HOME AGAIN

CHAPTER 7



He woke up eager to get over to Smith's office and begin this new treatment. He wasn't crazy about the idea of being hypnotized but if it would help him get his memory back, he was all for it. He was sipping orange juice when someone knocked on his door.



"Come in," he called.



Alex Krycek walked in. "Good morning. I thought maybe you might like to grab some breakfast before heading over to Medical."



"No. I don't. All I want to do is find out what's going on here and what happened to the last two years of my life!" Skinner answered angrily, slamming his glass down on the counter.



"I just thought you might like some breakfast first."



"No I don't! I don't want to have breakfast with you; I don't want to have sex with you, I don't want to have anything to do with you. I don't trust you. I don't trust all your smiling and come hither looks. If you really are Alex Krycek, the Alex Krycek that I know; then the only thing you can do for me is disappear." He came out of the kitchen area and faced Krycek.

"I'm going to go through with this hypnotism thing, as much as I hate the thought of it, and I'm going to find out what happened to me and who's responsible; then I'm going to make them pay. So if you had anything to do with this, anything at all; I suggest you start packing your bags; because I'll find you, where ever you go and I'll make you regret the day you were born!"



Mulder walked up then and with a short rap in the open door, walked in. "Everything all right?" he asked.



"Yeah," Skinner scowled; "Just getting rid of the trash."



Krycek winced at that and went across the hall and into his room.





"What's the matter? You think I was too hard on him?" Skinner asked Mulder as they headed down the ramp towards Medical.



"He did save your life."



"I'll believe that, if and when I remember it." Skinner sneered.



"I was there. I don't have any memory loss. It happened." Mulder insisted.



"Well if he did save my life, there must have been something in it for him. Besides; I'm not even convinced that that is really Alex Krycek. That left arm of his looks totally real to me."



"He said Smith fixed it for him. I know that kind of thing is possible; especially for Smith."



"I don't know what to believe, Mulder. I'm just glad Smith suggested this hypnotism thing. I want this nightmare to be over with."



"I can understand that."



"I just want to go home; I want my life back." Skinner said as they entered Medical.



"Hopefully that won't be too much longer." Mulder sighed.



XXXX



"Good morning Walter, Mulder. Come on in." Smith welcomed them. "I see you brought Mulder along for moral support."



"Yes; I figured that would be all right."



"It is but he'll have to stay out here in the waiting room. No one else is allowed in the room while you're under hypnosis; it's too distracting."



"All right." Skinner agreed then turned to Mulder. "Will you wait for me? I'd feel a lot better about all of this if I knew you were out here keeping an eye on things."



"Sure. No problem." Mulder agreed and made himself comfortable in one of the chairs.



Skinner and Smith went into Smith's office and he gestured to a recliner. "Please have a seat, Walter."



"No couch?" Skinner asked nervously.



"You can use the couch if you want but most everyone seems to prefer the recliner. It's very comfortable. I've napped in it several times myself."



"No, this looks comfortable." Skinner said as he sat down, leaned back and put the foot rest up.



"Good. Now I want you to just relax. We're just going to have a little conversation. What I'm going to do is just go a little deeper than I did before to help you focus. I touch your forehead for about thirty seconds and that will be it. You will not lose consciousness but your eyes will close; it helps you to see what you're trying to remember much easier than if they were open. Are you ready?"



"Yes. Is it the same as before; I just open my eyes to come out of it?" Skinner asked as he laced his fingers together across his chest.



"No. I'll have to bring you out of it with another touch but you will be able to converse with me and you will remember everything we talk about. If you become too uncomfortable with my questions, you may ask me to end the session and I will."



"OK. Let's do it."



Smith reached over and touched Skinner's forehead then sat back comfortably in his chair.



"That's it? I didn't feel anything."



"That's it. Now take a few deep breaths and try to clear your mind. I'm going to ask you some questions and you answer with as much detail as you can remember."



"OK. Shoot."



"All right. Some time ago, you testified during the Angleton case and helped convict him. Do you remember that day?"



"I do. It was a nasty one but we got the son of a bitch and put him away for good."



"After the verdict was read, you went back to your office. Tell me what you did."



"After a case is closed there is always a lot of paperwork. I remember clearly working on that till late."



"Then what?"



"I went home."



"Nothing else?"



Skinner took a few deep breaths then said, "There was a phone call just as I was leaving the office."



"Who was it?"



"Krycek."



"What did he want?"



"He had some cock and bull story about a contract being put out on me by the old man."



"What did you do?"



"I went home."



"And nothing happened?"



Skinner was silent a few minutes, wet his lips with his tongue, and frowned as if trying to remember. "I remember driving and checking out all the cars around me; making sure I wasn't followed."



"Were you followed?"



"No. At least I don't think so."



"What happened next?"



"I drove into the parking garage at Viva Towers, where my condo is. Everything looked fine. I was almost to my parking spot …"



"Did something happen?"



"Yes." Skinner started breathing a little heavier; his hands were now rubbing the arms of the recliner nervously.



"Tell me what happened."



"Someone was shooting at me. It all happened so fast. First a bullet shattered the windshield; then more bullets hit the door. I remember tires screeching, my car was hit and spun around and someone called my name."



"Who was it?"



"Krycek."



"What did he want?"



"He wanted me to get into his car. His door was open. I looked out and I could see two men coming in my direction. I had no other choice. I jumped into Krycek's car."



"Go on."



"He turned the car around and tried to drive out but the ramp was blocked by another car with two more men. He tried the other exit but it was blocked as well. He pulled into a parking space and turned the ignition off."



"What happened then?"



"I peeked out and saw them coming for us."



"And?"



Skinner thought for a few minutes then said, "I must have passed out. The next thing I knew we were in a place I'd never been before. It was here! Here in Medical. I had gotten a flesh wound in the shoulder and you fixed me up. I remember that now. That's when I met Evie! She came running into the room after you left. She though Krycek had been hurt because she had heard he was in Medical."



"You remember all that clearly?"



"I do. Evie asked us to some party that was going on in the courtyard. Then Caroline came in then, and the two of them left."



"Very good, Walter. You're doing very well with your concentration."



"I can see it all very clearly now. I can't imagine how I forgot it."



"What else do you remember about that night?"



"I remember my arm hurt like hell but then you put that gauze on it and in a few minutes the pain was gone."



"Anything else?" Smith prompted. "What happened after I left?"



"Krycek and I sat in the waiting room and talked. That's when that jerk Jimmy came in."



"You didn't like Jimmy?"



"Hell no."



"Do you remember why?"



"I needed answers and he was trying to get Krycek to go off with him."



"Did you get the answers you were seeking?"



"Some of them; it was funny though."



"What was?"



"Krycek. He was different."



"How was he different?"



"Not at all like the Krycek I knew."



"Describe the difference? Did he look different?"



"No; he looked the same. He just seemed … I don't know; like he was concerned about me."



"And the Krycek you knew wasn't like that?"



"Absolutely not. He was a vicious thug."



"Do you remember anything else about that night?"



"Yes. We were both exhausted. We went to our rooms and slept for a few hours then we went to the party. We found a table and ate and talked."



"And what did you learn?"



"Alex told me about himself and this place. He said he was born here and this was his home."



"Go on."



"I learned a lot about Alex; who he was and why he did the things he did. I learned about Jimmy and what a pain in the ass he was. I learned about Evie and her parents and you and the Elders."



"What did you learn about Alex that was the most important; that was hardest to believe?"



"That he was with this group, the Resistance, and that he left the bureau because he was ordered to; not for money or some mistaken belief that The Smoking Man was going to lead the world into salvation."



"Go on." Smith sat back in his chair and listened; very pleased





XXXX



Mulder sat in the waiting room for hours; he paced, he worked a cross word puzzle in a newspaper and sat some more. Krycek was in and out, joining him in the silent vigil of waiting. After convincing Mulder that it might well take all day long, the two of them went for lunch. They came back afterwards and sat some more.



"They've been in there all day; how much longer do you think it will take?" Mulder broke the silence.



"I don't know; I don't know." Krycek ran a hand through his hair and sat back down. "I'm just praying that this works." He twisted his hands nervously in his lap.



Mulder stared at him for a time.



"What?" Krycek asked. "You didn't think I was capable of prayer?"



"I'm just surprised, is all." They stared at each other for a few moments then Krycek got up and started pacing again.



"This … thing with Skinner; it's pretty serious then?" Mulder asked.



A thousand things ran through Krycek's mind but they were all private thoughts; not something he wanted to discuss with Mulder. He swallowed the lump in his throat and answered.



"Yes; it's serious."



There was no question left in Mulder's mind. He knew the truth when he heard it. Something inside of him ached as he thought of his own lonely life and a bit of envy grew inside him. Whatever these two had, it must be something pretty special to put that look on Krycek's face. Mulder leaned back in the chair and thought about Scully; Scully, his savior; Scully, his refuge. He could hardly wait to get back to tell her. He knew how excited she would be to hear all the details. They had often discussed Skinner and the mysterious blonde they thought he had gone off with.



Scully would be shocked; she'd be amazed. She wouldn't believe half of it but he'd convince her. He'd give her all the details. He'd tell her how much Krycek had changed from the rebel they had known; or thought they knew. He'd tell her how Krycek had paced the floor and worried about Skinner. She'd have a million questions; he knew that and he'd answer them all in great detail. She was like that. She'd want to know everything.



"It's nearly six. Why don't we go get something to eat? They'll have to break soon; won't they?" Mulder asked.



"You're right. Sitting here is driving me nuts and I don't know if they'll stop for dinner or not. They may eat in there and keep on going." They headed out the door together.



There was very little talk at dinner. Alex was worried sick and Mulder was mulling over this new Alex Krycek in front of him.



"What will you do if this hypnotism thing doesn't work?" Mulder asked when they were finished.



"I don't know. I don’t even want to think about that. I guess it would be up to Smith or maybe the Elders."



"What options do they have?"



"I guess they could get together and tell him all that's happened in the last two years; or maybe just a part of it. Or maybe they'll just turn him loose and let him go on his way. God, I hope that doesn't happen!" Krycek cringed at that thought.



"If that did happen; I could keep an eye on him. As much as he'd let me, that is."



"You know Skinner. How long do you think that would last?"



"Probably not for very long."



"I'd move down there; quit my work for the Resistance."



"I thought you were retired?"



"I am. I have no assigned duties but I still help out from time to time."



"Have you ever known anyone who has gone through this type of hypnotism before?"



"Yeah, I have. It usually works. I've only known it not to, just once. It was with a guy with severe brain damage."



"Well Skinner is in good shape physically, Smith said so." Mulder said.



"Yes; we have to keep this in mind. It's probably just taking so much time because Skinner is asking Smith a thousand questions." Krycek tried to lighten the mood for both of them.



"He does like to ask questions." Mulder agreed with a nod.



XXXX



An hour later as they walked out of the restaurant and started up ramp, making their way back to Medical; they heard it.



"A L E X!!!"



The both looked up in time to see Skinner come barreling down the ramp in a dead run. They took off and met him half way; Skinner nearly knocking Krycek over, grabbing him in a bear hug and saying over and over, "I'm sorry; I'm so sorry."



"It's OK, Walter; It's OK." Alex mumbled with tears in his eyes as they clung to one another.



Skinner pulled him the rest of the way up the ramp to the next level and off into a deserted hallway and kissed him hard. Alex held on for dear life and returned as good as he got.



Mulder, somewhat embarrassed at witnessing such a scene, decided to go on up to Medical to talk with Smith and congratulate him on his successful treatment.



XXXX



Walter sat, shirtless, with his bare feet on the coffee table, leaning back on the couch, with Alex's head in his lap; their hands roaming idly over one another when someone knocked at their door.



"Come," Alex called, too relaxed, too tired and too happy to get up.



"Hi … uh … Sorry to bother you two but I really should be getting home." Mulder said.



It took a moment for it to sink in but when it did, it hit them both at the same time and they jumped up.



"Oh yeah. Sorry, Mulder. I forgot." Alex muttered as he started looking for his shoes and shirt.



"I'm going too," Walter said as he pulled his shirt on over his head and slipped his shoes on.



The three of them headed to the transporter room. In an instant they were standing in the middle of Mulder's living room.



"I don't know how we'll ever be able to thank you for all you've done for us," Walter said.



"We owe you, Mulder. If there is every anything we can do for you; just let us know."



"You're welcome; both of you. I'm glad I could help." Mulder answered then added, "There is one thing …"



"What? Name it," Alex said.



"Scully is never going to believe this. I want to take her up there," he pointed to the ceiling; "I want her to see it. Can that be arranged?"



"We’ll speak with the Elders and see." Skinner said. "If not, then we could come back down, meet the two of you somewhere, maybe for dinner, and explain it to her."



"Oh that would be great. I know she'd love to see it; see how it all works." Mulder smiled and shook hands with both of them. They said their good-byes and then they were gone.





Mulder grabbed his phone and dialed Scully's number. "Hey, it's me. I'm back."



"Well you were gone long enough! I thought you said you were only going to be gone a few days and you were gone well over a week." Scully chastised him.



"I've got to see you right away."



"It's nearly eleven, Mulder. I'm getting ready for bed."



"Well put the vibrator away for now. I'll be there in ten minutes and I've got a story to tell you that you're never going to believe!"



THE END (kind of)