::  Working through the Night  ::

Part 5
The Whole Nine Yards

The Barkley Center, nestled deep in the Hudson River Valley, was designed for weeklong conferences on everything from corporate management seminars and continuous improvement classes for many of the Fortune 100 companies. This week the participants had been groups from various federal law-enforcement agencies listening to speakers talk about interdepartmental cooperation. There had been no less that four speakers scheduled every day. By day two, many of the participants considered the symposium a huge success as conference rooms emptied and DEA agents assisted Secret Service Agents in reeling in bass and catfish from nearby streams. An ATF agent had led a mixed group of FBI, US Postal Inspectors and US Marshals deep into the Valley on a hike. Hours later, Army Intelligence and NCIS happily cooperated in finding the 15 lost souls. A good time had been had by all.

Tonight the huge ballroom was filled with people dressed to the nines, pleased that they had basically just received an all-paid vacation. Eight people, spaced throughout the room, were just glad the week was over. Eight people hoped that perhaps they might conceivably get Friday and Saturday to relax and play a bit.

Six pairs of eyes anxiously watched the seventh and eighth as they cut across the crowded floor. Four agents quietly joined the two men. The keynote speaker for the evening watched worriedly from the main table across the room.

Dana Scully and Sarah MacKenzie stood in an outwardly casual stance near the target. Both women looked like they were perfectly comfortable in their slinky evening wear. The way they held their evening bags gave no hint that .38 S&Ws were the only items in them.

Mac let her eyes roam over to where Chegwidden and Skinner were standing talking with the Secretary of the Navy. She moved just a little closer to Dana and conversationally asked, "After…I don’t suppose we could talk them into…?" She left the question hang, anxiously awaiting her friend and occasional lover’s response.

She was rewarded with a gentle sigh and a heartfelt, "I certainly hope so. What’s your room like?"

Sarah returned her attention to the man who, once again, pulled several members of JAG into the middle of a dangerous op. "Well you mean besides the whirlpool bath, easily big enough for…well, easily big enough. There’s a king-size bed directly across from the dresser. The mirror above the dresser is about five feet wide. Very kinky."

"Oh my. Well Skinner always did get the best rooms." Dana glanced at their prey. She kept her very evil grin to herself. She had waited a long time for this day. To have actual proof…well, not proof of all his crimes, but proof enough to put the son-of-a-bitch in jail.

"See who he’s looking at?" Mac said worriedly.

"Yeah, well he hates Skinner almost as much as he hates Mulder." Dana growled softly.

"Oh, I don’t think he even sees Skinner."

Dana considered the tableau before her and then nodded. "Oh yeah. Looks like your Mr. Webb was right about that, too."

"That would be MY Mr. Webb." The low sexy growl corrected one of her partners.

"You’re welcome to him, Agent Reyes." Sarah chuckled. "I just hope you can handle him. What are your plans for after?"

Monica Reyes sighed. "What do you think?" She bit her upper lip and then rubbed the lipstick off her tooth with her tongue. "He’ll make the arrest, take him back to DC and I’ll be stuck here in a luxury suite all by myself. Damn. Sucks to be me, doesn’t it."

Scully and MacKenzie exchanged wry glances. It was all so strange. Six months ago both of them, unbeknownst to the other, had been bemoaning the fact that they quite possibly would never date again. Now, not only were they both officially dating each other’s boss, but also, once in a while…well, once in a while they both fulfilled fantasies that they hadn’t even had wet dreams about before. But as kinky and wonderful as their little foursome could be, neither considered the possibly of asking anyone else to join them.

Scully perked her ear at the crash of thunder and grinned. "Maybe Mother Nature will lend a hand. If it rains as hard as they say it will, perhaps they'll just keep him here until it calms down."

Monica, keeping her eyes glued to her lover said, "Well, I guess that voodoo spell will have been worth it then.

Mac raised her eyebrow at Dana. Neither woman had a clue whether or not Reyes was joking. Scully had always liked Monica, but secretly thought she was every bit as ‘Spooky’ as Mulder. Scully continued. "Well, perhaps you’ll get lucky. You know, even though the President named him special prosecutor for the case, he’s still CIA. Maybe he’ll let Doggett take him back.

"Yeah. Like he’s gonna do that." Monica sighed. She really had no idea why she and the Assistant Deputy Director of Counter Intelligence were still together. If you could call what they had ‘being together.’ Whatever they had, she liked it. It was quite possibly the most intense relationship she had ever been involved in. In her whole life she had never done the things that Clay had introduced her to. But she had begun to crave the phone calls at work that would deliver whispered instructions - instructions that she dare not disobey unless she wanted to be punished. Usually, she would deliberately disregard some minor detail. She loved his punishments.

::  ::  ::

Clayton Webb was good at his job. Sometimes it sickened him. But tonight he felt the justification of the righteous. Who would have thought that three months ago, a dirty little assignment would have opened such a can of worms. The fallout would be spectacular; guaranteed to drive everything else from the front pages for days. But as he led his team across the floor, John Doggett to his left, Harmon Rabb to his right, he found he wasn’t thinking about the arrest. He found his thoughts straying to the one truly nice thing to come out of the entire scandal-in-the-making. He hoped he could figure out a way to get Monica Reyes to return to DC with them tonight. Because he knew they had little choice but to get the Deputy Director down the mountain and into a cell. Another crash of thunder returned his attention to the job. Clutching the arrest warrant, Webb whispered just loud enough for Doggett and Rabb to hear, "Showtime."

Harmon Rabb let his eyes make momentary contact with his lover stationed in the balcony above the ballroom. He gulped at the emotion that the brief connection stirred in him.

He suspected that Mulder had long since come to terms with his sexual preferences. But Rabb told himself that he wasn’t quite ready to make the same admission about his own homosexuality. That abyss was almost bottomless. Better to cling to the hope that this was just a fling, that he was really bi-sexual, and, someday the right woman would come along. However, the flyer hadn’t even looked at another woman since he had become involved with the profiler. They complimented each other. Rabb found that the danger of seeing Mulder was almost as exciting as flying a tomcat. Harm wasn’t really sure what Mulder got out of it, but the agent seemed happy enough when they were together.

Rabb hoped that they could get together after this was over. Maybe they wouldn’t need him to escort the prisoner back. He caught the quirk of his lover's lips and dropped his eyes, only to find the Secretary of the Navy glaring at him in intense loathing and hatred. Rabb didn’t allow himself to contemplate the hatred because he also saw the incredible fear there, too. He just hoped that Chegwidden and Skinner could control the man.

::  ::  ::

"Easy, Mr. Secretary." AJ Chegwidden’s growl was predatory. He had never liked Nelson but before the meeting with Webb six weeks ago, he had always just figured it was because the man was a useless politico. It had never occurred to him that he was one sick bastard, too.

"You’re really enjoying this aren’t you, AJ?" the soon to be ex-SecNav snarled in false bravado.

"Shut up, Nelson." Walter Skinner spat. Skinner couldn’t believe it either. Who would have thought that the thing that had bound Kersh to the consortium would be his and possibly it’s downfall. Though Skinner had witnessed too much during the past seven years to completely believe it.

He carefully kept his eyes off the one man he wanted to personally rip apart with his bare hands. Now that would be satisfying on so many levels. But he would have to be content knowing that not only would they clean out one of the black-lunged bastard’s stooges in the FBI, but also one more sexual predator would be put behind bars. He just hoped that they could use the evidence to elicit some real information from Kersh. Nelson seemed more than willing to spill the beans for immunity. Already they had heard some very interesting tidbits as part of the deal. Skinner knew Chegwidden wasn’t happy about the deal. Hell, he wasn’t either. There was only one consolation, a very slim one. It didn’t appear that the SecNav had done anything other than watch the snuff porn on the Internet. There was no concrete evidence, and Nelson had passed the polygraph test where he swore he had never been to the house on ‘F’ Street were they had found the ten men being held captive as well as the graves of the earlier victims. "You are one sick bastard, Nelson. It pains me to no end that we will have to spend a fortune monitoring your every move. You do know that you won’t be able to take a dump without me knowing about it, don’t you?" Skinner was awfully pleased with the way Nelson’s skin turned a pasty grey.

AJ Chegwidden kept his eyes trained on the target. It felt to him like Webb’s team was moving in slow motion. He quietly cursed as Kersh moved away from one group and appeared to be heading straight for Scully, Reyes and MacKenzie. Skinner soothed. "Easy, AJ. They know how to handle themselves."

Monica was the first to spot him. "Oh, joy. Heads up, ladies." Instinctively the three women positioned themselves so that Kersh was forced to face them, thereby presenting his back to Webb.

"Mr. Kersh." Dana, as senior agent, greeted her boss’s boss.

"Ladies." Kersh smoothly greeted the two women he had assured Nelson three months ago were firmly under his thumb. He waited to be introduced to the third woman. While he did, he admired the way the three women were dressed. As much as he enjoyed his little pet passion, he did appreciate a nicely dressed woman. Reyes looked hot in her basic black and even Scully looked very nice in her short, blue cocktail dress. However, this woman looked like a crime waiting to happen. The red dress hugged her form; the moist red lipstick was an invitation that had Kersh had the time he would like to explore. "Alvin Kersh, Deputy Director of the FBI," he supplied silkily when neither Dana nor Monica made any effort to make the introduction.

Sarah MacKenzie fought the urge to lash out. She was a Marine damn it, and she would do this, even though she could feel the hatred and disgust roiling in her stomach. "Colonel Sarah MacKenzie, Mr. Kersh. I understand you will give the closing lecture tomorrow morning, sir."

Kersh’s smile stirred some deep worry in Mac but the precious seconds it took to solidify proved to be too long. "Perhaps, Colonel MacKenzie, but probably not."

Dana reacted quicker than Sarah did, but both of them were too late. For a man so bulky, he moved with surprising speed. In one movement, he pulled his gun from his holster and grabbed Monica Reyes by the hair. Shoving the gun deep into the fleshy part under her chin he spun them around to face Clayton Webb who had advanced to within two feet of the group.

"I don’t think so, Webb." Kersh laughed at the startled looks on all the faces. "Did you really think you could take me? Did you really think I didn’t know what was going on? Fools."

"Let her go, Kersh." Webb, Rabb, Dogget and half a dozen other agents, besides Mac and Sarah had their guns pointed right at the pair. "You’re not getting out of here. You aren’t going to kill her." Webb coolly instructed his target. He forced himself not to look at Monica.

"I’m not? Why not?" Kersh laughed.

Monica struggled, but Kersh fisted her hair even tighter and nearly gagged her from the pressure of the barrel. She tried to breathe calmly through her nose and forced herself to look at her partner and not at her lover. Doggett smiled encouragingly. Monica knew he would do everything in his power to protect her, just like Webb would. But Monica didn’t want to distract Webb. He had to focus if he was to save her.

"What good will it do you to kill her?" Webb asked in the calmest voice he could muster. He fought every urge to show his fear. He suspected that Kersh knew exactly what role Monica played in his life. He couldn’t let the bastard see just how much she had come to mean to him.

"How about intense satisfact…the words were cut off abruptly. At first, Webb didn’t understand why until Monica fell into his arms. It was then that Webb realized that Kersh was standing there, arms outstretched in surprise. There was little expression left on the man’s face because most of his face had exploded from the force of the exit wound. Webb barely heard the grunt of pain from behind him, but he did hear Scully’s gasped, "John!" Followed closely by Mulder’s shouted "Krycek!" He never did notice the body toppling forward.

Then of course, all hell broke loose.

::  ::  ::

Rabb didn’t even hesitate. At the sound of Mulder’s anguished cry, he searched the balcony and immediately made his way outside. Lightning spider-webbed the sky with almost constant strikes. The force of thunderclaps nearly forced him to his knees but he managed to follow Mulder as the agent followed the fleeing assassin. At least that’s whom Rabb hoped Mulder was following. The three entered the forest at a run but all were forced to slow down to keep from falling over logs and stones. Finally, Rabb came to a clearing and saw the two men facing each other through a kaleidoscope of lightning. He couldn’t hear anything, but he saw enough to raise his gun and with one shot, killed the man about to kill his lover. He heard the anguished ‘No!’ but ignored it to check the body.

Rabb turned, still crouched over the body, to study Mulder. He had no trouble distinguishing the tears from the rain streaming down Mulder’s face. They were spared the need to discuss it as three other agents ran up behind them. "Commander? Agent Mulder? You got him? Damn! Good job." Rabb stood, but Mulder turned away and walked back to the center.

::  ::  ::

AJ Chegwidden stared down at the body of Alexander Nelson. He tried to feel something other than intense relief that the whole thing was finished. He knew that they had lost a valuable source of information into the shadow conspiracy that Skinner and Scully occasionally whispered about. When the silenced shot had thrown his old adversary into his arms, he had carefully lowered the man to the ground. The wound to the chest was fatal but not instant, so he and Walter listened carefully to the frantic information pouring from the man’s lips. It was like Nelson knew who had killed him and wanted to exact some little revenge while he could. They gained precious little, other than to hear that Lauren Singer was a plant for the consortium.

Now the acid was beginning to churn up inside him. He had wanted no part of this mess, secretly believing that it was all so much political posturing. Now he suspected that they were in for a long dangerous haul. He had hoped to transfer the bitch’s ass to JAGPAC but now he knew he wouldn’t be able to let her out of his sight.

"Pity." A new voice just barely audible over the din broke into AJ’s thoughts.

"Yes, Mr. Barnes. A real pity, we could have used the information." AJ met the steady gaze of the newest director to take charge of the FBI.

Webb and the President had listened carefully to Skinner’s suggestions about the possible friends Kersh might have within the FBI. That had been the real reason why President Jackson had insisted that Webb take control of the operation, even though Jackson had fired Barnes’ predecessor claiming he had never liked the bastard anyway. "There are too many land mines there. We can’t take a chance." Jackson had insisted.

"I’m going to need a new DD." Barnes grumbled. "You think Skinner can handle it?"

AJ Chegwidden scanned the room until he found the object of their discussion, giving orders to several agents while he carefully examined the shoulder wound John Doggett had sustained from the bullet exiting Alvin Kersh’s head. AJ thought they had been lucky. Doggett would survive the shoulder injury; it was a wonder that the bullet hadn’t entered Reyes’ brain. AJ figured that it had missed by less than an inch. "Is it going to cost him the X-Files?"

"Oh, I’m sure he can work something out." Barnes studied Skinner. Several men, some by anonymous phone calls, some boldly coming to his office, had made a point to denigrate the man.

"Then I would say you would be a fool not to ask him."

"That’s what I thought. Webb said the same thing several days ago."

"Really." AJ turned his attention to Webb who was still clutching Agent Reyes to his chest. For the first time in a long time, Webb looked like he wasn’t sure what to do. "Excuse me, Mr. Barnes. I need to check on my people."

Dana Scully knelt beside Doggett, across from Skinner. "Move your hand, Walter. I need to check the wound. Somebody…oh thanks." She accepted a clean napkin from someone and dabbed at the wound. "Not enough force to pass through." She looked up again and asked, "Did someone call an ambulance?"

"I did." Sarah said absently. She was content that Skinner, Scully and Chegwidden were unharmed and as fine as any of them could be. Where the hell was her partner? She had registered the fact that he’d taken off outside, several FBI and other agents on his tail. Hopefully, all of them would cover his six. She longed to find him, to protect him, like she always did. But she knew that in this dress she wouldn’t get far. She relaxed visibly when she saw Mulder stride into the room; however, the look on Harm’s face as he arrived a moment later, worried her. "Excuse me," she murmured and gently pushed her way through the crowd of onlookers. She was just about to reach out for him, but something stopped her. There was a look of pure misery on his face.

"Fox?" he whispered.

Mulder turned and saw MacKenzie standing just behind Rabb. He gulped for control and harshly asked her. "I supposed the bastard is dead?"

"Which one, Mr. Mulder?" she asked gravely. "Surely you know that Kersh is dead."

"No. I-I didn’t see the actual kill." He laughed bitterly. "Alex always impressed me as being a good shot, though; even with just one arm."

Rabb closed his eyes and he finally recognized what he had actually seen in the dim light. But that didn’t change anything. He still knew in his heart that the assassin was going to kill Mulder. "Who was he, Fox?"

Mulder struggled with the question. How could he tell them about Alex Krycek? What a bastard he was. How could he tell them how much he had missed Krycek since he had been gone? Missed the hazel eyes, missed his lips. And Mulder had desperately missed Alex Krycek right up until the day he had met Harmon Rabb. How do you explain the enormity of what Rabb had for Mulder and to him? He took a deep breath and met the almost frantic blue eyes. "He was a rat bastard in the pay of the other rat bastards who would do anything to keep their conspiracy from becoming public." He snorted and looked over at the crowd of people. "They have no idea." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You have no idea. But, thank you for saving my life. You did save my life – Harm." With that, he turned away and pushed through the door opening onto the corridor that would lead him to the hotel portion of the complex.

"He called me Harm." Mac heard the awe and the anguish still not soothed by the words of gratitude. "He never, ever calls me Harm." Mac found she was fighting back tears. She wasn’t sure what to say but before she could say anything, they both heard a gruff grumble.

"You better go and make sure he’s okay, Com…Harm."

Commander Harmon Rabb looked in horror at his CO only to find a look of resigned acceptance. "Aye-aye, sir. Thank you, sir." Not sparing Mac a glance, he followed Mulder’s path.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" AJ demanded.

Sarah tore her gaze from the swinging doors and faced him. "Yes…AJ." And ignoring protocol, not giving a damn what anyone thought, she stretched up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?" He met her steady gaze. Whatever he had accepted in that one command would never be voiced out loud. Not even to her. "Come on. Let’s go see what we can do to help."

::  ::  ::

It was nearly dawn before the last of the police and medical examiner’s vans pulled away. Doggett had been taken to the hospital, Monica and Scully going with him. Sarah had done little more than hover. While she was privy to everything that was said, there was little she could contribute that Webb, AJ or Walter didn’t think of first. But Barnes hadn’t questioned her right to be in the room while they rehashed the disaster.

Skinner ran his hands over his face and Sarah longed to soothe him, but she sat, her stocking clad feet nestled under her on the uncomfortable couch. Skinner almost groaned in his frustration. "Gentlemen, it is no surprise to me that there was a leak. It could have come from anywhere. We could have been busted in several places along the line." He came to stand in front of the small table that Barnes was sitting at, his hands supporting his chin. "Sir, you’ll have my resignation on your desk, first thing Monday morning." He ignored AJ and Webb’s angry hisses and Mac’s heartfelt, ‘No!’

Barnes studied the very tired man in front of him. "Why Mr. Skinner? You afraid of the coming fight?"

Skinner slammed his fists down on the table. "No, sir. I just think you should start your tenure without any reservations."

"Indeed. Admiral Chegwidden?"

"Yes?"

"You doubt Mr. Skinner’s loyalty."

"No, sir."

"You, Mr. Webb?"

"Nothing I’ve found, and I have checked thoroughly, suggests anything other than extreme loyalty, to both his country and his friends, Mr. Barnes."

"I believe I know Colonel MacKenzie’s response, Mr. Skinner. Now tell me, who at the Hoover will tell me differently and what are we going to do about…them?"

"Mr. Barnes?"

"Yes, Colonel?" Skinner’s ultimate boss looked away from him and to her.

"Sir, can’t this wait?" Sarah knew she was stepping on toes, but damn it, they had been at it for nearly six hours. "Do you really think anything is going to happen before Monday? What? And if it does, can we do anything to prevent it?"

"Well, Mr. Skinner?"

Walter Skinner didn’t bother to look at Sarah. She was right. "There is nothing I can suggest, and I need to think about who I really distrust."

"Excellent answer. Monday morning, 8:00 am. I want to see you before the morning meeting with the DD’s. Now if you will excuse me, I have to brief the President and have that damn press conference. We agree on what I will reveal and what I will keep quiet."

As much as they would have loved to keep the entire operation quiet since it would net them nothing, they agreed they couldn’t. Most of the men and women in the ballroom had no clue as to what had really gone down, but Kersh had made it evident that he was dirty. At Webb’s insistence, the FBI was going to take full credit for the arrest. They would explain Webb’s presence some way – later.

::  ::  ::

The ballroom was empty except for the four of them. Webb sighed. "Well, there’s little for me to do here. I think I’ll go find my bed, if I can remember what room it is." Exhausted, he trudged toward the door.

Skinner just stood there staring at the bloodstains, the white crime scene outlines and the few discarded napkins – the only evidence left of the assassinations. He welcomed Sarah’s touch on his arm; he didn’t shake off AJ’s pressure on his other.

Together, the two JAG officers led Skinner down the corridor. They had just crossed the lobby when the doors opened and Monica and Dana stepped inside. The three waited for them. None of them commented on the hospital scrubs that someone had given Monica. No one wanted to discuss the need for such clothes. When Monica looked down the corridor toward the ballroom, it was AJ who answered her unspoken question. "He went up to his room just a few minutes ago, Agent Reyes."

"Thank you, Admiral." She spared them a tired smile and stepped into the first open elevator. The four of them left it to her and stepped into another one.

On the way up, Sarah rested her head on Skinner’s chest, and Dana let AJ pull her into a tight embrace. "AJ." Dana let a whiny quality enter her voice.

"What darlin’?" He sighed. He had never been able to deny her anything in their personal life.

"AJ, Skinner’s got a nicer room than you did. Sarah says there’s a huge whirlpool in the bathroom."

While both women had made the concession of registering at the hotel as roommates, neither had spent any time in the small room they had been assigned. Both had discretely moved their suitcases into the appropriate rooms. AJ kissed her head and traded an amused glance with the soon-to-be Deputy Director. "Well darlin’ what do you want to do about it?"

"Make him share, AJ." She rubbed herself against him, enjoying the beginnings of the game.

"Well Dana, I think you better ask him then." AJ turned her around and gently pushed her toward the other couple.

Dana walked up to her boss and pouted. "Can we come and play in your whirlpool, Mr. Skinner?" Dana knew the breathy, almost ‘Lolita,’ voice could drive him wild.

Skinner sighed, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Keeping his eyes on AJ, he asked. "What do you think, Sarah? You want company?"

Sarah sighed and nodded into his chest. "Yes, please. I would like to take a long soak and hopefully find ways to forget about tonight and what is going to happen come Monday."

"Well then, I suggest this. Dana, why don’t you and AJ go pack your swim suits and rubber duckies and meet us."

"Okay, AJ?" Dana chewed her lower lip. She knew he was the most uncomfortable with the arrangement, at least at the beginning, but she was pleased to see a spark of passion and acceptance in his eye.

"Whatever you want, darlin’."

::  ::  ::

Harmon Rabb had no idea what to do. He stood beside Mulder and just watched the night turn to dawn. Finally, carefully, he put his arm around the other man’s shoulder. "Come to bed, Fox, you need to sleep."

Mulder stood his ground and wouldn’t look at Rabb. Instead he asked, "Why are you here? Can’t you see what a fucked up shit I am? Didn’t you see?"

Rabb sighed. "See what, Fox? See that at that instant when I turned to look up at you I saw how much you hated and despised me for what I did. Yeah, I saw it. And it hurt. Hurt like hell. I figure that son-of-a-bitch must have been a graduate from the house on ‘F’ Street. Must have been real good at it if he walked out alive."

Mulder heard the hurt and anger in Rabb’s voice, but he also heard something else. The JAG lawyer had a deep-seated need to understand. It was the one thing they truly had in common. Even though both men had lost their fathers – or in Mulder’s case the only man he could really accept as his father, Rabb’s closure had been more complete and clean than Mulder’s could ever be. The search for truth was the one guiding force in their lives. So at the very least, Mulder owed him the truth. Because Mulder knew that Rabb had indeed saved his life, and more, last night. "He was all that and more. And yes, I suppose I did hate you for one brief second. You can’t understand what that bastard did to me."

Mulder laughed quietly and lifted Rabb’s arm off his shoulder. Instead of moving away though, he started to pull the ruined tux from his body. Neither man had bothered to change when they returned to the room. Mulder didn’t because he didn’t feel like it and Rabb because he had been afraid to disturb the deadly stillness.

Now Rabb watched as jacket, cummerbund and shirt fell to the floor in a heap. Mulder walked over to the bed and sat down. As he was pulling off his still wet shoes and socks, he continued. "Alex was better at profiling than I ever will be. He was Rasputin and I was his fucking Tzarina. Only I knew exactly what he was doing and he knew I knew and still I couldn’t stop it." He finished stripping and fell back across the bed. "He was my drug of choice for a very short and intense time."

"I’m sorry." What else could Rabb say?

"Oh don’t be." Mulder sighed and sat up. He stood and pulled down the covers the rest of the way. "Come on. You were right. We both need sleep." Rabb just stood there. "Harm, please. Don’t make me beg here." Mulder sighed and lay down in the center of the bed.

"Why? Why all of a sudden are you calling me Harm? Do I get to be your drug of choice now?" There was a lump in his throat. Mulder’s admission hurt and yet, he understood it. "At least you got to act out your fantasies."

Mulder forced his drooping eyes back open; sighed and stood back up. Walking over to the still somewhat up-tight lawyer, he ran his fingers down the wrinkled white shirt. "Have you never told Webb how you feel about him?" he murmured gently, tugging until another tuxedo jacket joined the pile. "Is that why you’re here with me? I mean, hey, I’m a little taller but…" He gasped as Rabb pushed him brutally away.

"Don’t. Don’t make this about me and…Yes, damn you. And, no." Rabb took a great gulp of air. Yes, I told him once. Once when he pulled my ass out of a gay bar in Annapolis – smart move huh? Picture the headlines – Gay Navy lawyer tries to get laid outside the damn Navel Academy. I don’t even know anymore why he was there. I think someone called him and told him to come get me. I was so damn drunk. He just drove me back to my place. How he hustled me upstairs, I’ll never know. But he got me to my bed, stripped me down to my shorts and then covered me up." The anger was gone and the pain was evident. "I begged him, Fox. You know what he said? As drunk as I was, I’ll always remember what he said. ‘No, Harm. I’m sorry, but no.’" Rabb took a shuddering breath. "Pathetic, huh? But in answer to your second accusation – No. I’m not here because you look like him. You don’t. Not even a little."

"Good. Come on. Pull the drapes. I’m putting the damn do not disturb sign on the door." As he walked the path to the door he muttered almost to himself, "I know we are supposed to check out today, but screw it, Skinner doesn’t have that much to bitch about on this month’s expense reports." By the time he returned, the rest of Rabb’s clothes were already in the pile. The two men had finagled adjoining rooms so Rabb could easily go to his own bed. "Please come to bed. I don’t think I can sleep unless you’re there. I’ll even call you Rabb, if that’s what you want." Mulder pleaded.

Rabb resolutely walked up to him and pulled him into a long wet kiss. "Why the hell do you think I always call you Fox, damn it. I’ve waited for six months to hear my first name on your lips." He stepped back until they fell upon the bed. They were both so tired all they did was snuggle for a bit, neither expecting much. But slowly, as they soothed and rubbed against each other, their cocks began to harden. Both were relishing just touching and kissing. Almost leisurely, they began to thrust against each other, increasing their body contact to include their cocks. As their tongues began to delve and probe each other’s mouths, their cocks began thrusting along each other. Hands danced over ever increasingly fevered skin until they were tightly grasping each other’s asses. They created their own intimate space as their shafts rubbed the tender flesh along their thighs, coming within seconds of each other. When they finally broke the kiss, they didn’t pull away and both tried to be the last to break eye contact. Neither would be able to remember who fell asleep first.

::  ::  ::

She found him, huddled in the corner of the shower, letting the hot water wash over him. She watched him for a long moment, then sighed and reached for a towel. "Clay?" He didn’t look at her for a long time. She reached in and turned off the shower. Bending down and reaching out her hand, she took his and tugged at him. Finally, he braced himself and stood. Taking the towel from her he stepped out of the tub. Still he didn’t say anything and instead of drying off, he wrapped the towel around his waist and stood in front of the steam-streaked mirror and just waited. Deciding to go along with him, she reached for one of the hand towels and wiped down the mirror. "Like what you see?" she said snidely. Even that didn’t get a response. Standing behind him, she ran her hands down his wet back and kissed his shoulder blades. "Clay, please. Talk to me."

She felt his back expand like he hadn’t taken a breath in an hour. "So…how is Agent Doggett doing?"

"John’s fine. Asked me just who the hell you were to me." They hadn’t actually kept their so-called relationship a secret. It’s just that they saw each other so sporadically, neither had wanted to share the other. So, while Scully and MacKenzie had figured it out, both Mulder and Doggett had pretty much ignored the man in her life. She wasn’t looking forward to the coming interrogations that both men were sure to put her through.

"What did you tell him?" In the mirror, his eyes met hers and she knew he feared her answer.

"Told him you were my boyfriend." She kissed his back again and felt the emotions surging through him. Only she wasn’t sure what emotions they were. "Was that wrong of me, Clay?"

"Boyfriend?" She felt the tired, cynical laughter shake him, but she moved her hands until she was hugging his waist, her fingers caressing his stomach. She continued to assault his back with brief gossamer kisses. "So you want to go to the prom?" He tried for a snarl. "Of course, tonight…."

But she was determined not to allow him to push her away. She knew what he was going through. She knew the terror he must have experienced right before she was splattered with the brains and the blood of Alvin Kersh. She briefly wondered if she would ever get the dress back from the hospital. Then she realized she didn’t care. She was just glad that Scully had insisted that she shower in the doctor’s lounge before she went in to see Doggett.

She had thought to go to her room and change into something, anything else, but she had just wanted to see him. Wanted to assure them both that she wouldn’t allow this night to ruin something special. She rubbed her hospital scrubs-covered breasts against his drying back. "No. No prom, but you know…next month is my fifteenth class reunion. I may drag you to that."

He didn’t answer her. Instead he just leaned against the counter and glared at his reflection. "Christ. I need a shave."

"Yeah you do. Sit down." She pushed him until he was sitting on the toilet seat. She ran hot water in the sink and put another hand towel into soak.

"Uhm…Monica…that’s okay…I…"

"No really I want to…unless you don’t trust me." She waited and figured his sigh was all the answer she was going to get. She lathered the gel in her hands into a thick lather and caressed it across his face. "How about a goatee? I think…" Again the sigh stopped her and she smiled softly. "Another time." Carefully she ran the blade down his cheek. She was fine as long as she was working on his cheeks or upper lip but the angle was wrong for his neck. "Put your legs together."

"Huh?" he muttered, but did what he was told.

Rinsing out the razor she straddled his thighs and pushed his chin up with her thumb. "Now don’t move. I doubt I could cut your throat with this thing. But you mustn’t move." As she dragged the blade up his chin she carefully moved forward. A growl was his only response. As she arched around to rinse the razor again, she was able to move closer to her goal. By the time she had finished his neck she was so close, she had bunched the towel around his waist, driving her thin, cotton clad mound against his ever- hardening cock. When she turned around, she had the steamy hot towel in her hands. She had squeezed much of the water out, but it was still very wet. She ran the hot moisture over his face, eliciting a hiss and then a contented moan. "Now, let me see," she said, dropping the towel to the floor, soaking herself in the process; molding the blue cotton to her breasts. "Did I do good?"

"Let’s see, shall we?" he growled pulling her to him. He kissed her long and hard but then demanded. "Think there is only one way to find out." He started to push her back but she ground tighter against him.

"Oh I don’t know. There’s another way, I think." Like she had done on his back, she gently rained kisses over his face. "None there. Oh very smooth here." She announced and as if to prove the point, began to lick him even as she ground harder and harder against his erection.

He worked the top over her head and buried his face in the hollow of her shoulder. "How’s that?" he groaned.

"Wonderful." She sighed and suddenly pushed off of him. But before he could rise, she shimmied out of the pants, kicked them away, and pulled the towel away from him. "Oh goody." She breathed and sank down on him.

He threw back his head. She couldn’t remember ever hearing such a sound from any lover before. Relief and passion and just a hint of sadness all distilled into one long gasping grunt. She waited to move until he looked at her, daring her not to move.

"Touch me, Clay," she whimpered.

His hands and lips moved over her, touching her where he could. She rocked on him, doing all the work. There was little he could do but help her lever up and down his shaft. She ground her clit into his pubic hair with each down stroke.

He watched in fascination as her climax stole up on her. He could feel her muscles clenching around him but he was content to just watch, just to touch, just to kiss her as she began to come down from her orgasm. Finally though, she locked eyes with him and slowly raised up one last time. Then she slowly descended, clenching her muscles around him until he shuddered and came, pulsing deep inside her. After they both calmed down, she led him back to the shower. They quickly washed, dried each other off and stumbled to the bed.

"Looks like it might be a beautiful day." She walked to the window and gazed over the river below them.

"Don’t care. Close the damn drapes and whatever you do, if you care about me at all, please put the do not disturb sign out."

"Already done." She sighed as she plunged the room into darkness before coming to join him on the bed.

"Good." He spooned her to his chest and then murmured into her still damp hair. "Nap, room service, then…"

"Then whatever we want until Sunday night and don’t argue with me, mister, or you will be punished."

"We’ll see about that." He sighed as sleep overtook them both.

::  ::  ::

Dana and AJ had returned briefly to their very nice, if uninspired room. There, she had quickly thrown a few things into a bag and ordered him to do the same.

"Don’t you want to change?" AJ asked, eying her soiled, ruined dress. His tux hadn’t taken much of a beating, but still he was tugging at the tie hanging loose at his throat.

"AJ!" she began to whine and then stopped. Eying him carefully, she walked up and placed her hands on his chest and looked up into his deep brown eyes. "We don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to. Really."

AJ met her concerned gaze and sighed. That first night, the night that had started this whole sordid mess still seemed like a dream sometimes. They had gone to dinner at Chez Paul, on Webb’s nickel. It had been the first time the four of them had double-dated, even though now it seemed like a most natural thing to do. All of them had been rather surprised at how easy it was to talk to each other. Easy at least until, for some reason, Sarah had demanded to know exactly what Dana and Monica had been looking at on the Internet when Webb had interrupted them. AJ thought that Dana would dismiss it all, but evidently, really fine champagne had a most remarkable effect on the diminutive redhead. Though for the life of him, he wasn’t sure what Sarah’s excuse had been. She had comfortably stuck with tonic and lime. Dana had proceeded to explain in detail all the incredible sex toys they had found. Leaning forward she had exclaimed, "And some of those sites are definitely just for us girls."

Sarah had egged her on AJ and Walter had exchanged startled, almost frightened looks when Sarah insisted. "I want to see them for myself. Come on back to Walter’s place. He has a very nice computer." Neither had consulted the two men, and the next thing he knew, they were standing around Skinner’s computer. Fine champagne had been replaced by good scotch, though now that he thought about it, Dana and Mac had switched to juice. The site really hadn’t been as interesting as Dana had made it out to be, but careless clicking had brought up a variety of other sites, some of which could only be described as disgusting by all concerned. But one had caught their attention. Perhaps it was the corny banner, ‘The one thing that turns all men on.’ Slowly Dana and Sarah had turned to them and waited.

"What?" he had asked.

"Well?" Dana had parried.

"Well, what?" Skinner demanded.

Sarah had been the one to throw it down. "Does that thought turn you on? You guys like the idea of two women making out?"

The room had grown cold and then very hot. Even now he blushed at what followed. Even now, the very thought of what had happened still made him as hard. He pulled her to him. After a hard, almost brutal kiss, he snatched up the small bag and pulled her out the door.

Walter had already filled the huge whirlpool tub, which was every bit as large as Sarah had promised. Sarah had insisted upon bubbles but it was Dana who had suggested that she and Sarah needed to shower off any blood that still clung to their skin. While Monica had taken the brunt of the assassin’s aftereffects, neither woman had been completely spared. Sarah walked into the shower area and turned on the faucets to make sure the water was warm.

"That’s a good idea, Dana, but I want watch these two strip first. They can wait for us in the hot tub. Who knows, they just might get some ideas how to do without us."

Both men quickly growled their disapproval. They admitted to enjoying watching the two women pleasure each other. Neither minded making love to the women side by side, occasionally stealing quick touches or kisses from the other woman, even switching in mid-fuck. Both men had firmly drawn the line at anything else. It wasn’t that they seemed uncomfortable by it really. Even now, they stood next to each other, elbows almost touching. Even now, both eyed their respective lovers and began a slow strip. AJ even accepted Skinner’s dress pants and hung them from one of the hooks on the back of the door. When they arrived, Skinner had already shed his jacket, shirt, shoes and socks. AJ had to catch up before they were both standing there in tee shirts and underwear. Together they finished, exposing their cocks at the same time.

Twin feminine sighs echoed off the tiles.

"Nice." Dana purred.

"Lucky us." Sarah agreed.

AJ stepped into the tub first. Skinner followed. Because of the configuration of the bathroom, if they were both going to watch, they had to sit next to each other. And even that didn’t seem to concern either one. But then, both of them had their eyes glued to the two women.

"They’re still dressed, Walter." AJ snorted.

"Ladies?" Walter did a fairly credible imitation of his subordinate’s quirked eyebrow.

Instead of imitating the men, Sarah stepped behind Dana and unzipped the blue cocktail that would never be able to be worn again. Gently, Sarah ran her tongue down Dana’s neck. Dana stepped out of it, frowned sorrowfully at the stains and dropped it in the small trash can.

"Don’t worry darlin’ I’ll buy you a new one. Probably figure out a way to charge the FBI for it." AJ soothed.

Skinner snorted. "Yeah, like she needs your help there." He laughed out loud at her pout. "I can’t even remember if it’s the first time she’s been reimbursed for a cocktail dress."

"At least the bra and panties are okay. Right?" Dana asked. Both men managed to nod as she carefully touched each item in question. Dana then turned her back to them and spun Sarah around. "Your turn." The slinky red dress had fortunately been spared any blood – Kersh’s or Doggett’s so Dana carefully hung it up over Skinner’s pants. Mac stood there in a thong and thigh highs; a bra had been impossible.

The two women kissed and Sarah released the catch of Dana’s bra. Both women turned and pulled off their underwear and stockings. The shower wasn’t enclosed. The heads were aimed so that the water was directed toward the back wall, but the men’s view was unobstructed even by steamed glass.

They had already been hard before they had stepped into the hot tub. What they witnessed almost had them over the edge. Suddenly they couldn’t even grin at each other in superiority. "Damn. How could I have forgotten just how hot they were?" Skinner whispered. AJ couldn’t even articulate what he was feeling.

Together Sarah and Dana gently soaped each other, taking time to work the soap into a thick lather, nearly obscuring the very things the men wanted to see. They took an inordinate amount of time washing each other’s hair. As Sarah began to rinse Dana’s hair, the redhead began to play with Sarah’s nipples until they were clean of any soap. She only had to bend her head and her lips were laving the hardened nipples. Sarah held her head in place and ran her hands up and down the smooth back to caress Dana’s ass. She never took her eyes off the men, sitting perfectly still, mouths slack with desire.

"I don’t think they’re gonna wait for us, Dana." Sarah’s whispered as she pushed Dana against the tile. She caressed and pinched and explored Dana’s skin, so much lighter than her own. When she reached the agent’s mound, she ran two fingers over Dana’s clit, rubbing and twisting the tight bundle of nerves until Dana was frantically bucking into the beautiful torture. As Dana screamed her release, Sarah had to hold her up to keep them both from falling. However that chore was taken from her when she was roughly pulled back against a hard back and harder cock.

AJ and Skinner were out of the tub before Dana’s cry of release finished. Skinner immediately reached for Sarah, burying his lips in her neck, already pushing her forward, ready to take her from behind. AJ pulled Dana to him, picking her up, bringing her lips to his. Dana returned the kiss but struggled out of his embrace. "Wait. Need to catch my breath," she panted. She grinned wickedly. "Sarah?"

Sarah managed a gasped response. "Wha, ooooooooooo?’

"Turn around AJ." Dana held Sarah’s shoulders as Walter thrust his cock deep inside her. "Remember what you said you wanted."

Sarah moaned. "Oh yes."

"Well girlfriend, here’s your chance. Both at once." Skinner stilled and AJ’s eyes grew wide with surprise and then dark with passion.

"Dana? Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah." Dana grinned up at AJ. "This I want to see. But!"

"But!" Three people demanded.

"But don’t either one of you come. I want some, too."

"Sweet Jesus." AJ breathed. "You are something else, Dana Scully." He turned and presented his cock to Mac who sighed and took the head in her mouth, running her tongue over the sweet hardness.

Skinner wasn’t sure if he was up to this. But, damn he was willing to try. Thinking of all the paperwork he was facing Monday really didn’t help and he really didn’t have his heart in it. He began pumping slowly while Sarah began bobbing up and down on AJ’s cock. This was definitely outrageous and incredible and he found he was getting lightheaded. They found a rhythm and each thrust pushed AJ’s cock deeper into Mac’s throat. Skinner had to make her cum soon or Dana was going to be very disappointed in all of them. Reaching down he found Sarah’s clit and pinched it roughly. Pulling her back against his chest, so she was forced to release AJ. He held her as she came with a scream that might very well have security pounding on the door. And he continued to hold her until she calmed down. He thought by looking at AJ it would somehow cool his need. He had never been more wrong in his life. Pushing Mac off his cock, he found he was nearly out of control.

As Sarah sank to the tiled floor, before she was even all the way down, Dana already had Skinner’s shaft between her lips. It was too much and Skinner shouted his release before she even really began. Dana swallowed what she could then knelt back and glared up at him. "Sit down Walter. Right now." He was too shaken to argue and sank down the wall to come to rest next to Sarah. He reached for her only to gasp in surprise as Dana began a new assault.

"Christ!" He groaned but didn’t push her away.

Dana was on her hands and knees, licking, kissing and sucking him slowly back to hardness. She released him to blow across head, wiggled her ass and purred. "AJ?"

AJ knelt behind her and lifted her until he could invade her core. "So good, so hot." He was so close, too. But AJ had learned early on that if he was going to keep up with his ‘ice queen’ he had better do some research of his own and he reached down and firmly squeezed the base of his cock. Relieved of the immediate need to cum, he began to slowly pleasure her. Pulling almost all the way out before plunging back.

Skinner couldn’t believe he was so hard again. Watching Chegwidden fuck Dana as she sucked him was more than any normal man could handle. He growled a curse when she released him.

"Ready, Sarah?" Dana grinned at the Marine Colonel who immediately turned Skinner enough so she could straddle his lap and sink down on him. Skinner held her as she rode him. The edge was definitely off and he could enjoy and react to her movements. Caressing her nipples he watched as shear ecstasy painted her features. She threw her head back, letting the water rinse the hair out of her face. The four were so close together that as AJ finally came with a shuddering groan, he could lean forward over Dana’s trembling back and capture Mac’s lips in his for a deep kiss. Skinner just held her so she didn’t fall back, but the angle was just different enough that he felt another orgasm begin. He wanted to make it good for her and moved his hand to where they were joined, only to find Dana there instead. The sight of her mouth on Sarah’s clit and his cock threw him over the edge and the three of them came together.

They lay in a tangle just letting the water rain down on them. AJ finally staggered to his feet. Reaching out his hand, he helped Skinner up. Then both men pulled the women to their feet.

How they ended up in the bed, dry, was an X-file in itself. Dana snuggled against AJ and was asleep before he could pull the covers up. Mac collapsed on top of Skinner, her head on his chest, trapping one arm with her body, the other with her out flung arm. AJ struggled, but managed to cover the other couple without disturbing Dana too much. As he settled back against the pillow he met Skinner’s incredulous stare. "You know they will kill us both."

"I agree, Admiral. What the hell are we going to do?" Skinner looked from one woman to the other.

"Die happy, I suppose."

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