Title: Beauty is skin deep Alex swallowed the pill quickly with a mouthful of water and smiled slightly, looking at his reflection in the mirror. Pushing thoughts of what he was doing to the back of his mind, he continued to prepare for the day. ***************** Walter’s grey FBI t-shirt was darkened in patches and he grunted softly as he pushed his body to the end of his workout. He was breathing heavily as he lifted himself from the floor, wiping his face and neck with the towel at his side. He paused for a moment, telling himself he was just watching Fox and Alex work out. Alex was spotting Fox as he worked through a less physical workout than Walter undertook, stretching, improving his stamina rather than weight training to improve his strength. His sit ups were crisp, apparently effortless, but Walter saw the effort begin to tell, the eyes narrowing with each lift, the smile of knowing he was being watched by Walter, and others, fading as the repetitions took their inevitable toll. As he knelt at Fox’s side, Alex’s own physique strained the fabric of the t-shirt and shorts he wore. But Walter had noticed the subtle changes over the previous weeks. He frowned, only to be distracted by a voice behind him. ‘Getting too much for you Skinner?’ John Doggett’s gentle teasing tone made Walter’s frown soften, and he turned where he sat, smiling up and accepting the outstretched hand as he got to his feet. ‘Yeah.’ Doggett’s eyes followed Walter’s. ‘Health and Efficiency front page stuff, huh?’ Walter smiled. ‘Yeah. Hey, John, d’you think Alex is maybe working too hard? I could swear he has put on some serious bulk in the last couple of months.’ Doggett seemed as if he was about to make a comment, then turned away. ‘Nah, he’s just fine.’ Walter filed John’s reaction away for another time when the gym was less crowded. Heading for the showers, Walter washed, humming gently, smiling as Fox and Alex joined him, two sets of eyes feasting on his naked form, the well-defined muscles and smooth flesh, marred only by a handful of scars, some old and faded, others more recent. ‘You both showering?’ Fox and Alex exchanged a glance and a smile. ‘Yeah.’ Stripping quickly, they joined him under a single shower head, jostling teasingly for the hot water. ********************* Alex swallowed the pill, washing it down with a small amount of water, and looked at himself in the mirror, turning around, smiling at his reflection. He smiled, then inhaled a wonderful mix of aftershaves, shampoos and breakfast, wafting up from downstairs, and tore himself away from his reflection, pulling a towel around his shoulders. ******************* The police raid was well-planned, efficiently searching lockers, bags and several pre-identified gym users. The pills safely taken away, the officer in charge handcuffed John. Tiredly, he said: ‘I know, you didn’t know anything about it.’ John decided not to bother responding. At the station, John nodded at the phone. ‘I get one call, right?’ The officer nodded, unlocking John’s handcuffs. ‘Make it quick.’ John’s hand shook as he pressed the buttons. ‘Hi Fox it’s John. Is Walter there? ..No, it can’t wait…yeah, thanks.’ ******************* Walter stared at John, lips pursed, eyes narrow. John looked up briefly, then instantly away. Walter’s eyes were cold, angry and…scary. Not to mention his bulky frame and height towering over John’s smaller, shorter figure, slumped on the metal bench. ‘Let’s go.’ Swallowing hard, hoping his shaking wasn’t too obvious, John got up on shaky legs. Walter grasped his upper arm firmly and almost dragged him from the crowded cell. Outside the police station, Walter turned suddenly, releasing John. John stumbled slightly, the fist that connected with his jaw catching him by surprise, and he fell sideways, landing heavily onto the grassy bank beside the steps. The few officers and members of the public that witnessed Walter’s punch decided it was probably better to keep out of his way and detoured around him as he manhandled John towards his SUV. ‘Get in.’ Still stunned from the unexpected blow, John climbed into the SUV, eyes focussing with difficulty. ‘Um, Walter…I…didn’t know…’ ‘Save it John.’ John sighed heavily and slumped in the seat, enduring the short drive to his apartment in silence. He was jerked out of his thoughts as the SUV stopped a few minutes later. ‘Thanks Walter.’ Walter stared silently at the road ahead as John climbed out of the SUV. ******************* ‘Alex, Fox, get in the car.’ Walter had been in his study all afternoon, the telephone engaged and the computer printer spitting out sheets. That much Fox could hear. But he didn’t dare linger outside the door or knock to see what Walter was doing. He looked up from his TV guide and exchanged an ‘I don’t know what’s going on’ look with Alex before grabbing their jackets, handing Alex his and following the other two out. ***************** Pushed out of the car, Alex felt Walter’s strong fingers gripping his arm tightly. ‘Walter, please…no.’ Alex looked around at the sign outside the rehab clinic and turned in his seat, eyes tearful and wide, his fear evident. ‘You’re hooked on those damn’ pills Alex, and that’s gonna stop, right now!’ Climbing quickly out, Fox put a gentle hand on Walter’s arm. ‘Walter, Alex isn’t ‘hooked’. He only took a few…let’s go.’ Walter pulled his arm free and pushed Alex towards the clinic entrance. ‘No! Alex, inside. Now!’ Fox stood between Walter and Alex, turning to Alex. He forced a reassuring smile, his voice amazingly calm. ‘Wait in the car. Go on.’ Alex didn’t bother checking with Walter. He fled and jumped in the back seat, slamming the door. ‘Walter, what is it?’ Walter’s stubborn expression stared back at Fox and he rubbed Walter’s tense forearm gently. ‘Hey, he made a mistake. Everyone’s entitled to one, right?’ ‘Drugs, Fox.’ Walter persisted. ‘I know. I think he’s learned his lesson. Let’s go home.’ ‘He might have…’ Fox nodded. ‘But he didn’t. Come on.’ Fox jerked his head at the car and took a step towards it. Taking a deep breath, Walter nodded slightly, handing Fox the keys. ‘You drive.’ Fox smiled. ‘Don’t do anything that’ll get us pulled over.’ Walter swatted a large hand in the direction of Fox’s head, knowing that Fox would duck in time. He did, and Walter followed him back to the car, getting into the back seat, wondering for a moment if Alex would simply slide out of the opposite door. He was surprised, and a little pleased, when Alex stayed where he was. ****************** ‘Bed Alex.’ Walter’s tone was sharp, his anger still evident and Fox nodded. His tone was softer, and Alex appreciated his presence. ‘Go on Alex. Up you go.’ Alex climbed the stairs and went into the bedroom, laying on top of the bedclothes, his mind too busy to contemplate closing his eyes. He heard Fox’s calm voice, the reasoning tone interrupted often by Walter’s loud angry protestations, each time silenced by Fox’s gentler voice. ‘You tipped them off.’ Walter looked at Fox for a long moment, the denial forming in his mind. But that was as far as it got. ‘Yeah.’ Fox sighed. ‘Supposing Alex had been there. With his pills.’ Walter looked away. That thought had occurred to him. Even after several years, Alex occasionally left the house without explanation or a suggestion of when he might return. It was all too possible that he might have been in the gym when the raid had taken place. ‘It would have taught him a lesson.’ Walter persisted stubbornly. ‘It could have robbed us of him.’ Fox said gently. Walter turned suddenly, heading for the staircase. His point made, Fox went into the kitchen and started the dinner. Alex lay for some time, dozing between sleep and waking. He woke slowly as a hand stroked his flank, a large, heavy hand, moving from his shoulder to his thigh. He stayed where he was, breathing evenly, hoping Walter wouldn’t notice he was no longer asleep, until he heard: ‘Why Alex?’ He rolled slowly onto his back and looked up into Walter’s face. The expression brought tears to his eyes. Hurt. Raw, naked pain. He had hurt Walter, and for what? A little extra muscle on your scrawny body, that’s what, his inner voice mocked. He bit his lip, tears blurring Walter’s face until a gentle thumb wiped them away. ‘I’m sorry.’ His husky whisper had an unexpected effect. Walter sighed, then pulled him into a breath-taking hug. ‘Do you think we are that shallow? That we’d want you to risk your health for your looks?’ Alex leaned into the firm broad chest and shook his head, his hair scraping against Walter’s shirt. Walter pulled Alex up from the bed and stood him in front of the full-length mirror which stood between the edge of the closet and the door. Without warning, he pulled Alex’s t-shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor at their feet. Standing behind Alex, Walter held his upper arms. ‘Look at yourself Alex. Look at yourself.’ His left hand carded through Alex’s thick, glossy hair. ‘Hair straight out of a shampoo ad.’ His fingertips traced Alex’s temple. ‘Eyes like the finest cut emeralds. A nose which would have made Michaelangelo’s David jealous.’ His fingertip ghosted across Alex’s cheek and down, resting on his neck. ‘Cheekbones which a supermodel would kill for, lips which cry out to be kissed and a chin which people would love to see in their own mirror.’ Walter’s hands rested on Alex’s shoulders and Alex saw Walter’s face reflected back as he stared into the mirror. ‘Shoulders that have borne burdens no-one should have to carry.’ His hands continued downwards and he felt Alex’s instinctive flinch as his fingers neared the point at which Alex’s arm ended. ‘Arms that…’ Walter saw Alex’s expression change. ‘Arms that prove how brave and strong and determined you are.’ Walter’s hands wandered inwards and downwards, his fingers spreading to cover much of Alex’s exposed chest and belly. ‘And in here...a heart which continues to beat and love, and be loved, in spite of everything you’ve lived through, everything you’ve seen and done.’ Walter took a deep breath, and Alex felt the strong broad chest against his bare back. ‘Never, ever think we want you to change Alex. And never, ever, do something so stupid again.’ Alex looked up. ‘What about the rest of me?’ Walter saw the glint in Alex’s eyes and forced a mock-stern look onto his face. ‘The *rest* of you, Alex, is about to learn the price of taking non-prescription drugs.’ He pushed Alex forward and swatted his denim-clad behind. ‘You’re lucky Fox convinced me you’re not really to blame for this. Or it would be my belt not my hand.’ Walter’s hand reached for Alex’s jeans, hooking a finger into the waistband. ‘On the bare Alex, you know the rules.’ Alex dropped his jeans, pushed down his shorts and leaned down, settling himself across Walter’s thighs. A hand stroked gently up his back, across his shoulders and settled into the hollow at the base of his spine, pinning him in place. Twelve *very* firm spanks later, Alex felt himself lifted into another rib-contracting hug. He sobbed into Walter’s shirt. Walter was used to both Alex and Fox apologising through layers of fabric, and picked out several ‘sorry’s’ a number of promises not to do anything so stupid ever ever again, and the hesitant enquiry as to whether he would be allowed in the gym again. ‘We’ll work out together Alex. Sweat not pills, understand.’ Walter’s stern words were softened by the gentle kiss he dropped on Alex’s hair. The answering nod, scraping against his shirt, made him smile slightly. He looked up as the door opened after a few minutes. ‘Okay?’ Fox asked cautiously. Walter nodded. ‘Yeah, we’re fine, aren’t we Alex?’ Alex disentangled himself from Walter’s midriff, wiping his face with his hand, looking across at Fox’s concerned face, then up at Walter’s calm countenance. ‘Just fine.’ End Home Send me feedback on this fic Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index Return to the other fic index