TITLE: Rains of Hell AUTHOR: Ladyhawk EMAIL ADDRESS: funger1@hofstra.edu DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Anywhere, just tell me SPOILER WARNING: Up to The Field Trip RATING: NC-17 Keywords: Mulder/Skinner Slash CLASSIFICATION: V, A, T, R SUMMARY: Guess who's back! The sequel to Lightening and Thunder DISCLAIMER: You think I own them? Yeah right, I can't even afford one of Mulder's ties. CC owns them all. Amatia, this part is definitely for you. ****************************************************************************** Chapter I: Clouds Gathering "Ouch!" I clutch my head in pain. My feet backpedal almost involuntarily, as if trying to get away from something. "Walter!" Mulder grabs my arm as I stumble. "Did I hit you with the ball? I didn't think it was anywhere near you." We have been playing one-on-one basketball at a park near Mulder's apartment for nearly an hour. Our usual Friday ritual, when Mulder's in town. And after that last escapade of theirs I needed to work my frustrations out... -------------------------------------------------------- I didn't think we were going to get to them in time. Somehow, the doctor who helped Scully identify the skeletons was able to piece together what had happened before anyone else investigated the scene. We all wore masks so nobody else was taken by that damned fungus. I was almost frantic by the time I grabbed Mulder's arm. We had lost connection the moment the thing took ahold of him. I assumed that whatever hallucinogen it used, it was too powerful and interefered with the psychic portions of his mind. When we pulled them out, I sighed and almost collapsed with relief. I didn't even blink an eye when his connection to me came back, and I found him holding onto Scully for dear life. He needed her. She knew what he was going through. I only suspected. And their friendship is one of profound love and loyalty. I would never interefere with that. In fact I'd do my damndest to protect that bond. Even at the price of my own bond with Mulder. Especially because I know Scully would do the same for Mulder and me. Mulder was quick to draw me into their discussion of the fungus while I sat in their hospital room. Scully was surprised that her hallucinations didn't include anythuing about my relationship with Mulder. But then, I suspect she does her best to separate Walter, her best friend's boyfriend, from Skinner, her boss. So I wasn't that surprised. I was just glad to have them both back alive and safe. -------------------------------------------------------- Mulder's still suffering from acid burns, so I back away from him slightly as he grabs me. I don't want to hurt him. The pain has almost completely passed by this time, anyway. But my saying so to Mulder doesn't convince him. "I hit you, didn't I? God, Walter, I'm sorry. I'm usually a lot more accurate." //Stop it, you didn't hit me. I'm not sure what that was.// I assure Mulder through our connection. At the same time, I am checking myself to make sure everything works. //Let's go home, I think we both have had enough of a workout. My arms sting a little. I could use some of that lotion the doctor gave me.// Mulder's arms and chest were prety badly burned, more so than his legs because he wore loose shirts that day. //Ok, I'll help you put it on your back too, if you want.// I grab Mulder's ball and we walk back to the apartment. Mulder's mischeivous grin during our walk lets me know that he wants me to help him with the lotion. And more. -------------------------------------------------------- Mulder grabs two bottles of Gatorade from the fridge as I get the lotion from the medicine cabinet. By agreement, we meet in the bedroom. I take the proffered bottle then get him to turn over as I take a swig of the cool liquid. //Your back looks a lot better. I told you you needed to keep after it.// //Well, you actually kept after it for me. Thanks.// I kiss the top of Mulder's head as I get some lotion and start spreading it on his back. //You're welcome. Now turn over, so you can pay me for my services.// I see Mulder smile as he moves to lie on his back. But the next second, he kisses me, and all I see is love. Our physical expressions of emotion have never been ordinary, because of our psychic condition. Today is no exception. //I love you for taking care of me. I love you for watching over me. I love you just because you are you.// Mulder seems to want to pay me back for the times I've made him the focal point of my emotions. I let him, knowing we could both use this after what almost happened. I give myself up to the images and waves of feelings that he sends my way. My arousal is slow, because he concentrates on making me feel appreciated, important to him. His caresses are gentle and make me tingle all over. I move to reciprocate, but he gently restrains me. //Uhuh. It's my turn, Walter.// So I absorb all he has to give me, both mentally and physically. He sheds our clothes. And as his caresses move from my shoulders to my chest, his thoughts gain some heat. //You love me so well, so completely. You make me tingle with just a simple touch. But you give me so much more. Anything I want, all I ask.// His words die off as he begins to build our arousal. I moan as he heats up my body inch by inch, and my mind, image by image until I'm begging him to touch the one place he has neglected. I almost explode at the first touch of his lips on my cock. I hold back, just barely. But Mulder will have none of it. //Let go. This is for you. Let me give you this.// The heat of his mouth and his words send me to heaven on a lightening bolt. And as I feel my explosion, I feel his as well. Well, they say sex is mostly in the mind. I think we've proven that. I curl my body around his as we settle down for a nap. Contentment fills me. --------------------------------------------------------- Oh my God! The pain! I grasp my head, trying to hold it still in a vain effort to stop whatever is causing this. //Walter?!// Even Mulder's concern hurts right now. He must be able to tell because his next message to me is short. //I can feel that. I'm calling Scully.// He grasps my shoulder before he gets up to retrieve the phone. I hear him in the hallway talking to Scully on the cordless. He's watching me, but trying to keep my pain to a minimum by being out there. I can barely acknowledge his consideration, as my head pounds. What is this?! I don't remember anything that could have caused this. It's been a rather ordinary day up to now. I can feel Mulder's confusion, too, as he walks back into the room and sits gently on the bed. His whisper is only slightly more painful. "I told Scully your symptoms. I can feel them, like an echo from your mind. Although I know it must be much more painful for you. Scully says she'll be over as fast as she can to check on you, but that I should call an ambulance at any change. She's worried about an aneurism." //Ok. I don't feel any changes.// We sit in the dark until Scully comes with her spare medical supplies to check me out. "You are sure he hasn't eaten anything or touched anything that might have caused this?" I can hear Mulder and Scully talking from the corner of the room. "No, Scully. Unless it was before we got home." I send Mulder a message that I didn't see anything suspicious before I came home. "Walter says he doesn't remember anything suspicious then either." "I say we get him to a hospital, Mulder. There could be something very serious going on here." I feel something shift in my mind as she says this. A voice emerges from my strained mind. //You won't get away from me at a hospital, Skinner. In fact, you'll never get away from me. I intend to make you pay for what you did. You will wish you never messed with me, fool!// I struggle to find my voice as the presence in my mind tries to overwhelm me. "No, no hospital. It's Galf." The horror on their faces is matched only by the terror I feel. ************************************************************************ ************************ Chapter II: Back to Hell What does that bastard want now?! Can't he just leave us alone? I watch my lover moan in agony, helplessly. Walter is holding his head and tossing on the bed. His pain isn't caused by illness or accident. It's caused by a man. The man who tried to pull me away from Walter. The man who Walter fought against to keep me safe. The man who seems to want revenge. "How bad is it, Mulder?" Scully looks up at me, as shell-shocked as I am. "He's still trying to hide it from me. But I can tell it's very bad. When I probe our connection, I feel hot pokers searing my skull. It's just pain. Nothing else, as far as I can tell." But that pain is enough to reduce my strong, confident lover to the level of a wounded animal. All I hear from him is moans of agony. "We can't just stand here and watch this, Mulder. We have to do something." My thoughts are focused on doing just that. I'm trying to find Galf, trying to remember the past few days. To stumble on any clue as to the wizard's whereabouts. "I know that, Scully. I'm trying to remember... " It hits me suddenly. There was a man watching Walter and me as we played basketball this afternoon. A man wearing a black baseball cap and large sunglasses, so that I could barely see his face. But his hair was blond, the same shade as our enemy. That's when Walter first had this problem. It makes me think. Does Galf need to be nearby to torture Walter like this? "Watch Walter, Scully." Not bothering to answer the question on her face, I race out of the bedroom and glance into all the other rooms quickly before speeding through the apartment door. I look around the hallway, but there is nobody there. //Tsk, Fox. Where are your investigative skills today? Look out the hallway window.// Goddamn him! He's been with us all along. I follow Galf's direction and move to the window. When I look down to the street below, a figure waves up at me, grinning. //What do you want?// I want to jump out this windows, chase him down and tear his heart out. But I know to even try such a stunt would be foolish. I have to protect Walter. So I do my best to stay calm. //I want you by my side. And I want him dead, with his power inside me.// He seems confident that he will get both. But I know something he doesn't. After his battle with Galf a year ago, Walter poured his love and his strength into me, slowly but steadily to try to break me free of Galf's influence. I didn't realize what he was doing at the time. Neither of us understood the impact of his action until after we made love for the first time after I broke free. Our bond was so strong that we could actually see out of each other's eyes. I know the bond will keep me from falling under Galf's powers now. That, and the sense to not repeat my past mistakes. //You're not getting me, Galf. And I will keep you from getting Walter.// I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I will stop Galf. Even if it costs me my life. -------------------------------------------------------- I walk back to the bedroom, deep in thought. Scully looks up at me from the chair near the bed. "Did you find anything?" "Galf is outside. He's out to kill Walter. And he wants me back." Scully nods. Just then, Walter lets out a painful scream. We rush to the bed. Walter is squirming and hitting the air with his fists, as if he's trying to fight off something. His eyes are closed. By probing our connection as gently as I can, I realize he isn't aware of his surroundings, or even my presence. Galf has pulled him into his mind too far somehow. Scully can see I've been trying to contact him. My face generally loses focus when I'm talking to Walter psychically. "What's going on?" "Galf is somehow keeping him focused inward. He's trapped in his own mind. The pain might have been to get him to lose outward awareness. There's more going on inside his head now. But I can't tell what." I caress the back of Walter's head as I say this. I doubt he can feel my touch, but I don't know what else to do right now. "Whatever it is, that scream he let out tells me it isn't pleasant." Scully lays her hands on my shoulders as I sit next to my lover's prone form on the bed. I look up at her, seeking comfort. But she can't give me what I seek. Her eyes betray her feelings of helplessness. She wipes away her tears before trying to speak. "I'm going to get you something to eat, then call the Gunmen. I want to see what they have anything on or know about psychic connections like yours." Ahh, Scully. Always trying, no matter what the odds. I wish I had her strength right now. But my feelings and not being able to do anything has dragged me down. Scully must sense this. "Rest, Mulder. I'll tell you if the guys think of anything. I'll wake you up when the food comes." I nod as I lay down next to Walter and wrap my arms around him. As I do, I try desperately to contact him and tell him that I'm here for him. I get no response. -------------------------------------------------------- Scully has gone out of her way to make sure I eat. A supreme pizza and an order of chicken wings greet my sighht as I walk into the kitchen. But my attention isn't on the food. Walter screamed twice more in the hour I rested by his side. Although I tried, I wasn't able to discern what was causing him so much pain. His mind wouldn't share its secret. "Did the guys have any ideas?" I pick up a pizza slice distractedly, knowing if I don't eat, Scully will nag. "They suggested a Vulcan mind-meld. I laughed at that at first, but now I'm wondering about that. Can you do that? Can you get that connected with him?" Scully looks at me earnestly. "I can try. It'll at least tell us what Galf is trying to do." I bite into the pizza, trying to figure out how to do this. After I swallow, I turn to Scully for ideas. "I don't know where to start." "When are you closest to him, mentally?" "Um, when we make love, usually. We sort of lay our minds open for each other to see." "Will that help?" "Opening my mind? Yeah, it might grab Walter's attention. It's a rather overwhelming experience, when we usually do it." "But if you lay your mind open, Galf might--" The fear in Scully's mind makes me pause. Then I remember what Galf wants. "I think Galf wants me in one piece. I don't think he'll risk hurting me." At least I hope not. "Let's get started, Scully. I need to figure this out." I swallow my last bite of pizza as we head into the bedroom. "I'm going to open up to Walter, like I usually do. Watch him. If anything changes, shake me, hard." I lie down next to him and wrap my arms around his muscular body. "Good luck, Mulder." I hear Scully from far away as I open myself to my lover, pleading for him to find me. After a second, a minute, an hour, I feel his presence overwhelm me as he latches onto me as if I were a lifejacket. And I scream as he drags me down into the haunted darkness of his mind. ************************************************************************ ************************ Chapter III: Raining Pain by Ladyhawk (funger1@hofstra.edu) //Galf, stop, please! What do you want?!// The pain in my head eclipses everything. I can vaguely hear Scully and Mulder talking but I can't make out what they are saying. After a time, I don't know how long, I can feel Mulder reaching out to me. I try, but I can't reach back. I just sink deeper into the dark abyss Greg Galf has created for me. Into... At first, it's complete darkness coupled with intense pain. Feeling like my body is being ripped to pieces. My mind ripped from my skull and laid in the open air. The agony of it bubbles up in screams. But they lodge in my throat, choking me. All I can manage is a weak moan. The sound barely registers. I now start wishing the pain would rise to a point where it would render me unconscious. -------------------------------------------------------- This goes on for days, I swear. Until the darkness starts to break. The pain in my head abates a little. But then an image forms in front of me, my mental self. And I know the torture has only begun. //Hello, Skinner.// Galf's image appears and walks toward me, as if this were a dream. His blond hair and blue eyes are vivid, brighter than on the day I met him in my office. And maturity, with a cruel edge, has replaced the appearance of wide-eyed innocence he maintained while masquerading as an intern. His smile is anything but kind. //Are you enjoying yourself here, in this little world I've created inside your mind?// //You bastard! You won't accomplish anything with this! I won't let you.// I try to charge at him, but find that I can't move. I don't see anything binding me, I can't feel anything holding me back. I just can't move. //Hmm. It looks like you're having a problem, Skinner.// He points his finger at me, then flicks it down. The instant he does this, I crash downward, to what feels like a metal floor. But this is inside my mind. This isn't real... //Don't look so shocked, Skinner. I told you not to mess with me. Now you pay.// He crouches down to look at my face. He watches as he runs his finger above my arm. Pain shoots through me, and I scream, finally, almost gratefully. //I am in control here, Skinner. And I'm going to make you wish you died easily, like Angela Piola.// He stands up again, leaving me lying on this metal floor. Except it's not metal any longer. It's dirt. I look around me to see grass, large trees. I'm in the jungle. Shots are firing, I can hear them. This looks just like Vietnam. He's making me relive my past. I resolve not to look. I close my eyes to the site of the Vietcong coming after me. But the image is still as crystal clear as it was with my eyes open. //This is your mind, Skinner. Not the physical world. You can't avoid me that easily.// The group of three Vietcong reaches me. One of them, although dark complected, with dark hair, bears a striking resemblance to Galf. They grab for me. I am at a disadvantage. Unlike my time in the Marines, here I am unarmed. I fight them with my fists, but I am easily overpowered. The one that looks like Galf ties me up with some rope before they drag me back to their camp. The beating I receive once they untie me pulls another scream from me. This one seems to go on forever. -------------------------------------------------------- When I have gotten to the point where I almost lose consciousness from the beating, the scene around me changes. I'm in the Hoover building, in my office. Scully comes rushing in. "Sir, Mulder's been shot!"' Although I know I don't want to see what she has to show me, I follow this version of Scully down to their basement office. What I see when she opens the door frightens me. Mulder lies across his desk on his back, much like the way we found Jeffrey Spender. He has a bullet hole in his forehead. Tears rise to my eyes despite the fact that I know this scene is fake, false. All of a sudden, Mulder's body rises from the desk and grabs me. I taste bile as I look through the hole in his head to see the blood and brains scattered on the desk blotter. But it's what he says that horrifies me. //Why didn't you save me, Walter? Wasn't I good enough for you? Why did you let me die?// My scream lets lose as I feel his hand reaching into me to rip out my heart. Then all goes black. -------------------------------------------------------- The darkness and pain come back. It seems to the few working parts of my brain that Galf is waiting for something. He... has me on hold. I'd definitely prefer elevator music to this. I no longer can remember a time when the pain wasn't in my head. But then something changes. I can feel something else, something almost pleasant. Mulder. I can feel Mulder opening to me like a book. Making his presence known. I want to tell him to go away, don't do this. But I am so exhausted and hopeless. He gives me hope. So I grab onto his presence with all my might. Dragging him down into the darkness with me. Almost immediately, I can see Mulder's form in front of me. He looks scared, but well. And his arms feel so good around me. Somehow I know, even though this place is in my mind, those arms are real. And they are wrapped securely around me, in here and in the physical world. //Tell me, Walter. What is he doing?// In a flash, Mulder is sitting on the metal floor, holding me as if I were a child. //Pain. He gives me pain. Mental, physical. I think he's trying to torture me to death.// I lean my head agaist his shoulder. //He's winning.// //I'm here, Walter. I'll help you.// But just then, I am ripped out of his arms. //Walter! Galf! Stop this, please!// I can see Mulder grabbing for me, but somehow I am just out of his reach. //Ah-ah Fox. You want so save your precious lover?// I turn my head to see Galf holding me by the collar. //Yes! Release him!// Mulder grabs again, but again I am out of reach. //Come with me, Mulder. Be a leader, with me. Be powerful.// Galf's smile to Mulder is alomst gentle. //Never!// //Then he dies. Painfully.// The floor opens beneath me and I fall into a pit. Into the jaws of something hungry. I get ready to let the darkness and pain take me, when I find myself back on the metal floor. //I'm not done with you yet, Skinner. But I have to take care of Mulder first.// And suddenly, the pain in my head is gone. But the pain in my heart explodes. ************************************************************************ ************************ Chapter IV: Dance With the Devil In the small piece of my mind that I deliberately keep locked away from Walter, and hopefully from Galf, the agony flows. I didn't want to leave Walter, especially since there is a good chance Galf won't keep his promise. But I had to get out of Walter's mind if there was to be any chance of him surviving. Galf may still kill Walter. But I know that if I left things as they were, he'd definitely kill him. At least now I have a chance to stop him. I just have to figure out how. Ironically, it is a good thing that Galf doesn't want to kill Walter quickly. "Mulder?" I look up at Scully from the bed on which I lie with Walter. She doesn't know what just happened. She doesn't know that I am risking everything to keep Walter alive. So I tell her. "I'm going with Galf. He promised me that he wouldn't harm Walter any longer if I went with him." The shock on her face is almost tangible. "Mulder, you know--" I hold up a hand to stop her. "I know. But I don't think I'm strong enough to do what Walter did the last time. And Galf's not going to kill him quickly. He wants to torture him. I can only hope that Galf will draw it out long enough to find a way to stop him." "What if he--takes you over again?" "I don't think he can. I'm too strongly bonded to Walter now. So strongly that I think Walter's death might take me with him. But Galf doesn't know that. For some reason, he can't see the bond." Now Scully looks truly frightened, but there's nothing I can do to lessen her fear. I won't lie to her. "Take care of Walter for me, Scully." I look at my lover, next to me. He appears to be sleeping peacefully. I hope like hell it's true. I don't test our connection, though, because I don't want Galf catching on to our secret. Instead, I go to the living room to open the door to him. And hope that I can figure out what to do. -------------------------------------------------------- "Ah, Fox, what fun we are going to have." Galf laughs as he pulls me along on the street. Unlike last time, I can feel his influence pulling at me now. I flinch as my mind absorbs his almost hypnotic messages. But my brain forces the messages to pass through me like light through a window, leaving me essentially unchanged. But now I have to act the part. "Where are we going, Greg?" The strength of his mental pulling leads me to believe that he expects me to fall right back into place by his side. So I do my best to look very dependent. The look of glee plastered on his face makes me nauseous. "To get more of the power. So we have the strength to take one who has enough power to charge me for an eternity." "Who, Greg?" "An evil man. One who has been near you and corrupting you for far too long." That stops me in my tracks. I hear the subconscious message he sends about that. Walter. He needs to be stronger to kill Walter. I don't understand this at all. Walter can't be that strong psychically. I mean, his powers were just an accident. How could he be the focus of such attention? Galf looks my way, puzzled, so I quickly slip back into my charade. "Why would anyone want to corrupt me, Greg?" "So you never find out how strong you could be. You could rule the world if you wanted to. But he wants to keep you under wraps." Bullshit. You just want to exploit me, Galf. Because I could give you him. I let Galf pull me into a car and drive me to wherever he has chosen. I try to figure out where we are going without looking obvious. Luckily, I think Galf has become too over- confident in his own abilities to notice. "This young girl should be perfect to give us enough strength to take on that evil man." I notice Galf doesn't use his name. I guess his subliminal messages are supposed to make me think I'm figuring it out for myself. But I want to draw this out. So I concentrate on his plan. "This girl will give me strength?" Play dumb, Mulder. You're supposed to be dazed here. "Oh yes! And then we can go after the real strong stuff!" God, his enthusiasm is driving me nuts. It's my lover he's talking about! I follow Galf into the house. How am I going to stop Galf from killing this one? I look at the girl Galf wants to kill as she covers near the couch in the living room we've entered. She's about 9. God, I have to stop this now. Her dark hair and eyes give me an idea. "Samantha!" I reach toward the little girl as if I have mistaken her for my sister in my dazed mind. "No, Fox. That isn't her." Luckily Galf thinks my obsession has run away with me as it usually does. He doesn't notice anything amiss. "We must take her. Her power--" "No! Not Samantha!" I back the child against the wall and cover her body with my own. I do my best to keep her quiet without Galf noticing my actions. "Fox... " "Not Samantha!" My stubborn obsession, although faked here, serves me well. And saves this child's life. He doesn't want me uncooperative at this point. He's still working to cast his spell. "Ok, Fox. We won't harm the girl." Galf pulls me away from the girl slowly. I quickly send her a psychic message that everything will be ok. She seems to accept this without comment. But she relaxes visibly, which comforts me. "Come now, Fox. We will fight the evil man now. Then we can come back for the girl. She will be ok once we remove the threat to all of us." I can practically hear the wheels turning in Galf's head. His tactics are changing to try to make me more compliant. Oh, if he only knew. But my wheels start turning now. I have to find out how Walter is, and warn Scully that we are coming. It took us most of the afternoon to get here, so I have time to come up with a plan. I have my cellphone in my jacket pocket. But I can't exactly call Scully and start talking. Something comes to mind. But I need to be away from the wizard's prying eyes. I remember most of the time we travelled last time, I slept. So I figure that's my best bet now. "Greg, I'm tired." I stumble as we walk back to the car, to make it look good. "Can I lie down in the back seat?" "Of course, you'll need all your strength when we get back. Rest up, my boy." I crawl into the back so my head is behind his seat. I turn toward the backseat and pull my cellphone out. After the speedial for the Gunmen connects, I start spelling out words using the number pad. Frohike catches on after a few minutes and contacts Scully. The conversation is long and arduous, but I'd rather not take a chance on Galf hearing me. Scully tells me that Walter has been conscious, and pain free for about an hour. He talks to me for a few minutes. I almost cry when he whispers to me that he understands what I am doing. And he loves me. I almost give myself away and try to reach out to Walter psychically, but I stop myself, with an almost painful effort. I startle as Galf glances back at me right after my effort. I quickly hide the phone beside me. "All rested, Fox? We're almost there." I make a show of blinking and looking disoriented. "Oh. Yeah." When he turns back to the road, I punch in my last message to everyone, letting them know we are almost there. And that I don't know how the hell I'm going to keep Galf from killing Walter. ************************************************************************ ************************ Chapter V: His Life in My Hands As Galf's car makes its way steadily to Walter's apartment, my mind turns inward, trying to find a way to save Walter. I'm not strong enough to defeat the wizard by myself, I know this. But I think Galf has Walter weakened as well, through the pain he sent him. So my lover can't do it alone this time either. I close my eyes, trying to remember all I can about Galf, looking for a weakness. As I do, something pulls at me mentally. At first I think it's my own thoughts, an idea. But the pull gets stronger. Slowly, a form appears behind my eyelids. A very familiar and welcome form. //Walter?// I wasn't expecting him to try to connect with me. Galf could notice, and then we could be in real trouble. He'd figure out that I'm not really going along with him. And then there goes my plan, what little there is of it. Walter gets right to the point. //Yeah, Mulder. It's me. Now, don't worry, I'm ok for right now. But I'm sure Galf will try to immobilize me before the two of you get here. So I want to do something first, and quickly. Before he notices our connection.// The images he sends me make me cringe. //Walter, no! I can't do that!// //Mulder, please. I think it's the only shot we have. Right now, Galf is too strong for either of us alone. But together... // This is the first time I have had any regret over the strengthening of our bond after we last met Galf. I don't want to do this. What Walter is proposing to me would almost be as bad as those energy absorptions Galf does. Walter wouldn't be dying, however. I'd just take almost all of his psychic energy into myself, leaving him only what his body demands for his survival. Then I could take on Galf with our combined energies. //Walter--// My fears rise to the surface. //If we do this, and I lose, you could die.// //It's a chance I'm willing to take. I can't protect you like I am now.// //This isn't about me, this is about us!// My panic probably has clouded my brain, because what he says next brings me back to the situation at hand. //If we wait much longer, he will kill me and probably you. Do you have a better idea?// I sigh. //No.// //Then let's get this done before Galf notices something amiss.// At my assent, Walter starts feeding his energy to me, through our link. As he does, I catch glimpses of his memories. His childhood, fighting in Vietnam, his early years in the FBI. When the memories start including me, I gasp in wonder. The most vivid memories I get are of us during quiet times. He loves to watch me. When I sleep, while I'm just sitting with him, when I'm on the move getting ready for a case. Those are the times that mean the most to him, the times that I just let him be part of my world. As I watch the images go by, our connection begins to fade. He has given me almost all the energy he has. I can feel him drift to sleep, exhausted. As he does, all I can think of is the possibility his sleep may be permanent. -------------------------------------------------------- Galf and I arrive at the Crystal City apartment right after Walter falls asleep. As we get out of the car, I look for signs that he noticed my conversation with Walter. But the excited look on his face assures me he's none the wiser. "Here, Fox, is where we will find the evil man. The one who is limiting you, who won't let you grow to your full potential." He turns to me with a smile. I know I don't want him inside the apartment. That puts both Walter and Scully at risk. But I don't want to fight Galf here, on the street. Others could get hurt in the crossfire. I stall by looking rather dazed for a minute. An idea springs forth. There is an empty warehouse about 5 blocks away. A perfect place to put my life on the line for my lover. Now, to get Galf there. "Greg, can we go for a walk before we do this? I need to wake up a bit." It's lame, I know, but I'm under pressure. And all he has to do is fall for it once. Luckily, he does. As we stroll along, he exclaims over the possibilities in front of us after we kill Walter. It takes all I got to hide my disgust until we reach the warehouse. It doesn't take much to get him in there. The door of the abandoned building is open. So I just wander in casually. He follows with an exclamation. "Fox, where are you going?" I take a deep breath as he enters the large empty room. I don't know how I'm going to do this, but I must. "I am not going to let you kill Walter." Somehow, I dredge up a calm voice. It helps me stand straighter and get my thoughts together. My focus must be on stopping him. I will not lose this. I will not lose everything dear to me. I watch his face go from shocked to angry as he realizes that I'm not under his spell. "You tricked me, Fox. I don't like being deceived." I figure I have to take an offensive stance. "Like you deceived all of us before? Took me away from the ones I love? Tried to get me to kill?" I concentrate like Walter told me he did last time. As I do sparks start flying toward Galf. But not strongly enough to keep him from returning fire. "If I have to, I will kill you both. I would have rather had you with me, though, Fox." Lightning similar to what I watched in Star Wars comes shooting from his fingers and knocks me backwards. It traps me againsts the wall and fills my mind with pain. Only by sheer determination am I able to stand back up and struggle against him. My voice is gone, so I turn inwards. //You will never get us!// I don't know if it's the emotion behind that, or my determination. But I knock him back against the other wall harder than he hurled me. I can feel Walter's energy surging through me now. And I use it to stop the next set of attacks against me. The power flowing from my hands stops his energy from even reaching me. But as we go on like this, it gets harder and harder to ward off his attacks. I feel myself losing ground swiftly. But I can't let him do this! What do I do?! My thoughts turn inward as I fall to the floor. I'm sorry, Walter. I have failed. My only consolation is that we will be together in the afterlife. But I will fight with my dying breath. I will weaken him as much as I can. And drain myself to keep him from getting that energy. So I throw everything I have at Galf. And I grab onto my bond to Walter with all my might. When we go, we go together. //I love you, Walter.// I know he's asleep and can't hear me, but the words are still necessary. This may be the last time I say them. Just then, a gun fires. Galf startles and stops shooting energy at me. We both turn toward the source. Scully. "We will take you down, Galf!" She stands tall, determined, as she glares at my enemy. I barely hear his derisive laughter as Scully looks at me. Her eyes shine into mine, pulling at me. //Mulder, let me help.// //Scully?// I knew she was psychic too. But her abilities are weak... //Skinner's been teaching me. Let me help.// I only get one second of shock before she grabs onto me psychically. At her direction, we both turn our energies to getting rid of Galf. Bonded by both my best friend and my lover, I feel secure. That whether we live or die, we will have one another. But I so want to live on with them. So I give it all I got. We pound at Galf from both sides. And then, amazingly, our energies combine and circle around Galf, engulfing him. As they do, Galf changes. I watch him get older until he looks like the wizard he claims to be. Then he ages some more. Then, like many of the B-rated vampire movies I watch at night, his flesh starts to slowly crumble and vanish. Eventually, there is nothing left. The threat is gone. We are safe. I fall to the floor, exhausted. A minute later, Scully is by my side, holding me. -------------------------------------------------------- Scully helps me to her car for the short ride back to the apartment. All the way there, she tries to reassure me. "It's over, Mulder. Galf is gone." She can see my weariness and anxiety, I know. But she doesn't know its cause. "It's not Galf I'm worried about Scully. It's Walter." Our bond is there, but he is muted, still sleeping. "Mulder, he gave you everything he could. You probably have to give some back to him." I look at her, amazed that she knew what he had done. "He told me what he was going to do, Mulder, so I could look out for you." She helps me out of the car after stopping in front of the apartment building. Scully guides me through the building and his apartment silently, until we arrive at the foot of Walter's bed. My lover is a large, still form upon it. "Here, get into bed, Mulder." Scully has a slight smile on her face as she pulls off my shoes and pulls the covers over me. Then she straightens up. "If you need, anmything, partner, call me. Otherwise I don't expect to see you for a few days. I'll make excuses for both of you." I hug her close as she kisses my forehead. It feels appropriate that I defeated the devil with her by my side. "Thank you, Scully. For everything." "You did no less for me, Mulder." Her eyes watch me for a minute before she walks out of the bedroom and shuts the door silently. My gaze turns to the beloved body next to me. I hope Scully is right about this. His sleeping face is so calm, as if he was assured that all of this would turn out all right. Even before it began. I lean toward him and kiss him gently. As I do, I give him whats left of my energy. Steadily, with no thought about myself. Until I feel him awaken. Until he stops me from giving him more. //Enough, Mulder. You don't need to drain yourself for me.// We lay side by side for awhile, just watching each other and touching. Getting reacquainted with what I thought was lost. //I love you, Mulder.// His mind gently soothes my frazzled nerves as his hands travels over my body, caressing away the dull aches. I sigh as my body responds. But I am too tired to do anything about it. //Let me take care of you. You deserve it, after the way you had to take care of me, us.// Walter rains kisses over my chest as I whisper an assent. His passion is gentle, in both mind and body. Soon, I feel like I'm floating on a cloud, basking in the sunshine. It feels that good to me. Then his mouth engulfs my cock. //Walter!// I try to grab him, to return the passion. //No, Mulder. This is for you.// He sucks at me gently, but my body, is so tired, so sensitive, that that is all it takes. I'm on the edge, but I don't want to go alone. //What about you? What about us?// His next words send me over the cliff into our pleasure, and pull him with me, as always happens with our psychic bond. //We are one.// -------------------------------------------------------- The end! Sorry it took so long, but I was tired, then I moved..you know how it goes.