Mulder frowned, beginning to feel a little pissed. In the past ten minutes,
they had found out Pendrell's name, the names of his sisters, and the
occupation of his parents. And Mulder watched in growing agitation as Alex
kept brushing against the other man, or touching his arm... Obviously he
wasn't serious. He couldn't be serious, not with the way he treated the
lab-boy. Then he remembered how much he and Alex had fought initially... But
no. No way. Right?
Then he saw Scully's face.
Heh.
Scully was getting increasingly angry with Alex. And even though she kept
telling herself it was just because he was teasing Pendrell that didn't
really explain the jealousy she felt when Pendrell smiled at him. She knew
that Krycek was playing with him, and it made her feel an absurd urge to
protect him... She'd better not tell him that.
She was so confused about what she felt. She just knew that she didn't like
the way that Alex was looking at Pendrell, and she felt an overwhelming
desire to pull them apart. Judging by the frown on his face, Mulder was
feeling the same.
Pendrell was confused. Krycek and Mulder were now having a heated debate in
whispers, and he was sure that he had heard his name mentioned. And now
Agent Scully was being really nice to him... And then it hit him.
But years of repression, years of letting others use him as a door mat,
years of keeping his love for Scully under wraps finally made him boil over.
"Just leave me alone, All of you!" Three shocked pairs of eyes stared at
him.
"This is just a game to you, I realise that. But I am so damn sick of being
treated like comic relief. I would expect it from you, Krycek," the man had
the grace to look ashamed, "but I thought that you had a little more respect
for me than that, Agent Mulder." He turned away, unable even to meet
Scully's eyes. He flinched away from the small hand that was placed on his
back. "I know that you realise how I feel about you, Agent Scully... and I
would have thought that this was beneath you. You'll have to find someone
else to perform for you." He faintly heard clapping from the speakers and
felt slightly better for the support. Whoever the hell they were
Alex needed to pee. He really had to pee. Resolve it already! he leant
back against Mulder and smiled as he felt the older man wrap his arms around
his chest.
Scully glanced away from Pendrell's upset face for a moment and saw the
amused look on Alex's face. Alright for him... he'd started this mess and
now he expected her to solve it. Seeing the pain in Pendrell's eyes, and
knowing that she was part of the reason it was there, was hurting a lot.
There were a lot of things that she would have to say to him, starting with
the fact that she might just love him... she just wished that she didn't
have quite such a large audience.
Mulder's mouth dropped open as he heard what Scully had to say to Pendrell,
and he glanced at Alex, impressed. He was supposed to be the crack
profiler in the team, but as far as Scully was concerned Alex was doing a
hell of a lot better than he ever had. Maybe it was because Alex was so
honest with himself about his feelings that he could see those feelings in
others. He'd certainly realised how Mulder had felt before the older agent
had even admitted it to himself. He tightened his hold on the younger man,
afraid that something would take away the thing that made him so happy. He
felt Alex press himself closer to him, rubbing his ass slightly against his
crotch. He cleared his throat and whispered shakily into his ear.
"I love you, babe."
Alex tensed slightly, then whispered back softly. "I think that's just your
dick talking." The younger man sounded nervous.
Mulder spun him around and kissed him deeply. "Alex. I love you." Alex
looked into his eyes and obviously liked what he saw there because he smiled
beatifically at him.
"I love you too, Fox."
End...
Curtain call
"Alright, we rule all!" Langly jumped up and started bowing to an imaginary
audience. Byers ignored him and put his hand on Frohike's arm. The smaller
man shook him off and dived out of the van, striding away from them. He
gazed after him and sighed. It couldn't work out for everyone, could it? He
was living proof.
Alex's voice crackled over the intercom and threatened them with hot pokers
if they didn't start the elevator right that second. He reached over and
pressed the little switch again.
Langly was unable to resist crowing, and started ragging on Scully for not
noticing someone that was under her nose the whole time. He was acting like
the whole thing was his idea in the first place. Judging from the look on
Scully's face, and the grip she had on Pendrell's hand, he didn't think that
she was paying a hell of a lot of attention to what Langly had to say. It
was Alex that eventually responded, just before he left the elevator.
"You can hardly talk, Langly. What about Byers? He's been under your nose
for years." Byers closed his eyes and lowered his head into his hands.
Well... it was bound to come out eventually. He almost smiled at the choice
of phrase.
Langly switched off the intercom, and then there was silence. And more
silence.
Finally Byers couldn't stand any more, and he grabbed his coat and headed
for the door, unable to face the rejection he knew he would see on the other
man's face.
"John?"
He stopped with his hand on the door handle and waited. But the other man
didn't say anymore. There was just the feel of arms going around him, and
turning him to meet a kiss that he had wanted for so long.
End.
But everyone's not happy...
Epilogue
Frohike was happy for them. Sure he was.
So what if he was the only one that was getting nothing out of the previous
nights work? So what if Scully was in love with someone else? At least she'd
never had a chance with Mulder.
"Why me?"
His voice was almost drowned out by the door buzzer. Unless that was Scully
coming to tell him she'd made a mistake he really wasn't interested.
There was no one outside the door, only a big cardboard box and a note.
Frohike—I don't need these any more. Have fun. Mulder
Never before has a box of videos caused so much jubilation.
End.
Now everyone's happy.
The Course of True Love...
by Beth
Act 3
Don't get mad. Think soothing thoughts. Sheep.
