I lean against the wall,
and he says, "Then stay with me."

	Ohhh... please, Mulder. Please let me into your life. I manage to
catch my breath for long enough to rasp out a scratchy, "Yes." And then I
grab his shoulders, spin us both around, pin him up against the wall, and
return the favor. His lips were made to be kissed, and I take the job
seriously.

	This first touch of his hands on my ass makes me cry out into his
mouth, and he seems to feed on my pleasure. His fingers knead me slowly,
before tickling their way up my crack, and traveling up, under my jacket,
under my shirt, and fluttering over my bare back. I arch into his touch,
which breaks the contact between our mouths. My neck arches as well, and
Mulder takes the opportunity to nibble and lick at my throat. I miss
having the wall to lean against.

	Suddenly I realize, through the cloud of lust in my head, that we
can't finish this here. And that the ride home is going to be hell. I
take Mulder's head in my hands, and detach him from my throat. I place
several sweet, light kisses on his mouth, and then say, "Mulder, we...
oh...." his hands are wandering again, "We have to stop. We.... can't have
sex in an alley."

	He leans in, and licks the lobe of my ear. As he begins to nibble
at it, he replies, "Why not?"

	Good question... oh yeah.... "Because, we don't want our first time
to be in an alley. Besides, your friends are right inside...."

	"They're busy. They'll never notice." he moves his attention to the
side of my neck, right below my ear.

	"C'mon Mulder... we.... don't have any supplies anyway... and it's
cold out."

	He sighs, and the warm breath tickles the fine hairs on my neck,
making me shiver. "Fine. Home. Now." 

	He grabs my hand, and *pulls* me to the car. We get in, and I ask,
"Can you drive in this condition?"

	He smiles wickedly at me. "If anyone gets in my way, I'll run 'em
over." He starts the car, and guns the engine. 

	I try to control my breathing. He's so sexy when he's focused.
Heck, right now he'd be sexy no matter *what* he was doing. I grab his head,
and kiss him hard.

	I break away, lean back into my seat, and smile at him. "Have you
ever had sex in a moving car?"

	We speed away from the curb, and back towards Mulder's.



The 
End

(now I'm the tease!)

To be continued in Slip VII