Title: Cabin Fever - The Conclusion Part One Despite several days coaxing, Walter and Fox failed to get Alex anywhere near the lake. He would sit on the bank, watching them, but never join them. Walter decided getting Alex in the jacuzzi had been victory enough as far as water was concerned, and stopped suggesting he join them in their daily swim. Alex found some old fishing equipment in a back cupboard, dug for worms, and settled down every morning and evening, waiting for a bite. Walter and Fox assured him there were fish in the lake – they saw them as they swam – and he didn’t give up trying for the whole week. His disappointment grew as the days slipped by. ************ ‘Our last night.’ Fox looked around the cabin as they came in from their evening swim. ‘Alex?’ Walter walked to the foot of the staircase. ‘Alex!’ Getting no reply, and seeing the tray where they left their 4x4’s keys was empty, Walter pulled the front door open and stared at the tyre tracks. ‘He’s probably just gone out for groceries or something.’ Fox said, trying and failing to calm his own disquiet at Alex’s sudden disappearance. ‘Yeah. Probably.’ Walter said, looking at his watch and reaching for his cell phone, checking it was switched on. ‘Walter!’ Fox’s panicked shout had Walter in the kitchen in seconds. ‘What?’ Fox stared mutely at the kitchen floor. The white tiles were spotted with blood. The glass door pane was cracked and they exchanged a look. Their worst nightmare seemed to have come true. Someone had snatched Alex. ************ Sending Fox out to see if he could find any clue as to why and who by Alex had been taken, Walter made two phone calls. If they were mistaken, and Alex had left voluntarily, which Walter doubted, he might return home. Their neighbor, Frank Harris, listened to Walter's concerned tone and promised to call the moment he saw Alex return home. The second call was to a person who relayed his call to someone else who in turn called him back with a cell phone number Walter doubted would still be connected in an hour or two. ‘What do you want Skinner?’ Walter swallowed, took a deep, calming breath, then said calmly: ‘Do you have Alex?’ ‘You’ve lost him? That was careless of you.’ Skinner exploded. ‘Listen to me Spender. You harm one hair on…’ ‘Skinner, you can stop wasting your breath. I have no idea where he is. I no longer care. Perhaps he had an accident. I understand he can’t swim.’ Walter felt a chill run through his body. The lake. He folded the phone closed and ran outside. ‘Fox!’ He looked out over the moonlight water. Fox understood immediately. ‘Alex might have…the lake…’ Walter shook his head, dismissing Spender’s comment as malicious. ‘Alex wouldn’t go in the water. And anyway, the bloodstains and the car missing? You think he cut himself, went for a drive then decided to take a twilight swim?’ Fox shuddered. ‘I don’t know.’ Walter pulled Fox towards him. ‘Neither do I. But I’m sure Alex isn’t in the lake, okay?’ The two men hugged, then Walter pushed Fox upright. ‘I’ll call the local sheriff, you go back inside in case Alex calls.’ Fox nodded wearily. ‘Okay.’ ************** Unable to concentrate on anything, Walter and Fox just sat in the darkening room. Warring with his anxiety over Alex’s safety was an almost overwhelming anger at Alex. Walter knew it was wrong to be angry with Alex. But he couldn’t stop himself. This was supposed to be their vacation. And now they couldn’t leave until Alex was found. The sound of a car engine, the volume increasing as it neared the remote cabin, had them both on their feet in moments. Alex emerged from the Jeep, oblivious to the trouble he had caused. Or was in. ‘Sorry, I was a little longer than I thought I would be. What’s up?’ Suddenly, the looks on Fox and Walter’s faces made him uneasy. ‘Alex, where the Hell have you been?’ Walter ground out. ‘Shopping.’ Alex held up the several bags he carried. ‘Get inside. Fox, take the shopping into the kitchen.’ Although he wasn’t the one in trouble, Fox’s hands shook has Alex handed him the plastic bags. ‘You didn’t leave a note.’ He hissed. Alex swore quietly. ‘I forgot.’ ‘Inside Fox!’ Walter snapped. ************ ‘Sit down Alex. While you still can.’ Walter said, his facial muscles twitching. ‘I forgot the note.’ Alex said quickly. ‘There’s blood in the kitchen. And a broken window.’ ‘I cut myself on one of the fish hooks. And the rod kinda got poked through the glass. A guy’s coming from town tomorrow to fix it.’ Alex rushed the explanation out, knowing it was wasted on Walter. He had forgotten one of their cardinal rules. Never, ever, leave the house without leaving a note. ‘I’m not going to punish you tonight for two reasons. Firstly, I’m too angry. Secondly, although this normally wouldn’t bother me, you’re going to be spending a lot of time sitting down tomorrow and I don’t want you to spend the flight home fidgeting. Dammit Alex, we thought…’ Walter didn’t have to finish the sentence. Alex could imagine what he was about to say. ‘I’m sorry.’ He whispered. ‘Bed Alex. Now. In your own room. Go.’ Dismissed, Alex fled the room. The shopping was stored and Fox came cautiously back into the living room. He knew better, as did Alex, than to interrupt Walter when he was delivering a lecture. But the room was silent, and he walked across to the couch. Walter was sitting, hunched over, head bowed, hands covering his face. ‘I could kill him Fox. With my bare hands. Right now. For what he put us through, I could kill him.’ Walter’s voice shook almost as much as his body. ‘I know.’ Fox nodded. ‘He just didn’t think…’ Walter uncurled and looked up. ‘I have to punish him.’ Fox looked away, uncomfortable at the topic of discussion. ‘Okay. Not tonight though.’ Walter shook his head. ‘No. I’d hurt him tonight.’ ‘You’ll hurt him tomorrow.’ Fox said, not understanding. ‘I never, ever punish you when I’m angry.’ ‘Yes you do!’ Fox protested. Walter smiled wryly. ‘No, Fox. I might sound angry. But I’m always calm enough to know exactly what I’m doing.’ Fox was unconvinced. ‘You always sound really angry.’ ‘If I have to punish you, I usually have been. That’s why you have corner time. Or lines.’ ‘To give yourself time to calm down.’ Walter nodded. ‘Yeah.’ ‘You shouldn’t make Alex wait.’ Fox said uneasily. ‘He deserves to be kept waiting.’ Walter said angrily. ‘No he doesn’t.’ Fox said, shaking his head. Walter sighed, got up and stretched his hands above his head. ‘No, he doesn’t.’ ‘I’ll, um, write some notes for the next people. The water tank needs time to heat up and the ice maker blocks up.’ Walter smiled at Fox, hugging him tightly. ‘Who would have thought you would end up as my conscience.’ ‘You were going to punish him tonight anyway, weren’t you.’ Walter nodded. ‘Yeah. But I’m pleased you thought about him enough to argue with me.’ ‘He needs us.’ Fox said, dismissing the compliment as his face colored. ‘Right now he needs my hand on his bare ass.’ Walter said, almost to himself. Fox knew better than to interrupt Walter’s train of thought when he was about to punish one of them and said nothing as Walter ascended the stairs. Click here for the final part - Part Two 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