The screen went blank for a moment, then the lit up once again with
secretly filmed snatches of the OPR review which had taken place within
a few days of the shooting, copies of the documents submitted; the
ballistics report; the autopsy findings; and the medical examiner's
death certificate. Mulder paused on each of the documents in turn to
read it through, his lips curving up in a smile as he reached the end of
the last document.
"...Caucasian male, identified by those at the scene as Alex Krycek,
declared dead at..."
He pressed play again, and after the document disappeared there was
another few seconds of blank tape, before the camera panned round a
country churchyard until it came to rest on Mulder, who was standing
beside an open grave.
A priest conducted a short ceremony, then the casket was lowered into
the ground, and Mulder turned away, leaving the camera to zoom on to the
gravestone.
Mulder started to read the inscription. "Here lies Alex Krychek...." He
stopped the tape, then went on, "No, here lies Alex Krycek," he leaned
down and kissed Alex's lips. "For a dead man you're looking incredibly
healthy."
Alex laughed, then gestured at the now dark TV screen. "Why did you
spell my name wrong?"
"I don't like tempting fate. You may be 'dead to the world'—well to
all but a select few—but...."
Alex kissed the troubled expression off his lover's face. "I'm so glad
we've got past the hitting stage...," he murmured, then winced as he
caught his split lip. "Well, almost.... That was a nasty elbow jab
there, Fox."
Mulder tried to look contrite, then laughed. "It wouldn't be right if we
didn't spill some of your blood first."
Alex laughed with him, then said, "Talking of blood; I had to get rid of
most of the clothes that were covered in the blood your three friends,
and their special effects guy, obtained for us."
Mulder nodded glumly. "Yeah, I got some on my pants. The cleaners
complained bitterly about it... and charged me extra."
"Still, the Gunmen did make a very good job of editing the tape for the
'surveillance video'. If it wasn't you laughing at the script they gave
us, it was Walter. How many takes was it before we got "I have to do
this" on tape without any giggles?"
"The trouble is, my love, you have an infectious giggle." He poked at
what he knew was a ticklish spot; Alex obliged him with a breathy
giggle, and he smiled indulgently. Alex pulled him close, and Mulder
stopped tickling him as their mouths met in a deep kiss.
When he came up for air again, Alex said, "I spoke to Walter just before
you arrived, he and the others will be here for the meeting at ten
tomorrow morning-"
"And between now and then I'm going to fuck you through the mattress,"
Mulder interrupted.
"You think?"
"You want another split lip?"
With a huge grin on his face, Alex spread his legs.
Mulder pounced....
Fin
Actuality
by Aqualegia
Mulder pushed the video into the slot, returned to his seat on the bed,
and started the video playing. On the large-screen television, the
grainy black and white images from the surveillance cameras covering his
apartment showed his confrontation with Krycek; showed Skinner
interrupting them, and finally the AD shooting the his nemesis three
times in the chest.
