Title: Cabin Fever Part Two The flight over, the hire car collected, the cabin in sight. Finally, after almost ten hours, Walter relaxed. Hooking the keys out of his pocket, he went up to the front door of the cabin. Thankfully, because they were able to view photographs of the cabin on the website, there were no surprises. Walter even found himself recognising certain things he remembered from the photos. He could hear Fox and Alex on the floor above, arguing over who would have which room. This vacation, he had decided, they should all have a space where, if they wanted to, they could be quiet and alone. So the cabin’s three bedrooms were ideal. One with an enormous bed which Walter would sleep in, and Fox and Alex could join him if they wished, and two more rooms, each with smaller beds, probably not big enough for all three of them. He walked round, opening windows and checking cupboards and drawers as he went, noting what they contained. Finally, he heard Fox and Alex coming down the stairs. Ignoring him, they went straight onto the deck and he heard Fox’s excitement at the sight of the large jacuzzi. He listened for Alex’s voice, but heard only muted sounds. Curious, refusing to be concerned until he’d checked, he went outside. Fox was already undressing and exhorting Alex to join him. ‘Try it out Alex. I’ll work out the controls when you’re in there.’ Walter said encouragingly. Alex shook his head slightly and walked past Walter and back into the house. Fox frowned but decided as he was naked it was pointless dressing again as Walter would go after Alex anyway. He climbed into the water and located the control panel. Within a few minutes he was lying with only his head and shoulders above the water, the furiously bubbling water hiding his submerged body. ************* Walter did as he always did. Gave Alex enough time to make his way to his room, plus a few minutes to undress and get into bed, or into the bath, depending on his mood and needs. Then he followed him. ‘Alex, what is it? Don’t you like the cabin?’ Alex lay on his side, facing the window, his back to the door of the room he’d chosen. Walter sat down carefully, extending a hand, resting it on Alex’s tense shoulder. ‘I hate water.’ ‘What?’ Walter wondered what Alex meant. He loved their shared baths. Or seemed to. ‘I can’t swim.’ Walter felt his stress level drop instantly. ‘It’s a jacuzzi Alex. You don’t swim, you sit.’ Alex rolled over, facing Walter uncertainty clear in his eyes. ‘It looked deep.’ ‘It is, in the middle Alex. But there are seats molded into the edge. You sit on the seat and put your feet down.’ ‘What if I slip off?’ ‘I’ll hold onto you. I won’t let you fall in. And neither will Fox.’ ‘Don’t tell him!’ Alex said quickly. ‘Okay. Shall we go down and have a look? If you don’t want to get in, you don’t have to. But it’s very relaxing.’ ‘Don’t let me fall in.’ Alex repeated, clearly still anxious. ‘I won’t Alex.’ Walter said firmly. ‘I promise.’ Reluctance evident in his face and movement, Alex got up, stripped off as Walter removed his own clothes and the two men walked down stairs, Alex keeping his body in contact with Walter’s as they descended and walked out of the house. Fox looked up, grateful yet again that Walter was taller than Alex. The slight shake of his head warned Fox to say nothing and he simply looked at Alex, smiling encouragingly. ‘Come on in. It’s heating up.’ He reached up but Alex ignored his outstretched hand, instead kneeling down and feeling round the perimeter of the plastic shell. There was, as Walter had said, a wide lip set several inches below the edge. Cautiously, Walter’s tight grip on his upper arm reassuring him, Alex climbed into the water, gripping the edge tightly. He sat carefully down and waited until Walter was settled beside him before releasing his white-knuckle grip on the edge. Walter reached around Alex’s waist and pulled him close. ‘Okay?’ Alex nodded uneasily. ‘I guess.’ ‘Lean back.’ Walter suggested, moving his arm so Alex could get comfortable. ‘Better?’ Alex shook his head, struggling back upright. ‘No.’ ‘All right. Just get comfortable, okay?’ Alex sat ramrod straight, every muscle tense until Walter stood up. ‘Stand up Alex.’ ‘I can’t. I’ll slip.’ ‘You won’t fall. I’ll hold you. Now stand up.’ Walter said, hoping he wouldn’t regret his firm tone. He was aware that Fox was lifting himself up, clearly preparing for a disaster. Slowly, his whole body trembling, Alex slid off the seat and stood up. Although the water was deep, as Alex had feared, it reached only to his knees. ‘See? You can walk across the pool and it doesn’t get deeper than it is now. Even if you slipped, you just stand up and you’re okay.’ Walter knew Alex had no intention of seeing if he was telling the truth, which he was, but he needed Alex to understand he could stand up if he did fall. ‘Look at Fox. He’s taller than you, so the water’s a little lower on him, but it’s still nowhere near his shoulders, is it?’ Fox suddenly understood. Alex couldn’t swim. Or, more likely, was scared of water for some other, more sinister, reason. ‘I have an idea.’ ‘What is it Fox?’ ‘Sit on Walter. You’ll be higher than if you sit on the base on your own.’ Walter smiled. ‘Great idea. Alex, let’s try. If you’re not happy, you can sit on the seat again.’ Giving the younger man no time to react, Walter sat down, taking Alex with him. At first, Alex sat sideways across Walter’s legs, facing Walter, seeking reassurance. But as the minutes ticked by, and Fox kept up a more or less continuous monologue reading from the guidebook he had purchased at the car rental office, Alex’s tense body relaxed and Walter surreptitiously moved him round so Alex was eventually leaning against Walter, sliding slowly further into the water as Walter opened his legs. Suddenly Alex seemed to notice what was happening and began to panic. ‘Walter, no, please…’ Softly, but making sure his tone was firm, Walter gripped Alex tightly as he reassured him. ‘Alex, calm down. You’re safe. I have hold of you. And I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Just take a few deep breaths. There…that’s it…good. Okay, I’ve got you. Okay now?’ After several minutes of fighting both for each breath and the urge to scramble clear of the water, realising he was sitting on the base, Walter’s strong arms holding him tightly under his arms, Alex relaxed a fraction. ‘Fishing? I’ve never caught a fish. I’d like to try.’ Alex said, finally listening to Fox’s list of the facilities available nearby. Walter yawned. ‘Tomorrow Alex.’ It had been a long day. To be concluded in the first of two final partsClick here to go to the first part 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