Title: Glimmers of Light
Author: Ursula
Written: August 2002
Website: http://fullhouseslash.slashcity.net/~ursula/
Category: Drama, Romance, Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Crossover Starsky and Hutch
Pairings: Mulder/Krycek Mulder and Krycek Starsky and Hutch Starsky/Hutch
Rating: NC-17
Gossamer Category: Crossover Gossamer
Sub-category: Romance
Keywords: Slash
Disclaimers: X-Files, Mulder, Krycek and other characters do not belong to me. Sniff... Starsky and Hutch belong to Arnold Spelling and those of us who will always love them.

Summary: This is the sequel to Darkness, Darkness. Mulder and Krycek are partners again working against the aliens. Starsky and Hutch brought forward to present day are new allies.

Notes: I have brought Starsky and Hutch into the present to play with Mulder and Krycek. This is Karen-Leigh's Birthday Present. She may post or archive anywhere without further permission from me. This is a sequel to 'Darkness, Darkness'. Alex Krycek and Fox Mulder meet new allies, Starsky and Hutch. Alex is blinded and wounded. Mulder, Starsky, and Hutch decide to take him on a cruise to help him recover. Of course, vacations with Starsky and Hutch are never restful.

Warnings: Slash, crossover, hurt/comfort and a vacation that is not very restful.

Keeping a hand solicitously on Alex's arm, Mulder led his lover aboard the cruise ship. This had seemed like such a good idea at the time. He'd never done anything like this in the past with Diana or Phoebe. The closest he had come to it with Scully was a hallucination of her aboard a World War Two cruise ship.

Never having much experience with romantic getaways, Mulder had run with the idea of a cruise to Bora Bora. It was the grand gesture, a way to enjoy his lover and get to know him. He had been thrilled to find out that there was a gay cruise. That had capped his plan. The ship was already full of gay and lesbian couples when they boarded.

The ship sailed from San Francisco, continued to Hawaii, and then the lovers would book a smaller cruise ship, the world's famous Pearl Liner, Huamana. The ship had queen-sized beds, full-sized luxury bathrooms, and sported the conveniences of a fine hotel. Mulder thought he might even do something healthy such as take scuba diving lessons. That is, if he ever got out of bed.

"These glasses are so dark that it might as well be night," Alex complained. "I wish you'd let me stop and get something that didn't look like the road boss wore in 'Cool Hand Luke'."

"Prescription sunglasses," Mulder said. "The ophthalmologist said you must wear these when we are in full sunlight. I did offer to find a vacation someplace gloomy."

"Yeah, right," Alex said. "I think we've had enough of darkness."

"You look good, man," remarked Starsky. "I want one of those pirate shirts for myself."

Mulder had ordered a number of shirts made for Alex, gauzy, full-sleeved poet shirts in various colors. They revealed a lot of chest, breathed well, and looked great. He didn't have a problem with Alex in short sleeves, but Alex did. The shirts looked fine and would work for the beach. Apparently, Alex was used to someone else picking his clothing. He had tried on the shirts without looking at himself, kissed Mulder to thank him, and packed the garments.

If only he had picked out Starsky's shirts; Mulder was grateful he was colorblind. He was sure that if he could see every color in that hideous garment, he would have had to borrow Alex's dark glasses, consequences be damned. The tight, worn, jean cut-offs and saltwater sandals finished the man's attire. Starsky was oblivious to the smiling looks that followed him. He was like a big happy puppy, bounding around the deck, trying to see everything at once.

Hutch wore a pair of Tilley Classic, tropic weight, khaki shorts and a lemon yellow silk shirt. His blue eyes followed Starsky's enthusiastic exploration with gentle humor and love. He shrugged and winked at Mulder and Alex, saying, "I thought I'd take him off his meds for the trip."

"He's happy," Alex said.

"Listen, Alex, this is going to be fine. You're going to enjoy yourself," Mulder assured.

"Right, like I know what to do with a vacation. Mulder, there's so much shit coming down," Alex said. 'What the hell were we thinking? We're not the kind of people that go on vacation. That's not us."

"You heard what the doctor said...your eyes need to rest to heal. I also heard him say that the reason you almost died was that you didn't take care of yourself," Mulder said. "So I'm going make sure you get some rest if I have to tie you up and sit on you." Mulder's beloved crooked grin lit his face. "In fact, that sounds like even more fun than a trip to Bora Bora."

That earned Mulder a flicker of a smile. He took a firmer hold on Alex's arm. "We should check out our cabin."

With a disdainful sigh, Alex tossed the dark glasses on the dressing table. Mulder pulled the shades and dimmed the lights. He dropped onto the queen-sized bed and flopped over to examine the sides.

The bewildered look left Alex's face as Mulder complained, "For this price, I expected a vibrating bed."

The rapid chuckle was almost as good as a vibrating bed. Mulder held out his hand and said, "C'mere, gorgeous!" "You think just because you paid for this cruise, you get to sleep with me? What do you think I am? Easy?"

"I hope not," Mulder said, "'Cause I like it better hard."

Dropping his suitcase, Alex walked over to the bed and rolled onto it and into Mulder's arms. Mulder captured him happily and held him, a willing prisoner in a cage of his arms. Smiling down at his lover, Mulder said, "This is a chance to get to know each other without all the bullshit and pain. Just you and me..."

"And Starsky and Hutch," Alex reminded.

"Well, you like them," Mulder said. "At least, you like Starsky."

Alex smoothed out the frown on Mulder's forehead and said, "I like them both. I told you that Starsky and I weren't doing anything really."

"I know," Mulder said. "I knew all along."

Alex smirked at that. Mulder grinned back. They both knew the truth. It wasn't so important for either to admit how confused they had been. It was different now and Mulder was determined to keep it that way. Alex was his lover, his love, and his partner. The circle was complete only when Alex was at his side or in his arms.

Hell, if only he'd managed to say most of that, but Mulder hoped that there was time now. He winced as he considered all the other people that he had lost, loving words unsaid.

Alex's finger traced the drooping line of Mulder's mouth. "What's wrong?"

"I was thinking about 'us'," Mulder said.

"Oh," Alex said, "That made you frown?"

"I was thinking that I didn't want to lose you," Mulder said.

That made Alex smile again. "Yeah?"

"Have I told you I love you?" Mulder asked.

"I seem to remember hearing that said once or twice," Alex replied, leaning close. He feathered a touch over Mulder's face. "At least once when I was fully awake to appreciate it."

"You heard me when you were out of it?" Mulder said.

"What do you think brought me back?" Alex murmured.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Mulder said, a grin spreading ear to ear.

"Could be," Alex said, his green eyes going dark as he veiled them with his lashes.

Love was there, Mulder decided, but not trust. He admitted he felt the same way, wondering if he and Alex would ever have what Starsky and Hutch had.

Mulder slid his hand over Alex's back, pressed him downward until Alex let himself be guided into Mulder's embrace. "Look at me," Mulder insisted.

"Mulder," Alex complained, moving away.

Mulder followed him until they were face to face again. "Look at me. What are you afraid of seeing in my eyes?"

"You know," replied Alex.

His face angling to reach Alex's lips, Mulder whispered, "You're mine. It's not going to change back to the way it used to be. I want us to be together. You're my love, my partner, and that's the way it's going to be."

Alex's eyes finally met Mulder's. He must have known how much his eyes showed. Now they melted for Mulder. Alex said, "I thought I was the liar, Mulder."

"Not falling for that one, Alex," Mulder replied.

"No? I always used to know how to get a rise out of you," Alex said.

Bumping Alex with his groin, Mulder said, "You still can get a rise, love."

"Yeah, that's something we always had," Alex said. "You want to fuck?"

For an answer, Mulder sat up to undress Alex, taking his time and seducing him with the act. "I just might," he murmured, as the shirt flew out of his hands to drape across a chair. "I may just take away all your clothing and not let you out of bed for the entire trip."

"I might just let you," Alex said, his words ending in breathy moan as Mulder decided to tease one of his nipples erect with his talented tongue.

Making much shorter work of his own clothing, Mulder eagerly lay back down to take his lover in his arms. After a kiss that joined every possible inch of their flesh, hearts pounding as if they'd leapt toward each other, Mulder arched over his lover. He nuzzled Alex's arm, breathing him in as if he were his oxygen. His tongue traced patterns on Alex's skin, tasting him and tickling him.

Whenever Alex tried to respond or to force him lower, Mulder pinned him down like a mother cat laving her kitten. Alex looked as if he was torn between arousal, amusement, and frustration.

"Okay," Alex said in a husky voice. "If you're going to make me your all day lollipop, wake me when you're ready to get down to business."

A nip made the eyes feigning sleep shoot back open. "Hey, call room service if you're hungry," Alex said, his leg jerking up to protect his cock.

"Nope, I'm just going to have a taste and nibble here and there," Mulder said, flattening the defensive leg. He was almost surprised that Alex let him. However, he was working his way down the soft belly and to the gradually hardening cock.

"That tickles," Alex complained as Mulder puffed warm breath over his stomach.

"Mmm, you taste good," Mulder said.

"I taste better lower down, promise," Alex said, his voice pleading.

Alex's voice had that pleading tone that Mulder had always subconsciously enjoyed hearing. As a way to achieve that, this was a hell of a lot more fun for both of them. Alex's hand caressed his hair as Mulder at last left off playing to tongue the slit of Alex's cock.

The deep inhalation rewarded his efforts. Mulder softly fondled Alex's balls, rolling them with one hand while fisting his lover's cock with his other. Finally taking him deep, Mulder let the increasingly shameless sounds guide his speed.

Feeling Alex's cock jerking in his mouth, quivering on the edge of an explosion, Mulder thought about prolonging it, but the eager thrust of Alex's hips begged him for mercy.

As Alex gave it up for him, Mulder took him in, let the bitter myrrh of his semen anoint him, claim him. As Alex sprawled in his haze of pleasure, Mulder grabbed the lube and begin working Alex's opening. Alex lifted his leg to allow Mulder access. Mulder liked to come while being fucked, but Alex liked to come first. On several memorable occasions, he came again while Mulder was in him.

As always, Mulder preferred to have Alex on his back. Watching his lover's face as he fucked him made it the pinnacle of his experience. The slide of his erection within the heated depths of Alex's body was a total wonder even after all of these years. It felt as if his lover was made for him, the exquisite tightness fitting around him. The sensations were so intense that Mulder could feel every hair between their joined bodies. He could feel the warmth of Alex's breath and was glad that he was still flexible enough to lean down and kiss him.

Alex's eyes were wide open, staring into Mulder's, knowing how Mulder loved to watch his expression. His lips were parted as he panted in time to Mulder's thrusts.

"I love you," Mulder said. He grinned as he realized he used to have to think those words away in the bad old days. They had always been hovering behind the passion and the hate.

Those eyelashes fluttered and Alex swallowed hard before whispering back, "I never stopped loving you."

The words echoed in Mulder's head as his body flew for a few moments right before orgasm. His release obliterated his worries, a few seconds of nirvana before he came back to his senses. Sighing, Mulder rolled over to grab the washcloth ready on the bedside table. A few perfunctory swipes and he kissed Alex again, both of them drowsy with release.

"We'll just nap before we finish exploring the ship," Mulder said.

"Come on, Starsk, let's get our carry-on bags to our room and make sure our luggage is on board and then we can come back to explore," Hutch said.

At this point, Starsky had found the Captain and was trying to wheedle him into letting him visit the engine room.

Hutch tapped his lover's shoulder and said, "Come on, buddy, I want to check out our room, now."

"Yeah, okay, where did Mulder and Alex go?" Starsky asked.

"To their room," Hutch said.

Starsky passed a pair of women kissing and seemed undecided whether to stare or look away. Hutch said, "Come on, you said you could handle this."

"Yeah, I know, but I just thought that it would be a place to hang loose like Mulder said. I didn't know it would be all public and all," Starsky said. in the stateroom, Starsky dragged his overly large suitcase up onto one of the beds.

"What the hell did you pack?" Hutch asked. "I didn't think you had that many clothes."

"Well, I brought my magic kit," Starsky said, "Mulder said he liked magic acts."

"Did he say he liked bad magic acts?" asked Hutch.

"Hey, I've been practicing," Starsky said.

"I'm getting good. Hey, Hutch? Would you want to kiss me like that? Where people could see?"

"I would," Hutch said. "I love you, but I'd rather kiss you here in our room because then it can lead to something."

"I like the sound of that," Starsky said.

However, as soon as Starsky unlocked his suitcase, he said, "Hey, I heard there was a volleyball game on deck. I'm going to see if Mulder wants to play. He likes sports."

"Starsky," Hutch said, but his partner was too fast for him to stop.

Their friends were in the next cabin and Starsky moved just fast enough to elude Hutch's grab to stop him. He burst into the cabin without knocking, ending up facing a Glock as Alex woke instantly at the intrusion and produced the gun from somewhere.

"Whoa," said Starsky holding up his hands.

Hutch reflexively scrabbled for his holster until he realized his police issue was locked in a box at home. He pushed Starsky out of the way and covered him with his body.

"You should knock first," Alex said disapprovingly.

Mulder was standing by the bed, naked and bemused. It was at this point that he found out that Alex had managed to smuggle his Glock aboard the ship, a fact that disturbed Mulder greatly.

However Alex merely stared at Mulder with that cool and challenging expression that always drove him up the wall. Alex said, "It's not a pretty world, Mulder. Who we are is not going to change because we are on a honeymoon."

Biting his lip, Mulder had to admit that Alex was right. He nodded and said, "I won't argue with you over it, but the next time, let me in on your decision. You can give me that much respect, can't you?"

"Yeah," Alex said. "I'm sorry," Mulder said, "Put the gun away, Alex. Good God, where the hell was it anyway? You sleep with that thing?"

"Yeah," Alex said, "And I'm not going to stop either." He looked at Starsky and said, "Sorry, Starsky, I look before I shoot if that's any consolation. You really don't want to surprise me that way."

"Good idea," Starsky said, the tan he had been working on faded to pale.

"You both should put your weapons away," Hutch said with a smile. "They both look dangerous."

Mulder finally realized that he was naked and grabbed a corner of the rumpled sheet. He said, "Yeah, sorry, I'll lock the door from now on. I was in a hurry when I came in."

The air still had a hint of sex. Hutch guessed Mulder and Krycek were still honeymooning. Sighing, he looked at Starsky who was already recovering from the shock of looking into the barrel of that Glock.

"Well, now that you're awake, you want to get in a volleyball game on deck, Mulder?" Starsky asked.

"No!" Mulder said, walked forward to shoo Starsky out. As the sheet traveled with him, Alex was left with his Glock in his hand and a blush on his cheeks as he was left exposed.

Hutch decided to get Starsky out of there before either of their friends decided to shoot him in earnest.

"Alex," Mulder started.

"I told you from the start that some things aren't going to change," Alex said. "I promised to stop lying to you and if I told you I would stop carrying the Glock, I'd be lying."

Sitting on the bed, Mulder's hands clasped between his legs, his head bowed as he tried to keep his temper. He was aware of his knuckles going white as he tried to channel the anger away. He said, "I thought that this was going to be a break from all that. Alex, with your eyes still recovering, you could easily have not known it was Starsky."

"Is this where you start calling me names before you beat me up?" Alex said.

"No, and I told you that was over. I love you, which is why I want you to let me put the Glock away at least until we leave this ship," Mulder said. Taking a deep breath to clear his head, Mulder rose and went over to Alex's side of the bed. He knelt before his lover and put out his hand. "This is part of us too, Alex. Trust me."

Eyes glared for a moment then softened. "You want me to put my life in your hands?"

Unable to say it, Mulder nodded, knowing that was how Alex saw it whether it was true or not.

Slowly, Alex's fingers eased away from the Glock. He dangled it from his hand as he had long ago. "I'll give this to you, Mulder, but don't ask me to live by your standards if I'm making the call in this war we're fighting. And if it's your life, well, I won't let you be killed."

Softly kissing Alex's cheek, Mulder said, "I appreciate that, Tovarish."

After Mulder checked the door, he returned to the bed, and coaxed Alex back into his arms. His caresses soothed both of them back to sleep.

Starsky had plunged into the volleyball game with complete enthusiasm. Hutch smiled as he considered that Starsky seldom did anything half-heartedly. From his work to his play, Starsky was a marvel, a creature full of life and love. For all that Hutch teased him, he was in awe of his lover. It was still a wonder to him that they were lovers. He would have been willing to keep their relationship on a friendship level forever.

Maybe Hutch had underestimated Starsky. The one time they had seriously discussed gay men, Starsky had seemed uncomfortable about it. Hutch kept meaning to tell him that it hadn't only been Monique. He had a brief college fling with a sweet guy named Justin. Hutch had been the only one willing to room with an 'out' gay man. He had been curious and Justin had been lonely. That was enough to make things happen. They had both moved on. Hutch to a disastrous marriage and Justin to a relationship as complete as he deserved. Still, Hutch looked back and realized he had always left a part of his heart open to someone like Justin. No longer, Starsky was the one he had always hoped he would find, a partner in every sense of the word. When Starsky finally found a way to prove to Hutch that there would be no regrets, Hutch had felt every barrier go down. He loved that gorgeous, ingenuous, adorable man.

"Hey, Blondie, you going to stand there and stare or play?" Starsky yelled.

Grinning, Hutch joined the game. Starsky and he were always a team.

The days on the ship soothed Alex, but it worried him that his eyes were still not healed. He had sent out a call for one of the alien healers, but there never had been many. He wasn't sure if any of ones that had joined the rebels had survived. He wouldn't even have tried except that it frightened him to think that his blurry vision might be a permanent part of his life. One handicap was more than enough. He had adapted to the loss of his arm, but he didn't think he could adapt to semi blindness.

"Hey, there," a familiar voice said.

"Agatha," Alex said, as he recognized the woman. She and her partner, Shelby, had been spending a lot of time with Starsky, Hutch, and Mulder. Alex had taken a back seat in the acquaintanceship. He knew if the pair had been targets, or if he'd wanted to recruit them, that he could have fooled them. He was out of the habit of meeting people just to enjoy their company.

"Have you thought about allowing me to paint you?" Agatha said.

Agatha was a painter. She was employed as a commercial artist in a publishing house and her lover, Shelby, was an editor in the same business.

"I'd hate to turn up on a cover," Alex said.

"I wouldn't do that," Agatha said.

Alex liked her. She looked like a female version of Mulder, perhaps not a beautiful woman, but interesting. Her eyes were hazel like Mulder's. They brimmed with intelligence and life. Lowering his sunglasses, Alex asked, "I don't know why you would want to paint me if you can't exhibit the painting."

"Because I want to see if I can catch what makes you, you, Alex. Your eyes are incredible and I've seldom seen such an interesting face," Agatha said.

For a minute, Alex thought the woman was coming on to him and was disappointed in her. He thought she was really in love with Shelby. However, her voice was not remotely seductive.

"Yeah, let her paint you, gorgeous," Starsky said from the next lounge chair. He had covered his face with the magazine he had been reading and gentle snores had been ruffling the pages in a comical fashion. Now he peered over the top and said, "You want to paint me, Agatha? I've been told I got the classic looks. Like a gladiator or something. You could put me on a cover. Me and Hutch."

"I could certainly do that," Agatha said, eyes twinkling. "Do you think Hutch would pose nude if you asked him?"

"Nude? As in no clothes?" Starsky said, "Nope, that's for me. My Hutch." Looking at Alex, Starsky asked, "You want Alex to pose nude? I don't know if Mulder will like that."

Alex lifted a brow at Agatha.

Agatha seemed to be thinking about that. After a moment, she said, "No, of course not. Not that I wouldn't love to paint Alex as the Dying Gaul."

"You're painting Alex?" Mulder asked as he arrived from the swimming pool. He slid in behind Alex on the sturdy wooden lounge.

Alex noted that Mulder's speedo was so scanty that he might as well be nude. He smiled to himself, remembering the first time he had seen Mulder like that. It was a wonder he had not walked right into the swimming pool. He leaned back into the damp warmth of his lover. He wiggled a little bit until he could feel Mulder's cock hard against his black trunks. "Never more comfortable," Alex declared.

"Did you see Hutch in the pool?" Starsky asked.

"No, he was talking to the captain," Mulder answered. "I think he is trying to persuade him to let him steer the ship."

"Shit, now I'm scared," Starsky said, but he didn't make a move.

Turning his intense gaze back to Agatha, Mulder said, "So what's this about painting Alex?"

"I'd like to do it. He has an interesting face, beautiful, but not boring. Beautiful faces can be boring," Agatha said.

"Not his," Mulder said, "I could look at it forever. There's not much time though. The ship docks tomorrow."

"All I need is some pictures. I can do the portrait from a series of pictures," Agatha said.

"I don't know," Alex said, "Pictures of me?"

Wrapping his arms around Alex, Mulder whispered, "I'd like a portrait of you."

"Why?" Alex said.

"I don't know," Mulder said, but his hands tightened on Alex's arm. "I suppose I like the idea that I will have something to remember this time. I'm finally happy."

The words made Alex's heart jump. Mulder's tone was flat as if they were inconsequential, but Alex knew that Mulder meant it.

"Okay, if you want," said Alex. "Agatha, you can paint me if you do a painting for Mulder."

"I'll do you one better," Agatha said, "I'll do one of the two of you. I think that nothing can be more beautiful as love and you two just glow with love."

Mulder laughed and Alex took his lead from that. He forced a laugh out and said, "That's BS, Agatha."

Starsky said, "No, she's right. Anybody can see that you two are special, like me and Hutch. Partners."

Mulder's arms closed around Alex. He said, "I don't think it is BS, Alex. I just laughed because I'm not used to having people know how I feel."

"Except when you're pissed at someone," Alex said.

"Goes without saying," Mulder admitted. "Alex, let's do this."

Whatever Mulder wanted...

Alex said, "All right, Mulder."

"Great, the light is just right for some good shots," Agatha said. "Starsky, go get your Hutch. I was joking about the nude shots."

That deck chair was abandoned so fast that Alex thought he saw a cartoon like trail of legs behind Starsky.

Leaning back until he was nearly fused with Mulder, Alex sighed with contentment. Maybe a painting of the two of them would keep their love just as it was now. Alex gave one of his rare smiles to Agatha.

"Can you paint Mulder as I see him?" Alex said, standing up. "I've always thought there was no one more beautiful."

Agatha laughed at that and said, "Even Da Vinci couldn't have done that, but I'll do my best."

So for the remaining two days of the cruise, Agatha snapped dozens of pictures of both couples. It made Alex somewhat nervous. After all, he wasn't used to being out of the shadows.

Comparing notes, the four men realized that Agatha and Shelby were staying in an exclusive cluster of bungalows not far from the larger house that Mulder had reserved. There would be plenty of time to finish the paintings there.

Mulder had spared no expense in his quest for the perfect place for the lovers to honeymoon. The lodge was located on a tiny cove in one of the least traveled areas of Bora Bora. There was a well-maintained private road that joined the highway. The residence had four bedrooms and was fully staffed. It cost an indecent amount of money, but Mulder considered it well spent.

The private beach would allow Alex to sun bathe without his usual reluctance to expose his injury. Mulder also planned to indulge in something he hadn't dare do since his college days, nude sunbathing. There was nothing like the feel of the sun kissing every inch of his body. Allowing himself to love Alex had made Mulder remember what it had been like before his quest consumed him. He realized that he had reacted so strongly to his old flame, Phoebe Green, because she reminded him of a time in his life when he'd still had fun. He had enjoyed himself in his college days before his quest devoured his life. He had gone to nude beaches, indulged in sexual experimentation that he'd had to repress once he worked for the FBI.

Mulder couldn't wait to see the house. It had been described to him as near paradise, an English country manor in the middle of Gauguin's paradise. Right now, Mulder concentrated on not moving. Alex had fallen asleep on his shoulder and even the gut wrenching twists taken at break neck speed by Starsky didn't wake him.

Scully would have loved this, Mulder reflected. All too often she had been the passive recipient of his wild driving. She would have loved to see him trapped in the passenger seat.

As a particularly sharp corner caused Alex to sag away for a moment, Mulder's lover opened one eye and said, "Starsky, slow down or I'm going to sneak into your room and shave your head."

"Spoilsport," Starsky grumbled, but slowed down just in time to let a tour bus finish passing a truck full of produce.

Alex snuggled back to his former position and Mulder wrapped a protective arm around him. Despite the heat, he didn't mind the sweaty warmth so close to him. Now that he had Alex, it scared the hell out of him that he might lose him. He hoped if they had to fall in the coming struggle that they would fall together.

"Stop it, Mulder," Alex muttered.

"What?" Mulder said.

"Looking for the darkness," Alex said. "Remember our deal? When I do it, you pull me out and I do the same for you. You know, I keep saying, we're no good at this relaxing shit."

A snort from Hutch interrupted. He said, "Just live a little, both of you. And here, Starsky thinks I brood too much."

"Wow," Starsky said, "Yeah, I can live like this. I didn't know Resistance Fighters made the big bucks," he gawked at the Tudor style house, which was surrounded by a tall wooden fence. "Hey, there aren't any graves around this place, are there?"

"No," replied Mulder, rolling his eyes. Starsky had been uneasy ever since he found out that the rock gardens outside some of the native homes were really graves.

Alex shaded his eyes as he slipped his prescription sunglasses down to look at their temporary home. "Funny to stay in such an English looking house on Bora Bora, but I like it. Mr. Mannerly took me to his country house one time when I was hurt. It looked a lot like this."

"Mr. Mannerly?" Mulder said in an inquiring voice.

"The Brit, he was the one that recruited me into the resistance," Alex said. He put the sunglasses back on before Mulder could scold him.

There was so much of Alex's life that Mulder knew nothing about. He hoped eventually Alex would trust him enough to talk more about the past. Taking his lover's arm, Mulder led him up the driveway.

"Welcome to 'Ahiahi'," a large woman said. She was as tall as Mulder with nearly half again his girth. Her hair was wound around her head in a heavy black crown. A long, loose cotton dress covered her stout body. "I'm Anna Mataiea, your housekeeper. Gesturing to the young men with her, she said, "My nephews, Joseph and Pierre. Joseph takes care of the garden and Pierre, does some of housework. I cook for you too."

"Pleased to meet you," Starsky said, bouncing forward. He offered his hand to the startled woman. "I like Italian and Mexican food."

Mulder introduced himself and then the four of them went on a tour of the house. The two largest bedrooms were ready for occupation; both of them furnished with huge canopy beds, equipped with mosquito netting. Modern air conditioning made the mosquito netting more traditional than necessary, but Mulder approved of the thought.

"I want a shower," Alex said.

"So do I," Mulder said.

Their bathroom was luxury to the core. The shower was a separate enclosure, very large with a built-in chair, which had accommodated the elderly man who had once owned the house. A shelf full of shampoos and lotions invited Mulder to indulge a side of himself he seldom allowed to come to the fore.

"Skinner takes bubble baths," Mulder remarked as he rejected ginger-scented bath beads.

"I don't want to know how you know that," Alex said, his voice muffled as he pulled off the green version of his poet shirt. Leaning on the counter, Alex took off his sandals, his ass jutting at a very cute angle.

"Jealous?" Mulder teased.

"Always," Alex said.

"I like this one, coconut and sandalwood," Mulder said, reading the label.

Alex sniffed the bottle, pert nose sniffing like a bunny's. "Yeah, that's good. You know? I never used to even wear scented deodorant. You don't want anything that might alert a target to your presence."

Wishing that Alex wouldn't let things like that drop, Mulder undressed, biting back his comment. Sometimes he thought Alex was as innocent a killer as a wildcat. Mulder felt thoroughly confused by his feelings, but he was sure that he wanted Alex to remain his lover. That meant he had to keep from saying what he felt at times.

Alex was watching him warily. He said, "Whatever I said, I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry," Mulder said. "Not at you, anyway."

Alex continued to look at him. He said, "Mulder, I'm not going to say I'm sorry to you again. I did what I did."

"You survived. I understand," Mulder said. It was part lie and part truth, but it would have to do.

Green eyes still stared at him, full of challenge and apprehension. Mulder captured his lover and kissed him, looked him full in those beautiful eyes, and kissed him even harder. Breathless, they leaned into each other for long moments until Mulder uncapped the shower gel to rub the scented soap over Alex's body. Touching his lover calmed him, reminded him that he had this beautiful man for his own. His fingers trembled with emotion at the thought.

Alex lifted his chin, eyes questioning. Mulder's hands traced soap down Alex's back, stopped to explore Alex's ass, velvet soft flesh over the perfect frame of muscles beneath.

Tilting Alex's chin up gently, Mulder kissed the side of his neck, sucking in the flesh to mark him. "You taste so good," Mulder said.

"Mmm," Alex purred, arching to allow Mulder to suckle the soft sensitive area right beneath his chin. The water was a mist around them. The warm caress of the gentle spray slicked their skin, making each touch a promise of pleasure.

"Mine," Mulder said, "Always mine."

Alex's eyes had always fascinated Mulder. He had jerked Alex's face to see his eyes even when he hated him. Now he couldn't get enough of staring into them, seeing himself reflected in the scrying pools of green. Softly, Mulder said, "As I am yours."

Alex's smile that day was something to keep forever.

"We should take a shower too," Hutch said as they headed to their own room, "And rest a while before going exploring."

Starsky's eyes danced as he said, "Yeah."

A smack on Starsky's bottom as they dried off was enough to tease him into a mock-wrestling match. Hutch let Starsky steer him toward the bed and pounce like a hungry tiger. They played each other's bodies without the hesitancy of new lovers. However recent their physical union was, they had been in love so long that it seemed like always.

Now as Starsky gazed down at him, Hutch wondered why he had ever doubted. He reached up to pull Starsky down close to him. Their lovemaking not a matter of top or bottom, the conventions that would have never worked for them. Mouth to mouth, drinking each other until they were intoxicated with passion. Hands clenching together, hands molding fire from flesh. Thrusting against the barrier of skin as if trying to merge into one.

"You want?" Hutch said.

"No, like this, just like this," Starsky replied, his hand working Hutch's cock as his lover found the pace that would satisfy him.

They kissed again. Hutch moaned as their tongues entangled. He could feel Starsky surging into his hand and knew he would come soon. Starsky's hand lost the rhythm of his movements as his body bucked in release. A moment later, gasping, Starsky laughed softly before kneeling between his legs to take his erection in his mouth. It was hot and sweet. Hutch's hand tangled in the mass of Starsky's thick wavy hair, not to guide him, just to hold on, to know that the nearly unbearable pleasure came from the person who seemed put on earth to love him.

It was Starsky's name Hutch cried as he came, as he had done at intervals before they had ever become lovers. Hutch had drowned those unwelcome thoughts with other sexual partners. He had never dreamed that Starsky would ever admit what had always been an undercurrent in their 'me and thee'.

"You and me," Starsky said as they spooned together, "have always been one soul in two bodies."

"I know," Hutch said, "I know."

Partners...now in all parts of their lives. This was heaven, Hutch thought. The way it should have been. Even if...

Starsky's gentle snores rumbled beside Hutch as he lay in one leg tangled in the covers, one hand flung across Hutch's belly and the other back against the pillows. Hutch had to look at the big galoot for a moment before shaking his head and falling backwards, sleepy and sex drunk. Hutch, old man, he thought, you have it pretty bad when you still think he's beautiful open mouthed and snoring.

"Are you going into town?" Starsky asked as Mulder came padding into the room.

"No, it's late. I wanted to see the beach, but Alex is still asleep. Where's Hutch?"

"Reading up on Bora Bora. Good old Hutch, he has to study even how to have fun," Starsky said.

"I'm going down for a swim," Mulder said.

"I'll go with you," Starsky said.

Mulder hadn't warned him that he planned to swim nude. His trunks were left on a towel as he ran over the white sands toward the blue water. The way the man was hung, there was no doubt about that. Starsky had never thought of himself as being inhibited, but no way was he going into that water without trunks. He wasn't sure if Bora Bora had predatory fish, but he wasn't willing to let his dick take the chance.

It didn't take long to discover that Mulder was not much fun at the beach. The guy took swimming seriously, tirelessly crawling through the gentle waves with some kind of fancy competition stroke.

Starsky swam around enough to satisfy his need for movement and then decided to relax on the sand. Hutch came down with Alex some time later.

Dark goggles dangled from Alex's neck. Starsky said, "You have to wear those when you swim?"

"Yeah," Alex said, "Mulder bought them for me. I don't know if I'll really go into the water."

"Ah, you have to," Starsky said, "The water is great."

Alex shrugged and wandered down to the water, a terry robe slung over his left shoulder. Mulder appeared dolphin like from a dive and said, "Put on your goggles and come in, Alex."

"Fucking goggles," Alex grumbled, but finally let his lover coax him into the water.

With his Hutch there, Starsky was happy to get back into the water. He dived to pull his lover under the water. Hutch retaliated. Starsky managed to surprise him when he was distracted but was ambushed in turn by Alex. Mulder jumped into the fray and soon they were involved in a four-way battle, which proved to Starsky conclusively that it was a good idea to wear bathing suits, although he really didn't mean to grab Mulder where he did.

After they caught their breath, they walked back to the house to have dinner. Anna had prepared a chicken curry, with a pudding cooked in banana leaves for dessert. Starsky sighed. He bet there wasn't one Italian restaurant on the entire island. He might starve before he got back to the safety of Mama Rosa's Italian kitchen!

Over the next few days, Alex slowly relaxed. His eyes were still overly sensitive, but they were improving. In a way, Alex worried. What if Mulder's attentiveness and sweetness vanished when Alex was healed?

Mulder reached over as the sunlight faded and hooked his finger on the frame of Alex's glasses. "Hey, there, no brooding."

"You know I can take care of myself, don't you, Mulder?" Alex said. "Even when I lost my arm, I didn't have any real help. A short stay in the hospital and I was back in the game."

Mulder's expression dampened. Tunguska was bitter. It was the best example of what could happen when they were together and not talking straight with each other.

"I know and I'm sorry. I would have taken care of you," Mulder said.

"That's not the point," Alex replied. "I wanted to make sure that you knew I wasn't helpless. You don't have to baby me because of my eyes."

"I'm not," Mulder said, pouncing on Alex on the lounge where he sprawled. "I'm babying you because you are my sexy, sultry lover. Get it?"

Already half chuckling at the threatened tickling, Alex nodded.

Maybe every glimmer of light was not a sign of pending darkness...

Mulder was surprised to find himself in town with Starsky. Alex had been tired and Hutch had gone scuba diving with a guide.

Despite the outrageous prices, Mulder wanted to pick up some presents for friends at home. He knew the Lone Gunmen always loved getting presents and felt that he should send Scully something even if he hadn't exactly told her that he was going to Bora Bora.

Starsky watched Mulder make a pile out of books about local legends and history. "Those for your computer geek buddies? When do Hutch and I get to meet them?"

"As soon as they finish the background investigation on you. Ever since they had to go deep under cover, they have been even more paranoid about meeting new people," Mulder said, holding up a string of black pearls that Scully might like.

"You buying those for that old partner of yours?" Starsky asked.

"Yes," Mulder said, shaking his head and pointing out another string.

The man crowded in on Mulder. His strong features reflected in the highly polished surface of the counter. "She know about Alex."

"She knows about us working together," Mulder said. He looked at Starsky, wondering if Alex had ever really been attracted to him.

Starsky was good looking, Mulder thought, if you liked the rough and ready type. The mass of dark hair seemed to crackle with the man's energy. The intense blue eyes took everything in even as the wide, white-toothed grins disarmed anyone from taking him seriously. That prominent nose had been broken at least once, just as Mulder's had been. The slightly crooked set added to Starsky's cocky street fighter's attitude.

Starsky's scrutiny made Mulder uneasy. He said, "Scully and I had separated before Alex and I got back together. That doesn't mean that I stop loving her or love Alex any less. Look who I'm here with."

Now the man grinned and prowled away as if he had accomplished what he wanted to do.

Mulder shook his head and the shop clerk sighed, starting to put away the second stream of pearls. Mulder said, "Oh, no, I like these. I'll buy them and the matching earrings."

Picking out a boxed set for Scully's mother, Mulder paid cash for the jewelry. Alex hated for him to use credit cards. They were too easily tracked.

Outside Starsky had wandered down the street. He turned back as Mulder hurried to catch up with him. "Hey, Mulder," Starsky yelled. "I found an Italian restaurant," he pointed at the bamboo building nearby.

"I'm supposed to be Mr. Smith," Mulder grumbled. He looked around as if he might see men in black skulking about to report to the Riticulans.

"Yeah, yeah," Starsky said, "Come off it. No one is following us. Alex said so."

'Alex said so,' Mulder grumbled under his breath. Starsky seemed to think that Alex wrote the book on subterfuge. Well, perhaps he had, although Mulder's lover would have only published such a work in code. Still, Mulder had made it through a lot of wild rides without help from Mister Rat. "Just get in the habit of toning it down. You won't be a street cop, able to call for back up, when you work with Alex and I."

Starsky knit his heavy brows together and said, "I'll have you know that Hutch and I worked under cover plenty of times. These last few years, other than a little help from Dobey and our friend, Huggy, we've been on our own."

"Sorry," Mulder said, "I knew that. Let's go check out your restaurant and see if it's some place to take our loves for a surprise."

As they passed through the front porch where several tables were located, Agatha called out, "So there you are, two of you anyway. I'm ready to start the detailed work on those portraits. Come and sit down so we can talk about it."

Agatha and Shelby sat at a table large enough to serve the four of them. The maitre d' nodded as the two men joined the women. Shelby, who was as quiet as Agatha was forthright, smiled at them. She was lovely. She reminded Mulder of one of Titian's models with her lush red hair spread over her white dress. Her hand toyed with her black pearl necklace as if posing.

"I've hardly been able to persuade Agatha away from her easel," Shelby said. "If it wasn't your portraits, it's landscapes of the island."

"I hope it isn't spoiling your vacation," Mulder said.

"No, not really, I love to watch her work," Shelby said.

"I was meaning to send a message your way with Annie. She's my housekeeper's cousin," Agatha said. "I'd like to have either Starsky and Hutch or you and Alex come over to sit so I can fill in the details. I already have your portraits roughed in."

"Alex and I are signed up for a cruise of the coral reefs," Mulder said.

"Hutch and I were just going to hang out," Starsky said. "I'll ask him when we get back."

"That's wonderful," Agatha said. "I have a couple things started from your pictures." She looked at Shelby and both women laughed. "One of them should be a bit of a surprise even if you gave me the idea."

The surprise...well, Starsky thought it was great. Agatha had decided to do their portrait as a fantasy. He and Hutch wore loincloths. They held local island wooden swords and shields; Agatha said she just needed to catch the placement of their hands on the weapons.

It felt strange to have Agatha's strong hands arrange them. She placed Hutch at Starsky's feet, half-kneeling, one hand braced against his lover's strong hairy leg. Hutch still held onto his sword. Starsky stood over his fallen partner, ready to fight lions or whatever to save him.

Agatha said, "Hutch, I can't believe how white blond your hair has bleached since the ship. It's like a platinum halo."

Starsky said, "Yep, that's my blond angel, Agatha. So who we supposed to be?"

"I'm not sure," Agatha said. "I had a dream about you two. I saw you like this. Hutch was younger and you were darker, but I'm sure it was the pair of you. It must have been that gladiator remark you made. Of course, I'll do one of you in modern clothes if you don't like this one."

"I think we'll love it," Starsky said.

Agatha had a paint streak on her face and another daub coloring her hair, which had been tucked into a bun. She worked swiftly although she came close to look at their hands or to correct the pose when they tired.

Finally, Agatha said, "That's enough for today. You two were sweethearts. I think you were great to be so patient."

Starsky went to see how it was going. It wasn't exactly what he expected, but he could see Hutch's face, fine boned and intense as it turned up towards his. The way their bodies leaned toward each other made him feel happy. His own face was only half completed, but he could see his nose and his hair curling like a lion's mane around the shape of his head.

"It's going to be a masterpiece," Starsky said.

Agatha said, "I think so too. Can you two come again tomorrow? After that, I can work from photographs and memory."

Hutch looked as if he had something else in mind. Starsky knew that his partner loved the island. Old Hutch was crazy about the water and always had been. Starsky knew he was making puppy dog eyes at Hutch and his partner rolled his eyes heavenward.

After a moment, Hutch said, "Sure, I didn't have anything planned."

Agatha smiled and said, "That's wonderful. It might seem as if it was a strange vacation to you, but I seldom get to just paint whatever I want. By the time I finish designing book covers all day, I don't always have the creative energy left for my art."

"Great," Starsky said, hugging Agatha.

"Ask Mulder and Alex if they can spend some time after tomorrow," Agatha said.

"Sure will," Hutch said. He slapped Starsky on his butt, letting his hand linger intimately, and said, "Come on, partner. Let's go check out your Italian restaurant, a little romantic tte--tte."

Starsky looked at his blond angel and smiled with all his heart. "Babe, now you're talking and thanks about the painting. I know there's a lot to interest you here."

"Spending time with you, Starsk, that's what interests me more," Hutch said.

Damn, life was good.

By the end of the next day, the portrait was finished to the point that Starsky could see how it was going to look. He didn't know about art, but he knew that Hutch's expression was beautiful when he saw it.

A day later, Starsky's reverie was interrupted by a swat on his ass, which had been protruding temptingly as he leaned on the patio rail. "Hey, partner, I'm running on the beach with Mulder. Want to join us?"

"Too hot," Starsky said. "Alex said he was going into town to have lunch with Agatha and Shelby. I'm going to tag along."

The four men all had cases of island fever. The days seemed to flow into a golden montage. Starsky knew that the vacation had to end soon, but he pushed the thought away. He was happy. Hutch was happy. Even Alex and Mulder were happy.

Alex had chosen a French caf rather than the Italian restaurant that Starsky loved, but it was okay. He saw filet mignon on the menu. You can't do anything strange with that.

At first, Starsky thought that he was the odd man out in the situation. He didn't know a lot about art. However, his cop instincts kicked in and he realized that Alex was only moderately more knowledgeable than he was.

Like a born con man, Alex was a great listener and was just contributing enough back to keep Agatha from feeling as if she was monopolizing the conversation.

Starsky wondered whether Alex had ever really been interested in his Torino or whether he could have been as pathetically grateful for Starsky's help as he seemed. His guts told him that despite the chameleon nature of the beautiful black ops agent that there was something worthy at the core.

As they rode back, Alex said, "I told her we would be over tomorrow to sit for her. That's if I can make Mulder get off the beach and out of the water long enough to do it."

"Yeah, Hutch too. You ever think that Hutch and Mulder might have been...well, you know, if they had met each other first instead of us?" Starsky remarked.

Alex's eyes narrowed and darkened. "No, I don't think they might have been lovers."

Laughing at Alex's reaction, Starsky said, "Chill out, it wasn't a serious question."

"I'm sorry," Alex said, "It's just that now that I have Mulder, I keep thinking that I'll lose him."

Patting the man on the shoulder, Starsky said, "You won't. He loves you and he doesn't strike me as the kind that let's go of anything he really wants."

Doubts aside, Alex said, "Thanks, Starsky. I guess you must wonder why we wanted you guys to come?"

"A little," Starsky said, "It is like inviting someone along on your honeymoon."

"My life hasn't been the kind where you have friends. Everyone was a potential target. Either that or someone who might have me as an assignment. Even my allies, once I wised up, weren't friends," Alex said. He smirked and said, "Most of them aren't even human."

Starsky squirmed at these comments. He didn't exactly think that Mulder and Alex were nuts. After all, Hutch believed them. Of course, Hutch had also believed in wheat germ and blackstrap molasses, oxygen bars, and men's drumming groups to get back to nature.

His skeptical look wasn't missed. Alex said, "Someday we have to introduce you to Agent Scully. She has that look a lot.

Mulder wasn't wild about the idea of sitting for the portrait, but after all, he was the one that talked Alex into it. He would have preferred to continue spending the morning on the beach and the afternoon making love.

The portrait held the roughed in outlines, completed from the pictures taken on the ship. Now, Agatha was catching light and shadows, frowning as she tried to find a blend of oils that would do justice to Alex's eyes, Mulder's tawny skin and multi-hued hair.

As Agatha painted, she said, "I heard Anna talking to Isabel, the housekeeper here. Her grandson disappeared."

"How so?" Mulder asked, frowning.

"Don't move yet. Your shadow is falling over Alex so beautifully, as if you were merging into one," Agatha said.

"Anna hasn't said anything to us," Mulder said.

"I thought the other day that she looked as if she had been crying," Alex said, looking up at Mulder.

"How old was the boy? Could he have run away?" Mulder asked.

"Isabel said the child is about five," Agatha said. "I get the impression that the authorities here aren't putting enough into the case. They haven't even been questioning the tourists for fear of trouble in paradise."

Standing with her hands on her narrow hips, Agatha cocked her head this way and that to study the changes she had made to the painting. "This is really coming along," she said.

Alex sneezed as Agatha removed splotches of paint from her hand with a strong smelling hand cleaner. She said, "I think you should talk to Anna. Starsky said that he and Hutch are cops. I'm guessing that you two are as well."

Mulder smirked at Alex, "Yeah, Junior here is my partner."

That made Alex grin as Mulder knew it would. Mulder understood how much Alex wished that the earlier pretense had been the reality and Alex was not alone in that wish. As much as Mulder loved Dana Scully, he knew that he and Alex, as a team, might have brought down the conspiracy a long time ago.

"So will you talk to Anna?" Agatha asked. "They aren't getting anywhere with the locals. Not at the height of tourist season and US tourists so reluctant to travel outside of America."

For once it would have been an easy choice to say 'no'. Soon enough Alex and Mulder would be fighting side by side against the aliens. Couldn't they have this time without the world intruding?

"We will," said Alex. "I know Mulder would never be content to let something like this pass without looking into it."

Mulder thought wryly that Alex had better get him down from that pedestal because the man was wrong. He really could have closed his ears to this. No, not really, Mulder admitted to himself. 'Who was he trying to kid?' He couldn't have left this alone any more than Alex could.

Sighing, Mulder agreed, "We'll look into it."

As they drove home, Mulder remarked, "It's probably some pedophile."

At Alex's skeptical look, Mulder said, "Unless you know something about this that you should tell me."

"I don't know every site where experiments took place," Alex said. "Even if it is a human monster, the four of us might be better equipped to investigate. We don't care if we upset a few people."

Starsky and Hutch agreed. A missing kid was not something they could ignore either.

When Alex offered his suspicion that the children were taken because they were hybrids, Hutch asked, "So you mean that the aliens can mix their genes with humans?"

Mulder looked at Alex before answering. Alex frowned back but Mulder said, "It's true. I'm living proof. The man that I thought was my father allowed them to use my mother as a living test tube for a hybrid. They didn't think I was successful, but my biological father continued to monitor me all the same."

"That's weird," Starsky said. His eyes sought his partner's.

Alex said, "Believe Mulder. It's true. If you are going to help us, you'll have to get used to things like that."

Hutch asked, "You really think that these kids were the result of experimentation?"

"The facts fit," Mulder said, "the mothers' abductions and now the children. They often leave the child to be raised by the human mother until they want to test them. Saves them the trouble of caring for the infants."

"We'll find out," Alex said. "We need to talk to Anna and see if she will accept our help.

The four men went immediately to confront Anna. The woman had been shelling peas in the garden. Her usually cheerful face was downcast. Dark circles surrounded her eyes.

"I'm not supposed to tell the tourists. Bora Bora is supposed to be paradise. The bosses think it would be bad if you poken knew that there were missing children," Anna said, wringing her hands.

"There's more than one boy missing?" Alex's voice said softly.

"Yes, there are five missing, all born around the time the Tupapau were making all that trouble. The spirits were upset with the new road. It went right through one of the oldest Marae circles. Some people don't have any respect."

"Do you know of anyone who expressed a great deal of interest in the children?" Alex asked. "Someone who took picture of them or perhaps saw them for medical reasons?"

"The Native Affairs man sets up vaccinations, but all the children get them. I know that the Tupapau took the children," Anna said. She looked at them as if they were idiots who should have known that without saying. If I told my daughter one time, I told her a dozen, little ones shouldn't sleep in a room by themselves. The ghosts will get them."

"How old was the boy?" asked Hutch.

"Andre was just going to be six," Anna said, a fresh outbreak of sobbing heaving from her ample chest. "Sweetest little boy in the world."

"How long has he been missing?" Starsky asked, looking away in discomfort.

"Two days now," Anna said as she leaned her considerable girth on Hutch. "His cousin, Omo, was watching him while Aimeta worked at the hotel. Well, my daughter calls herself Amy, but that's not what I named her."

Starsky said, "Pardon me for asking, Anna, but could someone else had taken the boy? What about his father?"

"His father has never been around. My daughter fell asleep in the Marae and pretty soon she gave birth to Andre," Anna said. "Happened to lots of girls around that time. Aimeta was one of the last ones. Omo's mom was one of the first ones. He's twelve."

Mulder could see what Alex was thinking. He said, "Not here in paradise. I thought they liked isolated populations or big urban settings where a girl or a woman missing would not be as noticeable."

"There are exceptions. It seems as if they wanted to test samples of every part of the Earth's human population. Anna's village is one of the purest Tahitian populations left. She said that they were living on a smaller island until World War Two when the United States moved them to Bora Bora to use the atoll for military operations," Alex said.

Mulder had not even noticed Alex speaking to Anna at any length, but Alex seemed to know everything without ever being seen asking questions.

"Anna, do all of the missing children have unknown fathers?" Mulder asked.

"Yes, that's why we know it's the Tupapau taking them," Anna said.

"I'd like to see the Marae where your daughter fell asleep," Mulder said.

"We'll all go," Alex said in tone that left no leeway for debate."

"What happened to being on vacation?" Starsky asked, looking distinctly uneasy.

Hutch said, "Hey, Starsk, if you want to stay behind..."

"Alone?" Starsky replied, looking about as if the sunny garden was haunted.

Rolling his eyes, Hutch said, "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation."

"My former partner, Dana, would agree," Mulder remarked.

The Marae where Aimeta fell asleep was not one of the handful popular for tour buses for a very good reason. The area was thick with dengue bearing mosquitoes. In order to travel there safely, the four men would need protective gear and professional strength mosquito repellent.

Alex made some calls to arrange for the equipment and also for weapons.

"You're going to have to make sure that ever inch is covered," Alex said, "Dengue fever is no joke."

Starsky rubbed more of the mosquito repellent onto Hutch's back. He still didn't look happy.

Alex was surprised by Starsky's attitude. His experience with the man was that he was fearless and impulsive. "What's bothering you, Starsky?"

"I don't like spooks," Starsky said. "What if these kids were really taken by ghosts?"

"Then we see if we can get them back," Mulder replied. Turning his attention back to Alex, he said, "I really wish you would agree to stay behind and just advise us from here."

"Not likely," Alex said. "I'm not letting you ditch me, Mulder, not this time or ever again. You're stuck with me."

Despite the popularity of Bora Bora, there were still places where tourists didn't venture. According to the latest tour books, Dengue fever was wiped out on Bora Bora. That was almost true, but this ancient place of ghosts still held a pocket of infected mosquitoes. It was easier to steer people away from the area than to admit that there was still some degree of risk.

The Marae was nothing much in appearance. It was a palisade of rotting timbers and stone, half-fallen into the lagoon. On some of the stone, ancient carvings were obscured by clumps of vegetation. Mulder crouched and brushed away some of the flora to look at the carvings.

"I don't think you'll find pictures that resemble ancient space craft there," Alex said. He searched the ground for clues, squatting finally to eye a land crab scurrying on its business. "What do you have there?" he asked the crustacean.

The crab, as its kind was inclined to do, was dragging a scrap of material.

"What is it, Alex?" Mulder asked.

"This," Alex replied holding up a scrap of shiny polymer material in the grip of evidence tweezers.

"What is it?" Hutch asked.

"It's part of a biohazard suit worn by humans operating in conjunction with Oiliens," Alex said.

"Oiliens are the creepy crawlies things that live in rocks?" Starsky asked.

"Oiliens can live in almost any environment," Alex said, "But one dormant form lives in rocks. This particular fabric is more effective than the suits worn by Nasa researchers."

"How did it get here?" Hutch asked.

"No doubt it was dropped recently," Mulder said.

"Bora Bora is so small that people would notice a lot of equipment coming in and out," Alex remarked.

"Except from the sea," Hutch said, gazing out across the lagoon.

"We go diving?" Mulder said.

"Yes," Alex said. "Probably. Let me see if my sources have any information about this operation."

Alex was pissed that the rebels hadn't told him there was an Oilien installation in Bora Bora. Hell of a choice for a honeymoon!

After Alex managed to contact his network, they were able to get some information on the Oilien enclave. As Alex had suspected, it was mostly underwater. It wasn't a large habitat as Oilien labs went. It occupied a cave formed from a bubble in the lava that had sunk most of the landmass of which Bora Bora was one of the three major peaks.

Annie's brother, Tepoea, agreed to navigate the narrow strip of water bordering the Marae. The men stood on deck as Alex explained the metal box he held. It was an electronic key that would open most of the Oilien facilities. He wouldn't say how he obtained it and Mulder knew that there was still a great deal of information Alex feared to share with him. He just hoped his lover was correct in trusting the alien rebels.

Although they were well armed with weapons that would be effective against the humans or hybrids they expected to find working with the Oiliens, the primary weapon for this foray was spray guns that looked rather like the Orkin man's stock in trade.

Mulder said, "Alex, do you really think the kids are hybrids?"

It was obvious that his lover did. If he were sure that the children were entirely human, he would merely introduce the mutant form of the variola virus into the air supply system and wait. Humans with no alien genetic element would be fine, but hybrids would die if not vaccinated. The spray guns would allow them to localize the germ warfare and get to the kids in time to inoculate them.

The four men stood on the deck, encased in the suits that Alex had had shipped to them. Although Alex had made sure that the men had all been immunized with the most successful of the Consortium's vaccines, he still felt it best that they use the biohazard suits. The suits covered them from head to foot. Alex had drilled them like a non-com from hell all morning to make sure that they could move freely in them.

Unlike the clear blue waters for which Bora Bora was famous, the water by the lost Marae was brackish. It was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead even with the powerful underwater torches attached to their heads.

Mulder's heart thudded so violently that it drowned out the sound of the rebreather. He couldn't help imagining that the water was full of slithering black shapes of the horrific aliens. It didn't matter that they were all vaccinated against the Oiliens; Mulder still didn't want to feel the numbing invasion of one of the aliens.

Even through the heavy insulation of the suit, Mulder felt something brush his arm and instinctively struck out at it. As Alex turned to look, the culprit was shown to be a large manta ray, a common inhabitant of these waters.

Alex swam back, only a slight uneven stroke showing his handicap. He closed his hand on Mulder's arm, directing him to look toward a coral cave. The four men swam toward the opening. When they entered the cave, there appeared to be nothing of note until they examined the wall carefully. There was a fracture too even to be natural. Mulder ran his hand down it tracing the outline of a large hatch. Alex motioned him aside and planted a metal box.

Moments later the hatch opened and the four men entered. The water was pumped out and they stood in a metal cave. They were ready as soon as the water ebbed around them. As guards rushed into the chamber to see who had invaded, the four men fired at them. Mulder followed Alex's lead, not bothering with chivalry with kids at stake.

The smoke grenades the men threw enhanced the element of surprise. This second time in the field together, the two sets of lovers operated as if they shared a common nervous system. Alex grabbed one of the guards and his silken deadly voice whispered into the man's ears. Mulder saw the flash of a hypodermic and was sure he didn't want to know what was inside the needle.

Moments later, the man led them down a maze of corridors. Alex dragged him into a small office and forced the drugged guard to use his password to show them a diagram of then facility.

Alex grunted as the man's eyes rolled back in his head. His Glock was in his hand when Mulder stopped him. He said, "Alex, let's just leave him."

"You think I'm going to leave anyone alive here?" Alex asked.

His lover's green eyes held none of the warmth that Mulder expected to see. They had the unblinking brilliance of a bird of prey.

Lowering his lashes, Alex said, "Have it your way, for now."

Mulder dragged the man to a closet and shoved the desk in front of the door. He knew Alex meant what he said and could see the questions in Starsky and Hutch's eyes.

"He's right," Mulder admitted. "This is what our war is like, Hutch. There's no glory and not much room for scruples. We can't leave this place behind for them to use again nor any of these human traitors to serve the Oiliens."

Hutch's blue eyes bored into Mulder's, but Starsky said, "Yeah, I get it."

Hutch's face showed his pain, but he nodded as well. They followed Mulder now, his photographic memory as good as a printed map.

"I don't believe all this mombo jumbo," Starsky said to Hutch as they navigated increasing narrow corridors.

Just then, Starsky snapped off a shot at what he thought was another guard. The man didn't fall so Starsky did as Alex and Mulder had said to do, firing several rounds into the body until the man fell. As Starsky passed by the body, he saw strands of oil ooze from the man's nose, mouth, and then from his pores. The unnatural stuff moved toward Starsky until he aimed the spray from the tank at it.

Shaking with horror, Starsky tugged at Hutch's arm and asked, "Did you see that?"

"Still think it's mumbo jumbo?" Mulder asked sardonically.

"Shit, no!" Starsky answered. "I hate this, Hutch," Starsky said to his partner.

Hutch shot a glare at Mulder and said, "Cut Starsky some slack, Mulder."

"He'd better understand the reality of what we are up against," Mulder replied.

"I guess I do now," Starsky said.

The damned things were everywhere. Some of the Oilien slaves looked human. Others had an odd blocky appearance. The four men worked with their lovers as a team. One man would shoot and the other sprayed the virus-laden stream at the fallen men. Some of the men and women reacted as the one that Starsky had killed. Others must have been humans without Oilien riders. They were unaffected by the mutant virus.

When a corridor was clear, two men would cover while the others set explosives to activate when they had the children safe.

"The kids should be close now," Mulder said. "I hear them."

"I don't hear anything," Starsky muttered.

"Not with his ears," Hutch said in wonder. "He's listening to them with his mind. They really are his kind."

"That's creepy," Starsky said. He wished he had never heard of the Oiliens and their human conspirators.

The kids, however, looked as cute as regular kids. They were scared until Alex said, "Anna sent us to bring you home."

"How we gonna do that without scuba gear for them?" Starsky asked.

"There's a door in the Marae too," Mulder said.

"Yeah, then why didn't we take it?" Starsky asked.

"Because they guard the more accessible entrances closely," Alex explained.

Starsky was happy to keep watch on the doorway to the laboratory as Alex and Mulder pumped vaccine into the children. The kids wailed like they were being skinned alive as the two men injected them.

"That going to take care of it?" Starsky asked. "They won't get sick?"

"Yes," Mulder said, "Or at least, they won't die of the mutant variola virus."

"So it isn't like what you gave us?" Starsky asked.

"No, that was to make your body poisonous to the Oiliens. This is to prevent the kids from dying because of the elements of their bodies that are alien in composition," Mulder replied.

"Let's get a move on," Hutch said, "There are very unfriendly faces coming our way."

"Can't we just use the virus now?" Starsky said, knowing that Alex had a large canister to spread throughout the ventilation system.

"Not until the children are out," Alex said. "I'm not sure how long it takes for the vaccine to work. I don't want to kill them just because they are hybrids. Some of my best friends are hybrids."

Starsky couldn't help an uncertain look at Mulder. He had taken the information that Mulder had strains of alien DNA with a grain of salt until now. The guy seemed human.

Getting out of the place seemed to take longer than it took to get inside. Hutch uttered a curse as a bullet burned along his arm. It was just a scratch, but it hurt. "Go ahead with the kids," Starsky said as his next shot took out the man who dared to hurt his Hutch.

"Go," Starsky ordered again when Hutch didn't leave his side.

Mulder flanked Starsky as they pinned their pursuit down with steady fire. Ahead, Alex moved the kids as quickly as he could, Anna's nephew, Andre, clinging to his back. Starsky knew it bugged the man that he wasn't the one providing the cover, but his eyes just hadn't healed enough to allow him to be much of a marksman.

Step by step, Mulder and Starsky yielded ground. There was almost a dizzy feeling as the corridor turned up. The hatch opened and the sunset welcomed them back to the surface. Starsky set the canister down and backed away. Mulder threw another gas grenade as Alex crouched to trigger the bombs they had set.

As soon as the signals were set, the four men and the children ran toward the tour bus that Anna's daughter, Aimeta, drove. Anna jumped out to help load the children and then the bus took off at a speed unknown to such a cumbrous vehicle. The first rumbles of the explosions beneath the island shook the road. As Starsky gazed behind him, he saw the rocks and timber tumble to the ground.

"Now that's going to be hard to explain," Starsky said.

"Don't worry, they'll call it an earthquake or a sign of volcanic activity," Alex said.

Starsky tended to Hutch's arm, tsking over the gouge. He was going to need a vacation to recover from this vacation!

Sure enough the next morning, just as Alex predicted, the news said that there had been a minor seismic tremor. 'Nothing to worry about' the cheerful news reporters said.

If anyone investigated the source of the explosion, no one was going to admit to it. In the face of this 'news', the return of the children was proof to the police that the missing kids had not been kidnapped. It was a misunderstanding, they told the still concerned relatives. They must have stayed with a relative who forgot to inform the parents. Islanders were notoriously casual about taking care of each other's children in that fashion. It didn't matter that none of the close knit family members admitted to harboring the five children.

Anna didn't care. She rocked Andre with a happy smile on her face. Her daughter, Aimeta, was so overjoyed that she planned to change her son's name to a Polynesian name in celebration of her mother's resourcefulness in finding foreign help.

As Alex lay half-asleep in the garden, Andre came to hug him. Alex smiled at the child, a symbol to him of redemption.

Andre said, "I can make your eyes well. I'll just kiss them better like my kuia kisses my owies."

"Thank you, Andre," Alex said, shooting a frown at Mulder's grin. The child pulled down his dark glasses and kissed his left eye with a sloppy flair. Blinking as a left over cookie crumb transferred to his lashes, Alex realized that he felt dizzy and very warm. He reached out for Mulder, unable to tell him that he was not feeling well. Andre kissed his right eye and the sensation intensified.

Alex was dimly aware of sagging back and of the child slipping from his lap. He reached to stop Andre from falling, but mid-gesture, the overwhelming lassitude overcame him.

Watching Alex try to deal with a five-year-old was one of the funniest things that Mulder had ever seen. Andre was intelligent enough to know that he had been in danger and bold enough to quickly recover his spirits. As a result, the little guy had decided that Alex was considerably better than his latest cartoon hero.

Andre had asked at breakfast why Alex always wore dark glasses. Alex had explained that his eyes had been hurt and that they needed to be protected from the sun. Andre apparently had been pondering that. The child had made himself comfortable on Alex's lap and reached up to drag the glasses down.

Since the morning was yet young and the garden was shaded, Mulder wasn't worried about Alex's eyes not refracting and being injured. He grinned at the pleading look thrown his way by his lover. Alex frowned back.

It took a moment for Mulder to realize that Alex was not just playing when he appeared to go limp after Andre kissed one of his eyes. By the time that Andre had kissed the other eye, Alex seemed to have fainted.

Andre seemed pale and dazed too. Mulder shouted for help as he quickly checked the little boy before moving to try to rouse Alex.

An hour later, the doctor assigned said that both the man and the child had suffered from an attack of low blood sugar.

eying the doctor, Mulder said, "Did you pull that diagnosis out of your ass?"

"Sir, I know you are upset," the emergency room doctor said, the cadence of Parisian French coloring his English. He was a thin, nervous man with a pencil line mustache over his pursed mouth.

"Yes, I'm upset. Alex has never suffered from low blood sugar and the boy's family states he hasn't either," Mulder replied. He loathed sloppy thinking and facile explanations rather than addressing the roots of a mystery. "Don't you want to know why two healthy people suffered an episode of low blood sugar in tandem?"

"Some things have no reasonable explanation," the man dismissed, waving his hands about. He said, "They are fine now. There is nothing to worry about. Now, if you will pardonner moi."

Mulder didn't care at all that he offended the little man. He felt that this was another example of what was wrong with the world. Lazy people searching for obvious explanations even when they didn't make sense.

"You want to go?" Mulder asked.

"Sure," Alex said. He blinked twice and then said, "Mulder!"

The husky voice held awe and astonishment. Alex said, "My eyes...I can see you now as clearly as before my eyes were hurt."

Mulder cupped Alex's face to look into his lover's eyes, always a pleasant experience. He couldn't tell anything by just looking so he said, "Hang on, there must be an opthamologist somewhere on this island."

It took bribes, bullying, and subtle intimidation to see the island's resident opthamologist. Alex sat in the chair and swiftly read the lowest, "Faxtdnhupz"

Mulder had to retrieve his glasses to confirm his lover had the letters on the Snellen Chart correct.

The doctor, this one an American with a broad accent, entered as Alex read off the lowest line.

"Hey, now, no cheating," the lanky man said, "You two American."

"More or less," said Alex.

"You ever been to Nebraska?" the man asked. "I hail from Nebraska. I'm Doctor Munsee."

"I've been to Omaha," Mulder admitted. He said, "I'm Fox Mulder and this is Alex Krycek. One of the reasons that Alex is here is to recover from injuries. He was blind for a while and was still having problems with slow refraction and blurred vision up until this morning. He fainted and when he woke up, he said his eyes were as good as new."

"Well, that's interesting," Munsee said. "Of course, there are plenty of cases of hysterical blindness being cured as quickly as it developed."

"Alex's eyes were damaged," Mulder said. "I have his medical records at our residence since I was worried that he might have problems while we were here."

"Let me have a look," Munsee said.

After putting Alex through a complete visual acuity test, Dr. Munsee said, "His eyes are perfect, as good as God makes them. I see no evidence of injury. Are you two having me on about him having a recent traumatic injury?"

"No," Mulder said. "It's true."

Alex looked at Mulder and said, "I need to make sure that I have people in place to protect Andre. He may be the most successful hybrid yet."

Mulder didn't envy the child. His own nature had been hard for him to accept and had caused him enormous pain even as it protected him from his biological father's sanguine nature.

Nodding, Mulder said, "Yeah, we had better make sure some of our best people are on the job before we leave Bora Bora."

Mulder was pleased to see Alex accept his subtle reminder that the Resistance was as much his as it was his lover's now. Things were looking up.

Starsky was confused as hell when the two men emerged from the emergency treatment room. Mulder had gone from worried lover to scientific observer in a blink of an eye. Alex also seemed to have thrown off his inexplicable illness to display a cat's curiosity.

The two men seemed off on a mission so Starsky decided that he and Hutch might as well go home with Anna and Andre.

The little boy seemed no worse for wear. His mother, Aimeta, tried to get him to lie down, but he was soon running around and playing with his cousins. Starsky thought they looked like any other bunch of island kids, brown, sturdy children with beautiful eyes and hair. Perhaps they were a bit quieter and seemed to decide on new games by some unheard and unseen process.

Starsky poked Hutch and whispered, "You actually believe that crap about them being alien?"

Hutch stared at him with blue eyes that were the very color of Bora Bora's famous sunlit waters. "You see any other five-year-old kids that can make a guy's eyes heal from one moment to the next?"

That was something with which Starsky couldn't argue. He wrapped his arms around Hutch. Maybe they were facing an unknown future and had picked a battle with rules a street cop like Starsky wouldn't understand. It still didn't matter as long as he had his Hutch.

As if he had some sort of alien gift too, Hutch smiled at Starsky and put his strong, rough hands on either side of his lover's face to kiss him. Yet the telepathy they shared was no alien gift. It was what it had always been between them, love, nothing but love.

Agatha had proved again why a camera couldn't replace an artist. She had not merely reproduced their physical form but caught the almost mythic nature of their twinned selves. Somehow she had caught the pain in which the two men had met, the sorrow that had marked their lives up till recently, and the joy that united them at last.

"I've never seen anything more beautiful or more precious," Mulder said.

His eyes were not on the portrait, but turned as they always were meant to be, to Alex. To his love.

The End

Happy Belated Birthday, Karen-Leigh! Love from Ursula