08/15/00 Forgetting by Araxdelan Rated- PG Series/Sequel- Sequel to *Unspoken*, which is necessary for comprehension of this story. *Unspoken* is available at- http://araxdelan.tripod.com/Araxdelan/Unspoken.txt Summary- Some things are laid to rest. Notes- This is a short one, just this side of a snippet. Many thanks to Raietta for putting my fears to rest. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The small room in the bunker began to shake, waking one of the occupants. Mulder stared at the ceiling for a moment, and then turned to gaze at the man wrapped around him as they shared the small cot. Krycek was still asleep, despite the noise and movement. Mulder's eyes swept over the beloved face, and he held the other man's body just a little tighter. When Krycek still didn't awaken, Mulder began dropping light kisses on the bridge of his nose. Eventually, Krycek's eyelashes fluttered open, and Mulder backed just far enough away to be able to see his eyes. "It's another midnight raid," Mulder said, unnecessarily. Krycek simply nodded, and pulled Mulder close. Mulder pillowed his head on Krycek's shoulder, and the two were silent for a bit. Above them various explosions could be heard. Occasionally even a scream. The bunker shook endlessly. "Alex?" "Yes, love?" "Talk to me... sing to me, tell me a story. Something..." and then, in a whisper, "please." Krycek kissed his head, and said, "Give me a moment to think." For a little over a minute Krycek sat, quietly thinking and petting at Mulder's hair. Then he said, "I've got it!" "Got what?" Krycek smiled. "Okay.... what do you call cheese that isn't yours?" Mulder rolled his eyes. "What?" "Nacho cheese!" Mulder burst out laughing, and it managed to drown out the noise of the battle above. "Okay," Mulder told Krycek, "I've got one!" "Lay it on me." "How do crazy people go through the forest?" "I don't know, Fox. How?" "They take the psycho path!" Krycek laughed. "My turn. A rabbi, a priest, a polish guy, and a blonde walk into a bar, and the bartender says, 'What is this, a joke?'" Mulder groaned, but his smile never left his face. "Umm... How do you get holy water?" "How?" "Boil the hell out of it." More laughter. "Fox, I've got a good one... how do you tell the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer?" Mulder raised a suspicious eyebrow. "How?" "The taste." They both giggled insanely, until Mulder said, "We're getting disgusting. We've got to stop." "Okay, okay." Krycek smiled at Mulder, and kissed him softly. "Did I help?" "Yes. That's just what I needed." "I'm sorry I can't do more." "More?" Mulder asked, confused. "What more could you do?" "I... I just wish that we didn't have to be here. That I could stop this war... keep you safe." "I know that if it was in your power to do so, you would. But it isn't. You keep me happy. That's enough." "No," Krycek said, sitting up in order to face his lover. "It's not enough. I see the way you hurt, Fox. I hurt that way too. But I can handle it. I don't know if you can. You're so quiet these days, and there's not a moment when I don't see the hurt and pain in your eyes..." "That's because you weren't looking, just now. When you make me laugh, when you hold me close, you take everything else away. Alex, this is war. You can't expect me to be unaffected by it. But having you here keeps me sane." "But for how long? I don't ever want to see you lose yourself. I don't ever want to see us..." "'See us' what?" "I.. I love you with all my heart. But I'm so afraid, Fox. This isn't a place for love to flourish. I'm scared that one day the hurt in us and around us will destroy what we have. That all my efforts to protect you will turn out to be worthless." Tears glistened in Mulder's eyes. "Alex?" "Yeah?" "You're an idiot." "Excuse me?" "*No one*... *nothing* will ever come between us. *Ever*." "How can you be sure?" "I thought about this myself. Used to worry about it: I'm not the only one who's quiet, or who gets into moods, you know. I'd worry that I was losing you. But then we'd settle in for the night and you would always kiss me so softly and hold me so close... I'd feel your breath on my neck and know that everything was all right. That's all I ever need to quell my fears." A tear trailed down Krycek's cheek. "I still wish I could take you away from all this." Mulder leaned in and kissed the wetness from the other man's cheek. "You do. Every time you make me forget, you do." "God... I promise you, when this is all over I'm going to take you away and we're going to lead a normal life. We're going to have a dog and go grocery shopping and have our friends over to watch the game and we can argue over who's turn it is to take out the trash..." Krycek could feel Mulder smiling against his cheek. "Okay." Krycek then lay back down on the cot, and Mulder followed, snuggling against his mate. It took them both a moment to notice, but the noise and shaking had stopped. "Well, looks like it's over," Krycek stated. "Damn. I was really hoping that I could get you to sing for me." Krycek laughed. "I can't sing!" "So? I want to hear anyway." "No. I'm horrible." "Please. For me?" Krycek rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just for you. Any requests?" "No. You pick." "Mmmm... okay. Ready." Mulder found a more comfortable position against Krycek's chest, and settled in to listen. Krycek then began singing softly, in a voice no one but Mulder would be able to hear. "Don't ask me/What you know is true/Don't have to tell you/I love your precious heart... "I/I was standing/You were there/Two worlds collided/And they could never tear us apart... "We could live/For a thousand years/But if I hurt you/I'd make wine from your tears... "I told you/That we could fly/'Cause we all have wings/But some of us don't know why... "I/I was standing/You were there/Two worlds collided/And they could never ever tear us apart." Mulder kissed Krycek's shoulder. "That wasn't so bad. In fact, it was quite good." "You're just saying that 'cause you love me." "Well, I do love you, but I'm not just saying that. You have a nice singing voice. Thanks for sharing it with me. And thank you for the lullaby." "What ever makes you happy, love." "Goodnight. I love you." "Goodnight. I love you, too. With all my heart." In a small dark room in the bunker, Mulder and Krycek slept peacefully in each other's arms. Outside, the war raged on. Fin. Song is "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS. More stories at- http://araxdelan.tripod.com All feedback to- krycekluvsmulder@hotmail.com They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death is but crossing the world as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. -- William Penn