Disclaimers in Part One.
Mulder stood with his back to the table, staring out the window, his face stern.
He hadn't heard anything about Scully or Krycek. He hadn't heard anything about any of them. He guessed no news was good news. If they'd been caught, or something else, he'd be the first to find out.
He missed them more than he thought possible. He knew he'd feel a huge loss once Scully was gone. He had the last time. Just because their love for each other may have changed, it didn't lessen. She was his best friend. Possibly still the most influential and most important person in his life.
He really missed Cade. He had grown quite attached to him since Scully had been home. He couldn't imagine not being around to watch the little guy grow up.
He barely knew his brother, and couldn't understand why he felt so lonely without him. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that he was feeling guilty for how he'd gotten them out. It couldn't possibly be because he'd wasted two years of time that he could have used getting to know Krycek and Cade.
Hell, he even missed Skinner.
He'd really had no choice but to send Maggie away, since she'd been at the house when Koskie had picked up Cade. And Skinner had been livid at the whole thing. He'd been kept in the dark the whole time about what was really going to happen once they left the base. Mulder didn't think he would have agreed. Once it was over, Mulder hadn't dared to send Maggie and Cade to Seattle alone. Skinner was the only feasible solution, since he couldn't return to the Bureau anyway. Skinner was done and wanted out. It had been almost two months since they'd gone. The first week after had been horrible. He'd moped around, only going to work for the damn Syndicate then coming home. He'd resigned his position at the Bureau.
He felt certain that the cheers over his letter of resignation had sounded all the way to Congress.
Mulder couldn't help thinking that maybe he could have done things differently. But after seeing what Scully and Krycek had been reduced to, he had panicked. They had been forced to act like enemies; she had shot him in the knee. He had seen the aftermath. Scully had damn near been catatonic, had not been herself at all, and Krycek had just given up all together. All Mulder had wanted to do was to stop it. He'd had an idea. He'd asked Spender what it would take. He had been fully prepared to give himself to the Syndicate, to the aliens, the Rebels, whatever. Anything. Anything to stop what had been happening.
He wasn't sure what to do when Spender said the only thing they really needed was Cade.
Spender had told him he was in charge. He could do whatever he wanted. As long as he would deliver Cade and help with the clean up.
Mulder had done the only thing he could think of. He'd agreed to take over and protect Cade himself.
'You did the right thing, Mulder.' Koskie had told him, as they sat around Marie's dinning room table.
'I betrayed my brother and best friend.' He responded. 'They will never forgive me.'
'Say it out loud. Tell us again.' Marie put a hand over his. 'Why did you do it?'
'I did it for them.' Mulder replied softly. 'They were killing themselves. They had no way out.'
'They are free.' She said. 'That's what you wanted, that's what you were trying to do.'
'There had to have been an easier way.'
Koskie shook his head. 'You took the only way you had.'
'I'm sure they understand.' Marie leaned back in her chair. 'If not now, they will later. And look at me. The first time I meet your brother, I shoot him. I don't think he'll look back on our first meeting fondly.'
'You did what I asked you to.' Mulder said softly. 'I knew he was going to pull some save-the-day shit. He always does. You're the best with a gun. At least we were able to control what happened. Maybe I should have waited.'
Koskie sighed and shook his head. 'You said yourself that they weren't going to last that long. I saw Scully myself; she looked like the walking dead. She was just waiting to snap.'
'I should have made a different deal.'
'There weren't any other deals, Fox.' Marie said soothingly. 'You did what you could.'
'You made the greatest sacrifice of all, Mulder.' Koskie said. 'It was the most selfless thing I've ever seen anyone do. You gave them up for them.
'You're doing that Hallmark thing again, Koskie.'
'It was my first career, you know.'
Mulder put his hands over his face. 'Damn, I've got us into one hell of a mess.'
'We're fine. It will pass.' Koskie said. 'Everything does.'
'Shit, Koskie.' Mulder shook his head. 'You sound like my brother sometimes.'
'Fox.'
He turned away from the window to see Spender.
'They're waiting.' He said, blowing out cigarette smoke. 'Are you ready?'
He was still here, but it was his choice. What he'd chosen to do. It was worth it. It was the only way he could make sure his family was protected.
As Mulder followed Spender out the door, Krycek's face appeared in his mind. Back before everything went bad. Back when there was still hope for the future. Back when he'd still been misguided. Back when he was trying really hard to hate his brother.
They were standing on the deck of the beach house, drinking a beer.
Krycek turned to face him. 'You know who you remind me of? Running around, never having time for anyone or anything else. Mindlessly dedicated on working for a cause that really has no meaning to anyone. You know who you'll turn into if you're not careful?'
Mulder stared back at Krycek, trying not to appear too concerned with what he was saying. 'Who's that?'
'Our father.'
Damn you, Alex, Mulder thought to himself as he walked down the hall with Spender at his side.
You were right.
*************************
'Don't you ever listen to your messages?' Frohike stared up at him, tapping his foot.
'Sorry, guys.' Mulder said, walking into the Lone Gunmen's lair. 'I've been busy.'
'We've been trying to get a hold of you for three weeks.' Langly gave Mulder a wounded look. 'We said it was important.'
'What is it?'
'We got this email that we think is for you.' Byers replied. 'It's been bounced all over the place.'
'Bounced?' Mulder asked.
'From satellite, to satellite, to satellite.' Langly answered. 'It's untraceable. Whoever sent this really knew what they were doing.'
Mulder looked down at the computer monitor. 'What the hell is it?'
'Text.' Frohike answered, pushing a button so the message came up.
[ Haole - Remember the night we watched Three King's? Duke ]Mulder stepped back and looked around at the three of them, then back at the screen.
'What the hell is that? Ha-olay?'
'Howly.' Langly pronounced it for him.
'Okay, and?'
Langly and Frohike exchanged a glance.
'We thought it was from Alex.' Langly said, crossing his arms.
'Alex?' Mulder looked blank.
'Your brother.' Frohike said sarcastically.
'I know who Alex is, thank you.' Mulder said.
'This doesn't make any sense to you?' The latter asked.
'No clue.' Mulder shook his head, looking confused at their surprise. 'I've never seen Three King's. Why would you think it's from Alex?'
'Haole is a Hawaiian word used for tourists.' Langly said. 'And the name Duke-'
Mulder shook his head and looked back at the screen. 'I really doubt that Alex is a John Wayne fan.'
'No.' Langly said. 'Duke Kahanamoku was a legendary surfer of Hawaii.'
Mulder stared back at Langly, baffled. He shook his head. 'I have no idea. I've never seen Three Kings and don't know anything about it other than it was set during the Persian Gulf War.'
*************************
Mulder sat on his couch back in his apartment. The television was on, casting light on his face as he sat there in oblivion, watching the ending credits to Three Kings scroll by on the screen. His mind was turning again and again. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what this movie had to do with his brother. He knew that Alex had been an operative over in the middle of the action in Kuwait, but nothing else.
He sighed and turned off the VCR. ESPN popped up, giving him the highlights of the Dallas/San Francisco game as his mind wandered. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting here when the commentator's voice interrupted his brainstorming.
'Trevor Tanner's condition's is improving after his injury last week in Oahu's North Shore during the World Champion Surfing Competition…'
His eyes were drug back to the television. Just the word 'surfing' caught his attention. It always did. Everything beach related reminded him of Krycek.
'I know Trevor has been waiting to see how extensive the damage to his leg was, to see how his career was going to be affected. He is the winner of the coveted Triple Crown of Surfing four years running…'
Mulder suddenly sat forward on the couch. Triple Crown…Three crowns…
Three Kings.
'Holy shit!' He exclaimed.
He scrambled towards the television for lack of anything better to do, if nothing else, just to get closer to the news coverage. There was footage of the surfer, getting 'clamshelled' as Krycek called it. Totally wiped off the board and thrown down into the sand, the surfer was trapped under a thundering wave. 'Waimea Bay, Oahu, Triple Crown of Surfing' was subtitled at the bottom of the screen.
Mulder was surprised his heroic moron of a brother hadn't ran over to heal the guy himself. In the crowd, he caught of glimpse of who he was certain was Krycek and Scully. It was from the back, and anyone other than him would never have recognized them. But he did. They were sitting in the sand, their backs to the camera. Scully turned towards Krycek and beamed a brilliant smile at him. One of those smiles that Mulder had seen fewer times than could be counted on both hands. Her long hair blew around her and they both laughed.
'Oh my god.' Mulder whispered aloud, a weird grin pulling at the left side of his mouth. 'Look at that smile.'
Any thought that he'd done the wrong thing vanished. They were happy.
They were free.
Unlike Mulder, who suddenly realized that he had missed the surfing competition by a week.
'Damn.' He said softly.
It was going to be one hell of a long year.
*************************
The following fall, Mulder walked the hallways of the base. He was tired of this crap. Koskie wasn't doing any better. They were both burnt out. The clean up was extensive and they were both working all the time. Mulder felt guilty for dragging him into this in the first place.
While he'd been able to give Scully and his brother freedom, he'd managed to drag Marie and Koskie right down in their place into The Private Hell of Fox Mulder.
Mulder's relationship with both of them was strained. He worked far too much, was consumed with finishing what he'd started. That irritated Marie, which in turn irritated Koskie.
He knocked on the door and then pushed it open. Spender was sitting behind his desk, a cloud of smoke hanging around him like PigPen from a Peanut's cartoon.
'Have a seat, son.'
Mulder crossed the room and sat down in the chair opposite his father. He didn't say anything.
'I wanted to tell you myself, Fox.' Spender stubbed out his cigarette.
'Tell me what?'
'It's over.' Cancer Man leaned back in his chair and eyed Mulder. 'The aliens are gone, the Rebels appeased. The world is saved.'
'For now.' Mulder replied.
'Yes, it's true that there may be repercussions later. Much later. But for now, it's done.'
'I knew we were getting close.' Mulder replied. 'Don't forget who's headed the clean-up crew.'
'You've done well, Fox.'
'They'll be back.' Mulder said, refusing to feel anything other than business towards the man sitting across from him. 'They'll devise a new plan, and they'll be back.'
Spender lit another cigarette. 'Maybe. Maybe not. It's not our concern anymore. We've fought enough, both you and I. It's time for someone else to take over. It's time for us to stop.'
'What do you mean?' Mulder asked, eyeing Spender with distrust.
'We have known nothing but this all of our lives. It's cost us both. There are plenty of people to pick up the pieces if needed. Go. Go live life, go be happy. Go be with Alex.'
Mulder was silent for a long time. 'What are you saying?'
'You're free, Fox.'
Mulder didn't say anything.
'It's over. You've done enough. You've saved the world. You've saved everyone. Now go.'
Go? Mulder asked himself. Go where? Go do what?
'What are you going to do?' He asked Spender.
'This has been my whole life, Fox.' Spender replied, puffing contentedly on his cigarette. 'And now it's over.'
Mulder remained in his chair, silent and staring back at Cancer Man. He understood. He was almost reluctant to leave.
Almost.
He stood up and stared down at his father. 'You know, I understand now.'
'What's that?'
'How you did the things you did.' Mulder said softly. 'Why you did the things you did. It makes sense to me now. I did things too. I did things because I believed they were the right things to do. Because I knew in the end, it would be better that I did them.'
Spender smiled lovingly, if at all possible. 'Your conscience is clean, Fox. You only did good.'
They were both quiet, each thinking their respective thoughts, before Cancer Man spoke up. 'When you see your brother, tell him that he was right. He'll like that.'
'I'm not sure he'll want to see me.'
'Of course he will. He'll have everything worked out in his head by now. Alex doesn't know how to hold a grudge.'
Mulder didn't say anything.
'You've done well, Fox.' Spender said again. 'Your work is done, you deserve to rest now.'
Mulder stared at his father in silence; he didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. He nodded at Spender, and then he turned and walked out of the office. He closed the door behind him. As he walked away, the sound of a gunshot could be heard echoing down the hall.
He closed his eyes and kept walking.
He didn't have much time. He needed to get to Marie and Koskie. He needed to let them know he was leaving and he didn't know if he'd be coming back. He'd ask them to come with him. He wouldn't be proud or stubborn. Hell, he'd already lost one woman he loved because of his pride. He'd already lost his brother because he'd been stubborn. He'd been damned if he'd sit by and let it happen again.
Mulder remembered when he'd accepted them as new family. When they'd both won him over. They'd been in a bar, a year after Scully'd been taken. Koskie had disappeared and Mulder had been left with Marie at their small table. The thought of him and Scully at a different Karaoke bar had briefly invaded his mind and he'd analyzed it, then decided to set it aside. It had no place here.
Koskie had suddenly been up on the stage, bursting out in a horrible rendition of 'Desperado' by the Eagles. Mulder had been mortified when he'd come off the stage and sang to him. Marie had been giggling hysterically.
'Did you put him up to that?' Mulder had asked her when Koskie had thankfully left the area.
'Who, me?' Marie asked, pulling a straight face.
Yes, Mulder thought, he definitely had a couple of visits to pay before taking off.
The cold, East Coast air hit Mulder in the face when he stepped outside. He took a deep breath and looked up at the blue sky, wondering what the weather in Hawaii was like just now. He took off his tie and threw it in a trashcan he walked by.
*************************
Mulder had not quite known what to expect. The laid-back pace of the island was only raising his blood pressure. He had wanted to speed around everyone, put his cell phone to his ear and eat some fast food while driving to Waikiki. Honolulu was the eleventh largest city in the country, making it more frenzied than the other islands, the 'neighbor islands' he had been told to call them, so he didn't look like a 'mainlander'. He was under the impression that the other islands were a lot slower.
If he got over to Kaui or the Big Island, he'd probably pull his hair out from all the tranquility.
The three of them stood on the sidewalk, trying to figure out where they were.
'Three Federal Agents,' Koskie said, shaking his head, 'all highly educated, and we can't find our hotel.'
'Excuse me.' Marie stopped a group of teenagers walking by. 'Can you tell us how to get to the Outrigger?'
'Which one?' A guy with piercings in his face asked.
'The one in Waikiki.' Mulder replied.
'Hala…' A girl no older than sixteen indicated annoyance and popped gum at them. 'There's four or five.'
Marie looked at their itinerary. 'Outrigger West.'
'Malahini's jammed up.' The pierced wonder pointed. 'Go three blocks makai and then turn Diamond Head at the intersection. You'll run right into it.'
The three of them blinked back at the guy before Koskie spoke up. 'Uh, thanks?'
The kid nodded as they walked away. 'Mahalo.'
'Am I an idiot?' Marie asked. 'Or did that make no sense.'
'I'm not touching that one.' Koskie said.
She flipped open the map again. 'What street are we on?'
Mulder and Koskie both stared up at the street sign in silence. They looked at each other, then back up at the sign.
She raised her head to them and Koskie shook his head. 'I can't pronounce that.'
'Sound it out, Steven.' She grinned. 'Just like you used to.'
They finally left their rental car in a parking lot to hail a cab.
After checking into their rooms, showering and getting dressed, it was late. They hadn't eaten since the hideous lunch on the plane and were starving. Marie got on the phone with the concierge and when Koskie pranced into the room, modeling a loud Hawaiian shirt, she covered the mouthpiece to giggle.
Mulder whistled at him, only encouraging him further.
'You like?' Koskie put his hands on his hips and spun around. 'I thought of you when I saw it.'
'I'm getting turned on just sitting here.' Mulder said, a serious look on his face. 'Hawaii Steve-O.'
'You can save that for later.' Koskie replied, stage whispering to make sure Marie could hear. 'You know how my sister doesn't like to share.'
'Well, the Chili's downstairs closed on hour ago.' Marie hung up the phone looked at her watch. 'But the country club is open until four in the morning and apparently there's a big blues thing going on there tonight. So there's supposed to be lots of southern food.'
'Bring on the Alabama Slammers!' Koskie exclaimed.
'I'll take you up on that.' Mulder said.
Koskie grinned. 'You'll lose.'
'Uh, I don't think so.' Mulder shook his head.
Koskie nodded. 'Under the table, baby.'
Marie grabbed her purse and opened the door. 'I don't want to hear about what you guys do under any table. We have to get up early tomorrow and it's already late.'
'All nighter.' Koskie danced out the door.
She looked up at Mulder while following her brother out. 'You're such a bad influence.'
They walked into the Nashville Waikiki, the smell of BBQ'd ribs and fried pickles hung in the air. 'Look at Little Sister' by Stevie Ray Vaughn was blasting away. The dance floor was crowded.
'My mouth is watering.' Koskie said.
'No Steven, that would be drool.' Marie replied. 'It's a habit you've had since infancy.'
'Someone has poopy pants.' Koskie replied, pointing at her. 'Have a drink, you'll feel better.'
Marie looked up at Mulder, at the weird expression on his face. 'You okay?'
'I don't think I'm ready for this.' He said softly, staring at Scully and Krycek on the dance floor.
'…What about the neighbors…What they gonna say…Stop little sister…You're getting carried away…'
Mulder stared at the two of them; Koskie and Marie followed his gaze.
Krycek spun her away. She tried to grab his hand and missed, nearly knocking over a couple behind her. The couple was Skinner and a woman he'd never seen before. Skinner pushed Scully back towards Krycek and he caught her. They all laughed.
'…Hey, hey, hey…Look at little sister…'
Mulder's mind couldn't grasp what he was seeing. It made no sense. It didn't fit. The flight over here must have passed through a wormhole, projecting him into an alternate universe. He must have missed the message. He must have been asleep. He didn't hear the captain's announcement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, next stop: The Twilight Zone.
They were so happy. They were fine without him. What was he thinking? He didn't belong here.
Mulder turned around and walked out.
Marie followed him as he walked out of the lobby and onto the street. Koskie scrambled after the two of them.
Marie put a hand on his arm as they walked down Kuhio Avenue. 'You okay, Fox?'
He nodded.
'Mulder, you came here to find them.' Koskie said. 'Are you sure you don't want to go back?'
'I'm sure.' He said, throwing his arm up to hail a cab.
The three of them crammed in the back and the driver turned around, raising his eyebrows at them.
Marie leaned forward. 'You know someplace we can get some food this late?'
They sat in Eggs 'n' Things, eating crepes and drinking coffee.
'Sorry.' Mulder said, twirling his coffee mug around on the table. 'I just hadn't been expecting that.'
'It's okay, Fox.' Marie said. 'The Triple Crown doesn't start for two days, you have time to prepare yourself. At least you know they're here.'
'I feel like an idiot.'
'You should.' Koskie said, then winked at him. 'There's more than one reason I call you Wienie Boy. If you know what I mean.'
Mulder grinned and threw his napkin at him.
*************************
They woke up as early as possible, took the shuttle over to the USS Arizona, then headed back to Waikiki, planning on taking the hike up Diamond Head. There were wandering Sans Souci Beach in front of the New Otani Hotel at the base of the mountain. The concierge had told them to get a Diamond Head climber's 'kit' from the gift shop there. Apparently, there were several dark tunnels on the way up and they needed flashlights to make the steep climb.
'Fox.' Marie's voice stopped him as they had been meandering. 'I guess you're not going to get off that easy.'
He looked down at her questioningly and she smiled up at him, almost laughing. 'There they are again.'
Damn. Mulder thought to himself as his eyes settled on Krycek and Scully. Damn, damn, damn, damn.
Krycek was leaning against the railing of the deck and Scully stood in front of him, holding Cade's hand. The two of them stood so close and gazed at each so adoringly that Mulder was momentarily slammed back into the past. Back when Scully had loved him and he'd been so jealous and insecure over his brother's sudden appearance into their lives that he'd been too damn blind to see anything.
The feelings faded away. That was a long time ago. Things were different now.
I'm not going to turn around. I'm not going to turn around. I'm not going to turn around.
Scully said something and they both laughed. Krycek put a baseball cap on her head backwards. She grinned back. They looked casual and totally at ease, wearing sunglasses and shorts, relaxed and tan.
This is ridiculous, he thought. What am I afraid of? That's my brother. That's Scully.
He still couldn't take a step towards them.
His dilemma was solved when Cade saw him and ran his way, yanking his hand out of Scully's.
'Cade!' He heard both Krycek and Scully yell.
'Uncle Fox!' Cade said as Mulder picked him up when he got close enough.
'Hey there, little guy.' Mulder said, hugging him. 'I've missed you.'
'I missed you.' Cade leaned back and looked at him, putting his hands on Mulder's cheeks. 'You're late.'
Mulder laughed, tears springing to his eyes. He saw Krycek and Scully over Cade's shoulder. They were five feet away. He suddenly had no idea what he was doing. Fox Mulder, Federal Agent and international conspiracy participant, suddenly scared to death of his little brother and best friend.
A smile crept up on Scully's face. 'He's always late, sweetheart.' She walked over and looked up at him, at the strange expression on his face as he stood there with Cade in his arms.
'Hey Scully.'
She laughed and reached up to hug him. He hugged her back tightly with one arm, holding Cade with the other. She looked up into his face, there were tears in her eyes. She laughed again and turned back to look at Alex.
Krycek stood there, a quirky smile on his face. 'Fox.'
'Alex.' Mulder said back.
They stared at each other in silence and Krycek huffed out a small laugh as Mulder moved towards him. Krycek didn't make him do all the work; he took a step forward and hugged him. Mulder patted his brother on the back, closing his eyes, embarrassed that his throat had completely closed up and he couldn't say anything. He was embarrassed that he was so close to crying.
After the New Otani, they had all gone back to the condo that Krycek and Scully had rented at Grey's Beach. Mulder had felt just at home with the welcome from Maggie. Skinner had been thrilled to see the three of them and had given Marie a big bear hug. He looked at Koskie and Mulder before exchanging a hug with each of them.
'You finally figured it out? A year later? Some field agent you are.'
Shortly after, Mulder had received the second biggest shock of his life.
Mulder could sense that Krycek and Scully were hemming and hawing about something. They were having a silent banter and he shook his head while smiling. Some things never change.
We have a surprise for you, Fox.
The three of them exchanged silent glances, then they all walked out of the room. Mulder heard Skinner sigh behind him.
'I hate it when they do that.'
They walked down the hallway and into a room, it took a moment for it to register. When he saw the baby sleeping in the bassinet, the expression on his face indicated there could very well be a pokemon in there.
He looked at Scully in astonishment. 'What the hell is that?'
She tried not to wake the baby up by bursting into laughter. She clapped her hands over her mouth and backed out of the room. Krycek was trying to talk through some silent laughter as well.
'That?' He asked. 'What a horrible way to refer to your niece.'
'What?' Mulder asked. 'My niece? How…'
'When I healed her arm…' Krycek whispered.
Mulder's lips parted slightly, as the rest became blatantly obvious. 'You healed all of her.'
'It would appear that way.' Krycek said.
'She's named after you.' Scully smiled at him.
Mulder looked at her in fear. 'Please tell me you didn't name her Foxy.'
Krycek and Scully both laughed.
'Yes, the name Fox was a problem.' Krycek said. 'So we named her after your virtues. Ailis Kane'
'Ay-lish,' Scully pronounced it for him. 'Means brave and true. Kane is a warrior or protector.'
Mulder didn't know what to say. He thought of something that Spender had said years ago and guessed that it was true. Cade was the first in the next step of human evolution.
'We didn't mean to set off the maudlin alarm.' Krycek said.
'You know,' Mulder said out of nowhere, 'Alexander means 'Protector of Mankind.'
'Then I guess you should have got the name.' Krycek smiled.
Mulder grinned. 'You're going to pass for an Irish family if you keep up with the Gaelic names.'
'I do have red hair.' Scully said.
They had spent the rest of the day hanging out on the patio, talking, catching up, and laughing. As Mulder had feared, Koskie and Alex connected right off the bat. The two of them were obnoxious as all hell, mostly with each other, and Mulder began to wonder how on earth he would ever survive the two of them together. They were both out on the patio, with the barbecue going. Barbecuing what, Mulder didn't ask. He'd always had a phobia for anything that wasn't a dead animal or deep-fried. Tofu terrified him.
When the flames from the barbecue roared up, Mulder had looked for the fire department. Koskie stood before the blaze, arms raised and chanting in a mock pagan ceremony.
'Aye!' Krycek exclaimed, leaping back. 'Caliente.'
'Fire! Fire!' Koskie started in with the Beavis again.
Krycek took the mandatory role of Butthead. 'Shut up, Beavis.'
The two of them carried on and Mulder shook his head and closed his eyes.
Oh yes, he thought, I'm definitely not the idiot anymore.
Cleaning up the after dinner mess, 'Atomic Dog' was on the stereo and Mulder was helping in the kitchen with Maggie and Skinner. Gibson was hanging out with Cade and Ailis in the living room. Both Cade and Gibson kept a careful eye on the little girl and Mulder suddenly realized he'd got here just in time for Cade's fifth birthday.
'…Bow wow wow…Yippee Yo Yippee Yay…Bow wow Yippee Yo Yippe Yay…'
The others were bringing in stuff from the patio, prancing in and out to the music. Scully and Koskie began doing the bump to the beat and Krycek slowly danced in behind them. Marie laughed.
'Marie!' Mulder exclaimed. 'Save yourself! Don't look them in the eyes. They will suck you in.'
'…Why must I feel like that…Why must I chase the cat…'
Krycek and Marie's began to do the Electric Slide.
'Oh my God.' Mulder said. 'She's gone into the Vortex of Insanity, just like the rest of them.'
Koskie pointed at them and began to laugh. 'That is so ten years ago. But at least it's not the Merenge.'
Krycek looked at her. 'You Merenge?'
She nodded. 'Went to UPR for two years.'
'In San Juan?' Krycek walked over to the stereo and inserted a CD.
'Oh, here we go.' Scully said, walking towards Mulder. 'I'm going in the kitchen where it's safe.'
Solo Traigo Mi Ritmo began to play and Krycek held his arms out. 'Show me what ya got.'
'Bring it on.' Marie smiled and walked towards him. 'If you think you can.'
*************************
Mulder and Krycek sat out in the water off Waikiki, floating on surfboards in silence.
Mulder thought back on that week that he had been in Oahu. They had a lot of fun. Since Ailis was only a few months old, Scully stayed home a lot while the rest of them went out to play. After one day with all the men, Gibson and Cade included, Marie decided to stay with Scully and Maggie as well. The Manly Men, as they had dubbed themselves, had hiked up Diamond Head and gone to Waimea Valley and Adventure Park to go kayaking and ride some ATC's. They were doing 'manly' things.
Sometimes Maggie would take the kids so they could all spend time together, heading for sunset drinks at the House of the Key. They took Cade to the Moonlight Tour of the Honolulu Zoo and to Sea Life Park. Koskie was complaining about going to a luau but Krycek told him there was no way in hell he was going to participate in anything that including putting Babe in a grave, and digging the poor creature up hours later to eat it. Koskie had then thanked Krycek for the visual and informed him that he would probably never eat pork again.
On his last day there, Mulder made the huge mistake of letting Krycek teach him how to surf. They had been sitting out on their boards, letting wave after wave pass. Koskie had finally grown impatient and tried to ride one when. He did manage to stand up and yell 'Banzai' before wiping out.
Mulder and Krycek had laughed at him.
'Have you decided what you're going to do?' Krycek asked softly.
Mulder ran a hand through his wet hair to get it out of his face. 'I'm thinking I'll need to be able to stand on the board. Hopefully once I'm up, I'll be able to figure out how to balance on this damn thing.'
'I wasn't talking about surfing, Fox.'
'Oh, afterwards?' Mulder looked towards the shore. 'I'm pretty hungry, I think we should grab some lunch from Cheeseburger in Paradise. I definitely need another one of those margarita's before I leave.'
'That's not what I'm talking about.' Krycek said sternly.
Mulder grinned sideways at him. 'I know.'
Krycek smiled in spite of himself. 'Screw you.'
'Where do you live, anyway?'
'I could tell you.' Krycek said, looking back towards the shore. 'But then I'd have to kill you.'
'Well it makes a difference you know.' Mulder replied. 'I'm not living in frigging Greenland.'
'You definitely need to hang around, Fox.' Krycek said. 'We waited for you.'
Mulder nodded, thinking of when he had asked Scully that particular question. They had been sitting outside on the sand, drinking a glass of Merlot. They had banished everyone else so they could continue on with their tradition. The others were probably going to set the place on fire or something, but the two of them felt it was worth it just to have their time alone.
'Unmarried with two children?' Mulder clicked his tongue at her. 'Not very Catholic of you.'
She turned to smile up into his eyes. 'We were waiting for you.'
Mulder had raised his eyebrows. 'I hope my brother gave you a decent proposal. I'll beat his ass for you if he didn't.'
Scully laughed, then proceeded to tell him about it.
She had been pregnant and complaining, talking about how their kids were going to grow up running all over the world. She said that they had done things backwards. She'd been pregnant with his kid, then they'd become friends, then they moved in together, and eventually, fallen in love. She told him that she wished things were just a little more normal.
Krycek flipped veggies on the grill. 'You wanna get married?'
'To who?' Scully asked, looking up at him innocently.
'Marilyn Manson, smartass.' He said. 'Who do you think?'
'I don't know, Alex.' She shook her head. 'What do I get out of it.'
'Lifetime surfing lessons.'
She thought, then wrinkled her nose. 'No. That just ain't working. Throw in dinner every night of the week and maybe we can talk.'
'I'm not cooking every night of the week.'
'But you're so much better at it than I am.' She whined.
'Twice a week.'
'Four times.'
He looked at her. 'Three times.'
'Deal.' She said, then laughed in his face. 'That's the way you're going to propose to me?'
'If you want the whole traditional thing you're looking in the wrong place.' He said. 'I don't get on my knees for anyone.'
'That's not what Skinner told me.'
His mouth dropped open. He was speechless.
'WooHoo!' Scully threw her hands up in the air. 'I finally win!'
'Hope it was worth it.' He replied. 'Cause there ain't no way in hell you're getting a diamond now.'
'You ready to do this?' Krycek asked Mulder, looking him in the eyes.
Mulder turned to look at an approaching wave. He knew Krycek was using the surfing as a metaphor. What he really wanted to know is if he was ready to come join in their lives, ready to be family.
Life just never turns out the way you think it will.
'Yeah.' Mulder said. 'I'm ready.'
*************************
The next December…
Krycek wound through the streets of Sydney, driving like a madman.
'Alex, you're going to make me puke.' Mulder held onto the dashboard and closed his eyes as Krycek turned a corner too fast and squeezed in between two cars. 'Forget the puke, you're going to kill me.'
'Listen to some Pink Floyd and relax.' Krycek responded, running a traffic light and turning up the stereo.
'…Where were you when I was burned and broken…While the days slipped by from my window watching…'
It had been just over a year since Mulder, Marie and Koskie had joined them in Australia. It had all began with Mulder deciding, sitting on a surfboard in the Pacific Ocean, that he was going to go with them.
It's over. Mulder had thought to himself once he realized he would probably not be going back to the US for a long time. It's over, the end.
'Not the end, Fox.' Krycek said to his brother. He smiled, thinking of what Scully had said back in Seattle, just before they'd found footing in their relationship. 'The beginning.'
'Is that the maudlin alarm I hear?' Mulder grinned at him and Krycek burst out laughing.
'Whatever.' The younger brother said, beginning to paddle with the wave. 'You better get a move on or you'll be shark bait out here all alone.'
That was the only wave Mulder had ever managed to ride all the way in.
'…Where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless… Because the things you say and the things you do surround me…'
Life had become surreal for Krycek. It felt like he was living in a dream most of the time.
They lived in a suburb of Sydney, in a community called, oddly enough, Newport. He and Scully had chosen to reside there because it was so much like the other Newport Beach. They lived in a home on Bungan Head, not too far away from where Maggie lived in Mona Vale. None of them lived far from each other, but Mulder kept threatening to banish Koskie to the other side of the city, just to keep the two of them and their shenanigans far away from each other. Krycek and Koskie spent a lot of time together, surfing at Palm Beach. Mulder tried every now and then, but Krycek knew he only did it to make him happy.
'…While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words…Dying to believe in what you heard…I was staring straight into the shining sun…'
It was comical, Krycek thought, how much his life had changed. No more wandering alone through some African forest. No more wondering if he was going to live through the night when he was stranded up in some freezing mountain. No more sitting through long meetings and having to listen to everyone think about ways to deceive everyone else.
'…Lost in thought and lost in time…While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted…Outside the rain fell dark and slow…While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible past time…'
Krycek threw the car into park, and looked over at Mulder. 'You okay?'
Mulder nodded and opened his car door. He hesitated and looked at his brother. The lyrics of the song had hit too close to home and had affected him.
'What's wrong, Fox?'
'…I took a heavenly ride through our silence…I knew the moment had arrived…For killing the past and coming back to life…'
'I don't think I've ever told you.' Mulder stared back at him for a moment. 'I'm glad we're finally brothers.'
Krycek was surprised, but managed a grin. 'We've always been brother's, Fox. In ways more important than blood.'
'…I took a heavenly ride through our silence…I knew the waiting had begun…And headed straight . . . into the shining sun…'
'Go.' Krycek gave him a shove out the door. 'They're going to kill both of us.'
*************************
Krycek came back from the cafeteria with coffee and looked around. 'Where are the kids?'
'They went out to look for Steven.' Maggie said. 'I guess he's panicking and lost in the hospital somewhere. And I spoke with Melvin, they're picking up John and coming here.'
'I guess the kids found Mr. Graceful.' Skinner said.
One look at Koskie and Krycek burst into laughter. 'What the hell happened to you?'
'He was running towards the doors and fell in the water fountain.' Cade said,
'Am I too late?' Koskie asked, eyes wide. 'I'm not too late am I? Damn tore back streets.'
'Well, I can only take two at a time.'
They all turned at the sound of Dana's voice. She put a hand on Krycek's arm and looked between him and Koskie. 'You guys ready to meet your nephew?'
Once inside their room, Mulder held a screaming baby out towards his brother. 'You're an Uncle.'
Krycek smiled as the little boy in his arms began to calm down. 'He likes me better.'
'No, he's just amazed at how you can be related to someone as good looking as I am.' Mulder said, standing next to him.
'Thank God he's got your looks, Marie.' Koskie said loudly.
The baby immediately began to scream again and they all laughed.
'Little guy learns quick.' Scully said. 'He's already afraid of Uncle Steven like the rest of us.'
Krycek smiled down at her. He had friends, he had family, and there was a brand new addition to the gang. Life couldn't get much better. 'How is it that I got so lucky?' He asked softly.
Scully grinned at him in return. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. 'I think you were engineered that way.'
'What's his name?' Koskie asked. 'Did you ever decide?'
Mulder smiled and sat down on the bed next to Marie. He took her hand. 'We named him after the person who saved my life, who made me get off my ass and get a life. The person whom without, I don't believe I'd be here today.'
Krycek met Mulder's eyes. He already knew. Somehow, he just knew
Mulder returned his brother's stare. He thought about how Krycek had saved his life.
You know who you remind me of?
Our father.
He thought about how he had shunned Krycek when they'd first met. He recalled how he had reacted when he'd first found out they were brothers, when he found out that Cade wasn't his. He remembered how much he'd hated Krycek, how he had wanted nothing more than for Krycek to die.
If someone had told Mulder back then that he'd end up in Australia, living down the street from his brother and his best friend Scully, who had two children of their own, he would have checked himself into a mental institution.
Damn, he was happy that life never quite turns out the way you think it will.
The only thing Krycek had wanted back then was to be accepted. Mulder only wished that he had accepted him a lot sooner. But he had no way of knowing what he had been missing out on. He was just thankful that he had come to his senses and fallen in love with life…With his friends and family…He finally had a family. So did his brother. And Scully, Skinner…All of them. They all did.
They were all one big, happy family.
'Jeez, bro.' Krycek's voice interrupted him. 'Who's setting off the maudlin alarm now?'
Mulder smiled at him and his brother grinned back. A peaceful feeling passed between them.
Krycek smiled down at his nephew and spoke softly but with great gratitude.
'Hey Alex.'
The End
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