TITLE: I Heard the Roar of Thunder

NAME: frogdoggie

E-MAIL: frogdoggie@zdnetonebox.com

CATEGORY: SRA, M/SK/SC. Warning - graphic 
sexual content of a threesome nature. Implied Slash.

RATING: NC-17

SUMMARY: Requiem happened, but after that 
things took a slightly different turn. Mulder, Scully 
and Skinner explore extreme
possibilities...together. Want to read more of my fic? 
Then surf here: http://www.squidge.org/3wstop

FEEDBACK - YES PLEASE, AND THANK YOU 
SIR, CAN I HAVE ANOTHER? Comments, 
suggestions and healthy debate
are always welcome. Flames? They only serve to 
warm me, body and soul.

ARCHIVE: Sure. Anywhere - as long as my name 
and e-mail addy stay on it.

TIMESPAN/SPOILER WARNING. Post-
colonization, I guess. Everything up to and including 
Requiem. This is a Doggett free
universe.

KEYWORDS: story romance angst Mulder Scully 
Skinner NC-17

DISCLAIMER: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter 
Skinner and all other X-Files characters belong to 
Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen
Productions and 20th Century FOX Broadcasting. 
No copyright infringement is intended and no profit 
is being made from their
use.

Author's note: This story is kind a of hybrid in that 
it's an entry in two "I Want to Believe" list 
challenges. To find out what the
two challenges were, see my additional notes at the 
end. Once again, thanks to my fellow Believers for 
the inspiration.

Many thanks to Susan for her incomparable beta and 
Truthygirl for invaluable suggestions.

I Heard the Roar of Thunder

by frogdoggie

Past imperfect...

The darkest darkness alternating with the brightest, 
blinding light. Pain, upon pain, upon pain and 
then...blessed oblivion.

I floated for a long time. Unable to communicate, 
comatose, my thoughts a crazy quilt of disjointed 
impressions...like someone
skipped a rock across the pool of my memory 
forming disconnected ripples across my 
consciousness.

I heard the roar of thunder. Felt heat. The air moved 
and it was like the Archangel Gabriel's trumpet 
sounded and God walked
over the world...

I thought I heard God...and he had the voice of John 
Byers. He spoke and he said...

"Is he still alive?"

And then God had the voice of Alex Krycek 
answering.

"Oh yeah, he's alive. Talk about if looks could kill. 
Mulder...if you can hear me as well as you can see 
me...it wasn't my fucking
fault. Now, we're here to get you out. Hang on."

I remember...a whoosh of...fire...smelled...heard.

"Shit, that was one hell of an explosion, Frohike."

"Oh yeah, that flamethrower Skinner's using is one 
mean son of a bitch."

"Mulder's going under again. Let's get him the hell 
out of here." 

"Krycek!"

"Here, Skinner!"

"Jesus...is he alive?"

"Yeah, he's alive. Barely. Come on, help me."

"Mulder...don't you die on us...you understand? 
That's an order, Agent."

And I thought...Skinner is God...Skinner...Skinner, 
where's Scully?

xXx

Later I remember...Skinner, coldcocking Krycek so 
hard the blow knocked the bastard flat on his back.

"*Now* we're even," Skinner saying in that 
rumbling voice of his. 

Krycek laughing despite the pain. Skinner offering 
him his hand, and Krycek clasping it, pulling himself 
up.

Did I see or merely sense the handshake of a wary 
truce? At the time I had no idea and my thoughts 
spiraled away until I heard
the sound of an engine...

Jet engine. Plane taking me somewhere and I 
couldn't get that blasted song by...by Peter, Paul and 
Mary out of my head. Damn it
to hell I was going on a plane somewhere and all I 
could think of was...1960s...song lyrics. 'I'm 
leavin' on a jet plane. I don't
know when I'll be back again. Oh, babe, I hate to 
go'. Hate to go? Somehow I didn't think so. But 
going from where to where? I
just couldn't put my finger on it.

Someone...Skinner saying, "He's still out."

"Yeah, but his eyes are moving under his eyelids, 
man. He's doing the REM sleep boogie, big guy. Oh 
hell...give Byers the barf
bag." 

"I don't think he's asleep, Langly, I think he's 
unconscious." 

"Then how come his eyes are moving around under 
there? That's more indicative of REM sleep 
dreaming."

"I'm not a doctor. I have no idea."

"Maybe it's something they did to him."

"Langly...where's Krycek?"

"He's up with the pilot. They've got Scully on the 
radio. Man, Byers...not on my boots."

"I'm going forward, you and Frohike make sure 
Mulder stays secure. Frohike...you said you know 
how to change the IV and cath
bag?"

"Got it covered, G-man. I'll check on the boy again 
too. Byers, you with us?"

"Yes, sorry, guys. I just don't do well on airplanes."

"There's some Dramamine in my duffel bag, John. 
Take it. No sense in suffering."

"Thank you, Mr. Skinner."

"You think Mulder'll come out of it, Frohike?"

"I hope to hell he does, Ringo. I really hope he 
does."

I remember at the time that all I really cared about in 
overhearing this conversation was the name 'Scully' 
and the prospect that
I'd be with her soon.

xXx

It's dark in your mind...time passes and you don't 
know if it's night or day 
or...spring...summer...fall...winter...or who's there 
or
who's not...and then I heard the voice of a boy...in 
the darkness of my mind.

/Mr. Mulder?/

/Who?/

/Do you remember the ship? Do you remember me 
on the ship?/

/I...remember...yes...you...you're Gibson...Gibson 
Praise?/

/Yes./

/I remember thinking...you'd grown./

/I'm older...so are you./

/How much older?/

/I'm not sure. I don't think very much older. And I 
can still talk like this./

/We both can./

/Yes, just like on the ship. But I still can't wake up. 
Can you?/ 

/No. Gibson...where are you?/

/On the plane with you. I...I guess we have to wait a 
little longer before we can wake up./

/Wait...wait for what?/

/Until it lets us go./

xXx

You remind me of the babe.
What babe?
The babe with the power?
What power?
The power of Voodoo.
Who do?
You do.
Do what?
Remind me of the babe.

I heard Gibson's voice one moment and in some 
glam-rock inspired hallucination, David Bowie's 
from that film Labyrinth the
next, and then I suddenly felt...clean sheets. Warm 
sun on my face and the smell of perfume overlaying 
antiseptic. Scully...and a
hospital. Where?

"Mulder? I don't know if you can hear me or not, but 
you're in DC and you're safe. We've run a battery of 
tests. So far, under the
circumstances, you're doing well. You have some 
injuries that looked worse than they actually 
are...nothing life threatening. For
what it's worth, we found evidence they removed all 
the chips. You were somewhat dehydrated but we've 
got you hydrated again.
I just...damn it...I just can't figure out why..."

"How's he doing?"

"He's the same. This is as frustrating as hell. All the 
tests, including the EEG were normal."

"Scully...we don't know what they did to him."

"The tests should show something. Even when he 
was suffering from his earlier brain anomalies the 
EEG showed up as
abnormal. I can't get a handle on why he's in this 
coma."

"God, Dana...if only...if only I could take back what 
happened to him..."

"You...you can't go on blaming yourself. It's not 
your fault they 

took him; not my fault, not his fault...it's no one's 
fault."

"I understand...but it's still not easy for me. You 
know that." 

"I know. All right, look. When the tests are done we 
need to talk about where we'll take him. I don't...I 
don't want to leave him
here. I don't want him in this place."

"Agreed. Let me see what I can come up with in that 
regard. I have some ideas...I just need to call in a 
few favors."

"Thank you...Walter."

"Listen...it's the least I can do. Hang in there. I'll be 
back as soon as I can."

I heard a woman holding back tears as she whispered 
words. "We'll solve this, Mulder," she said...and 
then the tears broke
through and I knew again it was Scully. "I love you, 
we'll fight this," she declared with vehemence.

I love you too, Scully, I thought...and damn 
it...when 'it lets me go' I'll say it too.

xXx

I heard a baby crying. High pitched bird-like sounds 
that faded to the mumbling of voices I couldn't quite 
make out. I think I
opened my eyes and saw it was night...I wasn't 
sure.

Later on I felt something in my head...I came close 
to laughing maniacally...if I'd been capable yet of 
vocalizing that night.
Voodoo, I thought...the "IT"...whatever 'IT' was 
Gibson spoke about was in there...and it hadn't let 
me go yet. A tiny tendril...a
thread of the power I sensed in my mind snaked out 
and I promptly felt the mind of someone nearby. 
Joyously primitive thoughts
so alive...hearing, seeing, learning from his 
environment. His diaper had been wet but he was 
dry, content and asleep now. He
dreamed of a big man with kind, brown eyes and 
large, gentle hands. For some reason 'IT' pulled 
away as if not quite interested,
and cast about again... listening...seeking...

I heard the sound of sex. Two people making love. 
The man was rutting hard, his thoughts a jumbled 
confusion of a selfless wish
to please his partner, guilt and blissful satisfaction. 
The woman was in the throes of climax, a cry of 
passion issuing from her lips
and I was distracted from her thoughts only tasting a 
trace of regret that quickly spiraled away in the heat 
of fulfillment, respect
and love. I told myself I'd know that voice anywhere 
as she cried out incoherently. Scully. And I couldn't 
help it...the power
surged forward and I felt...Skinner's orgasm build 
and roil up, exploding through him, his body 
convulsing as he bit back his
moans, mind screaming in utter joy...he...he 
loves.... he loves her...I could feel it...Skinner was 
in love with Scully...and she
loves him too...I felt his ecstasy and hers as 
well...compounding in electric feedback...and then 
thousands upon thousands of
short, sharp shocks in my 
head...short...sharp...short...circuit...and...I 
passed out. It was the last time I ever sensed 
anything that
way again.

xXx

When I woke up it was to the smell of something 
salty, a soft, muted light and the touch of two large, 
but gentle hands bathing
me in a tub of warm, soapy water.

"Son of a bitch," Skinner exclaimed in shock and 
pleasure. "Scully!" he yelled.

I thought the smell of salt was from her thankful, 
elated tears. 

xXx

"How long?" I managed to croak out, through a 
throat unused to speaking.

Skinner supported me, holding my arm as I sat down 
on the edge of the bed in a bedroom with large 
windows that faced the
ocean. I could hear the surf and see the stars through 
the open curtains. I felt a warm summer breeze on 
my skin and didn't even
flinch at my nakedness. And yes, I thought...that 
ocean breeze is where the smell of salt had come 
from.

"Almost fourteen months," Scully told me, rubbing 
my shoulders with a big, soft, hunter green towel.

"We found you a little over two weeks ago," Skinner 
added. "You've been comatose since then. It's 
August 9, 2001."

"We've been doing physical therapy but if you feel a 
bit weak, don't be surprised," Scully warned as she 
rubbed my arms with the
towel to get my circulation going.

I tried to whistle in response but spat instead and 
Skinner chuckled through the tears he couldn't stop 
from trickling down his
face.

"Welcome back," he rumbled, patting me on the 
shoulder.

I smiled at him, still groggy, and then looked at 
Scully.

"I love you," I whispered, pinning her eyes.

"Oh, Mulder. I love you too," she said, hugging my 
shoulders through the towel. She sat down next to 
me and kissed me
carefully on the cheek. Her arm snaked around my 
waist and she hugged me tight. 

I rested my head on Scully's shoulder. Skinner 
shifted, hesitant, and then he sat down next to me on 
the bed. I felt his arm
tentatively drape over my shoulder.

"Thank you," I murmured, giving him a quick grin.

He nodded, his lips twitching a smile.

My leg snuggled into his jean-lad thigh. It felt good 
to be between them both. Comforting, and natural 
and good. We sat there,
silent, just breathing together, touching...until I 
looked up. There was a mirror above the dresser 
across the room.

Is that me, I thought in dismay, knowing full well it 
was. I stared slack-jawed at the bleary eyed, wild-
haired, skinny scarecrow
sitting between Scully's petite form and Skinner's 
muscular bulk. At least I'm clean and shaved, I 
thought closing my mouth. I
examined the unusual pattern of pale, round red scars 
running down both my cheeks. My eyes traveled to 
the thin, red scar over
my sternum as well. I ran my tongue over the roof of 
my mouth and I could feel a slight ridge there, 
tenderness. The pain when I
touched the spot caused me to remember some of 
what they did to me.

"I'm alive," was all I could say, and saying it I 
realized that no matter what had happened to me, that 
was the only important
thing. 

Scully squeezed me tight again and Skinner rubbed 
my bicep with his warm hand.

"And safe," he replied in a soft voice.

The next thing I knew they were helping me into 
bed.

"Get some sleep, Mulder. We have a lot to talk about 
in the morning," Skinner said, his voice a little 
hoarse with emotion.

"Talk...yes," I mumbled as Scully kissed my 
forehead and took her leave. We had a lot to talk 
about for sure.

xXx

The summer sun warmed my face but the sound of 
seagulls was what actually woke me the next day. I 
shifted and swiveled my
head toward the window. The curtains were open 
again; the window as well, and the warm breeze was 
wonderful on my naked
chest.

Scully sat in a chair by the window, highlighted by 
the sun. Her red hair glowed like burnished copper 
and my breath was almost
taken away by her beauty. Only almost however, 
because the little owner of that inquisitive mind I'd 
touched sometime earlier
quickly distracted me. The owner was the baby 
suckling eagerly, its small fingers kneading at 
Scully's exposed breast.

"Mulder...this is your son," Scully whispered, her 
eyes moist with tears again.

I stared, wide-eyed for a moment as Scully waited, 
her face full of hope. Then I cleared my throat, 
smiled, and managed to reply.

"He's got my appetite," I said, and Scully laughed.

"He does. And I think he has your nose too," she 
replied, gazing with love down into the baby's face.

"God...I hope he outgrows that...or at least into it."

She looked up at my remark, shook her head with 
good-humored exasperation and then we stared at 
each other in silence for a
moment. I'm a father, I thought. A father. A mixture 
of wonder, fear and unbridled euphoria coursed 
through my whole body,
one demanding precedence over the others. Euphoria 
won out and happiness filled my heart...despite my 
fears of ever being a
decent parent.

I smiled. I smiled wide in satisfaction but also from 
amusement because I could see my thoughts 
mirrored in Scully's face. She's
as scared as I am, I thought...at the prospect of 
motherhood...but equally as joyous.

"He's what...four months old?" I queried, clearing 
my throat a little.

He looked so small...but sturdy...his arms appeared 
strong and his legs the same. He had some downy, 
auburn hair and I noticed a
tiny birthmark on his right leg just below his diaper 
line. A little brown, star-like shape. I contemplated 
the appropriateness of
that mark as Scully answered me.

"Yes. And he's the reason Skinner categorically 
refused to let me go to Tunisia to help rescue you."

Tunisia barely registered with me as my mind 
grasped the concept that Scully and I had made a 
baby; she'd gone through the
pregnancy without me and given birth without me. 
She'd had to face it all without my support...and I'd 
missed those experiences
of first time fatherhood. I hardly knew what to say, 
so I just ventured the first thing that entered my head.

"I almost asked how," I replied with a self-
deprecating shake of my head. "But I guess the 
'how' of his conception is pretty
obvious," I added, chuckling. She chuckled too.

"Yes, we pretty much estimated his conception as 
occurring on that first night you and I were together 
as a matter-of-fact. I had
no idea I was fertile again when we made love. We 
still don't know what happened to restore my 
fertility...although we certainly
have theories."

I could think of several and I supposed we'd discuss 
them all later. I just nodded and watched my son for 
a minute as he nursed.
Finally I blinked and spoke again.

"What's his name, Scully?"

"Charles...Charlie. I hope that's all right...I had to 
name him something because I had him baptized, 
so...it's Charles Patrick
Mulder."

"Not Fox, Jr.? I'm *so* disappointed," I 
interrupted, giving her a wry grin.

She gave me a patented, world-weary Scully look.

"No...I had a feeling that would be a bad idea," she 
replied, watching my eyes as if she was still unsure 
my grin meant I didn't
object to anything.

"Charlie's fine. I like the whole name, the baptism, 
everything...really," I reassured her with a softer 
smile.

"Ok, um...good," she replied with a small nod. 
"Oh...and my...my mother picked Patrick. She 
remembered you saying once that
you had a favorite Uncle Pat who passed away when 
you were young...and of course for St. Patrick...." 
Scully's voice trailed off,
but the relief that I didn't object to the chosen name 
was palpable in it before it did.

"Can I hold him?" I asked. "As soon as he's finished 
of course." 

As if he understood what I said, Scully's nipple 
popped out of Charlie's mouth and he turned his 
head my way.

"I guess that would be now," Scully observed, 
gently moving the baby away from her chest. She 
pulled her T-shirt down and
cradled Charlie in her arms.

I levered up, still a little weak, as Scully rose from 
the chair and approached the bed.

"You'll need to burp him," she advised an amused 
smile on her lips.

"Ah...my first test of fatherhood," I murmured as 
she handed me my son. "Hey, Charlie," I said into 
his round little face. "You
wanna puke some milk up on your old dad?"

Charlie gave me a gassy grin and a bubble squeezed 
from between his lips and burst while Scully snorted 
her laughter.

"Here, you'll want this," she remarked, placing the 
towel that had been on her shoulder over mine.

"Let's see...I think I remember how this works," I 
remarked, a sweet if poignant memory of my mother 
placing Sam over her
shoulder coming to mind.

As I got young Charlie settled on my shoulder and 
rubbed his back, Scully watched us and I saw a 
question in her eyes.

"Mulder...are you really ok with this?" she asked, 
her voice a whisper.

And with her words I knew I was...I was more ok 
with it than I'd been with almost anything else in my 
life.

"Yeah, I am," I told her. "I really am."

Scully's smile was radiant then, one of those stellar 
smiles she very seldom shared, but which I saw that 
first time we made love.
She smiled more than once that night, it lit up her 
whole face, and I went to sleep with that smile in my 
mind's eye as she lay
sleeping beside me.

She came over and sat down on the bed next to my 
leg. Charlie gave a small burp and I continued to pat 
him. Scully gave my leg
a squeeze.

"I'll try to be a good father," I assured her, then I 
shook my head a little in bemusement. "But I have to 
tell you...this is
so...new."

"I know. We'll both muddle through, Mulder. This 
is very new for me too."

"There's bound to be a learning curve," I replied, 
smiling a little.

"That's what Skinner said, actually," Scully replied, 
glancing at me.

"Where *is* Skinner?" I asked.

"Good morning."

Right on cue I thought, as Scully and I both looked 
toward the open bedroom door.

Skinner was standing barefoot, his muscular chest 
naked, a pair of tight jeans clinging to his legs and 
his T-shirt in hand.

"Hey," I said with a shy smile.

Skinner took in the scene and smiled shyly back.

"I see you met your son."

And also right on cue, Charlie let out a burp that 
could have been made by an adult male of at least 
Skinner's size, and promptly
spit breast milk down my back. All of us stared at 
each other for a second and then we burst out 
laughing.

"He's a chip off the old block, all right," I coughed, 
pulling Charlie back from the soggy towel. I held 
him nose to nose and
looked into his blue eyes. "I bet that feels better, 
doesn't it?"

Charlie smiled as a little milky drool ran down his 
chin and Scully scooted forward to take him from 
me, a grin playing about her
lips.

"Here, hand me the towel," she suggested, taking 
Charlie and placing him in her lap.

Skinner stood in the doorway watching, his posture 
indicative of someone who suddenly thinks they're 
intruding.

"I took a run on the beach and then I showered," he 
offered. "Uh...we're in Maine, Mulder. Crossroads, 
Maine. This is my sister
and brother-in-law's summer home. They loaned it 
to us because they're in Europe for a year," he added 
as I handed Scully the
folded towel and she blotted Charlie's mouth.

"We...we wanted to bring you someplace bright and 
warm and...well...someplace with fresh air where it 
was peaceful. We
thought it might help you to wake up," she 
interjected.

"Or at least make it pleasant for you when you did," 
Skinner finished, shifting his weight in the doorway.

"I take it you both took a leave of absence?" I 
queried, looking from Skinner to Scully.

"Yes," Scully answered, cradling Charlie, who 
seemed content to take in the conversation now that 
he was well fed and
de-gassed.

"Yeah. Six months each. Look...why don't I go start 
breakfast and we can talk about all this over it?" 
Skinner suggested, pulling
his T-shirt on over his head. Scully looked at me and 
I nodded in affirmation.

"Sure. I'd like to shower and then I'll be down."

"Do you think you can manage by yourself?" Scully 
asked, her brow furrowing a little.

I flexed my arms and naked legs under the 
bedding...and smiled. 

"Yeah, I think I can," I confirmed, pushing the 
covers back a little. And I wanted to. I needed just a 
few minutes of privacy to
process what had transpired in the last few...what 
seemed like lifetimes.

Scully's gaze turned to Skinner.

"Then I'll give you a hand," she said.

Skinner's face grew soft for a second when he 
looked at Scully. When his gaze refocused on me, 
he'd hidden his regard for her
before he answered.

"How does bacon and eggs sound?"

"I think that sounds like something that can put some 
weight back on my bones. Yeah, that'd be good," I 
replied with a grin.
Scully rose from the side of the bed, Charlie held 
close to her breast and the soiled towel in her other 
hand.

"Great. See you shortly, Mulder," Skinner said.

"I'll put on some coffee too," Scully added, giving 
me a last smile.

I nodded and as they left the room with Charlie in 
Scully's arms. I contemplated just how I was going 
to clue them in on the fact
I knew they were lovers, how I knew, and that oddly 
enough...I was beginning to realize I wasn't 
bothered by the notion they
were lovers at all.

Oh yeah, we have a LOT to talk about, I told myself 
again.

And talk we did.

@@@

Present intense...

"Mulder?"

"Hmm?"

"Penny for your thoughts."

"I'm sorry, Scully. I was just thinking about...love, 
amongst other things."

"Love?"

"Yeah, how love works in mysterious ways."

Scully gives me a playful raised eyebrow from her 
position in front of the communal laptop.

"Oh?"

"Well...yeah," I chuckle, warming to the subject and 
to her gaze as she studies me. "The more I think 
about it, I could argue that
love somehow saved the world from alien invasion."

Scully gives me an indulgent smile.

"I have to hear this," she says, pulling away from the 
laptop and resting her back against the throw pillows 
piled behind her.

I shift on the couch and return her smile.

"I'll be happy to elucidate," I reply. "It's my theory 
that Krycek's love for Marita somehow caused him 
to have an epiphany and
go before that congressional committee to expose the 
whole colonization effort."

"And I suppose love also had him persuade the other 
members of the resistance, including the Jeremiah 
Smiths, to create the
vaccine that's protecting us...and later the toxin that 
killed the grays?" Scully answers, crossing her arms 
over her breasts.

I give her that kicked puppy look I know drives her 
nuts.

"Well...of course I know you had something to do 
with the vaccine and toxin. I would never discount 
your contributions in any
of this." 

She chuckles.

"I know...I'm just 'yanking your chain'...as you're 
fond of saying."

The wry look I shoot her makes her shake her head 
again in amusement.

"Regardless...you can't deny that Krycek certainly 
had a change of heart...and it was probably a result 
of Cupid's arrow in said
organ," I continue.

"Oh, so now we're dragging in mythological entities 
as well as aliens," Scully teases, giving me another 
raised eyebrow.

I give her a mock peeved look and she offers up a 
very false, exaggerated sigh.

"All right, I'll concede that Krycek certainly loves 
Marita. I'll allow that maybe that influenced him 
somewhat. But you'll have to
admit that Skinner had something to do with 
persuading him as well...and certainly Skinner's 
participation in the congressional
investigation helped in the long run too. And 
Mulder...you can't discount your own efforts."

"Agreed...he says modestly...and you shouldn't 
discount yours either."

"And I thank you, she says graciously."

A bemused smile traces Scully's lips but when it 
disappears she clears her throat.

"Speaking of Krycek..."

My brow furrows a little. Krycek. After all he's 
done...helping to haul my ass out of Tunisia, helping 
to save the world,
deactivating Skinner's nanocytes and forming a truce 
with him after years of animosity...hell...even 
working to make amends
with Scully...I still can't talk to Alex. Our issues run 
deep and I just haven't been ready.

"Mulder...he did send you that e-mail. He's in 
Moscow with Marita and he's willing to talk when 
you're ready. I think you have
to talk to him eventually."

I sigh and squeeze the bridge of my nose.

"Yeah, I know. We both should be in dialogue with 
him." I'm beginning to resign myself to the 
inevitable. "Ok...I'll e-mail
him...tomorrow. I guess...I guess I shouldn't put 
off talking to him any longer. I'll extend the olive 
branch."

Scully makes a satisfied nod.

"So...Krycek and Marita qualify as love working in 
mysterious ways," she replies, getting the 
conversation back on a more
pleasant track.

"Right. That's one example." I sit up straighter on 
the couch and rub my hands together.

"You have more?"

Scully uncrosses her arms and taps a few keys, 
logging off the Internet as I answer.

"Sure," I say, holding up two fingers. "Way number 
two. Melvin Frohike's a husband and father."

Scully snorts a breath of laughter.

"Yes, that would qualify as most mysterious. You 
have me there." 

"Yeah, a year ago you'd never have expected him to 
marry the doctor that treated Gibson and then adopt 
the kid, now would
you?" 

"A petite, red-headed doctor," Scully chuckles, 
shaking her head. 

"Well...ok...maybe love isn't quite that mysterious. 
But the rest?"

Scully grows a little pensive.

"I'm glad Doctor Carter was able to shut Gibson's 
alien DNA off. He has to be a lot happier with a quiet 
mind. But I'm sorry
about his parents. I wish they'd lived to testify 
before the committee too." 

I give her an understanding nod.

"I regret that too. But I think the kid's going to do 
ok. The Lone Gunmen are still going strong, and 
with Gibson's IQ I'm sure
Langly and Byers will be happy with a fourth 
member," I answer quietly.

Scully smiles again and nods. "I'm sure they will."

We stare at each other in silence for a few moments 
and I meditate on just how much I love the woman 
sitting in front of me.
There wasn't anything mysterious about it 
really...maybe stupidly hesitant and nervously 
bumbling over the years but nothing
mysterious. I know I'm lucky in love. I'm privileged 
indeed to be by Scully's side, to have her and our 
son to cherish. And she's
so beautiful, I think as the warmth of sexual desire 
for her spreads from between my legs through the 
rest of my body. I pull my
legs together a little as I feel my cock stir. Scully 
clears her throat.

"So...you were saying..."

"Yes...more mysterious ways. Well...I saved one of 
the best for last really. Love brought us Charlie. I'll 
qualify it as a mysterious
way because we'll never really know how your 
fertility was restored even though you and I and 
Skinner have discussed and
debated the possible reasons. But our love brought 
us a son...and I'd like to think of it as a beautiful 
mystery more than anything
else I guess." 

Scully looks down; suddenly shy...I see a glint of 
moisture under her eyelashes as she takes a deep 
breath.

"Some people would call it a miracle," she whispers, 
exhaling. 

I smile at her bowed head.

"Yeah, I could call it that too," I whisper back.

She looks up and the tears are threatening to brim up 
in her eyes but I know they won't fall. She's 
smiling, and then she laughs.

"I'll get you into church yet, Fox Mulder."

I grin. She may get me there eventually at that; I 
muse as I run a hand through my hair.

"Not if you use the 'F' word," I tease her.

She gives me a half-hearted exasperated gesture and 
we both laugh for several moments. Finally our 
laughter subsides and Scully
shuts down the laptop.

"We could almost use a fire tonight," she remarks, 
telling me any discussion of church and/or possible 
marriage isn't that
important to her at the moment. In truth, it's not a 
pressing life decision for either one of us. We have 
time...all the time in the
world now to get there when we're both ready.

We *could* use a fire, I think. It's October after all, 
nearly Halloween, and this year nights in 
Georgetown are getting a little
nippy now.

"Yeah, why don't I make one?" I suggest, tipping 
my chin toward the fireplace.

I'm glad we bought this townhouse with the fireplace 
on nights like this one. It's really a nice feature and it 
was one thing that
made the hefty mortgage a little less of a sticker 
shock.

"All right. I'm going to go make sure Walter's got 
Charlie well in hand. I'll be back down in a minute."

"No need," Walter's bass rumble comes from the 
living room doorway. Scully's head turns to take 
him in and mine does as well.
"He's bathed, in his pajamas, been told a story, and 
now he's in his crib and out like a light," Skinner 
adds with a slight smile.
"You know...we're going to have to talk about a 'big 
kid' bed for him sooner rather than later I bet. It 
seems like he's bigger
every time I see him."

"Oh...I missed the story," Scully replies, her frown 
showing that she's a bit guilty.

"Well I explained to him that Mom needed a little 
time with Dad so he settled down. He's pretty 
perceptive for a two year old."

"Besides, Uncle Walter enjoys doing all those voices 
but he'd die of embarrassment if anyone besides 
Charlie heard him," I
interject, smirking.

Skinner gives me a really withering look. But he 
can't quite pull it off and ends up chuckling.

"Yeah, busted I guess."

"He is growing fast, I guess he's going to have 
Mulder's height," Scully muses as Skinner enters the 
room and shuts the sliding
doors behind him.

He saunters over. His muscular jean clad legs carry 
him to stand in back of the easy chair by the 
fireplace. "We could use a fire,"
he remarks, pushing the sleeves of his black Henley 
up his corded forearms.

"Mulder was just suggesting it," Scully volunteers, 
smoothing down the material of her sweat pants. 
"Right after our discussion
about love working in mysterious ways," she adds, a 
Mona Lisa smile on her lips.

Skinner's ears actually turn red at her words and I 
have to clamp down my jaw hard to keep from 
bursting out in laughter.

When I said I'd saved one of the best ways love 
works in mysterious ways for last when discussing 
Charlie's birth earlier, I was
certainly thinking of the other best way that stands 
before us now.

Yes, Skinner was the remaining example of love 
working in mysterious ways, and I think he still has 
some trouble coping with
the fact that he's with us both now, no matter how 
much he enjoys the relationship.

After all the years of guilt, self-hate, and self-
recrimination, I suppose it was difficult for him to 
realize he could be loved and
accepted by us. I know it was difficult for him to 
become Scully's lover. It wasn't something that had 
been easy for Scully either.
The fact they admitted they loved each other too must 
have been an added shock as well. However, they 
entered into the affair
quite frankly out of shared grief from losing me, and 
the desperate loneliness of two people trying to 
support each other while
they bucked the system in order to bring me back 
again.

But if Skinner's obvious contentment in our 
company is any evidence, I know it was liberating 
for him to finally admit that he
did the best he could over the years, and he did it 
primarily because he loved us both. His idea that he 
betrayed my trust by
bedding the woman carrying my child was mitigated 
eventually by the fact that in the end I was just 
hedonistic enough to
share...and so was Scully. 

I'd known he was in love with Scully the night I 
sensed it of course. But his love for me was 
something he'd kept hidden in the
deepest recesses of his soul. Even the times I was in 
his mind, I never saw that hidden place where he 
kept that feeling under
wraps. It took a lot of trust for him to finally admit it 
openly. I know he did it out of respect for Scully and 
me, and also a
healthy dose of lust which I came to find out I didn't 
mind any more than I minded the idea he loved 
Scully as well.

I don't know, maybe I did sense something of his 
thoughts in regards to his sexual desire for me. 
Maybe it was gaydar more than
anything...or more accurately, bi-dar. It's not like I 
hadn't had men before. I could have picked up on the 
vibe.

At any rate, I'm glad he's with Scully and me, in 
mind, body and soul now. He treats Charlie like his 
own son. He was there at
his birth after all, and helped take care of him for the 
first four months of his life too so I know he loves 
the kid. And to top it all
off, he helped bring my son's dad back to him too, 
of course.

So, even if Walter does still show some bewildered 
embarrassment over the current state of affairs, he's 
with the program. Scully
and I couldn't be happier with him, red ears and all.

"Uh...yeah...I can see where love working in 
mysterious ways is definitely true," he chuckles, 
running a hand over the back of his
neck.

I finally can't hold it back any longer and burst out 
with an explosive guffaw.

My uncontrolled chortling causes Scully to join in.

"Oh fuck you," Skinner growls, shaking his head in 
good humor at me.

"God, I hope you can stay on tonight and make that 
more than just a pissy remark," I tease, sitting up and 
flexing my arms a
little. 

I can see Skinner take in the movement of my lats 
and pecs under my gray sweater. A smile of obvious 
interest plays about his
lips. 

"Can you stay, Walter? It's Friday after all. Mulder's 
done grading theses and I've already prepared my 
test questions for
Monday's forensic exam. So we're free this 
weekend. You're welcome to stay. We'd appreciate 
it if you looked over the outline
for the manuscript anyway." Scully pulls herself out 
of her seated position in front of the laptop on the 
coffee table as she
addresses Skinner. She crosses to the easy chair, sits 
and shifts her upper body to look at him.

"I don't know why you just don't move in. You're 
here so much anyway. Besides, the book's your 
story too...it would make the
collaboration easier if you were living here," I 
interject as Skinner picks up a log and tosses it into 
the fireplace.

"Well, I kept the apartment in Crystal City because 
it's fairly close to the Hoover and convenient," he 
replies with a shrug. "You
know how it is...there's a lot to do as the new 
Deputy Director. I'm not getting any younger, 
Mulder. I don't fancy sleeping on
my office couch if I can avoid it."

"You're in pretty good shape for an old fart," I tease, 
giving him the once over as he straightens and dusts 
off his hands.

He chuckles.

"Yeah, well...I work at it. And for someone who hit 
the big 4-O not that long ago, you're not doing so 
badly yourself," he
retorts, giving me a knowing grin.

A smile flashes across Scully's lips and she looks 
down, trying not to break out in gales of laughter 
again.

"Ok, does this mutual admiration society mean 
you're staying on for the weekend or considering 
moving in permanently?" I ask,
standing up to get some tinder for the log Skinner 
placed in the grate.

"It means I'll stay the weekend. I'll give the other 
some thought. Maybe once I get into the swing of 
things in the new position at
the Bureau we'll see," he pronounces with a quick 
nod.

I cross to his side as Scully watches, a wider smile 
on her face. The tinder gets tossed into the grate. I 
pick up the matches from
the mantle and hand them to Skinner.

"Light my fire...sir," I deadpan.

"Oh blow me," he laughs and then he laughs even 
harder at his words.

"Mulder...you're seriously bent, you know that?"

Scully is shaking with silent laughter now, unable to 
even respond as Skinner and I stand face to face, 
grinning at just the sheer
pleasure of feeling comfortable enough to participate 
in good-natured banter with each other.

"Hey, you want a whiskey?" I finally ask.

"Yeah. Scully?"

"I think white wine for me," she manages to gasp 
out, her laughter finally subsiding.

"Ok, coming right up," I advise. Leaving Skinner, I 
walk to the nearby wet bar.

xXx

My gaze strays to the end table. I take in the 
remainder of the watered down whiskey that's in the 
bottom of my glass and I
think...it looks a little like the color of Scully's hair 
in the shadows and firelight that bathe the room. Or 
maybe the color of the
orgasmic flush on the top of her breasts. I look up at 
her, where she straddles my thighs...naked, her 
smooth, pale skin patterned
by light and shadow as well, her hands stroking my 
cock. I revel in her passionate grace for a few 
seconds. Yup...close to the
color of what's left of my smoky whisky on both 
counts...and she tastes just as good too, I think as I 
run my tongue over my lips
and savor the musky dampness from between her 
legs.

"What are you thinking?" she asks quietly, her 
breasts rising and falling enticingly as she speaks.

"He's not thinking," Skinner interjects with a 
chuckle from the fireplace where he kneels, stirring 
the embers.

My eyes track lazily over to him as he stands and 
places the poker back in its rack. I admire his tanned 
nakedness, the expanse of
his well-developed body in the firelight, the elegance 
of his heavy cock, erect between his muscular 
thighs.

"I have to admit, my mind's rapidly losing its 
coherency, yes," I reply, returning my attention to 
Scully with an appreciative grin.
"She has very talented hands."

"Yes, I do," she comments, smiling mischievously at 
me.

I grin as Skinner replies, his voice even more husky 
with passion. 

"Hands and mouth." He crosses back over to where 
I sit, naked, on the couch, my feet on the floor and 
lap full of Scully. Scully
arches her neck as Skinner nuzzles it, kissing and 
licking the sweat off. "And she tastes superb," he 
adds, snaking his hands
around to her breasts. Skinner kneads her nipples 
slowly in time with her hands moving up and down 
my erection. His cock
brushes the small of her back.

"Actually, I *was* thinking that," I reply.

"Speaking...speaking of losing coherency," Scully 
gasps, arching her spine as Skinner's mouth roams 
over her neck again.

"You want him?" he rumbles next to her ear. "You 
want us both?" 

"Yes," she replies, licking her lips. "I want you both 
in me." Skinner chuckles as Scully shudders under 
his hands sliding up and
down her torso. "As soon as possible," she amends 
with a gasping chuckle as well. All I can do is give 
Scully a grimace of
pleasure as Skinner leaves her and takes the short 
step to the table at the end of the couch. He retrieves 
two condoms, a towel and
the bottle of Astroglide and returns to us.

Scully receives one condom from his hand and she 
efficiently opens the packet, pulls my cock away 
from my stomach and suits
me up. Then she sits back, watching my hard-on 
bobbing between us.

"What are *you* thinking?" I ask her with a quick 
grin.

"I'm just admiring my handiwork," she teases, 
running her thumb over the swollen head of my 
erection.

I chuckle and then my attention is drawn to Skinner 
pumping his cock a couple of strokes before he rips 
his packet open and
works the latex down his length. The empty packets 
are discarded on the floor as Skinner's fingers move 
along his rigid flesh.

Man, that thing's some piece of work I think as I 
contemplate his hard-on. And he's skillful with it 
too, I muse, recalling more
than one occasion when he's reamed my ass in a way 
I would never have imagined when he was doing it 
verbally back at the
Hoover.

"Mulder?" he rumbles, glancing at me as he seats the 
condom's ring down near his balls.

"Yeah?" I pant, taking Scully's hips to steady her as 
she prepares to lever up over my cock.

"You ever regret not still having that talent? I mean 
the power to get in here," Skinner asks, pointing at 
his head. I stare up into
his deep, brown eyes so open without his glasses, so 
filled with love and desire.

"You mean now because it might add to the 
experience?"

"Yeah."

"No, not even at a time like this," I reply honestly. 
"There are some things I regret, and invading the 
privacy of your and Scully's
thoughts is one of them."

Skinner smiles at me and Scully does too.

"I love you," she whispers.

"I love you too," Skinner whispers as well.

My throat clogs with emotion and I have to clear it to 
answer. 

"I...I love you both," I reply quietly, admiring my 
partners in the flickering firelight.

We're silent for a moment, basking in that love for 
each other, and then

finally Scully rises up. It takes her a moment to 
balance and I assist her by holding her hips as she 
guides my cock to her vulva.
In a moment she's sliding slowly down me. I watch 
my cock disappear into her inch by inch and swallow 
hard at the exquisite
sensation.

"Oh, fuck...that's good," I gasp as she reaches my 
balls. My hands splay out over her hips. She tips 
forward, her hands on the
couch back, to kiss me hard on the lips.

I take her head in my hands and our tongues war, 
our mouths devouring each other. I taste the heady 
flavor of white wine, good
whiskey, Scully...and just a hint of Skinner's salty 
pre-cum on Scully's tongue. Scully moans, throaty 
and deep. As Skinner shifts
in behind her, we break our kiss and lie panting. 
He's backlit in the firelight, his face like a sculpture 
of cut rock, his shadow falls
across us both, a powerful yet protective mantle of 
darkness.

"Hold still," he says, placing a hand gently on 
Scully's ass. I support her weight, running my 
hands up her arms. My cock is tilted
up inside her but the way it pulls on my balls is 
incredibly arousing. Her right hand traces my nipples 
before she comes to rest
against my chest and I slide my arms onto her back.

"You feel good," she whispers as Skinner tosses the 
towel next to my thigh and then pours some 
Astroglide into his palm.

"So do you." I smile into her eyes.

I can't see Skinner's hand but I can tell by the small 
gasp from Scully that his large fingers, slick with 
lube warmed from his body
heat, are touching her anus, delicately coaxing it 
open and probing inside.

After a few moments Scully rocks gently back and 
forth and I join her, thrusting my hips in a slow 
counterpoint to her sensuous
pumping. Shit, that's perfect I think as I savor the 
friction on my cock.

"Good?" Skinner asks, gazing down at both of us as 
his right hand moves back and forth, in and out from 
between Scully's ass
cheeks. His left hand massages her hip, steadying 
her.

"Oh yeah," I confirm with a grin.

"God, yes," she groans and then she bites her lip just 
savoring the feeling.

Skinner looks at me and we share a moment of 
satisfaction at bringing pleasure to Scully.

"Scully...you're phenomenal," I tell her as she slides 
up and down my erection.

"I'll second that," Skinner agrees, stroking Scully's 
ass cheek. "Exquisite."

Scully gives us a sensual laugh. She glances back at 
Skinner and favors him with a sultry smile. Then her 
head moves back and
she smiles at me as well.

"Well gentlemen, I can only say both of *you* are 
outdoing yourselves right now. It certainly gives 
me...inspiration."

Skinner and I both chuckle.

"Inspiration or perspiration?" Skinner rumbles, 
flexing his fingers inside Scully's ass.

"You bastard," she moans and the moan ends on 
another sensual chuckle. "Keep that up and I won't 
know the difference."

Finally Skinner removes his hand from between 
Scully's legs and pats her ass.

"Ready?" he asks, his voice ragged.

Scully nods.

"Ok, hang on," he replies, reaching for the 
Astroglide again. He warms some in his hands once 
more and then taking his cock in
hand, slicks it up, moving his fist up and down the 
latex. Once he wipes his hands on the towel and 
discards it, I know he's ready.

"Here we go," he warns huskily.

Scully inhales in anticipation. I rub her back, and 
then lay one hand on her ass. Pulling gently on her 
skin, I help to spread her
open for Skinner.

Once Skinner's cock's in place against Scully's 
anus, a careful, steady thrust slides it slowly inside 
her. Scully exhales and then
takes several breaths in succession, relaxing in order 
to accept what's entering her body as Skinner moves 
forward. Finally,
Skinner stops to gain some control as well as let 
Scully get used to the intrusion of his penis inside 
her. I watch his face twist in
excitement, his mouth opens and his breathing 
quickens.

"You ok, Scully?" he grates out.

Scully nods and turns her head slightly to look at 
Skinner again. 

"You...you both feel wonderful," she replies 
breathlessly.

"Jesus, so do you. And can you feel that, Mulder? I 
can feel your cock right...there."

"Yeah...big guy...I can feel yours too. Fucking 
incredible."

"That...that's an understatement."

"I...I need to..." Scully pants out, lifting slightly to 
look into my face.

She has the face of an angel when we're making 
love. It's almost more than I can stand sometimes 
watching her face transformed
by passion this way.

"Move?" I ask, panting myself now, the pressure of 
her muscles gripping my cock and the added 
tightness of Skinner's cock in
such close proximity make me grit my teeth. She 
nods, biting her lip again.

"Let me do the work," Skinner suggests, gathering 
himself behind Scully's ass.

All I can manage is an affirming grunt. Scully nods 
her head again and then Skinner takes both of 
Scully's hips in his large
hands. With one push he drives her forward and then 
pulling, rocks her back onto both our cocks.

"Oh Jesus," Scully gasps. Skinner stops instantly.

"You all right?" he asks, concerned for a moment 
that he's hurt her.

"Yes...yes," she assures him, her voice breathless 
again. Skinner smiles wide and rocks her back and 
forth again and a long groan
escapes my lips. I can't help it...it feels so damn 
good.

A few more thrusts and we're rocking together, as 
quietly as possible though because even in our 
passion we're mindful of Charlie
sleeping upstairs at the other end of the house. A 
slow, steady rhythm of contracting and then relaxing 
muscles, stentorian
breathing, grunts and low, breathless moans mark 
the passage of time as the warmth from the fire and 
our exertions make sweat
break out over all of us.

I cradle Scully as she slides over my groin, her 
swollen clit rubbing between us. I can't really thrust 
very well now, but I don't
have to really because Skinner's doing an admirable 
job of moving Scully on my cock, and the sensation 
is almost indescribable.
To make the experience even more of a rush, I can 
feel Skinner's cock through the thin wall of skin and 
muscle inside Scully as
the head pulls back and pushes forward again and 
again and again.

My hands sweep Scully's back, pulling her as close 
as I can, wanting as much contact as possible. It 
feels like my damp skin is
practically melting into hers. Scully buries her head 
in my neck, kissing me over and over.

"Oh God...yes," she gasps in abandon, arching and 
twisting as Skinner picks up the pace.

"That's it," I encourage her as she rocks faster.

"You're both so beautiful," Skinner gasps, and I 
look up over Scully's head to watch his face contort 
in a rictus of ecstasy.
"Dana?" he pants, her name a question.

"Mmmm, so close...just...don't...stop," Scully 
moans.

Skinner grunts his assent, propelling Scully's hips 
rapidly back and forth, his rhythm spastic for a 
second and then I know he's
coming because his neck muscles strain taut and his 
cock jerks where I can feel it inside Scully.

"Oh man...do it," I whisper as Skinner's jaws 
clench. His body goes on autopilot then and for a 
moment he and Scully are in a
perfect point/counterpoint of rapid rocking as she 
thrusts her hips as well. It's an extraordinary sight.

Scully's breathing hard and as Skinner pushes his 
cock a little deeper into her, I feel her inner muscles 
spasm around my erection.

"Scully!" I huff out, biting off a louder cry. I take 
her arms and support her as she starts to climax.

"M-M-Mul..." she can't finish my name because 
she's gasping as her whole body trembles with the 
intensity of her orgasm.

Skinner continues to move, rubbing her quickly 
against me, his hands gripping her hips firmly.

"There you go, lover," he mumbles, his chest rising 
and falling with his deep breaths.

In a few moments, Scully comes back to herself. 
Skinner, sensing the relaxing of her muscles, uses 
his own hips to keep up a
slow thrusting for my benefit.

"Mulder?" he asks, as Scully pushes off my chest a 
fraction and gazes into my face.

"Almost," I grunt, the heavy pleasurable feeling in 
my groin telling me I'm close to coming.

"Pull out," Scully advises, glancing back at Skinner. 
"I'll help you," she adds, addressing me.

"Yeah," Skinner nods, stopping his weakening 
thrusts. He grips the base of his cock, holding the 
condom tight against it. When
he steps back, his cock slips out of Scully.

I swivel my head and watch as he sidesteps and sits 
down heavily next to us on the couch. His left hand 
touches Scully's hip
briefly and then my bicep before he pivots his upper 
body to watch us.

Scully takes my chin and moves my head back so 
I'm looking up into her face again.

"Come for me, Mulder," she whispers. My hands 
clutch at her hips as she starts to ride up and down 
on my cock, her ass lightly
hitting my balls on the down stroke. I gasp a 
chuckle.

"My pleasure, ma'am," I drawl and in a few 
moments I'm arching and thrusting up into her, 
seeking to fulfill her request.
Almost, I think...it's...it's just...right...there. 
Oh...yeah...

I hear the roar of thunder. Feel heat. The air moves 
and it's as if the Archangel Gabriel sounds his 
trumpet...and God walks over
the world...

But when I wake this time it's to the light and 
warmth of a friendly fire, and the comforting arms of 
Skinner and Scully...and I
know more than ever that love works in mysterious 
ways...and I thank God for my good fortune.

xXx

Additional notes: The two challenges were 1) to write 
a story featuring hot smut with any pairing of your 
choice and 2) to try
writing something you normally wouldn't write. I 
had 1 and 1/2 choices for item 2, actually. I made 
Krycek a hero when I
usually prefer to write him as a villain, and I wrote 
another babyfic, but since I've done them before it's 
only fair that it's 1/2
choice. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed both of my 
challenge solutions. Thanks for reading.

Lyrics from "Leaving on a Jet Plane" copyright 
Peter, Paul and Mary. Lyrics from Labyrinth 
copyright David Bowie. No
copyright infringement is intended and no profit is 
being made from their use, either.

-THE END-