Title: Educating Alex Walter looked up as Alex came into the den. He was willing to be distracted from the boredom of paying the household bills, and smiled encouragingly as he saw Alex’s nervousness, carefully hidden unless, as he liked to think he did, you knew Alex well. ‘Are you busy?’ ‘No, Alex, what is it?’ Alex thrust a folded sheet of paper at Walter. Walter unfolded it and read for a few seconds. ‘Alex, this is your Bureau personnel record. Let’s skip the ‘how did you get this’ part and move on to why you’re showing it to me.’ ‘It’s got stuff I haven’t done.’ ‘What ‘stuff’ Alex?’ ‘Any of it. I didn’t go to college. Or University. I don’t have a degree.’ Walter looked from the sheet to Alex. ‘Alex, your academic record would have been checked…’ ‘Oh, the records are fine. I checked them. They’ve been faked.’ Walter decided this wasn’t the moment to pursue exactly how Alex had ‘checked’ the records of some of the most respected academic institutions in the US, and concentrated on why Alex had picked that moment to own up. ‘Alex, why after all this time, does it suddenly matter?’ ‘You know the TV ads for Oakwood?’ ‘Yeah.’ Coming up to the end of the Spring academic term, all the local schools and colleges were advertising, hoping to attract students in the Fall. Their local Community College was no exception. ‘I wanna go there. I want a Degree.’ Alex pulled the dog-eared brochure out of his pocket and handed it to Walter. Clearly, he had been thinking about his lack of academic achievement for a while. ‘Alex, you’re kidding, right?’ ‘No.’ Alex’s voice was small, his confidence completely gone. ‘You don’t think I’m smart enough?’ ‘No Alex. I think you’re smart enough. I’m just not sure why this matters to you after all this time.’ ‘Because I don’t want to be different any more.’ Walter reached the insert in the booklet. ‘There’s an Open Day at the college the day after tomorrow. Why don’t you go and have a look round? You’ll get to meet some of the staff and students and decide if it’s really what you want to do. Oakwood isn’t the only place round here you could go to, remember.’ Alex nodded. ‘Um…are you…busy…then.’ ‘Friday? No.’ Walter lied, certain he knew what was coming next and making a mental note to call in sick that morning. ‘Would you come with me? Please?’ ‘Where you go to college is one of the most important decisions you’ll make Alex. Of course we’ll come with you.’ ‘We?’ ‘You want Fox to come as well, don’t you?’ Walter asked, knowing what Alex meant. ‘Sure.’ Alex muttered. ‘It starts at ten-thirty. If he’s not ready, we’ll leave without him, right?’ ‘He’ll be ready Alex.’ Walter said reassuringly. ************* The entrance to the main college buildings all had huge signs above their doors indicating what subjects were taught in the classrooms and labs behind the doors. Almost as soon as they arrived and got out of the car, a middle-aged man approached. ‘Good morning. I’m Professor Morrison. Head of the English department. Can I direct you anywhere?’ ‘English.’ Alex said nervously. Morrison smiled broadly, a hand on Alex’s shoulders. ‘Ah, a potential student. So, what brings you to Oakwood Mr…’ ‘Krycek. Um, I want to get my degree.’ Alex said, looking behind him to reassure himself Walter was following. Walter and Fox followed them into the main building. ‘Excellent. Well now, let’s organise someone to show you round. Mr Patterson, may I trouble you for some assistance? Mr Patterson is one of Oakwood’s rising stars.’ A younger man, evidently a student, walked across the corridor. ‘Sir?’ ‘Mr Krycek here is coming to join us in the Fall. Perhaps you could point out some of the facilities the College has to offer?’ ‘Sure. Come on.’ ‘We’ll wait here for you Alex.’ Walter called. With a last look back, Alex allowed himself to be pulled down the corridor. ************ ‘Well, Alex, what did you think of the place?’ Walter had waited patiently for Alex for half an hour, suggesting Fox, who was becoming restless, wander around and they’d come and find him when Alex returned. ‘It’s great.’ Alex said enthusiastically. Joe says Morrison’s completely mad. But really clever. He’d be my main tutor on the course. And Joe says the course was really interesting. He’s doing his Masters, and he helps out on Open Days and stuff because Morrison really helped him get his degree.’ Walter absorbed the rapid flow of Alex’s reply and smiled. ‘So, you’ve made up your mind then? Are you sure you don’t want to visit some other places?’ ‘No.’ Alex said firmly. ‘I wanna go here.’ ‘Okay. Let’s get the paperwork done. You make a start and I’ll find Fox.’ *********** ‘What’cha reading Alex?’ Alex looked up, scowling at Fox both for interrupting him and the inevitable smartass remark he would have to endure. ‘Oliver Twist.’ He forced the words out through clenched teeth, trying to keep his temper in check. Fox said nothing but: ‘Okay.’ Warily, Alex looked up. ‘You read it?’ ‘Yeah.’ Again Fox’s monosyllabic response made Alex uneasy. ‘How does it end?’ Alex challenged. ‘You sure you want to know?’ Fox teased. ‘Yeah.’ Alex said sharply. ‘Sikes kills Nancy. He dies too. Oliver gets taken in by the old guy. Happy ending.’ ‘Not for Sikes.’ Alex countered. ‘He was evil. Good always triumphs over evil. In the end.’ Fox shrugged. ‘Not always.’ Alex muttered. ‘Yeah Alex, always. Eventually.’ Fox said firmly. Walter came in from the kitchen at that moment. ‘Fox, leave Alex to read in peace please. Alex, have you finished that chapter?’ ‘Almost.’ Alex looked up, his finger marking his place. ‘When you have, come and write up your notes while it’s fresh in your mind.’ ‘Yes Walter.’ Alex responded, his tone one of long-suffering. ************* ‘Alex, don’t keep asking me. If you don’t know the answer, look it up.’ Fox snapped irritably, fed up with the steady stream of interruptions to the film he was trying to follow. Alex tipped the table up and stormed upstairs. Closing his book, Walter sat for a moment before following Alex. He paused in the archway separating the living room from the hallway. ‘You were right Fox. It’s what Alex should have done. But snapping at Alex when you know this is the first assignment he’s handing in and he’s understandably nervous is unkind. Wait in the den for me.’ Swallowing hard, Fox got up, already thinking about his inevitable punishment as he crossed the room. ************ ‘Alex..’ Walter started, only to be cut off by Alex’s angry snarl. ‘Fox was right. I’m stupid.’ ‘Firstly, that isn’t true and you know it. Secondly, that wasn’t what Fox said. Lastly, you haven’t finished your essay. Come back down.’ ‘No.’ ‘Fine. I’ll call the college tomorrow and tell them you’re too lazy to finish your course.’ Alex turned to face Walter. ‘I can’t do it Walter.’ Hardening himself to the tears in Alex’s eyes, Walter said firmly: ‘Yes you can. Now get back downstairs and finish it. You have your notes, and your essay plan already done. You have the book if there’s something you need to re-read. You can get it done before you go to bed.’ ************* Walter left Alex and went into the den. Fox was standing in the corner, nose pressed against the wall. He fidgeted slightly as the door closed. ‘Fox, come here.’ Eyes on the floor, Fox crossed slowly to Walter. A finger under his chin lifted his head until he was looking into Walter’s disappointed eyes. ‘Fox, if you can’t be supportive of Alex’s efforts, keep out of his way while he’s working. I don’t want to have this conversation again, understand?’ Fox nodded miserably. Walter frowned. ‘Fox, what is it that’s making you behave like this?’ ‘I don’t want him to fail. He’ll never get over it if he does.’ Walter hugged Fox tightly. ‘He won’t. He has Professor Morrison and us and anything else he needs to help him.’ ‘Okay.’ Fox pulled from Walter’s grip, his hands unhooking his belt. Walter covered Fox’s trembling hand with his own. ‘No Fox. You weren’t deliberately mean. You were worried about Alex. I won’t punish you for that. But you said some hurtful things to Alex and I want you to apologise. And offer to help him if he needs it.’ ‘Okay.’ Fox walked to the door. Turning, he looked at Walter. ‘I’m sorry.’ Walter ghosted a smile. ‘You have to be on the other side of the door for Alex to hear you Fox.’ Fox nodded and walked out. ************** Alex waited anxiously while Morrison circled the room, handing back their first marked essays. Too nervous to return Morrison’s smile as he handed Alex his essay, Alex looked quickly at the foot of the first page. An ‘A’. His first essay, and he got an ‘A’. He blinked back tears and stuffed the sheets in his backpack. Then he heard his name. He looked up and saw the tutor, Mr Morrison, looking at him. ‘…something for you all to aim for. Maybe next week Mr Krycek will not be alone in gaining a top grade for his efforts? Class dismissed.’ Alex got up, hearing the bell signifying the end of classes for the day. ************* Alex pulled into one of the spaces outside their building. He saw Walter’s usual space was empty. Fox’s was not. Sighing, he walked slowly into the house. Fox looked up from the kitchen table, strewn with sheets of closely-typed paper. ‘Hi Alex.’ ‘Fox.’ Alex walked quickly upstairs, jumping on the bed and pulling his essay out of his backpack. Morrison had made several comments, challenging Alex’s views and opinions, but had commented at the end that Alex’s work was ‘a very promising beginning and of a quality which must be maintained.’ Smiling, he lay back, the essay across his chest. His eyes snapped open as the door opened. Fox appeared, his front splashed with rapidly-drying orange-colored goo. ‘Dinner kinda exploded.’ Fox said in explanation. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and then saw the sheets laying across Alex’s chest. ‘What’s that?’ ‘Nothing.’ Alex said quickly, reaching for his backpack. ‘Did’ya get a bad grade? It’s your first essay. Don’t worry about it.’ Fox said reassuringly as he stuffed his t-shirt into the linen hamper. Alex shrugged. ‘Yeah.’ Pulling on a fresh t-shirt, Fox went back down to the kitchen. ************ Fox turned as the door opened. ‘Hi Walter.’ Walter leaned down, kissing the top of Fox’s head. ‘Hi. Good day?’ ‘Yeah. I’m almost done with the final revisions. Oh, Alex’s first essay wasn’t well received. He’s upstairs.’ Walter sighed inwardly. So much for a quiet evening. Unhooking his tie, he walked slowly up the stairs. Opening the bedroom door, he saw Alex, lying on the bed, TV remote in his hand. He was surprised when Alex flashed him a beaming smile and handed him his essay. ‘An ‘A’? Well done Alex. That is an accurate reflection of how hard you worked. Why are you up here?’ ‘Fox is down…um, in the kitchen.’ Walter sighed loudly. ‘Come with me.’ He stretched out a hand, and, with obvious reluctance, Alex gripped his hand and followed him down the stairs. Walter walked into the kitchen, standing in the doorway. ‘Fox, come in here please.’ ‘Okay, just a second.’ Fox turned as he replied, his mind too full of last-minute worries about the food to notice Walter’s expression. Alex fidgeted uneasily while they waited. Finally Fox appeared. ‘Yeah?’ ‘Fox, why did you tell me Alex had got a poor grade on his essay?’ Fox frowned, looking at Alex. ‘Cos he said he had.’ Walter handed Fox Alex’s essay. Fox’s eyes were drawn to the grade, then he spent some time reading the tutor’s comments, occasionally smiling at the tutor’s disagreement with some of Alex’s more ‘original’ theories. Eventually he looked up. ‘Why did you lie to me Alex?’ Alex shrugged. ‘Dunno.’ ‘Alex…’ Walter said warningly. There were only two rules in the house which he enforced with equal firmness. Being honest with each other was one of them. The other concerned only punishing them when both he and the person in trouble agreed they should be punished. ‘Cos you wanted me to get a bad grade.’ Alex saw Fox’s face pale suddenly, and realised, too late, he was wrong. ‘Alex, that’s not true.’ Fox protested, genuinely hurt. Alex felt himself swept along on a tide of anger too powerful to stop, despite the sudden certain knowledge that he had been wrong. ‘You wanna be the smart one. So you get to talk about stuff with Walter. And I can’t join in.’ Now both Walter and Fox, Alex realised, were hurt by his second accusation. He tried to back-track. Too late. ‘What I mean…oh, forget it!’ The slamming front door left Walter and Fox looking at each other, wondering if this would be the time Alex didn’t come back. *********** It wasn’t until mid-morning the following day that Walter’s phone rang. He unfolded his phone, desperately hoping it would be Alex calling. ‘Skinner.’ ‘Mr Skinner? It’s Henry Morrison from Oakwood Community College. I’m sorry to bother you, but I thought I should call…’ ‘Is Alex okay?’ Walter asked, interrupting the man. ‘He’s fine. Well, actually, I’m not sure. He’s wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday. And the few times I called on him with a question I got the impression his mind was elsewhere. As I said, I just thought I’d call. He’s usually so attentive…’ ‘What time does Alex have a break?’ Walter asked, flicking quickly through his appointments diary. ‘Twelve-ten. He has half an hour before our tutorial.’ ‘Thank you.’ ************** ‘Is this seat taken?’ ‘Yeah.’ Alex looked up, registering the familiar voice a moment too late. ‘Walter…’ ‘Alex.’ ‘What are you doing here? Is Fox okay?’ Walter was surprised to see Alex’s eyes widen in panic. ‘He’s fine. I just thought I’d drop by and have lunch with you.’ ‘They called you, didn’t they.’ ‘Mr Morrison was concerned about you Alex.’ ‘I’m fine.’ Alex said tightly. Walter looked at the plastic tray, heaped with chocolate bars and cartons of juice. ‘Low blood sugar Alex?’ ‘The food is horrible. All fried and…’ ‘You could bring sandwiches.’ Walter suggested. ‘Yeah.’ Alex shrugged. ‘Do you want me to pick you up after your last class?’ Alex smiled. ‘I’ve got the car Walter.’ Walter nodded. ‘I just want to make sure you come straight home.’ ‘I was okay. Last night. I checked into a hotel.’ Walter was slightly relieved Alex hadn’t simply broken into the college and spent the night at his desk. He got up and, looking at his watch, drained the last of the carton of milk which had been the only item on his tray. ‘Have a good tutorial Alex.’ ‘I will. We’re doing First World War poetry.’ Walter smiled. ‘’Dulce et decorum est’ was always my personal favorite. If the people back home knew what it was like, they’d make sure every returning soldier was treated like a hero. When you get home this evening, we can discuss the poets of the period. I’m not sure Fox will be all that interested in the topic, but we’ll make sure and include him, right?’ He walked away, aware that Alex was sitting, mouth open, staring at him as he left. ************** Morrison watched Alex keenly as the room began to fill, students surrounding him in a semi-circle of chairs, picking up the books which lay on them. He certainly seemed happier, but Morrison wanted to make sure. ‘Mr Krycek, would you like to start by selecting a poem for us to discuss?’ Alex flicked through the index, and found the poem Walter had mentioned. ‘Um, page 103.’ As the students found the page, Morrison nodded approvingly. ‘One of my favorites. Now, when we think about war, I’m sure most of us wouldn’t immediately think of poetry…’ Will be continued in Part Two – Graduation Day Home Send me feedback on this fic Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index