Soul Mate
Part Three
E-mail: HooverArchivesX1@worldnet.att.net & HooverArchivesX2@worldnet.att.net
Fandom: X-files
Pairing: Skinner/Mulder
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Our apologies to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and 20th Century Fox Broadcasting for their characters that we are so shamelessly stealing and abusing. We are obviously not going to make one red cent from this.
Synopsis: Mulder regains something dear to his heart.
Archivists: Please don't change anything and keep our names and email on it. Thanks.
Wanted: One Soul Mate. Must be....
Must be what? Walter? Impossible. Nobody could be Walter.
Fox sighed and pushed away from the desk. "I'm not going to put myself through this again. I'm just not. I can't do it. And why am I talking to myself?"
Fox turned from his study and wandered aimlessly towards the kitchen. The fridge held nothing of interest. He gazed gloomily inside, not sure what he might be searching for. Slamming the door in frustration, he opened the nearest cabinet and sorted through the various cans and boxes.
Fox had gone through a stable full of men since Walter left him. None seemed to last very long. He always managed to find something wrong, sooner or later. Some small thing kept them from measuring up to the love of his life. Some flaw, imagined or otherwise, kept him from fully giving his heart.
He had been through several nasty breakups. The most recent, Fox was fairly certain, would turn into a nasty stalking case before all was said and done. Bradley. What kind of name is Bradley anyway? It's certainly not a manly name. Like Walter. Now that is a.... Fox gripped angrily at his hair, raking his fingers through it, "What the hell am I doing?"
It had been two years, since he had last seen Walter. There were a few uncomfortable encounters at first, but Mulder had taken great pains to ensure that there would be no more. Each time felt like a dagger was being driven straight into his heart. The after effects lasted for weeks, sometimes months. Leaving him in funks that affected his life. His work. His relationships. His very sanity.
A soft tap at the door roused Mulder from his musings. He automatically headed across the kitchen to the entryway, expecting his partner, Dana Scully. Fox opened the door without benefit of the peephole.
As the door swung wide, Mulder startled. He blinked, and stared again. Walter? Walter Skinner? What the hell was he doing here? Mulder felt nauseous. The room seemed to tilt off balance. For a moment he thought he might faint. Digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands, Mulder waited for the room to straighten.
Hot tears sprang to his eyes. His heart thumped wildly in his throat, nearly making him gag. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision and make the apparition disappear. It didn't. "Walter?"
Walter felt a lump swell in his throat, "Yes, Fox." He stared foolishly, at a loss for something to say. This wasn't nearly as easy as he had convinced himself it would be. He shifted his feet nervously, gathering his thoughts, as his pre-rehearsed speech disappeared at the first glimpse of Mulder. Walter's first instinct was to take Mulder into his arms, crushing him tightly in a never-ending embrace. He ached to confess how wrong he had been, yearned to admit his mistakes and to beg Mulder's forgiveness. A second glance at Mulder's face convinced Walter this was not the appropriate way to handle the situation. No, not at all.
Walter dropped his eyes to his shoes for a moment, studying his reflected image in the perfect polish. He shifted his feet again like a naughty boy made to stand in the corner. "Uh..May I come in, Fox? I'd like to speak with you, if it's okay."
Lifting his head momentarily, Walter searched Mulder's face hoping for a positive reaction. "Please? I won't take up too much of your time. There are a few things I'd like to tell you, though."
Without a reply, Mulder backed away from the door, allowing Skinner to enter. Walter stepped inside and closed the door softly behind him, "Thank you, Fox." He glanced around the apartment, feeling a warm rush of memories threaten to overwhelm him.
Mulder eyed him suspiciously, still not believing Walter was standing here in his apartment. His voice faltered at first, but Mulder finally choked out, "What do you want?"
Skinner's mouth went desert dry. He cleared his throat and began weakly, "Well, first...I'm here to apologize."
Gaining a bit of confidence, Mulder folded his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Uh huh."
Skinner loosened his tie and slipped out of his jacket. "You really keep it warm in here, Fox," he offered, stalling for time.
Fox felt his eyes try to bug out of his head, as he too became a bit warm under the collar. Barely keeping his voice under control, "You drove all the way over here, just to criticize the temperature of my apartment?"
Walter stared seriously into Mulder's eyes, "I am so sorry, Fox. I don't know any other way to say it. I have treated you badly. I have regretted my decision, every single day since.." Skinner sighed in frustration at Mulder's blank stare. "Did you hear a word I just said, Fox?" Swiping a hand across his face, "I know you have reason to doubt me. I know you have reason to be hurt."
Mulder took a deep breath and interrupted, holding his body stiffly. "I want you to leave. Now." Fox searched his mind for a plausible reason to rush Walter from the apartment and grabbed at the first name that popped into his muddled brain. "Bradley will be home any minute and I don't want a scene."
Skinner raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk turning up the corner of his lips. "Bradley, huh?" Skinner hadn't come to Fox's apartment unprepared. He had done his homework, well beforehand. He knew Fox had been single for months. Bradley was a thing of the past. In Mulder's opinion, at least. Bradley seemed to think differently.
Skinner took his time, devouring Mulder with his eyes. Starting with the angry frowning face, he dwelled on Mulder's full, pouting lips. Moving his gaze to ears that turned bright red when Fox was angry and the long neck he loved to nibble. Glancing back at Mulder's face, Skinner smirked as he noticed the scarlet shade of the aforementioned ears. His brazen stare dropped to Mulder's firm chest. He had traced his fingers across that chest, thousands of times. Skinner knew every square inch of Mulder's body, intimately. He'd spent hours memorizing and cherishing every bit of the younger man standing before him. Skinner licked his dry lips as his gaze drifted lower, appreciatively caressing the denim-covered bulge, devouring him with his eyes as he longed to do with his lips. His hands. His tongue. It had been such a long time. So very long. Walter felt himself stiffen painfully with need, his body reacting to being so near his love.
Walter's eyes darted back to Mulder's unamused face. Mulder was pointing toward the door with a trembling finger, "OUT. Now, Walter. I want you out, right now. Got me?" Mulder set his shoulders, trying desperately to maintain some dignity and regain control of the situation.
"All right, Fox. I'm going. For now." Walter slowly approached, stopping only inches from Fox, breathing softly into his face. He tentatively placed one finger at the base of Mulder's throat to feel the rapid pulse, before trailing down to his chest. Mulder's heart trip hammered wildly. He held his breath, mistakenly assuming Walter planned to kiss him. He knew he would allow it, too. Damn him! Walter smiled. His own heart beat in his chest as if it were trying to escape. "But, I will be back. Count on it." Meeting Fox's startled gaze, Walter pierced him with his smoldering stare a moment longer, before stepping into the hallway and closing the door softly behind him.
Fox stood frozen in place long after Walter had left. The tension drained away slowly, and his mind whirled. He tried to take in all that had happened, and the memories of their breakup flowed unbidden into his head. He leaned against the door sliding slowly to sit down on the floor. Wrapping his arms around his knees, Mulder finally allowed the tears to fall. They dripped slowly at first, then more rapidly, as the memories attacked his aching heart.
A second soft knock at the door had Mulder scrambling to his feet. Scully! He'd totally forgotten his partner was on her way to pick him up for dinner. Hurriedly dashing at his eyes, Mulder hoped they weren't as swollen as they felt. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, knowing darn well, Scully would spot his troubles in a heartbeat.
"Are you ready to go.... Mulder! What on earth is wrong with you?"
Mulder rolled his eyes. "Come on, Scully. Why does something always have to be wrong with me? Maybe I was just watching a sad movie when you arrived."
Scully glanced toward the living room, "Ooo-kay. Watching a sad movie with the television off?" She swatted Mulder on the seat of his pants, and offered good naturedly, "Fess up, partner. What's eating you, this time?"
Mulder sighed and rubbed his backside. "When are you going to quit smacking me around?"
"When are you going to quit giving me reason to?" Good point.
Mulder quickly sat down at the kitchen table and motioned Scully to a chair. "You are not going to believe this, Scully. Try and guess who just left my apartment."
Scully pulled her own chair out and sat across from Fox. "From the looks of you I would say Walter Skinner." Mulder's eyes were all the confirmation Scully needed. "Are you serious? Walter was here? What on earth did he want?"
Mulder waved his arms about in frustration, "How should I know? He said he came to apologize. I..I..threw him out." Trying to ignore Scully's sharp look, he quickly continued, "I didn't know what else to do, Dana! I thought I was going to faint, at one point. Why the hell would he come here, after all this time?"
"Maybe he finally realized you two belong together, Einstein."
Mulder scowled darkly at Scully. "You have got to be kidding! After two years? He expects to just.. to just..WALTZ back in here, for me to greet him with open arms?" Mulder sputtered angrily, "There is no way in hell, ..." Losing steam, his shoulders began to sag, "Do you think that's why he really came here today?" Staring miserably at Dana, wearing his tattered heart on his sleeve, "Do you really think he wants me back?"
Dana offered Mulder a tender smile. Nodding slowly she gently answered, "I do." She stood, reaching for the light jacket on the back of her chair, "Tell you what, partner. I'll head over to Walter's apartment and see what I can find out. Okay?" She smiled conspiratorially, "Sort of a good cop, bad cop routine."
Fox scoured his brain for a suitable threat, "I will never speak to you again, as long as I live, if you..." His words trailed off as curiosity got the better of him, "Oh okay, but don't tell him I know what you're doing. Please?"
Grinning from ear to ear, Dana reached out to ruffle Mulder's hair before slipping into her jacket, "No worries, Mulder. I swear you're acting more like a lovelorn teen than a sensible FBI agent."
Mulder nodded looking more worried by the moment, standing to see Scully out. "Call me after, okay?"
Scully landed a parting shot to Mulder's seat as she passed, "Stop worrying already."
Mulder growled through clenched teeth, "Scully! Quit it!" Rubbing his smarting backside, Mulder cringed as Scully's laughter echoed through the apartment in her wake.
Scully rapped sharply on Skinner's apartment door, tapping her foot impatiently. She smoothed her hair, telling herself for the hundredth time, *I will not lose my cool. I will remain calm and reasonable.* Blowing her bangs in a fresh surge of anger, *Yeah, right.*
A slow grin spread across Skinner's face, as he heard the knock. He knew Mulder wouldn't stay away for long. Taking his time sauntering to the door, Skinner tried to come up with the perfect line to welcome Mulder back into his apartment...back into his bed...back into his life.
As he turned the dead bolt, the doorknob wrenched from his hand. The door flew open, but Mulder did not follow..it was..
Dana Scully barged into Walter's apartment, not bothering with formalities. "I've just left Mulder. Would you mind telling me, just what the hell is going on?"
Skinner backed away from the redheaded tornado, "Uh..well." He stopped, "Wait a minute!"
Scully kicked the door closed, as she continued her advance on Walter. She whipped her hair out of her face and pushed up her jacket sleeves. "I'm not here to play sick mind games with you, Walter Skinner! I want to know what you were doing at Mulder's apartment, and I want to know right now!" She forced Walter down the hallway, stabbing her finger into his chest to punctuate every word. She herded him into his living room and did not stop until the backs of Walter's legs were pressed against the sofa, "Sit down."
Walter sat. Dana glared at him. "I'm waiting."
Skinner felt supremely foolish, by allowing himself to be intimidated by a woman half his size, but Scully was taking no prisoners, "Well, if you're ready to listen, I'm more than willing to tell you, Agent Scully." He hoped by using her proper title, he could snap Scully back to reality. The look on Dana's face did not bode well for Walter's chain of logic.
Scully allowed the sarcasm to drip from her voice. "Yes, sir. I am more than willing to listen." Scully dropped into Walter's favorite leather armchair and propped her feet on the glass top of his coffee table, drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair. "I'm still waiting."
Skinner ran a hand over his head nervously. Staring at his sweaty palm, he wiped it on his pant leg guiltily, "Well..er.." Clearing his throat, Walter began again, "I went to apologize to Fox, if you must know." He sighed, "I have made some pretty sorry mistakes in my day, but nothing compared to throwing Fox Mulder aside." Dropping his head, unable to meet Dana's steely gaze any longer, "I want him back, Dana. I just hope it's not too late." He added softly, "He doesn't hate me, does he? Please? Tell me I still have a chance. Please?"
Walter never admitted to having feelings, so Scully felt her heart melt at the A.D's obvious misery, "You still have a chance." She thought momentarily, "Fox was acting like a love struck teenager, when I arrived." The fact that he allowed her to see how vulnerable he was, meant that she owed him some truth in return.
Skinner's breath caught in his throat. "I don't know what to say to him, Dana! Just telling Fox I'm sorry, seems so inadequate!" He sighed heavily, "I blew it so goddamned bad, Dana. NO one knows it more than I do..except maybe Fox."
Dana smiled sadly at Walter. "I'm not saying it won't take time, Walter. It will. Time, and effort. Just let him know that you love him, and you are ready for the commitment. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. You are just going to have to feel your way through this. But, I do know that he has never stopped loving you. Not for one single minute, no matter how angry he was. He never stopped pining for you. It doomed every relationship he had before it even started."
Skinner glared holes through the floor, willing himself not to cry in front of Scully. The tears in his eyes did not seem to be following orders any better than she did, though. He tried to wipe them away casually. "That's good to know," he whispered. Swallowing hard, "Thank you for that, Dana." Taking several deep breaths, Walter finished shakily. "I know my love for Mulder has never died, either. If anything, it's only grown stronger."
"Then what are you doing sitting here talking to me, Walter? You have a lot of wooing to do. I'd get on it if I were you." Dana hastily slipped her feet from their resting- place on the coffee table, astounded by her brazen behavior. Standing, she smoothed the wrinkles from her slacks, trying not to blush as she continued, "It's not going to be easy, Walter, but it will be worth the effort. I have never seen you as happy as you were when you were with Fox."
Scully's kind words did nothing to ease Skinner's emotional state. He nodded blindly, rushing to stand and escort her to the door. "I'll take your advice, Dana," he replied tightly. Wrapping an arm around Dana's shoulders, Skinner squeezed warmly, "No wonder Fox loves you so much. You're very kind. Thank you for taking care of him all this time, and thank you for helping clean up this mess I've made of things."
Dana blinked back tears of her own as she stepped through the door. "I'll do whatever I can to help. You have my numbers if you need me."
Skinner offered Scully a weak smile, "Thanks again, Dana." Just as he prepared to close the door, "Dana. Wait." He took her by the elbow and led her back into the apartment, "What's up with this Bradley guy? Fox tried to tell me they were still an item. They've been split for a while, right?"
"Ah, yes...Fox's last boyfriend, one Bradley Sommers. He might be worth keeping an eye on, Walter. The relationship ended badly and Bradley has been seen skulking around Mulder's apartment building, on several occasions." He never was the most stable guy. I don't have a clue as to what Fox saw in him." A smile darted across Scully's lips, as her gaze darted to the top of Walter's head. "Probably the fact that he was as bald as a cue ball and built like a brick shit house."
Skinner blushed to the top of his bare pate, as Scully's laugh echoed down the hallway. Even with the door closed, he could still hear her giggling.
*****
To be continued...