Inatteso, part 2 of 3
Inatteso
By Très Méchante
CI/X-Files Goren/Mulder slash fic (crack fic, perhaps?) -
Rating: Adult
Disclaimers and warnings in part 1
~~~~ ~ ~~~~
He was in hell. Not purgatory. Not limbo. Hell.
Bobby adjusted the water flow, reducing the cold so that the shower spray scalded his skin. His breath hissed between his teeth at the temperature change. He welcomed the slight pain, although it was not nearly enough burn away his shame and confusion.
He had not slept well over the past three nights, and the strain was beginning to take its toll.
The first night after the ‘hands on’ session had been uncomfortable. Bobby and Mulder had barely been able to look at each other. In bed that night they’d all but hugged the edges to avoid touching, but by morning they had both gravitated to the center of the bed. The speed with which they leapt from under the covers had been reminiscent of a similar scene from the movie ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles.’
Bobby hoped one day he would be able to laugh about it.
Subsequent evening sessions had become more intimate, increasing his discomfort level along the way. Daytime was no problem - there were many distractions and it was easy to remember they were just playing a role. Night was another story. He shuddered at the memory of the previous night.
Turning off the water, Bobby stepped out of the shower, roughly toweling his body dry. He wrapped the towel around his waist and leaned heavily against the vanity, hands flat against the surface.
Objectively, he could view his feelings toward Mulder as the product of their situation - a type of Stockholm syndrome. So to speak.
Of course, that didn’t explain the shame.
He raised his head and stared at his cloudy reflection in the mirror. Shame. He was ashamed of his feelings - his desires for Mulder.
He shook his head slowly. Where the hell did that come from? Sure, he was as heterosexual as they came, but he wasn’t homophobic or anything. He accepted people as they were, whatever their orientation. Didn’t he?
He grimaced. He may be a lapsed altar boy, but clearly he wasn’t lapsed enough.
This was the last full day of the retreat - their last chance to find the jewels. Unless Eames and Scully came up with something, this whole case would end up joining the ranks of the unsolved.
Frustration over the whole situation - personal and professional - boiled over and he suddenly lashed out, part of him wanting to put his fist through the wall.
Except it wasn’t the wall he connected with.
---- -- ----
Mulder slouched down on the couch, hands behind his head - the picture of relaxation. His mind, however, was anything but relaxed.
Why did these things always happen to him? Was he some sort of magnet for weird karma? He snorted. Actually, he probably was.
Mulder allowed his mind to wander to Goren. That man was wound way too tight.
Over the past few days Mulder had entered into the undercover role with great enthusiasm. He’d played the flirt, and took every opportunity to push Goren’s buttons.
After days of teasing with touches, words and looks - more often than not egged on by Kevin, who’d become a friend - he got what he wanted. Mulder shuddered at the memory of the previous night when he’d glimpsed what Goren hid under his layers of self-control.
The previous evening’s session had been their last one. The hands-on portion had been very hands on. Mulder shifted slightly in memory of the caresses he’d exchanged with Goren while they’d cuddled under the blanket, fully clothed, yet somehow emotionally naked.
The return to their suite had been accomplished in silence. Goren had been even more withdrawn than usual, virtually ignoring Mulder’s existence. Mulder, however, refused to be ignored. Possessed by some spark of mischief, he’d snuck up behind Goren, grabbed the man by the waist, and leaned up to whisper, “What’s the matter, shmoopy? Don't you want me anymore?”
What happened next was still a blur. What he does remember is suddenly finding himself slammed into the wall. He was then grabbed and turned balls to the wall with a very large man pressed against his back.
“This what you’re looking for?” growled Goren. His voice dropped to a husky timber and his breath tickled the back of Mulder’s neck. “C’mon Fox. This how you like it? A little on the rough side?”
Suddenly Goren let go of him and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Mulder slowly sank to the floor, uncertain which shocked him more - Goren’s actions, or how aroused they’d left him.
Mulder had already gone to bed by the time Goren returned, and they had both lain there for several hours - each pretending to be asleep.
Sighing, Mulder scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d analyzed the situation over and over and still couldn’t figure out why he’d provoked the other man. It wasn’t as if he was gay or anything. He pursued a heterosexual lifestyle and practiced it with great enthusiasm. Well, maybe not a lot of practice of late but still…
He musings were cut off by the sound of breaking glass. Jumping up from his seat, he hurried from the room. Without even thinking about it, he burst into the bathroom, stopping in shock at the sight before him.
“Jesus, Bobby,” he whispered, taking in the blood spattered sink. “Dammit Goren. What the hell did you do?”
“Nothing,” growled Bobby. “It’s okay.”
Mulder reached for the injured hand, but Bobby struggled to pull free, leaving a bloody smear on Mulder’s t-shirt.
Frantic pounding at the door interrupted them. Mulder tossed a towel to Bobby and hurried to answer the door before the whole inn was disturbed.
“Are you alri - oh my god, that’s blood!” Kevin exclaimed as he and Anthony stared at Mulder in shock.
“It’s not mine - there’s been an accident,” Mulder gestured vaguely behind him.
Anthony pushed him aside and hurried in. He looked around the room and went toward the sleeping area, where he saw Bobby in the bathroom. He took in the scene at a glance and turned to his partner.
“Kev, grab my kit,” said Anthony as he went to Bobby. “Hey, man. Better let me take a look at that.”
Anthony gently examined Bobby’s hand for a moment then turned to Mulder. “Grab the fruit bowl and fill it with warm water, then bring it in the sitting room with some towels and a face cloth.” He led Bobby out of the bathroom, snagging a robe on the way out.
Once Bobby was seated at the bistro table, Anthony draped the robe across his lap. “You’re pride is showing,” he said.
Bobby’s brow furrowed in confusion until he noticed a damp towel on the floor and realized he was bare-assed. Heat flooded his cheeks.
Kevin hurried in with a medical bag just as Mulder set the bowl and some towels on the table. At a glance from Anthony, Mulder was herded from the room to get coffee. Mulder protested, but was no match for Kevin’s persistence.
Bobby watched as Anthony put on latex gloves and gently cleaned the cuts on his hand. Needing to break the silence, Bobby commented, “So, you’re a doctor.”
Anthony didn’t look up from his task. “Seamstress, actually, although mostly I design Barbie clothes and dog sweaters.”
The silence was absolute. Anthony glanced up and burst into laughter. “Man, you should see your face,” he said. “Oh, that’s right. You can’t because you punched out the mirror.”
That dragged Bobby from his state of shock. “Okay, I get it. I’m an idiot.” He grimaced. “So, you really are a doctor.”
Eyes fixed on what he was doing, Anthony absently nodded. “Not as bad as it could have been,” he commented, indicating Bobby’s hand. “If I thought you were going to baby that hand I’d just wrap it, but I’m going to put in a couple of stitches along this side.”
He worked quickly and was soon wrapping a bandage around Bobby’s hand.
“You work fast,” commented Bobby.
“Pretty much a requirement,” said Anthony. “Most of my patients try to bite or claw me, so it’s in my best interest to be fast.”
“Ah. You’re a vet.” Bobby thought for a moment. “Why do you carry a kit?”
“Kev insists. No vacation is complete unless I’ve treated a stray, or even wounded wildlife. He’s got a soft heart,” Anthony added affectionately as he cleaned up. “So, I’m guessing your case isn’t going well and that’s why you assaulted the mirror.”
Bobby jerked in surprise. “How did…?”
“Relax, your cover isn’t blown,” reassured the vet. “I just recognized the signs. It took me a couple of days to figure out what was off about you and Mulder; then I remembered my cousin.”
“Your cousin,” repeated Bobby.
“Right. My cousin is a detective and often does undercover work. She’s this bitty thing and her partner is a big guy. They do this married couple shtick that’s dead on.” Anthony laughed. “You know, it’s funny. Everyone thinks he’s the one to watch out for, but she’s the tough one.”
Bobby watched as Anthony cleared the small table. He absently flexed his bandaged hand while he wondered what to tell the other man about the case - if anything.
Anthony returned, handed Bobby a bottle of water and settled back into his chair. “You don’t have to tell me anything - well one thing. Is anyone in danger?”
“No. At least, I don’t think so. It’s just that we’re…” Bobby hesitated. On the one hand, it went against the grain to discuss on ongoing case - especially when undercover. However, the case was going nowhere. They would be leaving the next day empty-handed. “It started with a murder and we came here looking for…”
---- -- ----
“Treasure?! That is so cool!” Kevin was all but jumping up and down.
“Shhh! Jeez!” Mulder clapped a hand over Kevin’s mouth.
“Sorry,” mumbled Kevin, pulling Mulder’s hand away. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”
Mulder shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s a bust anyway. We didn’t find anything. This whole week has been a waste of time.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” chided Kevin. “You got to spend quality time with that gorgeous man of yours.”
“Uh, look, Kevin…we’re not...me and him, we’re not…like that, you know, a couple.”
Kevin rolled his eyes. “Trust me, you’re a couple. And if you aren’t now, you will be.” He leaned close and looked Mulder straight in the eyes. “You should be.”
“Kev--”
“No! Listen to me. I know I come across as a flake, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. You and Bobby belong together. You…I don’t know how to describe it. You match.”
Mulder opened his mouth to protest but Kevin cut him off and led him to a large rock.
Kevin cleared his throat. “I can’t believe I have to have this talk again,” he grumbled. “Okay. Here goes. When I met Anthony, he was engaged.”
“To a girl?”
Kevin gave Mulder a pitying look. “No, to a giraffe. Sheesh. Of course to a girl,” he laughed. “Anthony never considered himself gay. Still doesn’t, really.”
“But…aren’t you two…?”
“I really thought you were more open-minded,” chided Kevin. “The world isn’t black and white - it’s all the wonderful shades in between.”
Mulder shrugged. “I know that, Kevin. I’m in law enforcement; I see it every day.”
“Then you know what I’m talking about. Sexuality is not about one or the other--”
“And I’m familiar with Kinsey’s work.”
“So why does it confuse you that someone who considers himself heterosexual should find himself drawn to someone of the same sex? There are shades in between, whether they are acknowledged or ignored. Me and Anthony had this…connection right from the beginning. But he couldn’t get past the gay-straight thing.” Kevin smiled in reminiscence. “It took a long time, but that first kiss was…Oh god, it was worth the wait.”
“Kevin, I - we - have just been playing a role. That’s all,” said Mulder.
“Are you sure? Because I look at you two and see what could be.” Kevin laid a hand on Mulder’s arm, making sure he had the other man’s attention. “I’ve seen how he watches you, the way he wanders over oh so casual like and gives off these ‘hands-off’ signals when someone gets a little too close to you. I’ve seen you watch him, too. You always know where he is and you always play up a little when he’s looking. You guys have been doing a mating dance since you got here.”
Mulder protested, but without conviction. “But it isn’t real. It can’t be.”
“But what if it is, Mulder? What if it is?”
“Doesn’t matter. Tomorrow afternoon we head out, back to our respective jobs - different cities and separate lives.” Mulder smiled sadly.
“Oh, Mulder.”
“Knock it off, Kevin.”
Both men were silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Kevin was the first to speak.
“We should get back. Anthony will be done by now.”
They began walking back to the inn.
“You know what really galls me?” asked Mulder as they made their way past the tool shed. “I know the answer’s here somewhere - I can feel it. I could almost reach out and touch-”
Mulder never finished his sentence. A sudden pain to the back of his head cut him off. He was only barely aware of hearing a gunshot before blackness claimed him.
===== == ======
Bobby was getting annoyed. “Where the hell are they?” He looked around the dining room, but didn’t see Mulder or Kevin.
“The garden, maybe?” replied Anthony, looking out the large window.
They wandered through the lobby on the way outside, almost running over the retreat director.
“Oh! I’m terribly sorry,” said the portly man. “Not a good day. Not a good day at all.”
Bobby and Anthony exchanged glances. The odd little man had spent the week moaning about one thing or another - a veritable fount of pessimism.
“Something wrong, Dr. Bloom?” asked Bobby.
“Wrong? No, of course not. There’s nothing wrong” replied the harried man. He then wandered off again muttering about schedules and missing speakers.
Bobby looked bemused. “I wonder what that was all about?”
Anthony shrugged. “You got me. That guy’s nuttier than a box of
pralines.”
They wandered out to the garden and walked around the inn. No one they chatted with had seen Mulder or Kevin.
Bobby finally pulled out his phone and punched in Mulder’s number. His frown deepened the longer the phone went unanswered.
“Are you sure he has it with him?” asked Anthony.
“I’m sure. He likes his toys.” Bobby looked around. He indicated a trail leading away from the inn. “That leads up the hill and then back near the storage sheds.”
“A good place to walk and talk, assuming Mulder was going to tell Kev about you guys,” agreed Anthony.
“You mean you didn’t tell him? Your suspicions, I mean.”
Anthony smiled. “Kev likes to be involved. If I’d told him I thought you guys were cops, he’d have been a, uh, well…a pest.”
“Ah. And it’s detectives,” Bobby corrected. “Well, detective and special agent.”
They walked for about 15 minutes, the dense brush muffling the sound of their footsteps. Bobby absently flipped open his phone and tried to reach Mulder - and was startled to hear a cell phone ring nearby.
They sprinted along the path toward the ringing sound. Slowing near a small terraced area they looked around for the source of the sound.
“Here!” Anthony reached into a rocky area and pulled out the phone.
Bobby shut off his phone, and the other one stopped ringing. He took Mulder’s phone and placed it in his pocket.
Neither man spoke. Anthony suddenly paled and walked toward the side of the trail. He knelt down and pointed to a rock. It was jagged and painted with bright red patches. “That’s…uh…” he cleared his throat. “That’s blood.”
Bobby’s jaw tightened but he said nothing, eyes scanning the area.
Suddenly two voices rang out.
“Kevin!”
“Mulder!”
Silence was their only response.
Bobby scrubbed his heads over his face and hair, trying to figure out their next move. A small sound from the hill above them caused him to turn quickly, his hand automatically reaching for the side arm that wasn’t there.
Before either man could move, the brush rustled and Kevin stumbled toward them.
Anthony grabbed Kevin in a bear hug, burying his face in the other man’s neck. He suddenly pulled back and glared at his lover. “You scared me half to death. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I love you, too,” said Kevin, reaching for Anthony once more.
Bobby looked away as the two men embraced. He cleared his throat. “Where’s Mulder?”
Kevin turned to Bobby. “We were attacked,” he said. “It-it happened so fast…Mulder was on the ground…a-and I saw the gun and just - oh god.”
Bobby stared at Kevin, silently asking the question he could not yet bring himself to voice.
“I think whoever it was thought we were dead. When I saw the gun I jumped back and tripped; that’s when I heard a shot. When I opened my eyes there was no one there.” Kevin took a calming breath. “I was afraid the guy would come back and Mulder wasn’t moving so I…tried to hide him. This way.”
Kevin led Bobby and Anthony toward a small hidden gully. “I hid him - God I hope I didn’t make it worse, dragging him like that. I was making my way back to the inn when I heard you shout.”
Bobby looked down the embankment and was barely able to make out Mulder’s white t-shirt under the pile of branches. He hurried down the hillside, unaware of the other men following him. He knelt beside the prone figure and brushed the debris aside.
Mulder did not move.
Bobby immediately began to check him for injuries, his fingers running along Mulder’s scalp.
Mulder flinched slightly. “Well, at least he’s got a hard head,” muttered Bobby.
“Hey,” croaked Mulder, eyes slowly opening, but a faint grin on his lips. “Have a little respect for the dead.”
Bobby returned his grin. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got hit in the head and dragged through the underbrush,” he replied, weakly. As Mulder struggled to sit up, both Bobby and Kevin reached out to steady him. He noticed blood on Kevin’s shirt. “You’re bleeding.”
Kevin looked down. “It’s nothing. When I tripped I got a few cuts. I’m okay,” he said when Anthony grabbed for him. Reluctantly he showed his hands, which had deep abrasions; blood smears on his forearms pointed to more cuts.
Anthony frowned. “Those need to be cleaned.” He looked at Bobby. “We better get them both back to the inn.”
Bobby nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. “It’s possible that whoever did this is at the inn,” he said, helping Mulder stand. “Be alert.”
“Because the world needs more lerts,” said Mulder earnestly.
The other men stared at him in confusion.
“I guess his head isn’t as hard as I thought,” Bobby said.
The four men slowly made their way back to the inn. They avoided the main areas, and slipped around the side to enter through the kitchen. No one was around and they headed up the backstairs off the butler’s pantry.
“Oh my. Oh my. What ever happened? You’re not planning to sue are you?” The retreat coordinator looked to be on the verge of panic.
Mulder smiled. “It’s okay…just a slight accident. Took a slight tumble down a hill, that’s all.”
“An accident?”
Kevin chimed in. “Completely our fault. We’re just going to get cleaned up.”
They continued on their way, but suddenly Bobby stopped. “Dr. Bloom, did you get everything sorted out - about schedules and speakers, I mean. You’d mentioned them earlier.”
“The schedule’s been fixed, but I’m still missing a speaker. Most inconvenient,” he muttered, walking away.
Mulder started to ask what that was about, but a subtle shake of Bobby’s head stopped him.
The group separated and went to their rooms to clean up. As it was the last day, there were no structured sessions, allowing individuals or couples to meet with the relationship counselors throughout the day.
----- -- -----
Mulder walked out of the bathroom, toweling his hair, sweatpants riding low on his hips. “So, you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Bobby was on the phone and held up his hand for silence. “Are you sure? Okay. Death certificate?” He continued to jot down notes. “Double check the names I gave you. I suspect one of them surfaced around that time. Get back to me as soon as you can.”
Bobby’s gaze suddenly swung back to Mulder. “I’ll let him know,” he said, fumbling in his pocket. Withdrawing Mulder’s cell phone, he tossed it to Mulder. “Call your partner,” he mouthed. Aloud he said, “The sooner the better. Thanks Eames.”
“Hey, Scully. It’s me.” Mulder paced while he chatted with his partner. “I don’t think I was out all that long…no…no-Scully…Um, no actually I didn’t lose my gun - wait a minute. Just what are you implying?”
Smirking slightly, Bobby sat back and unashamedly listened to the conversation. It sounded as though Mulder was being raked over the coals by his partner. Although Mulder sounded somewhat aggrieved by whatever Scully was saying, there was also an undertone of affection in the man’s voice.
“Talk to you later. Oh, and Scully? I’ll bring you back some genuine Mackinac Island fudge.” He hung up, laughing, but sobered as he looked at Bobby. “Okay, what’s the deal?”
As succinctly as possible, Bobby gave a rough outline of his theory.
Mulder grinned. “I like it.” His eyes narrowed in concentration. “But his visitor was a woman…and we’ve ruled out the women here…but if it’s a twin…”
Bobby waited for him to work it out.
“So, we’re looking for a guy who dressed as a woman but is now here as a guy. Kinky.”
“You don’t have much of an imagination do you?” chided Bobby as he stood up. He grinned at Mulder’s expression. “You are such an easy target.”
“Smart ass.” Mulder rubbed his hands together. “What now?”
“Bed.”
Mulder felt his knees start to buckle. “Wha--? I could’ve sworn you said…what did you say?”
“You asked what now and I said bed. There’s not a lot we can do until Eames calls.” Bobby shot Mulder a puzzled look. “Problem?”
Mulder felt himself floundering. He was fairly certain Bobby didn’t mean what it sounded like, but that didn’t stop his mind from taking a very distracting detour. His gaze looked everywhere except at Bobby.
Bobby turned away and fiddled with some papers. He was hiding a grin. He knew it was mean to tease Mulder, but figured payback was in order. The other man had been tormenting him for more than a week, and parading around in sweats that only barely covered his lower body was the last straw - even if Mulder had no idea how distracting all that bare skin was.
After listening to Mulder sputter for a moment, Bobby turned and said in all seriousness, “While you rest, I’ll go check out a theory. Later we can talk to Kevin and see if he remembers anything else.”
Mulder’s jaw dropped and a flush stained his cheeks as he noted the sly look in Bobby’s eyes. The bastard was playing with him. Tempting as it was to call him on it, Mulder knew this was not the time. Business before pleasure - and it would be a pleasure to make Bobby Goren pay for all the teasing.
“I’d rather go with you,” said Mulder. “After all, I have a head injury. It wouldn’t do to leave me unattended…just in case.”
Bobby nodded slightly, acknowledging he’d been caught out. “When I went looking for you earlier, Bloom was muttering something about missing speakers. I though he meant trouble with the sound system. But when he mention a speaker just now…”
“He’s referring to one of the presenters,” finished Mulder. “Okay. So, whoever’s missing is the guy who whacked me. Let’s go.”
Bobby stopped him. “You might want to put some clothes on,” he said, pointedly eyeing Mulder’s near-naked body.
---- -- ----
They bumped into Kevin and Anthony on the backstairs. The two men were creeping down toward the kitchen.
“Oh my god you scared me to death!” yelped Kevin, holding a hand to his chest.
“What are you guys doing back here?” asked Mulder.
Kevin glared at him. “I missed breakfast. I thought maybe we could grab something.”
Bobby tilted his head. “There are muffins in the dining room,” he said, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of the main staircase.
“You’re afraid of bumping into the attacker, aren’t you?” asked Mulder.
Kevin nodded. “It’s so scary. I mean, someone we know tried to kill us.” He stared at Mulder. “How can you be so calm?”
Mulder shrugged. “You get used to it.”
“Used to it?!”
Bobby shushed him and began herding everyone down the stairs. “Keep your voice down. We don’t want to attract any attention.”
“A little late, I’m afraid,” said a voice from below them.
They watched as Aaron Taylor came around the corner, a gun held loosely at his side. The group froze as his gaze swung between Mulder and Kevin.
“This really is inconvenient,” said Taylor. “Why couldn’t you stay dead? Everyone else stayed dead. Of course, this wasn’t exactly planned, but still…dead is supposed to be dead, right?” He gestured as he spoke, the gun waving back and forth.
When no one answered, he pointed the gun at Mulder. “Dead is dead, right?”
“If you say so,” replied Mulder, deciding this was not the time to correct him.
“Don’t humor me,” Taylor growled. “Obviously you weren’t dead.”
Bobby edged slightly to the side, hoping to draw attention away from Mulder, Kevin and Anthony. “It wasn’t as if you actually had time to plan this,” commented Bobby.
Taylor focused on Bobby. “No. No there wasn’t time. Careful planning, that’s the key.”
“If you’d just had a little more time, everything would have been okay,” said Bobby.
“I was rushed,” explained Taylor. “But I can fix this. I just have to think…”
That was all the opening Bobby needed. He began to talk, soothingly, sympathetically, seeming to read Taylor’s mind. All the while Bobby shifted from one foot to the other until he casually moved down to the next stair.
Mulder was impressed. Reading about Bobby’s talent was nothing compared to seeing the man in action.
A noise from the upper hallway broke the spell and Taylor suddenly raised his gun toward Bobby. Mulder charged and tackled Taylor, both of them tumbling down the stairs. The gun discharged, leaving a hole in the wall above Bobby’s head.
At the bottom of the stairs, Mulder recovered first and drew back his fist, stopping only when Bobby yelled “Don’t hit her.”
~~~ to be continued ~~~
Go to Part 3
By Très Méchante
CI/X-Files Goren/Mulder slash fic (crack fic, perhaps?) -
Rating: Adult
Disclaimers and warnings in part 1
~~~~ ~ ~~~~
He was in hell. Not purgatory. Not limbo. Hell.
Bobby adjusted the water flow, reducing the cold so that the shower spray scalded his skin. His breath hissed between his teeth at the temperature change. He welcomed the slight pain, although it was not nearly enough burn away his shame and confusion.
He had not slept well over the past three nights, and the strain was beginning to take its toll.
The first night after the ‘hands on’ session had been uncomfortable. Bobby and Mulder had barely been able to look at each other. In bed that night they’d all but hugged the edges to avoid touching, but by morning they had both gravitated to the center of the bed. The speed with which they leapt from under the covers had been reminiscent of a similar scene from the movie ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles.’
Bobby hoped one day he would be able to laugh about it.
Subsequent evening sessions had become more intimate, increasing his discomfort level along the way. Daytime was no problem - there were many distractions and it was easy to remember they were just playing a role. Night was another story. He shuddered at the memory of the previous night.
Turning off the water, Bobby stepped out of the shower, roughly toweling his body dry. He wrapped the towel around his waist and leaned heavily against the vanity, hands flat against the surface.
Objectively, he could view his feelings toward Mulder as the product of their situation - a type of Stockholm syndrome. So to speak.
Of course, that didn’t explain the shame.
He raised his head and stared at his cloudy reflection in the mirror. Shame. He was ashamed of his feelings - his desires for Mulder.
He shook his head slowly. Where the hell did that come from? Sure, he was as heterosexual as they came, but he wasn’t homophobic or anything. He accepted people as they were, whatever their orientation. Didn’t he?
He grimaced. He may be a lapsed altar boy, but clearly he wasn’t lapsed enough.
This was the last full day of the retreat - their last chance to find the jewels. Unless Eames and Scully came up with something, this whole case would end up joining the ranks of the unsolved.
Frustration over the whole situation - personal and professional - boiled over and he suddenly lashed out, part of him wanting to put his fist through the wall.
Except it wasn’t the wall he connected with.
---- -- ----
Mulder slouched down on the couch, hands behind his head - the picture of relaxation. His mind, however, was anything but relaxed.
Why did these things always happen to him? Was he some sort of magnet for weird karma? He snorted. Actually, he probably was.
Mulder allowed his mind to wander to Goren. That man was wound way too tight.
Over the past few days Mulder had entered into the undercover role with great enthusiasm. He’d played the flirt, and took every opportunity to push Goren’s buttons.
After days of teasing with touches, words and looks - more often than not egged on by Kevin, who’d become a friend - he got what he wanted. Mulder shuddered at the memory of the previous night when he’d glimpsed what Goren hid under his layers of self-control.
The previous evening’s session had been their last one. The hands-on portion had been very hands on. Mulder shifted slightly in memory of the caresses he’d exchanged with Goren while they’d cuddled under the blanket, fully clothed, yet somehow emotionally naked.
The return to their suite had been accomplished in silence. Goren had been even more withdrawn than usual, virtually ignoring Mulder’s existence. Mulder, however, refused to be ignored. Possessed by some spark of mischief, he’d snuck up behind Goren, grabbed the man by the waist, and leaned up to whisper, “What’s the matter, shmoopy? Don't you want me anymore?”
What happened next was still a blur. What he does remember is suddenly finding himself slammed into the wall. He was then grabbed and turned balls to the wall with a very large man pressed against his back.
“This what you’re looking for?” growled Goren. His voice dropped to a husky timber and his breath tickled the back of Mulder’s neck. “C’mon Fox. This how you like it? A little on the rough side?”
Suddenly Goren let go of him and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Mulder slowly sank to the floor, uncertain which shocked him more - Goren’s actions, or how aroused they’d left him.
Mulder had already gone to bed by the time Goren returned, and they had both lain there for several hours - each pretending to be asleep.
Sighing, Mulder scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d analyzed the situation over and over and still couldn’t figure out why he’d provoked the other man. It wasn’t as if he was gay or anything. He pursued a heterosexual lifestyle and practiced it with great enthusiasm. Well, maybe not a lot of practice of late but still…
He musings were cut off by the sound of breaking glass. Jumping up from his seat, he hurried from the room. Without even thinking about it, he burst into the bathroom, stopping in shock at the sight before him.
“Jesus, Bobby,” he whispered, taking in the blood spattered sink. “Dammit Goren. What the hell did you do?”
“Nothing,” growled Bobby. “It’s okay.”
Mulder reached for the injured hand, but Bobby struggled to pull free, leaving a bloody smear on Mulder’s t-shirt.
Frantic pounding at the door interrupted them. Mulder tossed a towel to Bobby and hurried to answer the door before the whole inn was disturbed.
“Are you alri - oh my god, that’s blood!” Kevin exclaimed as he and Anthony stared at Mulder in shock.
“It’s not mine - there’s been an accident,” Mulder gestured vaguely behind him.
Anthony pushed him aside and hurried in. He looked around the room and went toward the sleeping area, where he saw Bobby in the bathroom. He took in the scene at a glance and turned to his partner.
“Kev, grab my kit,” said Anthony as he went to Bobby. “Hey, man. Better let me take a look at that.”
Anthony gently examined Bobby’s hand for a moment then turned to Mulder. “Grab the fruit bowl and fill it with warm water, then bring it in the sitting room with some towels and a face cloth.” He led Bobby out of the bathroom, snagging a robe on the way out.
Once Bobby was seated at the bistro table, Anthony draped the robe across his lap. “You’re pride is showing,” he said.
Bobby’s brow furrowed in confusion until he noticed a damp towel on the floor and realized he was bare-assed. Heat flooded his cheeks.
Kevin hurried in with a medical bag just as Mulder set the bowl and some towels on the table. At a glance from Anthony, Mulder was herded from the room to get coffee. Mulder protested, but was no match for Kevin’s persistence.
Bobby watched as Anthony put on latex gloves and gently cleaned the cuts on his hand. Needing to break the silence, Bobby commented, “So, you’re a doctor.”
Anthony didn’t look up from his task. “Seamstress, actually, although mostly I design Barbie clothes and dog sweaters.”
The silence was absolute. Anthony glanced up and burst into laughter. “Man, you should see your face,” he said. “Oh, that’s right. You can’t because you punched out the mirror.”
That dragged Bobby from his state of shock. “Okay, I get it. I’m an idiot.” He grimaced. “So, you really are a doctor.”
Eyes fixed on what he was doing, Anthony absently nodded. “Not as bad as it could have been,” he commented, indicating Bobby’s hand. “If I thought you were going to baby that hand I’d just wrap it, but I’m going to put in a couple of stitches along this side.”
He worked quickly and was soon wrapping a bandage around Bobby’s hand.
“You work fast,” commented Bobby.
“Pretty much a requirement,” said Anthony. “Most of my patients try to bite or claw me, so it’s in my best interest to be fast.”
“Ah. You’re a vet.” Bobby thought for a moment. “Why do you carry a kit?”
“Kev insists. No vacation is complete unless I’ve treated a stray, or even wounded wildlife. He’s got a soft heart,” Anthony added affectionately as he cleaned up. “So, I’m guessing your case isn’t going well and that’s why you assaulted the mirror.”
Bobby jerked in surprise. “How did…?”
“Relax, your cover isn’t blown,” reassured the vet. “I just recognized the signs. It took me a couple of days to figure out what was off about you and Mulder; then I remembered my cousin.”
“Your cousin,” repeated Bobby.
“Right. My cousin is a detective and often does undercover work. She’s this bitty thing and her partner is a big guy. They do this married couple shtick that’s dead on.” Anthony laughed. “You know, it’s funny. Everyone thinks he’s the one to watch out for, but she’s the tough one.”
Bobby watched as Anthony cleared the small table. He absently flexed his bandaged hand while he wondered what to tell the other man about the case - if anything.
Anthony returned, handed Bobby a bottle of water and settled back into his chair. “You don’t have to tell me anything - well one thing. Is anyone in danger?”
“No. At least, I don’t think so. It’s just that we’re…” Bobby hesitated. On the one hand, it went against the grain to discuss on ongoing case - especially when undercover. However, the case was going nowhere. They would be leaving the next day empty-handed. “It started with a murder and we came here looking for…”
---- -- ----
“Treasure?! That is so cool!” Kevin was all but jumping up and down.
“Shhh! Jeez!” Mulder clapped a hand over Kevin’s mouth.
“Sorry,” mumbled Kevin, pulling Mulder’s hand away. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”
Mulder shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s a bust anyway. We didn’t find anything. This whole week has been a waste of time.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” chided Kevin. “You got to spend quality time with that gorgeous man of yours.”
“Uh, look, Kevin…we’re not...me and him, we’re not…like that, you know, a couple.”
Kevin rolled his eyes. “Trust me, you’re a couple. And if you aren’t now, you will be.” He leaned close and looked Mulder straight in the eyes. “You should be.”
“Kev--”
“No! Listen to me. I know I come across as a flake, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. You and Bobby belong together. You…I don’t know how to describe it. You match.”
Mulder opened his mouth to protest but Kevin cut him off and led him to a large rock.
Kevin cleared his throat. “I can’t believe I have to have this talk again,” he grumbled. “Okay. Here goes. When I met Anthony, he was engaged.”
“To a girl?”
Kevin gave Mulder a pitying look. “No, to a giraffe. Sheesh. Of course to a girl,” he laughed. “Anthony never considered himself gay. Still doesn’t, really.”
“But…aren’t you two…?”
“I really thought you were more open-minded,” chided Kevin. “The world isn’t black and white - it’s all the wonderful shades in between.”
Mulder shrugged. “I know that, Kevin. I’m in law enforcement; I see it every day.”
“Then you know what I’m talking about. Sexuality is not about one or the other--”
“And I’m familiar with Kinsey’s work.”
“So why does it confuse you that someone who considers himself heterosexual should find himself drawn to someone of the same sex? There are shades in between, whether they are acknowledged or ignored. Me and Anthony had this…connection right from the beginning. But he couldn’t get past the gay-straight thing.” Kevin smiled in reminiscence. “It took a long time, but that first kiss was…Oh god, it was worth the wait.”
“Kevin, I - we - have just been playing a role. That’s all,” said Mulder.
“Are you sure? Because I look at you two and see what could be.” Kevin laid a hand on Mulder’s arm, making sure he had the other man’s attention. “I’ve seen how he watches you, the way he wanders over oh so casual like and gives off these ‘hands-off’ signals when someone gets a little too close to you. I’ve seen you watch him, too. You always know where he is and you always play up a little when he’s looking. You guys have been doing a mating dance since you got here.”
Mulder protested, but without conviction. “But it isn’t real. It can’t be.”
“But what if it is, Mulder? What if it is?”
“Doesn’t matter. Tomorrow afternoon we head out, back to our respective jobs - different cities and separate lives.” Mulder smiled sadly.
“Oh, Mulder.”
“Knock it off, Kevin.”
Both men were silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Kevin was the first to speak.
“We should get back. Anthony will be done by now.”
They began walking back to the inn.
“You know what really galls me?” asked Mulder as they made their way past the tool shed. “I know the answer’s here somewhere - I can feel it. I could almost reach out and touch-”
Mulder never finished his sentence. A sudden pain to the back of his head cut him off. He was only barely aware of hearing a gunshot before blackness claimed him.
===== == ======
Bobby was getting annoyed. “Where the hell are they?” He looked around the dining room, but didn’t see Mulder or Kevin.
“The garden, maybe?” replied Anthony, looking out the large window.
They wandered through the lobby on the way outside, almost running over the retreat director.
“Oh! I’m terribly sorry,” said the portly man. “Not a good day. Not a good day at all.”
Bobby and Anthony exchanged glances. The odd little man had spent the week moaning about one thing or another - a veritable fount of pessimism.
“Something wrong, Dr. Bloom?” asked Bobby.
“Wrong? No, of course not. There’s nothing wrong” replied the harried man. He then wandered off again muttering about schedules and missing speakers.
Bobby looked bemused. “I wonder what that was all about?”
Anthony shrugged. “You got me. That guy’s nuttier than a box of
pralines.”
They wandered out to the garden and walked around the inn. No one they chatted with had seen Mulder or Kevin.
Bobby finally pulled out his phone and punched in Mulder’s number. His frown deepened the longer the phone went unanswered.
“Are you sure he has it with him?” asked Anthony.
“I’m sure. He likes his toys.” Bobby looked around. He indicated a trail leading away from the inn. “That leads up the hill and then back near the storage sheds.”
“A good place to walk and talk, assuming Mulder was going to tell Kev about you guys,” agreed Anthony.
“You mean you didn’t tell him? Your suspicions, I mean.”
Anthony smiled. “Kev likes to be involved. If I’d told him I thought you guys were cops, he’d have been a, uh, well…a pest.”
“Ah. And it’s detectives,” Bobby corrected. “Well, detective and special agent.”
They walked for about 15 minutes, the dense brush muffling the sound of their footsteps. Bobby absently flipped open his phone and tried to reach Mulder - and was startled to hear a cell phone ring nearby.
They sprinted along the path toward the ringing sound. Slowing near a small terraced area they looked around for the source of the sound.
“Here!” Anthony reached into a rocky area and pulled out the phone.
Bobby shut off his phone, and the other one stopped ringing. He took Mulder’s phone and placed it in his pocket.
Neither man spoke. Anthony suddenly paled and walked toward the side of the trail. He knelt down and pointed to a rock. It was jagged and painted with bright red patches. “That’s…uh…” he cleared his throat. “That’s blood.”
Bobby’s jaw tightened but he said nothing, eyes scanning the area.
Suddenly two voices rang out.
“Kevin!”
“Mulder!”
Silence was their only response.
Bobby scrubbed his heads over his face and hair, trying to figure out their next move. A small sound from the hill above them caused him to turn quickly, his hand automatically reaching for the side arm that wasn’t there.
Before either man could move, the brush rustled and Kevin stumbled toward them.
Anthony grabbed Kevin in a bear hug, burying his face in the other man’s neck. He suddenly pulled back and glared at his lover. “You scared me half to death. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I love you, too,” said Kevin, reaching for Anthony once more.
Bobby looked away as the two men embraced. He cleared his throat. “Where’s Mulder?”
Kevin turned to Bobby. “We were attacked,” he said. “It-it happened so fast…Mulder was on the ground…a-and I saw the gun and just - oh god.”
Bobby stared at Kevin, silently asking the question he could not yet bring himself to voice.
“I think whoever it was thought we were dead. When I saw the gun I jumped back and tripped; that’s when I heard a shot. When I opened my eyes there was no one there.” Kevin took a calming breath. “I was afraid the guy would come back and Mulder wasn’t moving so I…tried to hide him. This way.”
Kevin led Bobby and Anthony toward a small hidden gully. “I hid him - God I hope I didn’t make it worse, dragging him like that. I was making my way back to the inn when I heard you shout.”
Bobby looked down the embankment and was barely able to make out Mulder’s white t-shirt under the pile of branches. He hurried down the hillside, unaware of the other men following him. He knelt beside the prone figure and brushed the debris aside.
Mulder did not move.
Bobby immediately began to check him for injuries, his fingers running along Mulder’s scalp.
Mulder flinched slightly. “Well, at least he’s got a hard head,” muttered Bobby.
“Hey,” croaked Mulder, eyes slowly opening, but a faint grin on his lips. “Have a little respect for the dead.”
Bobby returned his grin. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got hit in the head and dragged through the underbrush,” he replied, weakly. As Mulder struggled to sit up, both Bobby and Kevin reached out to steady him. He noticed blood on Kevin’s shirt. “You’re bleeding.”
Kevin looked down. “It’s nothing. When I tripped I got a few cuts. I’m okay,” he said when Anthony grabbed for him. Reluctantly he showed his hands, which had deep abrasions; blood smears on his forearms pointed to more cuts.
Anthony frowned. “Those need to be cleaned.” He looked at Bobby. “We better get them both back to the inn.”
Bobby nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. “It’s possible that whoever did this is at the inn,” he said, helping Mulder stand. “Be alert.”
“Because the world needs more lerts,” said Mulder earnestly.
The other men stared at him in confusion.
“I guess his head isn’t as hard as I thought,” Bobby said.
The four men slowly made their way back to the inn. They avoided the main areas, and slipped around the side to enter through the kitchen. No one was around and they headed up the backstairs off the butler’s pantry.
“Oh my. Oh my. What ever happened? You’re not planning to sue are you?” The retreat coordinator looked to be on the verge of panic.
Mulder smiled. “It’s okay…just a slight accident. Took a slight tumble down a hill, that’s all.”
“An accident?”
Kevin chimed in. “Completely our fault. We’re just going to get cleaned up.”
They continued on their way, but suddenly Bobby stopped. “Dr. Bloom, did you get everything sorted out - about schedules and speakers, I mean. You’d mentioned them earlier.”
“The schedule’s been fixed, but I’m still missing a speaker. Most inconvenient,” he muttered, walking away.
Mulder started to ask what that was about, but a subtle shake of Bobby’s head stopped him.
The group separated and went to their rooms to clean up. As it was the last day, there were no structured sessions, allowing individuals or couples to meet with the relationship counselors throughout the day.
----- -- -----
Mulder walked out of the bathroom, toweling his hair, sweatpants riding low on his hips. “So, you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Bobby was on the phone and held up his hand for silence. “Are you sure? Okay. Death certificate?” He continued to jot down notes. “Double check the names I gave you. I suspect one of them surfaced around that time. Get back to me as soon as you can.”
Bobby’s gaze suddenly swung back to Mulder. “I’ll let him know,” he said, fumbling in his pocket. Withdrawing Mulder’s cell phone, he tossed it to Mulder. “Call your partner,” he mouthed. Aloud he said, “The sooner the better. Thanks Eames.”
“Hey, Scully. It’s me.” Mulder paced while he chatted with his partner. “I don’t think I was out all that long…no…no-Scully…Um, no actually I didn’t lose my gun - wait a minute. Just what are you implying?”
Smirking slightly, Bobby sat back and unashamedly listened to the conversation. It sounded as though Mulder was being raked over the coals by his partner. Although Mulder sounded somewhat aggrieved by whatever Scully was saying, there was also an undertone of affection in the man’s voice.
“Talk to you later. Oh, and Scully? I’ll bring you back some genuine Mackinac Island fudge.” He hung up, laughing, but sobered as he looked at Bobby. “Okay, what’s the deal?”
As succinctly as possible, Bobby gave a rough outline of his theory.
Mulder grinned. “I like it.” His eyes narrowed in concentration. “But his visitor was a woman…and we’ve ruled out the women here…but if it’s a twin…”
Bobby waited for him to work it out.
“So, we’re looking for a guy who dressed as a woman but is now here as a guy. Kinky.”
“You don’t have much of an imagination do you?” chided Bobby as he stood up. He grinned at Mulder’s expression. “You are such an easy target.”
“Smart ass.” Mulder rubbed his hands together. “What now?”
“Bed.”
Mulder felt his knees start to buckle. “Wha--? I could’ve sworn you said…what did you say?”
“You asked what now and I said bed. There’s not a lot we can do until Eames calls.” Bobby shot Mulder a puzzled look. “Problem?”
Mulder felt himself floundering. He was fairly certain Bobby didn’t mean what it sounded like, but that didn’t stop his mind from taking a very distracting detour. His gaze looked everywhere except at Bobby.
Bobby turned away and fiddled with some papers. He was hiding a grin. He knew it was mean to tease Mulder, but figured payback was in order. The other man had been tormenting him for more than a week, and parading around in sweats that only barely covered his lower body was the last straw - even if Mulder had no idea how distracting all that bare skin was.
After listening to Mulder sputter for a moment, Bobby turned and said in all seriousness, “While you rest, I’ll go check out a theory. Later we can talk to Kevin and see if he remembers anything else.”
Mulder’s jaw dropped and a flush stained his cheeks as he noted the sly look in Bobby’s eyes. The bastard was playing with him. Tempting as it was to call him on it, Mulder knew this was not the time. Business before pleasure - and it would be a pleasure to make Bobby Goren pay for all the teasing.
“I’d rather go with you,” said Mulder. “After all, I have a head injury. It wouldn’t do to leave me unattended…just in case.”
Bobby nodded slightly, acknowledging he’d been caught out. “When I went looking for you earlier, Bloom was muttering something about missing speakers. I though he meant trouble with the sound system. But when he mention a speaker just now…”
“He’s referring to one of the presenters,” finished Mulder. “Okay. So, whoever’s missing is the guy who whacked me. Let’s go.”
Bobby stopped him. “You might want to put some clothes on,” he said, pointedly eyeing Mulder’s near-naked body.
---- -- ----
They bumped into Kevin and Anthony on the backstairs. The two men were creeping down toward the kitchen.
“Oh my god you scared me to death!” yelped Kevin, holding a hand to his chest.
“What are you guys doing back here?” asked Mulder.
Kevin glared at him. “I missed breakfast. I thought maybe we could grab something.”
Bobby tilted his head. “There are muffins in the dining room,” he said, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of the main staircase.
“You’re afraid of bumping into the attacker, aren’t you?” asked Mulder.
Kevin nodded. “It’s so scary. I mean, someone we know tried to kill us.” He stared at Mulder. “How can you be so calm?”
Mulder shrugged. “You get used to it.”
“Used to it?!”
Bobby shushed him and began herding everyone down the stairs. “Keep your voice down. We don’t want to attract any attention.”
“A little late, I’m afraid,” said a voice from below them.
They watched as Aaron Taylor came around the corner, a gun held loosely at his side. The group froze as his gaze swung between Mulder and Kevin.
“This really is inconvenient,” said Taylor. “Why couldn’t you stay dead? Everyone else stayed dead. Of course, this wasn’t exactly planned, but still…dead is supposed to be dead, right?” He gestured as he spoke, the gun waving back and forth.
When no one answered, he pointed the gun at Mulder. “Dead is dead, right?”
“If you say so,” replied Mulder, deciding this was not the time to correct him.
“Don’t humor me,” Taylor growled. “Obviously you weren’t dead.”
Bobby edged slightly to the side, hoping to draw attention away from Mulder, Kevin and Anthony. “It wasn’t as if you actually had time to plan this,” commented Bobby.
Taylor focused on Bobby. “No. No there wasn’t time. Careful planning, that’s the key.”
“If you’d just had a little more time, everything would have been okay,” said Bobby.
“I was rushed,” explained Taylor. “But I can fix this. I just have to think…”
That was all the opening Bobby needed. He began to talk, soothingly, sympathetically, seeming to read Taylor’s mind. All the while Bobby shifted from one foot to the other until he casually moved down to the next stair.
Mulder was impressed. Reading about Bobby’s talent was nothing compared to seeing the man in action.
A noise from the upper hallway broke the spell and Taylor suddenly raised his gun toward Bobby. Mulder charged and tackled Taylor, both of them tumbling down the stairs. The gun discharged, leaving a hole in the wall above Bobby’s head.
At the bottom of the stairs, Mulder recovered first and drew back his fist, stopping only when Bobby yelled “Don’t hit her.”
~~~ to be continued ~~~
Go to Part 3