Story summary: Mulder and Skinner find that balancing work and a
relationship can be very difficult and have to work through the feelings
stirred up by a close call that Mulder has.  


This has been on ATXC before but since the third story in this series is
coming soon to EMXC -- hopefully right after this one is done posting-
- we thought we'd send it on for those of you who didn't happen to
catch it. This one was finished some time in April just before Avatar
and as such is not in that universe. Although we do figure that Skinner
was married briefly [2 to 3 years] to Sharon [hey might as well use the
name] about 10 years ago--in this universe that is. 

RATING-- NC-17   SLASH  M/M
THIRD SEASON SPOILERS

Hello.  I'm posting this for a friend who is off line so if you
want to write, you'll have to do so through me.  I'll pass the
messages along.  72620.3447@compuserve.com

Okay--major league warning.  This is NC-17 X.... no ifs ands or
butts about it.  And it is about a romance between two MALE
X-file characters.  So if that sort of thing grosses you out stop
now or hold your peace.  Feedback is appreciated.  And 
encouragement makes us write more and faster.  The X in the 
rating is because it's more descriptive than the previous one.
We have an NC-17 R version so e us if you would prefer to have
things alluded to rather than spelled out.  We feel that the subject 
matter alone makes it NC-17 and wanted to give further indicators
that this is erotic in parts.

Usual disclaimer.  These characters are not mine.  They belong to
Chris Carter and 1013 Productions and he would probably have a
cow if he knew what we did with them.  Definitely a large bull
calf.  No money is being made off of their use.  This story may
be circulated but please leave the author's name and address
attached.


Chances Are 
By Alex Jones and E
72620.3447@compuserve.com
part 2

The room was dark as Fox Mulder slowly came back to awareness. 
He glanced over and saw that the drapes were pulled, so there was
no way to tell what time it was.  He was too lazy to raise up and
look at the bedside clock.  It sounded like there was a
thunderstorm raging outside.  He relaxed into the cleft of his
companion's shoulder, and let his hand slowly begin to stroke
Walter's chest and stomach.  With each stroke, his hand wandered
farther afield and lower.  

He wondered if Walter was awake yet.  Deciding that it really
didn't matter, he continued his gentle exploration.  Mulder
wondered if Walt would be over his hangover enough to talk.  They
had a lot to talk about, but Fox now felt confident that they
could work it out.   `Course the hangover certainly hadn't
interfered with his performance this morning.'  Sighing at the
memory, he thought that he'd rather enjoyed having his companion
lose control like that.  Skinner tended to be a bit controlling
and conservative and Fox wondered if he could get him to
experiment and play a little.  

Fox Mulder had never really felt comfortable enough in a
relationship to explore some of those erotic fantasies that
everyone had.  He wasn't sure he was comfortable enough in this
relationship yet but he was beginning to think that
someday he might be.  He smiled at the thought as his hand
stroked Walter's hip and upper thigh.  `Sheesh, the man was
built.'  And Fox was coming to the conclusion that he really
liked muscles... at least Skinner's muscles... and his
nice tight ass and flat stomach... and...  He allowed his hands
to follow his thoughts, gently stroking the now rigid flesh. 
`Hmmmm?  Bet he's awake now.'  Fox grinned at the thought.  He
thought about raising his head and looking up to see Walt's
reaction but mentally shrugged off the idea.  He was having too
much fun doing just what he was doing to want to stop.  Besides,
it would be interesting to see how long this could go on before
one of them lost it and decided to intensify the interaction.  He
knew that HE was fast reaching that point.

Walter came slowly awake to the feel of someone running a hand
gently over his body.  `Damn, that feels good,' he thought as he
fought to keep from making any noise, not wanting Fox to stop his
ministrations.  There was no doubt about it--the man could drive
him wild.  Even with a colossal hangover that morning, Fox had
been able to get Walter to totally lose it.  Walter couldn't believe 
he'd been so careless.  `Well at least I don't have to worry about 
getting him pregnant.'  He glanced over at the bedside clock and 
was shocked to see it read 2 pm.  He'd never stayed in bed this 
late; even when he'd been on all night stakeouts, he was always up 
by noon.  `So you got something better to do?' a voice inside his 
head asked.  `Not a damned thing,' another voice answered.  There 
was sure no place he'd rather be. 

By now he was trying hard to ignore the effects Fox's touch was
having.  Judging from the hardness between his legs, he wasn't
having much success.  He could tell Mulder was playing with him. 
That had been an interesting surprise about his lover.  Actually
there had been a couple of surprises.  The first had been how
shy and conservative he was, and the second how playful.  Fox was
a joyful lover.  He had so much fun with it and liked to tease
and play.  

Quite a dichotomy in his serious agent.  It made
Walter wonder what he would have been like if his sister
had never been taken, his family never torn apart.  There was a
sensitiveness and vulnerability about Fox, a fragility that often
scared him.  He realized that that was why he was so often
fearful for Fox... it was amazing that underneath his hard,
smart-ass, paranoid exterior, there was a core of gentleness and
caring.  There was a man who desperately wanted to be loved.
`How could I have said the things I did to him?'  

For the first time since the day he had verbally abused Fox in
his office, he allowed his real feelings to surface.  He'd taken
his fear and anger out on this gentle soul in his arms, this man
who carried the burdens of the world on his shoulders.  Walter,
knowing that, had still attacked him, had added more to those
burdens.  He hated himself, hated what he'd done and the fact
that he hadn't tried to make it right.  That he'd let it go on
for so long and would probably still be letting it go on if Fox
hadn't had the forgiveness and courage to come to him.  `What an
ass I am.  What a coward.'  

That was really it... he was a coward.  He'd loved Fox Mulder for
a long time and never had the courage to act on it and even now
was still terrified of how out of control it made him feel. 
Walter wanted... needed to be in control. That need had destroyed
another serious relationship.  He'd loved Mary Elisabeth
with all his heart, but when she had insisted on going to medical
school he'd thrown a fit.  Boy, had he been stupid and
chauvinistic and immature and about a dozen other unflattering
adjectives.  But he'd come from a very conservative
background and had always been taught that the woman stayed at
home and the man went out and earned a living.  So when she had
refused, they had broken up.  It was only when he was in his
mid-thirties that he realized that the kind of woman who would
put up with his expectations and chauvinistic demands didn't
attract him in the least.  He was attracted by intense,
committed, career-oriented women who were very bright.  Laughing
silently, he realized that Mulder fit all of those descriptions
but one.  The least important one.

He knew it was fear and pride that had kept him from going to Fox
and apologizing.  The pride said if you apologize you'll be
giving Mulder the upper hand and the fear was that Mulder would
find out just how deeply the AD loved him.  Walter hated feeling
vulnerable and Fox made him feel so open and exposed
that he could barely stand it.  But laying here, gentle hands
teasing his body to awareness, he knew that he was too far gone
to ever go back.  Together or apart, he loved Fox Mulder and he
would be devastated if something happened to him.  He knew he'd
been a fool to think that being apart would change that.  All it had 
done was to make them both miserable for the last ten days.

Fox's hand began to get bolder and more direct, making it hard
for Walter to think.  Finally he arched his back and let out a
soft moan.  Almost immediately he heard a soft laugh from his
companion.  

"So I guess that means you're awake," Mulder kidded.  "How's your
head?"  

"It hurt like hell this morning but it's fine now."

"I've read that sex is good for headaches.  Must be true.  You
mean it's not still morning?"

"If you'd exert yourself a little you'd see that it's two o'clock."

"Hey.  You wore me out.  Besides I am exerting myself--just not
in that direction."  Fox increased the pressure and speed of his
hand before continuing.  "You've got to be kidding, never slept
this late.  At least not since the time Scully kept me doped up
for thirty-six hours."

"Well, you did today.   So you want to spend the whole day in
bed?"  Walter asked, teasing.

"Don't know, think we might get bored?"
     
Walter grinned at Fox's response.  "Oh I don't know, I think we
could find something to occupy us.  Don't you?"

"Perhaps."  Fox replied.  His hand was now steadily stroking
Walter's erection.  He was wondering how long Walter could hold
out and pretend that nothing was happening.  From the tenseness
of the muscles under Fox's cheek and hand, he didn't think that
his boss would last much longer.  He decided to play some
more.  Mulder slowed and softened the motion of his hand,
released the AD, and began again his gentle exploration of the
rest of the body beneath him.

"You're trying to drive me crazy, aren't you, Fox?"

The way that Walter said his name, a sort of low growl deep in
his throat, made Fox shiver with arousal.  Deciding that one of
them was going to have to intensify the encounter, Mulder figured
it might as well be him.  He rolled over onto Walter and kissed
him.  Then he proceeded to slide slowly down his torso, kissing
all the way until he had taken Walter's cock into his mouth.  He 
sucked at the head, running his tongue over the tip, and then licked 
his way down the shaft.  Nuzzling Walter's balls, Fox reached up and
stroked the swollen cock.  He continued the stroking as he gently
kissed the inside of Walter's thighs.  It wasn't long before he
had Walter writhing beneath him.  

He looked up to see that Walter had grabbed the rails of the
headboard and was holding tight.  `Soon,' he thought, `very soon. 
We have to play.'  Fox smiled to himself at the thought.  Moving
back up to Walter's cock, Fox took as much of him in his mouth
as he could and then grabbed Walter's hips, pulling him to the
side and then on top of him.  Walter lifted up on his knees and
pushed deeper into Fox's mouth, as Fox relaxed his throat muscles
to take more of Walter in.  Despite the fact that they had made 
love only a few hours before, in that position, it didn't take Fox 
long to take Skinner over the edge.  Walter's warm semen filled 
the back of Fox's mouth and Fox swallowed again and again.  

As Walter rolled over onto his back and returned to himself, he
looked up to see Fox sitting up beside him on the bed, smiling in
satisfaction.  `He really loves driving me crazy.'  Skinner
sighed to himself... `One way or another.'

Fox laughed at him, seeming to read his thoughts.  "Is that what
you had in mind for keeping occupied?  See, didn't take long at all."
     
Walter laughed back, "But we aren't done yet.  And this next part
might take a while."

Meeting his boss' eyes, Fox gulped.  Skinner could be quite a
tease if he was in the mood and apparently he was!  

Climbing back on top of Walter, Fox let his own erection roam
over the other man's lower body, rubbing it against his belly,
thighs, and groin.  Before he could begin any serious motion, he
found himself flipped over onto his back with Walter on top of
him.

`It's time Fox got a taste of his own medicine,'  Walter thought. 
He slowly proceeded to explore Mulder's body with his hands and
mouth but Fox was not a patient man.  He kept trying to speed his
boss up or direct his motions.  `Enough is enough.'  Walter sat
up swiftly and reached into the bedside table for something he
didn't use very often but had stored there.  Grabbing his extra
pair of handcuffs, he took one of Fox's wrists and snapped the
metal on, then pulled it up and through the rail of the headboard.  
Taking Fox's other arm, he snapped the cuff on it.

Walter paused a moment, afraid to meet his agent's eyes.  He'd
found Fox to be conservative and was afraid that this would be a
bit much for him, but it was something he'd wanted to do for a
very long time.  Finally getting the courage to meet his lover's
eyes, he was surprised by what he saw there.  There was a
hard edge to Fox's look, but he was definitely very aroused.  The
AD watched him wet his lips with his tongue, saw that his
breathing was hard and shallow, he was almost panting and 
there was a fire in his eyes.

Watching Fox squirm before him incited the same fire in Walter. 
`Damn.'  He felt himself getting hard again.  `Next time I'll get
the cuffs out at the beginning.'  Neither man spoke as Walter
began to arouse his helpless agent.  He began by stroking his 
chest and upper arms.  Fox was well developed and Skinner 
enjoyed stroking his lean swimmer's physique.  His lips followed 
his hands.  Gently kissing, sucking, and nibbling Fox's neck and 
chest.  Pausing in his exploration he rose up and kissed his agent 
on the lips his tongue penetrating deeply into Mulder's mouth.  
He broke off the kiss after a few moments and his mouth followed 
a path down to Fox's navel.  Tonguing it then sucking at it he felt 
more than heard the helpless man moan.

Walter Skinner had always liked being in control but the power he 
now had over the handcuffed man beneath him was a turn on unlike
any he had ever experienced before.  He chuckled as Mulder 
writhed beneath him lifting his groin up in invitation.  

"Do you want something, Mulder?"  He looked up at his agent's 
face from his position kissing Fox's belly.

At first Fox wouldn't meet his boss' eyes, wouldn't give in to the 
dominance Walter was showing but as his mouth continued its 
path downward and he began to nuzzle and lick between Fox's 
legs the captive agent surrendered.  "You! I want you!"  He ground 
out, fighting his need all the way.

"You don't sound ready to me."  Walter gently tongued the tip of 
his penis but pulled away swiftly as Fox bucked up to get him to 
take more.  "Don't be in such a hurry.  You need to learn patience."

"Oh god, Walter, please."  Fox was truly feeling desperate for 
release now.  He pulled on the cuffs on his wrists.

"Do you want me?"  Fox's total loss of control was incredibly
arousing for Walter.

"Yes!"

Walter moved sinuously up Mulder's torso.  Putting his lips to 
Fox's ear he whispered, "Are you mine?  Do you belong to me?"

"Yes!  Only you!  Walter please!"  He squirmed on the bed 
trying to intensify the contact with Walter's body.

Finally, knowing that neither of them could take it any more, 
Walter knelt between Fox's legs placing one leg over each of his 
shoulders and again entered the man beneath him.  The look on the 
younger man's face was one of pure estacy.  He cried out and and 
raised his body up to meet Walter's thrust for thrust.

Fox Mulder had never felt so out of control, so mad with desire.  
Each pull of the handcuffs on his wrists served to remind him of his 
total surrender to the man above him.  Being owned so, being 
mastered, both fulfilled and terrified him.  Walter's being filled his 
mind and he could neither see nor think of anyone or anything else.  
The pressure of his lover's hand on his erection finally became too 
much and he could prolong the pleasure no longer.  He came with a 
sobbing scream that was followed after two quick thrusts by one of 
his partner's own.   Walter collapsed on top of Fox, and lay still for 
several minutes.

Fox's first comment made him laugh.  "Hey, Walt, this isn't a
Stephen King novel.  You didn't have a heart attack, did you?"

Skinner's head was resting on Fox's chest, his body between the
younger man's legs, and Fox could feel his breath tickle as he
laughed.  "What's the matter, Mulder, afraid you might have
trouble explaining your predicament?"

"I'd just tell them something teleported me in.  I went to sleep
in my apartment and when I woke up I was handcuffed here."

"Naked?"

"Well I never said I slept in anything..."  Fox grinned up at Walter.

"Yeah right.  You ever find anyone to believe those theories,
Mulder, you let me know.  I've got some swampland just ready for
the right developer.  Now let's see where did I put those keys? 
Hmm... I hope this isn't the pair that I lost the keys to.  You
know, the Bureau changed the model a few years ago and keys are
getting harder to find.  Hate to have to call out a locksmith."

Mulder rolled his eyes at his boss.  Skinner was certainly
enjoying himself.  `Well, isn't that the point?  To be happy and
enjoy life for a change?' his inner voice asked and answered,
`Yes!'  The handcuffs had been quite a surprise for Fox.  He
hadn't thought that Walter had it in him.  `This could prove to
be very interesting.'  Another surprise for Fox had been how much
being restrained had turned him on.  The feelings of helplessness, 
of being out of control, at another person's mercy...  Fox couldn't 
ever remember feeling that wild and that aroused in quite that way.  
He hoped they'd do it again soon.

Finding the keys, Walter unlocked the cuffs and let Fox up.  They
exchanged another kiss, in the middle of which one of their
stomachs growled.  `Man cannot live by sex alone... more's the
pity.'

"So I take it you have another appetite that needs sating, Agent
Mulder."

"Yes, sir.  Although I believe that you're the one with the
insatiable appetite."  

Skinner laughed at Fox, leaned over, and kissed him again,
whispering, "I think we both are."

Fox laughed back and got up and headed into the bathroom.  Using
the facilities, and cleaning up he decided to at least rinse his mouth 
out.  It tasted like he'd spent a day swimming at the beach.  Turning 
the water on and getting a drink, he noticed a purple toothbrush in
the holder.  Could that be his?  He knew he had thrown it away,
but it sure looked like his...  Picking it up he remembered when
Skinner had dug it out from the cabinet and given it to him.  It
was the second or third weekend he'd spent there and he'd
forgotten his own.  

"Purple, Walter?  Is there something about bad taste you'd like
to tell me?" he'd kidded as his boss held the unopened package
out to him.

"Beggars can't be choosers, Mulder."  At Fox's continued grin,
the AD went on to explain as he opened the package.  "I was in a
hurry and they were selling them in three packs.  There was a
package with two reds and a blue and that's the one I meant to
get but I didn't pay close enough attention so I ended up with
two reds and a purple.  Look at it this way--no matter how many
times I change toothbrushes you'll be sure to know which is your
brush."

"Great, I can tell it's my toothbrush because it's the only one
in a `fruity' color.  Are you trying to make a silent comment
here?"  Walter had just laughed.

Coming into the bathroom Walter saw Fox holding the toothbrush,
looking confused.  Their eyes met in the bathroom mirror.

"This looks like mine?  That is unless you've taken to buying
fruity colors for yourself?"

"It's yours."

"Could have sworn that I threw it away."

They stared long and hard at each other's reflections.  Walter
finally walked up behind Fox and put his arms around his waist,
gently kissing his neck.  "Just because you were ready to throw
things away doesn't mean that I was."

Mulder leaned back into his embrace but felt a bit upset, almost
angry.  "Then how come I had to come to you?"

Walter shrugged, not wanting to get into the subject now.  "Let's
get some breakfast" was his reply.   He again met Fox's eyes in
the mirror.  The look his agent gave him said it wouldn't be put
off much longer.  Nodding, Skinner let go of Mulder and went to
take care of business.

"So how 'bout bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast?"  Walter
inquired.

"Nothing like getting my cholesterol quota for the week outta the
way in one meal.  I'd say two thirty is a little late for breakfast."

"Well, you can call it whatever you want but I don't have much in
the house to fix that doesn't need thawing out and I'm too hungry
to wait.  I've somehow managed to work up quite an appetite. 
Unless you want cold cereal and milk?"

"What kind?"

"Cheerios."

"Honey Nut, Apple, and Cinnamon, or those new frosty ones?"

"Just plain Cheerios."

"Yuck.  No thanks.  I prefer a little sugar to get me going in
the mornings..."

"Well, as you pointed out it isn't morning.  And you're going
just fine."

"Bacon, eggs, and toast it is.  I hope you've got some grape
jelly."

"Picked it up last week."  Walter watched Mulder's lips tighten
in irritation.

`Damn, Walter, quit sticking your foot in it.'  Then he told
himself, `Well, I really can't blame him.'

They worked well together, even doing something as simple as
cooking.  To anyone watching it would be obvious that they had
done this many times before.  What would not have been so obvious
was that Fox was becoming irritated and Walter was becoming
uncomfortable.  

They cooked and ate in silence.  Walter watched as Fox spread
grape jelly on his toast, a look of irritation crossing his face
every time he looked at the jar.  Knowing he couldn't put it off
any longer, Walter decided to take the bull by the horns.  This
was not going to be an easy conversation.

"Would you have preferred that I not tell you I had the jelly?"

Fox looked up angrily.  "I would have preferred not to go through
the last couple of weeks."

"It wasn't a picnic for me, either."

"Well, you certainly don't seem to have thought it was
permanent."  Fox couldn't control his anger.  The last two weeks
had been hell for him, thinking it was over between them, but
Skinner had taken the situation in stride.   Shit, he'd even gone
grocery shopping for the two of them, including Fox's likes in
his purchases.  Mulder's little voice tried to remind him of the
shape he'd found Walter in last night but he wasn't in the mood
to listen.

"The jelly was on the list from the week before I just got what
was on the list."

"You don't even like grape so who the hell were you buying it
for?  You have someone else on the side?"

"Damn it, Mulder, you know that you're the only one in my life. 
There's been no one else for a long time.  I was on autopilot. 
Lack of sleep and a hangover tend to do that."  At Mulder's
skeptical look, Walter finally admitted, "Alright, I guess deep
down I couldn't accept the fact that it was over."

"You figured that I'd come crawling back.  Well, I did, so I
guess you were right."  Mulder stood up, rinsing his plate and
stuffing it into the dishwasher.  He gathered up the rest of the
dirty dishes from around the kitchen and loaded them as well. 
Every move was sharp and tense.  He was angry and hurt and he
felt exposed, raw.  Walter was the one who had attacked him, yet
Fox was the one who had to come crawling back.

Walter sighed.  Well, he had the upper hand just the way he liked
but it didn't feel very good.  He stood up, picking up his plate
and taking it over to the sink to rinse off.  Fox turned and
stretched out his hand; Walter handed him the plate and
watched as Mulder finished loading the dish washer in silence. 
When the dishwasher was running, Walter ran a hand over Fox's
back and pulled him into a quick embrace.  He stepped back and
led the way to his study.

"Fox, this isn't easy for me..."

"You think it's easy for me?"

"No, but I'm not talking about that.  I'm talking about our
relationship and how I feel about you."  They sat down.  Walter
on the couch, grimacing at the whiskey bottle, and Fox in an
armchair.  "I like to be in control.  You know that... always
been that way, even since I was a kid..."

"Well, I don't see how you could get much more in control than
you are now. You've got me on a leash and all you have to do is
pull my chain."  Mulder couldn't stay seated.  He got up and
began to pace.  "All those things you said... what you
implied..."

"I meant every one."

At that Fox stopped--first he felt hurt, then angry.  "Do you
really think I'm some kind of whore selling myself to you for the
X-files?  That I got involved with you for what I could get? 
That I'm too self-centered to feel anything about anyone else? 
Well, if you feel that way then I don't think we have
anything more to say."  

Mulder started to head for the door but Skinner was up and
stopping him before he could get there.  They struggled a little
before Walter shoved him down on the couch and sat on the coffee
table in front of him.  

"Now listen carefully. I know that's how you took what I said but
that's not what I meant.  Damn, now you've got me sounding like
Nixon.  What I said was that you were too wrapped up in your own
needs, too driven to pay attention to others around you.  That
you don't think about those around you or how they might be
hurt."

"That's not true--I'm always thinking of those around me making
sure they are as safe as possible that they don't get hurt."

"Then what about Modell?"

`Pusher?' he thought.  `What does he have to do with anything?  I
didn't take Scully in there she chose to come in...?  What was
Walter getting at?'  

"That doesn't make sense--I did my best to stop what was
happening.  I don't know what you're getting at."

"Oh, you don't, do you?  Then you explain to me why you got
Scully to lie on her report and you lied on your report?"

"We didn't lie.  Every word was true."

"I thought the truth meant more to you than that, Mulder.  We
both know that leaving out important incidents is the same as
lying about the events."

Fox suddenly realized where this was going.  `Damn it, why had
Scully had to let that slip to Walter?'  As his partner and
friend, she could question and complain a bit, and Skinner as his
boss also had some rights to question his actions, but
Walter as his lover... `Fuck... A lover had one hell of a lot
more rights... I wanted to avoid this.'  

"We recounted the events--"

"Cut the bullshit, Fox.  You took that gun and put it to your
head and barely paused before pulling the trigger."

"I couldn't help it.  Modell--"

"You managed to help it enough to give Scully a chance to create
a diversion.  Do you think that we don't know how little you
value your own life, how ready you are to risk it at the drop of
a hat?  Do you have any idea how out of control that makes us...
me... feel?  My god, man, it's like watching a car crash in slow
motion, over and over and over... knowing that there is noting
you can do to stop it... that someone might get killed... that
you're about to watch your whole world shatter to pieces.

"Well, I got a first-hand experience with that a couple of weeks
ago and I still haven't recovered.  You don't care about us, don't 
think about us...  You're so focused on your own goals and needs 
and protecting us that you don't ever stop to think what your 
death would mean.  How do you think Agent Scully would have 
felt as she watched you blow your brains out... or me?  I'd get the 
great fun of having to review the autopsy report... pictures and all.  
You think either of us would ever go a week without one of those 
views haunting our dreams, probably for years to come?  Between 
that scene and the one of a burned corpse on a warehouse floor, I 
can tell you that I don't sleep very well at night.

"So when I called you selfish, that's what I meant.  When I said
you were selling yourself for your goals I wasn't talking about
sleeping with me.  You don't stop to think how your death would
affect those who love you that you would leave behind.  

"As to why I didn't come after you the last couple of weeks--I
was too damn afraid... afraid of what losing you would do to me. 
But I came to a realization sometime last night or this morning. 
It's too late for me to go back.  Breaking off with you won't
make the hurt any less if you get killed and I know that I'll
only feel remorse for the time I wasted that we could have been
together.  But you scare the shit out of me, Fox.  You're so
intense and you take such risks... I mean, your courage and
dedication is one of the things I love about you, but I can't bear 
it if it gets you killed..."  Walter finished, sighing, and dropped 
his head into his hands.  He felt totally drained, totally exposed.

Fox sat and stared at his boss's slumped shoulders.  He was
wishing now that he'd let well enough alone.  Walter was asking
for something that he wasn't sure he was ready or even capable of
giving.  For Fox it was easy to put other's lives above his own,
to regard his worth so lightly, but Walter was asking for him to
respect himself and his worth... he wasn't sure he knew how.  "I
don't know if I can give you what you want.  I'm not sure it's
within my power..."  He reached over and laid a hand on his
boss's shoulder, causing him to look up and meet his gaze.

"When Sam was taken... I guess my parents still loved me, where
still glad that I was around but I felt so guilty and everything
closed down... everyone and everything was totally focused on
her... no one would talk about it... I felt worthless, unimportant.  
The only value I ever felt I had was as an agent to find Samantha, 
to recover her...  Nothing else about me did I ever consider 
worthwhile or important.  The way you feel... the way Scully 
feels... the value you place on my life... I don't know how to deal 
with it.  I'm not used to thinking that my death would hurt others... 
would affect them..."  His voice broke off as Walter raised a hand 
to gently stroke his cheek; he leaned into the touch, then turned 
and kissed the palm of Skinner's hand.  

Walter's eyes glistened, "Fox, next time you want to run
heedlessly into a dangerous situation, remember that if you die
you'll be taking at least two others with you."

Fox and Walter slowly leaned in and exchanged a kiss.  Walter
moved from the coffee table to the couch to sit beside his friend
and lover.  He sat back partially reclining on the couch and
pulled Fox into his arms.  They lay like that for a long while,
neither saying anything, content with just holding and
touching.

Finally, Fox shifted around so that he could kiss Walter again. 
This one was long and slow and tender.  "I'm sorry, Walter, I
haven't had anyone really care about me in a long time, so I'm
afraid I find it hard to remember that someone might be more than
a little upset if I died."

"Scully's been around for over three years, Fox.  And she was
caring for you and defending you within weeks of you being
paired.  And I've been..."  Here Walter paused and Mulder knew
that he changed whatever he was going to say, "I've been
aware of her feelings since the Tooms case."

"I know, but since we never admitted how we felt about each
other, it never felt real... I could always ignore it and pretend
that I was imagining it.  You make it a hell of a lot harder to
do that."

"Good.  And I hope to make it harder still.  I know you can't
stop your search and your work.  In case I haven't mentioned it
lately, I think your work is vitally important.  And you're the
only one capable of doing it, but just be a little more careful. 
And fight for yourself a little harder.  Okay?"

Mulder nodded and leaned in to again kiss the man beneath him. 
This kiss was less tender and more full of passion.  Walter
pulled away and laughed at Fox.

"You're insatiable."

Fox rubbed his body against him before answering.  "Well, from
the feel of things I'd say you were, too."

Walter chuckled again and then ran his hands down Fox's back to
his butt.  Grasping it firmly, he pulled his lover in closer. 
"I'm not going to be able to walk by the end of this weekend.  I
should have known better than to take a younger lover."

"Not that much younger, and you're in better shape."

"Yeah right.  Your shape feels just fine to me.  Come here." 
Walter grabbed Fox's head between his hands and kissed him hard
and passionately, running his hands up under Fox's t-shirt and
removing it swiftly.  The rest of Mulder's clothes soon
followed.  Walter tried to roll over but the couch didn't have
enough room, so they fell to the floor, pushing the coffee table
out of the way with feet and hands.   He then began a slow gentle
exploration of Mulder's prone form, soft little moans coming from
both of them.  This time it was Walter's turn to take Fox into
his mouth and bring him to release.  The squeak Fox made when he
came had Walter laughing.  

"I take it that means you liked it."

Fox only nodded, still too out of breath to speak.  He had gone
months at a time without sex and now had it three times in one
day.  `Jeez, I'm going to be dead tomorrow,' he thought, smiling
to himself, `but what a way to go!'

"Your turn."  He smiled evilly at Walter.

"Don't know, Fox?  Four times in twenty-four hours is going for
the record."

"Always did like to be the best at whatever I chose to do.  Just
loved breaking records."  Mulder rolled his partner over and
began to kiss him, slowly working his way down his body.  He
amazed himself by how much he enjoyed the body beneath him.  He
kissed Walter's stomach and ran his tongue around and into the
AD's belly button, then moved lower to explore his thighs and
legs.  Taking lots of time, he built Walter up to a fever pitch
of anticipation before finally taking him into his mouth and
quickly bringing him to release.  

Walter groaned, "Well, you are certainly the best at whatever you
choose to undertake."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

They lay quietly for awhile, slowly regaining their strength. 
Finally Walter spoke.  "I've got tickets to the game with the
Bulls tonight.  Want to go?"

Fox grinned at him.  "A date.  Are you asking me on a date?"

"We've been sleeping together off and on for several months--
don't you think it's about time?"

Mulder was feeling a bit nonplussed.  Except for the occasional
meal together, they had not gone out as friends in public.  "I
guess I'd better go home and change..."  Fox sat up suddenly.
"Shit, my laundry!"

At Walter's puzzled look, he went on to explain, "I was doing my
wash last night.  Pretty pathetic, huh?  It had just finished the
wash cycle when I finally decided that we needed to talk.  Afraid
that I'd change my mind, I stuffed it into the hamper and a
garbage bag, wet.  It's out in my car now."

Walter laughed.  "Only you, Mulder.  Come on, let's go rescue it
before it smells like mildew and you have to buy new stuff."

They went out and collected the laundry.  "Looks like I lucked
out.  It's stayed cold enough that it hasn't started to mildew
and now I won't have to go home to change."  As he loaded the
dryer, Mulder came to Walter's dress shirt and handed
it to him.  "I would have had it dry cleaned but it's got your
laundry mark on it and I thought that might be hard to explain to
the cleaners since we both use that place near work."

Shaking his head, Walter was glad that Fox thought of these
things because they needed to be careful.  He debated how to ask
what he wanted and finally decided that the direct approach was
best.  "Do you want to go by your place and pick up
the rest of your stuff after the game?"

Their eyes met and Mulder swallowed hard.  `Well, do I?'  The
answer didn't take much thought.  "Yeah, that would be nice. 
Until then can I borrow your razor?"

"Sure thing, just try to remember to reset the damn thing--your
beard's coarser than mine and I got razor burn last time you
borrowed it."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it.  Come on, let's go get ready."

They took turns showering and shaving.  Fox, always a bit more
particular, finished last and exited the bathroom to find Walter
putting his now-dry laundry into the dresser.

"Bit presumptuous, aren't you?"

"Cut the crap, Mulder.  You want this as much as I do."

Fox shrugged, conceding Walter's point.  He was happy to be
moving back in.  It felt right and he wasn't going to start
arguing about something he wanted to do.  "Leave me a few things
to take home to get me through the week."  Seeing Walter
stiffen, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  I'm fine, Mulder."

"You've been taking lessons from Scully again.  Well, I don't
believe it when she uses it and I sure as hell don't believe it
now."

"Sometimes it's best to let things drop."

"Damn it.  I'm sick of secrets."

"All right, fine.  I wish that you could move in.  Not just
weekends but during the week as well.  I hate eating alone at
that diner and I especially hate coming home to this damn big
empty house.  Don't know why I let Sharon..."

Mulder was startled.  Walter almost never spoke of the forbidden
subject and he had never before opened up so much to tell Fox how
he needed and enjoyed his companionship.  He walked over to his
lover and gave him a hug.  "I wish we could be together, as well,
but we'll have to be satisfied with what time we can steal.  Not
being together all the time makes what time we do have a lot more
memorable.  Sides neither of us would be able to walk if we kept
up this pace."  Kissing, they left for the game.


After the game, they stopped by Mulder's to pick up some of his
things.  Entering the building, they ran into the woman from the
night before.  

Deciding to give up on subtlety, she went for the more direct
approach.  "Hello, Fox.  Nice to see you again."

"Hello, Paula."  He hated when they called him Fox.  "How's it
going?"  Mulder wasn't paying very close attention, but Walter
had caught her eyeing Fox and knew what she was up to or, more to
the point, who she was after.

"So how 'bout you and your friend stopping by my place for a
drink?  I could call up a girlfriend or two and we could make a
night of it."

Fox had finally caught on...  "Thanks for the invite but it's
been a long day and I've got some research to finish before
Monday."

"Going to work on Saturday night?  Come on, Fox..."  Her voice
was sensuous and she `accidentally' rubbed gently up against him. 
"All work and no play... You're almost never home on weekends..." 
She pouted.

Fox started backing away and ran right into Walter, who caught
him to keep him from falling over.  "My job's pretty demanding
and I really need to get some work done, but thanks all the
same."  He turned and practically ran for his apartment.  Walter
followed close behind.

Once inside, he asked Fox, "So are you accosted by women often,
Mulder?"

Mulder's head shot up from where he'd been studying the books on
the floor, deciding which ones he would need for research
tomorrow.  His eyes widened and there was a startled look on his
face.

Seeing the look, Walter said, "Never mind."

Mulder smiled at him and came in very close.  "Jealous, Walter?" 
No one had ever been jealous over him before.  

Skinner glared back at Mulder, who promptly laughed.  "Don't
worry about it.  If I'd been interested in her, I could have
asked her out last night.  Hell, she's been trying to get me to
go out with her since she moved in a couple of months ago.  I
can't very well tell her I'm involved, so I make work excuses. 
But when she approached me last night I wasn't interested;
instead I sat pouting about you.  Think I pissed her off... guess
she decided to head for the more direct approach."

Relaxing at Fox's words, the AD finally smiled.  "Sorry."

"About what?  Being jealous?"  At Walter's nod, he continued.  "I
know the feeling."

Looking up to see Walter's questioning look, he elaborated. 
"Yesterday afternoon in the lobby when that guy hugged you."

"Phillip?"

"I have no idea who it was but I saw him with his arm around your
shoulder and I saw red."

"So that's why you looked so cold.  He was in the Marines with
me.  Philip and his wife are old friends."

"Yeah, I figured it was something like that when the woman hugged
you as well.  But for a couple of seconds it really blindsided
me.  This relationship isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"No, but it's worth it.  Come on, let's head back home, before
that she-wolf comes after you again.  I plan on keeping you
exhausted enough so that you won't have the energy for other
pursuits."


Monday Morning
Hoover Building

Dana Scully was not looking forward to returning to work this
Monday.  She'd spent a pleasant weekend visiting with her brother
and sister-in-law, who were from out of town.  It had been a nice
change of pace from the weirdness of her daily life.  Of course,
she missed the weirdness if she went too long without it, but
just now a little normality was welcomed.

That wasn't really the problem, though.  The problem was with her
partner: he was obviously having relationship problems and had
been depressed for the last couple of weeks.  He wasn't testy
like most men were, he didn't snap her head off, or lose his
temper more.  Instead he just sort of moped or threw himself into
his work until he dropped.  She wondered what today would be
like.  Probably a mope day since he didn't seem to rest at all on
the weekends when he and the person he was involved with were
apart.

Testy, on the other hand, was the perfect description of the
other half of the relationship.  Skinner was a bear.  No one but
Scully had any idea what was going on, but word was out that the
AD was on the warpath, and to keep out of his way.  Dana wouldn't
have had any idea that Mulder's depression and their boss's
rampage were connected if she hadn't stumbled onto a kiss one
night when they had both been in the hospital recovering from
various injuries.  Neither man had seen her, but she had seen
them and since that time had watched covertly as their
relationship had developed.  

Things had gone very well up until about two weeks ago, when an
agent had been killed working on an X-file case.  Then they'd had
some kind of fight and since then work had not been pleasant. 
She felt like kicking both of them in the butt for wasting what
they had.  She was quickly realizing that she would like to be in
either of their shoes.  Caring for both men deeply, it was hard
to be on the outside looking in and even harder to keep quiet
when she saw them both acting so stupid.  `Keep your mouth shut,
Dana.  Keep your mouth shut, Dana...'  She kept repeating the
mantra to herself over and over.

So engrossed in her train of thought that she wasn't watching
where she was going, she bumped into the Assistant Director. 
"Good morning, Scully.  Did you have a nice weekend?"

Startled by his warm greeting, it took her a moment to collect
her thoughts before replying.  "Very good, Sir.  My brother and
his wife were visiting from out of town."

"Hope you had a good visit?"

"Yes.  Spent the weekend at my mom's."  `Hmmm, this was
interesting.  Let's see if we can get a rise out of Skinner.' 

"So how was your weekend, sir?  Hope you took some time to
relax."  At the grin he shot her, she thought, `They made up.'

"Very relaxing.  Can't remember being this relaxed in a long
time." 

That was definitely a look of smug satisfaction on the AD's
face.  `Oh yeah, they made up all right.'

Unaware of his agent's thoughts, Skinner excused himself.  "Well,
I'll see you and Mulder at our two o'clock."  He headed off down
the hall.

`I'd bet a month's pay that they made up.  Great... just
great...'  She was glad that they had made up--she really was--but she
was beginning to feel like Mr. Bruckman: `It seems like
everybody is having sex but me.'  As she took the elevator down
to their office, she thought to herself, `If Mulder greets me with 
that Cheshire cat grin, I'm going to throw something at him.'

Sure enough, she walked in the door and Mulder was busily
studying some case files, looking very relaxed.  "Morning,
Scully.  How's your brother?"

"Fine, Mulder.  I guess your weekend agreed with you.  You
certainly seem in a better mood."  She noticed Mulder taking a
sip of coffee and felt like a little devilment.  "You and Skinner."

Mulder choked and coughed.  "Me and Skinner what?" he squeaked.

"Oh, I bumped into Skinner on the way down and he was in a very
good mood.  After last week that was a relief."

"Last week?" Mulder finally managed to question.

"Oh he was in an incredibly bad mood last week and the week
before, come to think of it.  I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"You know Skinner.  He's always in a bad mood when I'm around."

"Oh, really?  Funny, I hadn't noticed that.  In fact, you always
seem to be able to get him to let you do exactly what you want."

Mulder started coughing again and Dana decided that he'd choke to
death if she kept this up, so she let the subject drop.  `Well,
the two o'clock should prove interesting.  Very interesting
indeed.' 

"Okay, Mulder, tell me about our new case."  

The X-files was back to normal.  `Yeah, right.'

End Chances Are.

Another sequel is done and hopefully will follow tomorrow or in a
couple of days. Write to Alex at 72620.3447@compuserve.com  The
more encouragement we get, the faster we write.   Alex and I also want
to add that if you wrote and didn't get a reply, we apologize,
but my mail was acting up and losing messages; then they'd
reappear and neither of us could tell whether or not they had all
been answered.  So if anybody got two replies, that's why and if
you didn't hear that is also why.  Sorry but the black box has a
mind of its own.