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Fan Fic 1:
Time To Pay The Piper
by Xraycat
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me.
Synopsis: Mulder doesn't *hit* it off very well, with his new boss.
Mulder drove, nearly blinded by the tears running down his face, 'I've got to
get over this! I'm going to lose my mind, if I spend one more minute thinkings
about it.' Flipping the turn signal, Mulder merged onto the freeway, *I'll go
to Skinner's. He'll let me in. At least, I hope he will!*
Walter Skinner woke to a persistent pounding on his apartment door. Taking time
to pull on a pair of jeans, he picked up his service revolver, and crept softly
into the murky darkness of the front room. Thumbing the safety, he called, "Who
is it? What do you want?"
"It's me, Mulder," he announced, "May I please come in, sir?"
Removing the chain, and turning the lock, "What's wrong Mulder? It's two a.m.!"
Skinner opened the door, and let the miserable agent enter, "You look like
hell. Come in, and sit down. Do I need to get you anything?"
"No, I'm fine," Mulder passed his former supervisor, without making eye
contact. He dropped onto the sofa, "I just need some company, okay? If you'll
let me sit here for a few minutes, I promise, I'll let you go back to sleep,
sir."
Skinner bolted and chained the door, "Okay....care to tell me what's wrong?" He
moved to sit across from the distressed younger man. Reaching to turn on a
lamp, Skinner was startled, when Mulder stopped him.
"Don't! Please?" Turning his head, "Just leave it off. I don't want to talk,
either. Let's just sit here, okay?"
Skinner tried to get a little closer look at the obviously miserable Mulder,
"Okay, we'll sit."
Mulder lasted about thirty seconds, "Sir? Do you think I'm irresponsible and
immature?" Panting, he haltingly continued, "Do you think I throw temper
tantrums?"
"Slow down, Mulder," Skinner moved to the couch, so he could place an hand on
Mulder's hunched shoulder, "What's happened to you?"
Mulder began to relate the events of the previous day:
A.D. Kersh was reprimanding him, yet again. "Agent Mulder? What is it about
protocol, you have such a problem with? We can go over each item, individually,
if it will help."
"Not necessary, sir," Mulder spat sarcastically. "I don't have a problem with
protocol. I just don't follow it, sir!" He sat up a little straighter, "My
caseload does not fall under the normal guidelines. I shouldn't be expected to
follow normal procedure, under abnormal circumstances! I make up my own
protocol, as I go along, sir."
Kersh stared holes through Mulder, "Not acceptable. I don't know how A.D.
Skinner was able to tolerate you for so long! I'm at my wits end, with you
Agent!
Personally, I think your behavior is irresponsible and immature. You act like a
willful, stubborn child. If you were a child, I'd know exactly what to do with
you. I'd turn you over my knee, Agent Mulder! I'd spank that bratty streak,
right out of you!"
Kersh sighed, "You're dismissed. I'll give you my decision, in the morning.
Consider yourself suspended from duty, as of now. Do not report back to work,
until you hear from me. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Mulder was embarrassed, and rather angry. He hoped A.D. Kersh
wouldn't try to apply the sort of disciplinary procedure, he'd just described.
Mulder wasn't taking a trip over anyone's knee, thank you very much!
Skinner managed not to laugh, but could not prevent a smile, "Kersh really said
he'd like to spank you?"
Mulder nodded, "Yeah. He didn't threaten to punch my lights out, or anything.
He didn't even offer to kick my ass! His exact words were, he was tempted to
turn me over his knee. Can you believe it? Kersh said he wanted to spank me,
sir. Like I'm some bratty, little kid!"
Skinner chose not to address this last statement, but pressed Mulder, "Well,
I'm sure it was terribly embarrassing, but that's not the reason you're here."
Skinner stared at Mulder's stricken face, and persisted, "Is it?"
"No, sir," Mulder admitted. "The reason I was suspended? I'd been investigating
Carlton Gold. He's the C.E.O., of the Gold Conglomerate. His company owns
several medical research facilities. I have reason to believe, he's a financial
backer for genetics testing and research. I think one of his laboratories, was
responsible for Scully's abduction, sir."
Skinner smelled disaster, "Go on, Mulder. Tell me the rest of it."
Mulder stared at his lap, "After Kersh sent me home, I just kept running it
over in my mind, sir. I knew I had to speak with Gold, personally." He sat
silent, for several moments. Walter thought he might have to prompt Mulder
again, but he finally spoke of his own volition, "Anyway, I went to his house."
Skinner sighed deeply, but refrained from commenting.
Mulder spoke softly, "I was allowed into the house, and asked to wait in Gold's
office. He took his own sweet time, but he came in to talk to me. I started
questioning him, and he became angry. So did I, sir. I lost my temper, and
started shouting at him. I guess, Gold was frightened, I don't know. He must
have pressed a silent alarm, because suddenly, there were three armed goons,
pinning me in a chair."
Mulder took a deep breath, before he continued, "Gold called Kersh. Then, we
waited until he arrived." Mulder looked at the older man, for the first time,
"Kersh apologized, and just stood there, while Gold reamed his ass, sir! I
don't know how he held his tongue."
Dropping his head again, "Gold agreed not to call the police, or his lawyer.
Kersh guaranteed, I'd stay away from Gold, his family, and his employees. Kersh
assured him, my investigation was closed. Then we were allowed to leave."
"When we reached our cars, Kersh ordered me to drive straight back to the
Bureau Building. He said, he planned to follow me the entire way, so I'd better
not try and ditch him." Mulder was mortified, when he realized he was going to
cry. Taking several deep breaths, he closed his eyes tight, and stumbled on
with his story, "Kersh parked right beside me. He got out of his car, and
grabbed my arm. He practically dragged me inside the building, sir!"
Pausing again, Mulder fought to compose himself, "He pulled me into his office,
and threw me in a chair. Kersh bent over me, and stuck his face right in mine.
He started screaming at me, and I just snapped!"
"I pushed him back, and stood up. I told him, what he could do with his
lecture. I tried to leave, but he grabbed my arm again. Then, he....he..." a
sob escaped, and Mulder dropped his head.
Skinner wasn't sure he wanted to hear the rest of the story, but Mulder needed
to tell it. Tightening his grip on the younger man's shoulder, Skinner asked
softly, "What? What did Kersh do to you,..Fox?"
Striking his legs, with his fists, Mulder yelled, "Kersh said, he'd finally had
all he was going to take from me. He bent me over, held me under his arm, and
spanked me!"
Skinner relaxed marginally. This was the last thing, he expected to hear Mulder
say, "He did *what*?"
"Yeah! I couldn't believe it, either! He said this was exactly what his kids
got, when they misbehaved or threw tantrums," Mulder exclaimed. "It didn't even
hurt, that much! But, my God! I was so humiliated, sir!"
Skinner nodded, not knowing what to say.
Mulder took the nod as encouragement, and proceeded, "Kersh said, if I gave him
any more trouble, next time he'd use his belt! Next time? What the Hell was he
thinking, sir?" Mulder shook his head, in disbelief, "He's f---ing nuts, if he
thinks I'm going to let him do *that*, again!"
Staring intently at Skinner, "Then he had the nerve to say, if I ever
embarrassed him in public again, he'd return the favor! Kersh said no matter
where we were, he'd drop my pants, and blister my bare ass! He'd happily risk
his career, just for the satisfaction!"
Skinner felt an alarming urge to giggle. Biting the inside of his cheek, hard,
"Well...I uh, don't know quite what to say! No one saw you, right?" Mulder
nodded forlornly. Skinner swallowed another chuckle, "You don't have a case
then, do you? It's just your word against Kersh. You don't want to bring
charges, without any proof."
A tear slipped down Mulder's cheek, "It's just Kersh, isn't it, sir? I mean, we
worked together for six years, and you never did anything, like..like this! I'm
not really, a brat. Am I, sir?"
Skinner could hold his laughter no longer, "Yeah, Mulder. You're a brat!"
Pulling the younger man into his arms, "Come here, son." He held Mulder close,
and let him weep, "Give Kersh a few years. You'll grow on him, just like you
grew on me."
Mulder sobbed, "Oh, that's comforting! Thanks so much, sir!"
Skinner laughed again, "I'll talk to him tomorrow, okay? I'll try and smooth
things over, if I can. You'll have to accept the suspension, though. I can't do
anything about that. I will make A.D. Kersh aware, that I strongly disapprove
of his disciplinary methods. I don't like to see my friends hurt, or
humiliated."
Mulder pulled back, to stare into Skinner's eyes, "You consider me a friend,
sir?"
Skinner nodded, "Certainly! Why do you think, I've never busted your ass,
Mulder?"
Mulder blushed, "Thanks, sir. I should go. You need to get some sleep."
Skinner let him up, "Are you okay to drive? You can sleep here on the couch, if
you want."
"No. I'm fine, now," Mulder headed for the door, "Thank you, sir. For
everything."
"You're welcome, Mulder," Skinner said warmly. "Why don't you call, when you
get home? Let me know you made it, okay?"
Mulder ducked his head, "Yeah, okay. See you, sir." He let himself quietly out
of the apartment, with a smile on his face.
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