TITLE: Surfacing Chapter Nine: Blood Ties

AUTHOR: Chad Moore

FANDOM: XF

DATE: November 17th, 2001

SERIES: Dangerous Undercurrents and Conundrum

E-MAIL: Mulderholic@webtv.net

RATING: R (Chapter 9) for language and violence

CATEGORY: M/O

ARCHIVE: Yes, please

KEYWORDS: Slash, Romance, Angst, Adventure

WARNINGS: WIP

SPOILERS: This story takes place after "Existence,"
with references to past seasons.

DISCLAIMER: All familiar characters belong to CC, 1013
and Fox TV; any others were conceived in my warped
imagination. Azathoth and the Great Old Ones are
creations of H.P. Lovecraft and are now the property
of Arkham House. No infringment intended.

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS: To Goddess Michele, a true star.

BETA THANKS: Bertie

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter contains a few elements
from the Wild Cards series of books, edited by George
R.R. Martin.

*****
Chapter Nine: Blood Ties

The questioning was over, thank goodness, Jamie
thought as he absently let his fingers drift through
the fringes of a table lamp. He felt jumpy and
restless, the adrenaline pumping continuously through
his veins.

With the genius one could expect, the local police had
dismissed the attack as thieves caught in the act.
Albeit thieves associated with satanic rituals. Well,
they were half right.

Jamie watched Mulder's shoes crush a path into the
deep sky blue carpet as he listened to the coroner's
report. He nodded and made a few non-verbal sounds,
leaving Jamie unsure whether this was good or bad. He
tore his eyes away from his lover's feet and let his
gaze wander across the room to the secured windows,
and the extra lock fitted to the door.

"Well," Mulder sighed, turning off the cell phone. "It
seems our friend died from a highly concentrated dose
of atropa belladonna."

Squinting for a moment to remember, Jamie chimed in,
"Nightshade?"

Mulder nodded and came to sit down beside him on the
bed. "Yeah, this group is hard core." He looked down
and saw his lover's hands shaking. "Jamie, I think--"
he began, but Jamie stood up and started pacing before
him.

"We still don't know who they are." His words came
quick. "But whatever they have planned, I'm ready for
them." He flexed his fingers, unconsciously forming
fists. "Azathoth wants me again, well he has no idea
who he's dealing with this time."

Mulder pursed his lips worriedly at the signs of
Jamie's agitation. He knew his lover wasn't talking to
him, he was trying to convince himself that he was
invincible. Fox stood and carefully approached him,
and Jamie nearly walked right into him.

"Jamie, that's what we're going to find out," he told
him, gently. "The parasycholgist who contacted Skinner
is on her way to D.C. even as we speak."

Folding his arms, Jamie exhaled. "And how exactly does
that help us?"

"You're not going to like this, but we need to leave
as soon as possible. Jamie, if we're going to learn
all the facts behind this, what this coven wants, then
we have to go."

Jamie ran both his hands through his hair. "That's
just fine with me." Fox started to speak but Jamie's
voice overrode his. "No, someone's after me and I
don't want them around my family. When do we leave?"

"As soon as possible. I'll see if there's a flight
open tomorrow morning."

"Good." He started to relax, which was a mistake, as
Mulder burst into a feverish thought pattern.

"Once we get there I want to phone a few FBI contacts.
There can't be that many cults out there who use
nightshade." He took a breath. "Then, we'll rock 'n'
roll on over to Walter's and..."

"Hey, can we just take this one thing at a time, huh?"
Jamie tried to slow him down.

Mulder realized that he was getting a little too
excited. It was almost like being back on the X-Files,
with the deadly exception of the man he loved being in
mortal danger.

"We can work it all out later," he agreed.

Jamie buried his face in his hands, and groaned.

Mulder glanced down at him. "What is it?"

"How am I ever going to tell my mom?" he wondered,
suddenly feeling short of breath.

Mulder gave him a reasurring smile. No doubt Janine
would pitch a fit about her son leaving. He felt a
smirk coming on, with the thought that his lover would
much rather face a cult than Janine. He reached out
and tenderly slid his arms around Jamie's waist.

Jamie sighed deeply. "Mulder, I just wish..." he
began. Then his voice trailed off.

"You wish what?" Fox pressed.

Jamie hesitated. "I wish things could be different.
That I didn't have this curse hanging over my head,"
he said at last. "I'm gonna fight this, but the only
thing that really scares me is that you could get
hurt."

His green eyes pierced through the dimly lit room,
into Mulder. He felt his heartbeat quicken. Over the
past few hours he'd watched in admiration as Jamie
managed to fight off three attackers, not let the
truth kick the breath out of him and simultaneously
demand both of himself and the fates surrounding them,
some control of his life.

Mulder could not bear the thought that his lover was
being hunted again. For what purpose he could only
imagine, and those thoughts hung like a thunder cloud
in his mind. Meantime, as he worried, Jamie was being
strong for both of them.

"You're a fighter, Jamie," he said, "and I love that
so much about you. You get knocked down and you pick
yourself right back up again, and keep on swinging.
Take it from me, it's a gift."

Jamie shook his head a little, his eyes beginning to
pool. "No, you're my gift."

Mulder's smile lit his whole face. Jamie's whole body
suddenly felt hot. "Kiss me before I pass out," he
whispered in Fox's ear.

Mulder's right hand gently caressed Jamie's face, and
then he pressed his lips to the other man's mouth.
Jamie's tongue entered him so invitingly, and with
such demanding lust and love, that it made Fox dizzy.

Jamie looped his arms around Mulder's neck, and hugged
him tightly. His strong hands caressing the back of
his neck, and then stroking through his short hair. He
stopped suddenly, and smiled. "I won't let anyone hurt
you Fox, I promise."

Mulder led him over to the bed, helped him to lie back
on it, then joined him, pressing himself close.

"Do you trust me?" asked Jamie.

Fox answered with a kiss that sent them both spinning
into heaven. He enwrapped Jamie in a demanding embrace
and held him through the night.

*****

Jamie glanced at the clock: 4:13 AM. He couldn't sleep
and his mouth felt dry. Careful not to wake Mulder, he
eased out of bed and into the bathroom.

Turning on the tap, he ran his hands over his tired
face. Jamie looked up in the mirror, gasped and
shivered.

For a second Azathoth's thick black mist billowed up
behind him.

Jamie quickly turned to look, but nothing was there.

*****

"You're leaving again?!" Janine's shrill voice cried
all the way from upstairs.

Mulder cringed a little, knowing how hard this was for
Jamie. He looked at his watch. He and Jamie needed to
be in Atlanta in a couple of hours to catch the
mid-morning flight to Virginia. After booking the
flight, Mulder had packed while Jamie called his
mother to meet him at Grams.

Courtesy of the local paper they all knew about the
attack. However, Jamie had stuck with the police's
false impression of breaking and entering.

Mulder glanced up the stairs, hoping that the three
women in his lover's life were not going to give him
any more of a hard time about leaving than he could
stand.

*****

"What's the rush?" Janine demanded as Jamie flew by
her in a flurry of activity. This is what she'd been
afraid of: Jamie taking off again.

"Mulder has some important things to take care of and
he asked me to go with him," Jamie quickly explained.
He dumped a pile of clothes from the closet into a
large suitcase sitting open on the bed.

"But does he have to spirit you away right now?"
pressed Janine. Jamie involuntarily shivered at the
word 'spirit.'

Janine watched his frenetic movements. She really
could not fathom her son dropping everything for this
man. "What, are you going off on a secret mission?"
she asked, sarcastically. Jamie glared and kept
packing. "Oh, I see," his mother added. "You're not
going to tell us."

"Jamie, dear, is there anything we can do to help?"
Grams asked, interceding between her daughter and
grandson.

He paused to look at her. "No, Grams. Everything's
going to be fine. This is just something I need to
help take care of. You'll have to trust me on this.
Can you do that?"

"Of course, darling."

"When will you be back?" his mother pressed.

"I'm not sure... soon," he replied, then thought to
himself 'I hope.'

"I wish I could come with you," Peril offered,
sincerely.

Janine jumped, preferring it if her niece were to
accompany him. "Can't the club do without you just a
little while longer?" she asked, believing that a
waitress/singer wouldn't be missed.

"If I don't get back to San Francisco I won't have a
job left."

"Knock 'em dead," Jamie said, as a way of saying he
understood. He paused on reflection. "But not
literally."

Peril came forward to help him straighten out the mess
he was making. She could tell by the look in his eyes
that her cousin was dealing with something major. She
placed a hand on his arm as he closed the case. He
looked up at her, prepared to defend his actions once
again, and was startled by the look in her eye.
"Please call." Was all she said.

Jamie finally glanced up at all three of them, and
felt a lump in his throat. "Sure, you got it." He
moved forward and hugged his mother, who gasped,
surprised.

Standing back, Jamie told her, "Mom, I wish I could be
the son you want me to be," he began, sadly.

Her face softened. "Jamie, no. Just promise me that
you'll take care of yourself."

"I will."

Swiftly kissing and hugging them all good-bye, he tore
downstairs to join Mulder. Janine watched his
retreating back and sighed loudly. 
"That is typical Jamie," she observed.

Neither she nor Grams noticed the worried expression
Peril wore. She'd worked out that the stranger looking
for Mulder and last night's incident were related.
Whatever her cousin was barging into, she only hoped
he really could handle it.

*****

Walter came out of his kitchen carrying a glass of
wine when he saw Alex descending the staircase and
shaking his head.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"Oh, the doc up there," Alex replied, pointing the way
he'd come. "She's a weird one, doesn't say much, just
pours over all those books she brought."

Walter nodded knowingly, making a small noise of
understanding. She and Mulder will be probably get
along great, he thought. Doctor Angela Kitzseiger had
arrived during the middle of the night, and at a
rather inopportune time, with Krycek's mouth wrapped
warmly around a certain part of his anatomy. She was
not at all what Skinner had expected. And if her deep
blush last night was any indication, they weren't
exactly what she had expected either.

The light sound of the doorbell shook him from his
thoughts. "That must be Mulder and Jamie," he said.
"Here take this to the good doctor while I let them
know what's going on," he added, handing Alex the
glass.

Alex looked at it and smirked. Mulder would probably
have a stroke when he found him residing in Skinner's
apartment. Ah, what the hell, he thought, when haven't
I done that to Mulder?

Waiting for Krycek to leave, Skinner squared his
shoulders and opened the door. Both Mulder and Jamie
looked as if they would collapse. "How was the
flight?" he asked, concerned.

"A combination of too much turbulence, little sleep,
and a Chevy Chase movie," Mulder replied dryly.

"Dr. Kitzseiger's been here since midnight," Walter
explained, leading them through. "She arrived with her
own library and she's been buried in books all night."

Jamie smirked, but it wasn't a happy expression.
"Sounds like more fun than what happened to us."

"We were attacked last night," Mulder told Skinner.

"By this coven?"

Mulder opened his mouth to reply, but his breath
caught in his throat.

"You and cults, Mulder. What's up with that?" Alex
Krycek remarked as he nonchalantly sauntered back into
the living room.

His appearance had the effect of a nuclear bomb going
off in Mulder's gut, and his eyes grew wide as
saucers. Jamie, by contrast, felt an enormous sense of
relief to see his friend. "Alex!" he exclaimed.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Mulder demanded of
Skinner. Walter braced himself. He momentarily
wondered how many times the younger man had uttered
that question, then wondered how often he'd gotten any
sort of satisfactory answer.

Jamie looked between Alex and Mr. Skinner, and the
pieces rapidly fell into place. "So this is your
nurse?"

Alex actually blushed!

Walter turned back to Mulder, who stood seething on
the spot. "Mulder, look, he needed someone to look
after him," he began. "Plus, you were right about the
phone tap. Alex found it."

"I'll bet. How do you know he's not helping them
again?"

Krycek clenched his fists in frustration. "Oh yeah, I
masterminded the entire plot," he snapped,
sarcastically.

"I want him out of here!" Fox shouted, moving forward,
ready to aim a punch at the other man's face. Jamie
stepped in between them, one steady hand on Mulder's
chest.

"C'mon boys! What's the matter with you? I don't know
what went down between the two of you, but we've got
enough against us without you two needing to take
lumps out of each other."

His words prevented a clash but Fox continued to
glower.

"Jamie's right," Walter spoke up, glancing with
admiration at Mulder's lover. "Now do you want to tell
us what happened last night?"

Jamie folded his arms and leaned against a corner
wall. "A trio of creeps seriously into the Audrey
Hepburn look were waiting for us," he replied.

"They were all dressed in black," Fox explained to
wipe away Walter's confused expression. "With the
added bonus of knives, tatooed wrists, poison, and
shaved heads." He grimaced. "No offense."

"None taken," Skinner said, clearing his throat.

"The tatoo indicates that they belong to an elite
monkish coven that worship the Great Old Ones," a
voice from across the room told them. Dr. Kitzseiger,
framed by the staircase railing, had followed the tail
of the conversation. With a haughty British accent,
the tall sandy-blonde woman appeared to be in her
early thirties.

"This is Dr. Angela Kitzseiger," Walter said. As he
proceeded to introduce his two guests, Kitzseiger
waltzed across the room to shake Mulder's hand.

"Fox Mulder, this is a pleasure." She gave him a
Colgate smile, grasping his hand. "Your reputation is
quite legendary back in Oxford."

Mulder grinned, thinking that the doctor, dressed in
her tan blouse, crisp skirt and cardigan, looked like
she'd been born and raised in a library.

"Thanks," he replied. "I'm anxious to learn about this
coven." He felt a gentle nudge from Jamie. "Oh! This
is my--" he started, but Kitzseiger turned toward the
stairs.

"I'm Jamie," he piped up.

She gave him a tight smile. "Gentleman, shall we
proceed?" And with that she made her way up toward
Skinner's study.

Walter gave Mulder a helpless look, which he passed on
to Jamie as they followed after her. Jamie decided he
wasn't exactly crazy about Dr. Kitzseiger. He glowered
a little at the condescending woman's back.

Krycek moved up beside him. "Don't let Miss Priss
bother you," he whispered, conspiratorially. "She
barged in last night just as I had Walter's cock down
my throat..."

A smile tugged at Jamie's mouth.

"...and I haven't killed her yet," Alex finished.

For the first time in twenty-four hours Jamie laughed.

A short time later they were gathered in Skinner's
small study. Well worn books, slim manila folders and
papers lay scattered across a plain but functional
walnut desk before Dr. Kitzseiger. Donning a pair of
spectacles, she leafed through them. "Here," she said,
handing Mulder a folder.

He flipped through it and discovered several printed
pages. They appeared to all be from internet web
sites.

"I've been tracing the Order's movements through
techno pagans online," she explained. "For many years
they were a secret society. One of the most dangerous
in the world. Only recently have they made their
presence known."

And how, Jamie thought gloomily.

While Mulder scanned the notes Kitzseiger displayed a
large, heavy tome. Mulder recognized it immediately,
thanks to his subscription to Mysteria Press.

"Isn't this the Ly'Bahr?" he asked, in awe. "I thought
it had been lost."

"It had," she nodded, "but luckily it was found during
the excavation of the Oxford woods."

"You mean it was down in the catacombs?"

Jamie exchanged blank looks with Alex and Skinner, and
decided to voice all their thoughts. "The who, what
and huh?"

Mulder smiled, always eager to explain. "It's said
that this book contains ancient rituals dating back to
the middle ages."

"Close," Kitzseiger corrected. "Actually the Ly'Bahr
is much older than that. It was used in early
primitive ceremonies." She took a deep breath.
"However, the ritual text is based on very sketchy
legends."

"Yeah, that's great and everything," Krycek broke in,
much to Mulder's annoyance, "but what about the cult?"

Kitzseiger clicked her tongue. "Not so much a cult as
a coven. The Order of Dathomir, to be precise. An
elite sect who worship the first high priest of
Azathoth."

"How did you find out about them?" Skinner wondered.
The doctor was giving Mulder a run for his money with
wild theories, he thought.

"It all started with the disappearance of Professor
Henric Tiamat," she said, steepling her fingers. "He
was my predecessor in the parapsychology department."

"Tiamat?" Mulder whispered, half to himself.

"You know him?" Jamie asked, curiously.

Mulder nodded. "By reputation. He wrote several
controversial books on revivication rituals."

"Let me guess, you have the complete set at home?"
Krycek asked, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Watch it, boy, watch it," Walter warned him in a
friendly growl. This did not go unnoticed by either
Jamie or Mulder.

Kitzseiger continued. "This is the Book of Tisianne,
the first work published by Tiamat," she indicated a
book with a cracked, jet-black binding. "I've been
tracing his movements ever since he was first spotted
in San Francisco."

"Wait a minute, Tiamat was responsible for the
excavation of Azathoth's bones?" Mulder's eyes lit up
and he punched the air. "Yes! It makes perfect sense."

Lost, Jamie laughed uneasily. "Silly me. I should've
known."

Alex gave a little chuckle of agreement.

Momentarily removing her glasses to polish them,
Kitzseiger took up the explanation. "They believe that
by resurrecting the Old One, he in turn will bring
back their high priest, Dathomir, who was possessed
with enormous power."

"I've seen this kind of fanatasim before," Mulder
said, grimly recalling the Cult of Azathoth and the
many FBI profiles he'd worked on. "They have a
single-minded purpose."

Jamie shuddered. "I get it. Religion's freaky."

"So we're dealing with an elite cult?" Alex added.
"Well, at least we'll die with style."

"We're not dead yet," Walter reminded him.

"I know someone we can contact who can probably give
us the goods on Professor Tiamat," Mulder told them.

"Who?" Skinner asked.

"Carolyn Fredericks," he replied, looking at Jamie.
"Her husband works for an Oxford newspaper."

"Carolyn." Jamie sighed nostalgically, remembering his
dear friend from university.

Mulder walked round behind Kitzseiger to peer over her
shoulder. "What if they're hoping to harness some
mystical power?" he suggested. "Don't forget this was
one of the Great Old Ones." Leaning over her shoulder,
he inadvertently bumped the doctor's arm.

"Do you mind?" Kitzseiger snapped.

A little wounded, Mulder backed away. "Excuse me," he
replied. "I'll just stand back here looking pretty and
pouting."

"Good idea!" she muttered, not paying attention to him
in the slightest. "Now where was I? Oh yes, this text
is in ancient Latin. It could take some time."

"Oh, great." Alex rolled his eyes. "I should've
brought my travel scrabble."

She scanned the page, at the same time searching
another book to decipher the language. "This ritual
will take place on holy ground using the bones..."

"Which they have," Mulder chimed in.

"Quite," she nodded, "and the blood of...
Unfortunately this part's not very clear... of the
mortal closest..." She looked up. "Someone connected
to the Old One."

The room suddenly grew silent.

"Me?" Jamie asked. All eyes turned to him. "Come on
guys, you know the score, he was inside my body for
eighteen years." He sighed. "Believe me, we were
close."

"I don't understand," Kitzseiger admitted.

"You don't wanna know," Alex replied, smiling
ironically.

She simply nodded, returning her attention to the
book. "They have until the next full moon to perform
their ritual."

"But that's in a few days," protested Mulder. Could
things get any worse?

"Precisely."

"So we just have to keep Jamie safe until then,
right?" asked Walter. "It may take some doing, but I'm
sure I can arrange a secure place for him to stay."

At that Jamie made a little choking noise. He really
did not like the idea of hiding. He'd much rather face
this head on. Fox glanced up at him. "I'm okay," Jamie
told him, quietly.

"Jamie," Mulder said softly. He rested his hands on
his shoulders and gazed into Jamie's glistening green
eyes. "This could take some time. Why don't you try to
get some rest?"

"Don't patronize me, Mulder," Jamie whispered.
"Whatever's in those books affects us both. I want to
know."

Dr. Kitzseiger looked up and cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, but can we please get on?"

Mulder turned back to Jamie. "I want to find out
everything I can about this ritual. I can't do that if
I'm worried about you. Please, Jamie?"

Fox looked so determined, so certain that he'D find
something, that Jamie weakened. "All right." In spite
of himself, he smiled at his lover, and gave his nose
a gentle tug. "Happy reading."

"Jamie, wait up!" Alex called. "I'll show you where
you can crash for a while."

Pausing at the top of the stairs, Jamie, feeling
frustrated, folded his arms.

"Hey," Krycek said. "I didn't know how much more I
could take of that." He looked at his friend closely.
"How're 'ya holding up?"

"I'm like you, I'm indestructible. I'm fine." Jamie
felt his defences breaking. "Actually, not." His voice
shook a little. "I'm so scared and I'm trying so hard
to be strong, because any minute now, it feels like I
might freak out."

Alex's heart ached with sympathy. "Jamie, I've been
there... Lost. The trick is you can't let it consume
you. You have to keep a hold on yourself."

Jamie gave him a watery smile. "What if I can't?"

"What can I do to help?" he asked, reaching out to
squeeze Jamie's shoulder.

Jamie was quiet for a moment. Then he looked back up
at Krycek, with a sparkle in his eye. "There is
something you can do..."

*****

The general and the specific, he thought. The abstract
and the concrete. The difference between the two is
always waiting to trip you up. The unfamiliar words
spread out before him were bad in themselves, plus
dealing with the fact that hidden within was what this
coven had planned for Jamie was even worse. Mulder
rubbed at his weary eyes. The text before him now
appeared completly blurred. His Latin was so rusty
that not even a squirt of WD40 would help, but he knew
enough basic words to get him through.

Next to him Dr. Kitzseiger was ahead of him, having
dipped into several books. Now, she sat thoroughly
absorbed in something she referred to as The Journal
of Oberon. Unfortunately, Mulder was making no headway
with the notes. He propped his head up and wondered
what Jamie was doing, and what was taking Skinner so
long. He'd gone into another room and been on the
phone for some time making arrangments for a safe
house.

He kept willing his cell phone to ring. Carolyn just
about screamed his ear off when she learned that Jamie
was indeed alive. She promised to get her husband to
track down all he could on Professor Tiamat and would
call back later.

"I'm gonna get something to drink," he told
Kitzseiger. He stood and stretched out his back with a
groan. "Want anything?"

"No, thank you," she replied with a wave of her hand.
"Hurry back. This section makes several references to
the ritual."

*****

Krycek flung his head to avoid the sweat trickling
down into his eyes. Heart hammering in his ears, he
flung out his arms. "Jamie," he panted, "that's it."

He'd been more than eager to jump at Jamie's
suggestion, but he had no idea that the blonde had
this much enthusiasm and energy for it. Licking his
lips, Jamie pressed home his advantage.

Holding a pillow to his chest, Krycek neatly deflected
the blow. In his white T-shirt, oversized flannel
shirt and grey-green slacks, Jamie had barely broken a
sweat. He was a natural, agile and strong, and fueled
by unresolved anger. Twirling in an elegant arc, he
kicked out and knocked Krycek flat off his feet. He
landed with a thump on his rear. Jamie grimaced and
hurried to his side.

"Alex! Oh!"

"It's not everyday I'm swept off my feet," he said,
breathing heavily. "You've got style."

Jamie quickly helped his friend back up. Krycek wiped
his brow and peered at him closely. Over the course of
the evening he'd taught Jamie a few defensive moves,
and he was a fast learner. "Are you sure you're not
tiring yourself out?" he wondered.

"I'm sure."

Alex took a swig from a bottled water resting on the
coffee table. "So, you and Spooky are working out
okay?" He wasn't sure that it was any of his business,
but he thought talking about Mulder might ease Jamie's
stress a little.

"I love him so much, and I'm not going to let all this
Who's Cult Is It Anyway? business mess up the best
thing that's ever happened to me," Jamie told him, his
eyes gleaming with determination. "Come on, teach me."

On his way downstairs, Mulder's heart leapt into his
throat at the sound of a scuffle. Holding on to the
railing, he jumped the length of the stairs to the
carpeting below. His eyes widened with surprise.
Suddenly Jamie hit the floor in front of the couch
hard on his back. He pulled his right knee up to his
chest. Alex crouched over him, holding himself up with
his arms and grinning down at Jamie.

Jamie used his leg to throw Krycek over his head. The
Russian flipped backward and landed flat on his back.
Jamie performed a kick-up, bringing himself up to a
standing position, and spun around to face Alex as he
got to his feet. He hesitated for a moment before
lunging at the other man with a wide punch that Jamie
easily ducked.

Jamie slipped up behind him, and Krycek turned around
to face him. He tried a left-hand punch, but Jamie
inner form blocked it and flew into a half-spinning
in-to-out crescent kick. Alex ducked it, but got
knocked off his feet when Jamie kept on spinning
downward with a back leg sweep, sending him to the
floor.

Krycek made a swift turn with his leg, catching
Jamie's and sending him scrambling onto the carpet.
Grunting, Jamie disentangled himself and grabbed the
water bottle. Rolling toward Alex, he came up and
straddled him at the waist, holding the bottle against
his neck.

"How's that, Obi-Wan?" asked Jamie, triumphantly.

Alex nodded. "You got it."

From the direction of the stairs, Mulder cleared his
throat to gain their attention. "Having fun?" he
asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

Jamie looked down and his cheeks instantly flushed.
"Fox, we were-uh-" he replied, flustered. "I mean Alex
was just teaching me some manoeuvers." He stood and
brushed down his clothes.

"I can see that," he replied, a bit too hotly. He
aimed a glare in Krycek's direction. "If you don't
mind could you please keep your hands off my lover?"
With that he stalked into the kitchen.

Alex rolled his eyes. Jamie sighed deeply and gave his
friend a shrug. "I'll be back."

Following Mulder into the kitchen, he found his
steaming Fox gulping down an orange soda and mumbling
to himself.

"Mulder, were you just talking to yourself?" Jamie
asked, with a crooked grin. "Grams always told me that
was the first sign of madness."

Mulder couldn't stay mad. He returned the smile and
said, "Hmmm... Funny I thought I said that."

Coming up behind him, Jamie wrapped his arms round his
waist and leaned his chin on Fox's shoulder. "What is
it with you and Alex, anyway? You can't be jealous."

"It's a long story, Jamie," he replied, quietly.

"But why can't you at least give him a chance? He's my
friend, plus he and Mr. Skinner are crazy about each
other."

Mulder balked at the notion. "Do you have any idea how
much pain, how much trouble he's caused?!" he erupted,
pulling away from Jamie's embrace.

Jamie cocked his head inquisitively. "Mulder, you
sound just like my mom!"

That stopped him in his tracks.

"I do not!" he protested. Then he laughed, realizing
he did sound like Janine, with just a little Teena
Mulder thrown in for flavor.

Deciding it was best to change the subject, Jamie
asked, "How's the research coming along?"

"We're still working on unravelling the ritual text,"
he replied. "If I can find the answers, this doesn't
have to end badly."

"Who says it's going to?" Jamie saw a dark shadow fall
over his lover's usual bright eyes. "Hey, you all
right?"

"With everything you're facing again and you ask how I
am?"

"Nothing I can't deal with," said Jamie confidently.

Proud beyond words, Mulder shook his head. "I wanna be
just like you when I grow up."

"Somehow I can't see that, Peter Pan."

"Come here," Mulder called, extending his arms, which
Jamie instantly fell into. "Jamie, I'm sorry. I am so
sorry this is happening..."

"Shh," Jamie whispered. Titling his head, he gently
pressed his lips against his lover's perpetual pout.
"You know what I've been thinking about?" he asked
after a moment.

Fox was breathless. "What?"

"How I used to lie awake at night, or be walking home
from somewhere, and I'd stare at the stars, just
dreaming. Then I met you and the dream came true."

"Yeah?"

"I fell in love with a tall, dark and handsome man
with a sense of adventure." Jamie peered into his
glistening eyes and pressed their foreheads together.
"We belong together, Fox, and that's exactly where
we're gonna stay."

Mulder kissed him deeply, passionately, and for a few
precious moments the problems facing them disappeared.

*****

With renewed energy, Mulder returned upstairs. He
glanced at his watch and was surprised to see that it
was nearly dawn. Three days before the Order of
Dathomir carried out their ritual. Time was literally
running out. Mulder walked onto the landing and turned
a corner as Skinner emerged from his bedroom.

"It's all set," he announced. "It wasn't easy.
Especially convincing them that this is for someone
who doesn't officially exist."

His former agent smiled. "Thanks, Walter. This means a
lot."

"Mulder, why don't I drive you and Jamie there now?
You should really try and rest."

"No." He shook his head. "I just can't sit back and
watch when my lover is in danger of being taken away
again."

Walter nodded silently, realizing it would do no good
to reason with Mulder right now. "Are you having any
luck?" he asked.

"A little," he replied, hopefully. "Dr. Kitzseiger's
found a few references to what we need."

"How's Jamie?" Skinner wondered, his concern showing.

Mulder gestured. "He's downstairs going at it with
Krycek." Skinner's eyes flashed dangerously and his
head whipped toward the stairs. Mulder was quick to
clear things up. "Walter, they're exercising,
training."

Skinner's face went a bit red and he exhaled.

Before entering the study, Mulder shot him a puzzled
look. "So you and the Rat Bas--" he broke off. "Krycek
are together?"

Walter looked him straight in the face. "As crazy as
it sounds, yeah."

"What about the nanobytes floating through your body?"

Chuckling awkwardly, Skinner rubbed the back of his
neck. "Thing of the past. Alex destroyed the palm
pilot weeks ago."

Leaving Mulder momentarily speechless, Walter went
ahead into the study. Gazing at the ceiling, the
younger man whispered, "Wonders never cease."

Following the A.D. inside, he found Kitzseiger in an
agitated state. "Mulder!" she called. "Here, I've
found it."

Mulder rushed over, and she indicated the yellowed
page. As with most of the works, it was in Latin. He
started reading the words he recognized.

"Recro... Senex Unus... Sceleratus... Moratlis
Proximus... Tempus...Abeo... Necessarios..." He tapped
a finger to his half-open lips, deep in thought. "Tied
to the blood," he whispered.

"Pardon?" said Skinner.

Mulder's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. Proximus," he
said aloud. He'd just had an idea. No, it couldn't be
true, could it? He stared unseeing at the book before
him, the blood starting to hammer in his temples.

"What is it?" Kitzseiger pressed.

"Yeah, don't keep it to yourself," Walter agreed.

"What if we've been looking at this from the wrong
angle? What if..."

Skinner and Kitzseiger listened expectantly.

*****

"I'm spent!" Alex exclaimed, falling backward onto the
sofa. He rested a hand on his heaving stomach.

Jamie, who seemed raring for more, looked
disappointed. "Really?"

Krycek sat up, exhaling painfully. "Jamie, you've
kicked my ass enough for one night."

"Oh, okay." He slapped his arms against his sides,
giving up. "Can I get you something?" he asked,
noticing the empty water bottle.

"Hell yes," Alex replied, pointing toward the kitchen.
"Just as long as you make it strong."

Walking into the kitchen, Jamie opened the
well-stocked refrigerator and examined what Skinner
had to offer. "I assume that doesn't mean apple
juice?" he called out.

Krycek groaned back loudly in response.

Grabbing a beer, Jamie popped it open. Wrinkling his
nose at the smell he started back for the living room
when Skinner thundered downstairs. Alex looked up and
Jamie paused in the archway.

"Mulder's found something," Walter told them,
excitedly. He searched for Jamie. "You're not going to
believe this!"

"What is it?" Jamie asked, moving forward. Then, a few
paces ahead, Skinner's front door buckled with an
ear-splitting boom. Jamie tumbled back against a wall,
spilling the beer. "This does not look good!" he
exclaimed.

Against tremendous force, the door rocked on its
hinges. Krycek sat up. "Fuck!"

Suddenly the door was kicked in, and it clattered
down, narrowly missing Jamie. Like a swarm of mad
dogs, the Order of Dathomir's assassins filled the
apartment.

"Fox!" Jamie screamed a warning, but it was also a
scream to focus his strength, to power him. He turned
as the intruder nearest lunged at him, but Jamie
swiftly ducked and slipped underneath him, lifting him
and sending him flying over his head and onto the
kitchen table.

Two more of the coven rushed in and made their way
toward Krycek. Skinner dashed into the living room,
his eyes flashing to his weapon cabinet, when he felt
a body slammed against him. He gave a grunt of pain as
his head was thrust forward.

Another of the elite headed for Jamie, swinging a
razor sharp blade. He missed as Jamie, heart thumping,
stepped behind the table. Quickly, Jamie kicked out
it's legs, sending it skidding across the linoleum and
smashing into the crazed man coming after him,
knocking him to the floor, where he joined his fellow.

Jamie grabbed the arm of the next attacker, and pulled
back. "Ever heard of knocking?," he asked, and slammed
him into the wall. He then turned his attention to the
first cultist and roundhouse kicked him in the face as
he tried to get up.

Krycek cursed as he was tackled into a wall. He kneed
the man's groin and pushed him violently over the
coffee table. It cracked under impact. He cast his
fevered green eyes around the room. There appeared to
be four of them, and they cast about in angry
confusion, not expecting resistance on this scale.

Skinner struggled against the cultist pressing his
face into the cabinet. He grabbed him by the neck and
shoved his head into the display case, breaking the
glass, then yanked him up through the glass top as
well. Alex raced forward and pulled the dazed intruder
around, smashing a fist into his face. The blows
didn't faze the possessed assassin. Skinner quickly
scanned the debris of the case for a gun.

A dagger appeared, slashing out toward Krycek's
throat. Alex jumped out of harm's way, but then found
himself off balance, and the attacker used this to his
advantage, knocking Alex to the floor. Pulling on the
nearby cabinet, he sent it crashing down on top of he
Russian, knocking him out.

"Alex!" Skinner shouted, rushing to help his lover.

The attacker stepped past him, scanned the room
quickly and headed straight for the stairs. Seeing
this, Jamie rushed to engage him. Growling, the
cultist wrapped his arm around Jamie's and dragged his
arm downward. Jamie yanked back up and pulled his arm
free, and punched the man twice in the face.

Skinner placed both arms beneath the cabinet and
started to lift it off of Alex, who lay dazed under
it. One of the assassins reached Skinner and raised a
knife above him.

"Look out!" Jamie cried. He kicked back before the
cultist could reach the surly A.D., making the
would-be assassin jerk aside but not fall.

In a rush of exertion Skinner alleviated the heavy
pressure of the cabinet, then he hurried to help
Jamie. The lead intruder tried to punch, but Skinner
ducked and punched him instead. Walter spun around and
backhand punched the cultist behind him in the face,
who fell immediately.

"Nice," Jamie commented, his breathing heavy.

Walter sucked in some air. "They don't call me Slugger
for nothing." Skinner ducked another punch from the
lead assassin, who grabbed onto his shirt, pulled him
around roughly and smashed Walter's face into a table.
A lamp shattered and sparked on the floor.

Jamie punched his enemy in the gut and high punched
him in the face. While the assassin was stunned, he
grabbed onto his head and yanked it around and down to
his left side, flipping the man over onto his back.

Dazed, Skinner staggered away from a knife thrust. He
pointed to the steps and yelled at Jamie as two of the
intruders slipped by them. The leader made to follow,
but Jamie jumped and landed on his back, struggling
with him.

"Get upstairs!" hollered Jamie.

Walter made for the stairs. From the corner of his
eye, he saw Jamie pound his assailant on the back, but
he just roared and elbowed him off, knocking Jamie
into a bookcase.

With his attention diverted, Skinner was kicked
roughly in the gut by the second attacker. Losing his
balance he tumbled backward, coming to rest
senselessly at the bottom of the staircase.

The fourth cultist down below hopped up onto the
kitchen counter, ran across it and leapt over the
railing above.

Jamie's opponent punched him, and he stumbled, but
regained his footing. Upstairs he could vaguely hear
the fight continuing. "Mulder!" he shouted. He felt
his shoulders grabbed in a firm grip. The leader spun
him around and viciously threw Jamie into a wall, his
head contacting sickeningly with the corner, sending
him into oblivion.

*****

"What's going on?" Kitzseiger cried, stepping away
from the desk.

Mulder heard Jamie's distant cry. "I don't know, but
it sure isn't exercise!"

The study door burst open, and the three elite piled
in.

"Dathomir assassins!" Kitzseiger exclaimed, horrified.
She attempted to run, but the first one lashed out,
sending her spinning to the floor.

Mulder punched at the first man, but it seemed to have
no effect. He swung again, and the assassin grabbed
his arm and held on tight. He swung with the other
one, but it was caught, too, and then he was pushed
away.

The three began to close in on Mulder, but before any
more fighting could ensue their leader appeared,
clapping his hands twice. "Enough!" he ordered, in a
deep Scottish accent.

The other three just backed off. Mulder faced this new
threat, ready to fight. It was quiet downstairs and
his mind filled with dread. The leader stepped over
Kitzseiger and walked around Mulder, like an animal
taunting its prey. With a roar of rage, Mulder punched
at him, but the cultist blocked him easily, as well as
two follow-up swings.

The Dathomir assassin grabbed Mulder by the arms. He
swung him around and shoved him away. Mulder lunged at
him, but his attacker grabbed him by the throat and
forced him back against the desk, gripping hard and
choking him. He smiled evilly and picked up a paper
weight in the shape of a ship. Mulder's eyes widened
as the man swung his hand up and knocked it against
Mulder's head. With a groan Mulder collapsed to the
floor.

The elite assasin leader watched him fall, and looked
down at him. He turned to his accomplices. "Let's get
what we came for."

Two of them grabbed the unconscious Mulder by the arms
and dragged him from the room. The remaining coven
assassins followed them out.

*****

Below, Jamie slowly came to and winced in pain. He
felt the right side of his head and his hand came away
covered in blood. Blearily he scanned the room, which
seemed draped in purple. He focused his eyes as a wave
of nausea flooded over him.

Skinner lay unmoving at the bottom of the stairs, and
Alex was still stretched prone under the fallen
cabinet.

He gasped at the sound of footsteps. The leader moved
past him and out of the broken front door. Two more
followed carrying a familiar-shaped bundle in their
arms. A fourth figure, lagging behind the rest,
followed. Gathering his strength, Jamie reached out
and pulled the man down, hard. His head connected with
a door fragment. The man's fellows left him behind,
their prize within their grasp.

Voices gathered out in the hall. They seemed far away
and drowned out by the blood rushing in Jamie's head.
Dizzily he stood and ran across the cluttered room.
Throwing himself on the stairs, he rushed up them and
down the hall. Like one of his nightmares, the world
seemed distorted and slowed down.

He rounded the corner and stopped at the study door.
Jamie looked around at the damage, and then saw Dr.
Kitzseiger lying on the floor. Jamie hurried to her
side and skidded down next to her on his knees.

He took Kitzseiger's hand as she tried to sit up. "He
said... they weren't... after you," she croaked,
"they... never... were."

Realizing that his lover had been taken, Jamie choked
on hot tears even as he felt an unrelenting cold
despair grip his heart. "Fox," he whispered, as his
world came spiralling down around him.

[Next Episode: Trust No One]

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