Two

Mulder jogged to work, worry jabbing at him. Krycek had not been in the pool when Mulder had come back out of the bedroom. He wondered where the merman had gone.

Probably knew that I was heading for the Aquarium. He thought. He's probably there waiting for me right now.

Scully was waiting for him when he arrived. "Where's the Selkie?" He asked. An orphaned infant had been brought in early this morning.

"Over in the holding tank." Scully told him, together they walked over to where both Langly and Frohike were standing.

A doe eyed baby stared up at them, making soft noises that betrayed it's distress.

Mulder stripped down to his swim trunks and carefully entered the water.

"It's okay little fella," he crooned soothingly. "It's okay." Quickly he examined the Selkie, the baby did not appear to be hurt, only frightened.

"What happened?" He asked as gentle hands checked the soft pliant body of the infant.

"We think that the mother might have been killed by spear hunters fishing illegally, or perhaps a boat accident, we are not sure." Scully told him. Mulder nodded, so many of these beautiful creatures were lost to illegal spear fishing, motor boats, drift nets, you name it.

"Has he eaten?" The little baby was a male.

"A little, not much." Langly replied.

"Well other then missing his Mum and being frightened half to death, he seems fine." Mulder commented. "We'll leave him in here for a little while and then we'll see if we can transfer him to larger tank." Selkies were a social animal and needed the company of other Selkies.

"Sure." Frohike said. "I'll see if I can get him to eat a little more."

Satisfied that the baby Selkie was in good hands, Mulder headed for the main display tank, Scully walking with him.

"Krycek come in this morning?" He asked, forcing his voice to be casual. Scully glanced at him, her eyes sharp.

"No, I haven't seen him." She replied. Mulder nodded, keeping his face neutral.

"You know Mulder, it's funny." She said slowly. "I mean how Krycek always seems to know that you are here."

Mulder looked at her quizzically. "Of course he knows I'm here, I'm always here, this place is my home away from home, you say that yourself."

"Yes." She replied, drawing out the word. "And he always seems to know when your gone, your here, he's here...your not here, he's not either. You know that is one merman who seems to have great instincts."

Mulder shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Well at least he keeps coming back, you can't complain about that." Mulder knew that the merman was a big crowd pleaser, he really pulled in the customers.

Scully sighed. "Yeah, you're right there." She replied. Then she gave him a smile. "Well, I've got to go, things to do, I'll see you later.

Mulder watched the petite red head walk away, heading towards Skinner's office. He wiped his now sweaty palms on his swim trunks, Jesus, was she starting to suspect? Mulder knew that if Scully found out about Krycek living in his house...the consequences could not bear thinking about.

Ever since she had witnessed the security video that had filmed Mulder's little....indiscretion with Krycek, she had been loathed to trust him with the merman. Mulder could not blame her, after all, how could you trust the zoo keeper that had sex with the gorillas?

When she had first confronted him with the footage of his night with Krycek, she had threatened to destroy his career.

Luckily she had calmed down after a while and since nothing else untoward had happened, well, to her knowledge anyway, she had decided to forgive, if not totally forget.

But Mulder knew that he had to tread carefully, next time he was not going to get off so lightly.

With these gloomy thoughts chasing around in his mind, he wandered over to peer into the main display tank. No Krycek.

"Where are you boy?" Mulder whispered. "You are always here when I am, you are like clockwork, what happened?"

The turtles and fish swimming around gave no answer and after a few minutes, Mulder wandered away.

Three

Krycek's strong body cut through the water, his tail propelling him as it moved in great sweeps.

Another call, closer this time led Krycek straight to the distressed pod brother.

A small golden brown figure held another larger gray one in his arms, the larger merman gasped in pain, eyes half closed. A large wound in his tail dribbled blood into the clear water.

Krycek swam straight up to the exotic looking merman, clicking and hooting, his tail flicking back and forth. The smaller merman answered, eyes huge with fear and sorrow for his bonded mate, his other.

Carefully Krycek swam around the other side of the huge gray and together they half carried, half led the injured merman back to Mulder's beach house, and safety.

It was late by the time Mulder had finished for the day, he had finally settled the baby Selkie in with the other, larger adults, keeping a careful eye on them to make sure they accepted the infant. One of the younger females had soon taken a liking to the baby and Mulder had left them both cuddled up to each other, gently snoozing.

"Off for the day then?" Skinner had stuck his head around the door of Mulder's small untidy office.

"Sure am." Mulder replied. "What can I do for you Skinner?"

"Oh, I just thought that I would pop in, say hello."

Mulder was instantly suspicious, Skinner never just popped in to say hello.

"I noticed that Krycek failed to make an appearance today." Skinner ventured. Mulder shrugged.
"Well the gate was installed so he could come and go as he pleased, and he does."

"Yes, I know that." Skinner replied with a sigh. "But I was hoping that he would stay around, the customers love him, at the moment, he's our biggest draw card."

"We can't keep him here against his will Skinner." Mulder replied wearily. "It wouldn't be fair to him after all now, would it?"

"You're right, you're right." Skinner conceded. "But still..."

Mulder could see that Skinner was thinking purely in dollar and cents terms, and why not, after all he was the accountant, that's what he was paid to do, but still...

"I have to get going now." Mulder said. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay then." Skinner looked as though he had something on his mind, Mulder waited, curious, Skinner usually never had any problem with saying what was on his mind, but the bigger man seemed hesitant.

"Walter, is something wrong?"

Skinner glanced at the slightly smaller man standing behind the desk and shook his head.

"No, no, not at all, I'll see you in the morning." With that, he turned and left, leaving Mulder to stare after him.

Four

"Krycek, I'm home!" Mulder called out as he walked in through the front door.

A long low trill answered him and Mulder hurried over to the pool.

He stopped at the side of the pool, crouching down. "Krycek, here buddy." He called the merman gently. Krycek head and shoulder broke through the water, silver droplets spraying from the fine hair like fins that spilled down his shoulders and back.

"Hi there buddy, I missed you today." Mulder told him, reaching down to rub the soft skin of his stomach.

Krycek hooted softly, suddenly another splash and a smaller brown and gold merman appeared beside Krycek.

Mulder stared at the second merman, surprised, then he laughed delightedly. "Blair!"

Blair stared at the human with large expressive eyes, then with a flip of his tail, he dived back down into the pool.

"Hey wait." Mulder said. He reached over and grabbed the re-breather that he always kept close by just in case. He stripped down to his boxers and carefully slid into the cool water.

Blair was crouching, tail curled around a larger gray figure protectively. It was Jim.

Exercising the greatest caution, Mulder approached the two mermen. Krycek swam beside him, trilling gently. Blair trilled back, agitated. Mulder could see that something was definitely wrong.

"What is it Blair?" Mulder spoke through the re-breather, keeping his voice as soft and as non threatening as he could.

Krycek swam around to settle himself on the other side of the huge merman.

That was when Mulder saw the gaping wound that ran across Jim's tail.

"Jesus." Mulder swam up closer, ignoring the warning rattle from Jim. It looked as though something had attacked the huge gray, a shark perhaps? Mulder could not be sure.

"Steady Jim, steady there." Mulder spoke gently as he swam as close as he could. "It's all right, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

Jim hissed, normally a terrifying sound, but Mulder could see that the merman was weak from blood loss and more than likely shock as well.

"This looks bad old fella." Mulder said as he carefully examined the wound, painfully aware of how close he was to those sharp teeth and deadly claws, and he did not even want to think about the far deadlier spines that could be shot out at him at any moment.

He could hear both Blair and Krycek rattling, hopefully reassuring the big gray while Mulder assessed the damage. It was bad, but luckily not life threatening, a few stitches and some antibiotics and hopefully Jim would be back to his old self in no time.

Mulder quickly swam back to the side of the pool, heaving himself up onto the floor. He quickly headed over to the telephone dialing a number from memory.

Half an hour later, there was a knock on the front door, Mulder answered it. Both Frohike and Langly were standing on the front porch, and one of the marine biologist's Byers was there as well, a med kit in hand.

"Where is he?" Frohike asked as the small statured man entered the beach house.

"In the pool." Mulder told him, the four of them moved over to the pool, Frohike quickly stripped down, a wet suit underneath his jeans and shirt, he fitted the re-breather that he had brought with him over his mouth and nose and carefully entered the water. Mulder followed while Langly and Byers watched.

On seeing an unfamiliar human, Jim rose to his full height rattling menacingly, then overcome by pain, he sank back down in a half crouch. Mulder's heart went out to the beautiful, proud creature. He remembered when he had first seen the merman, when Mulder had released Blair from the old discarded drift net, the merman had wanted to make sushi of the human at the time. Mulder had marveled at the sheer magnificence of the big gray, while trying to avoid being slashed to death by those razor sharp claws at the same time.

Now this beautiful creature was reduced to this.

Mulder heard Frohike gasp. "He's beautiful."

"That he is." Mulder agreed, "and dangerous as well, what ever you do be careful Frohike."

The vet did not need a second warning, he had heard about the way Krycek had sliced a gray nurse shark apart when he had been housed at the aquarium.

"We need to sedate him and bring him up to the surface so we can stitch up that wound." Frohike said, Mulder nodded in agreement.

Frohike prepared the small tranquilizer dart gun that he had carried down into the water with him, he aimed it at one muscular shoulder and pressed the button. A tiny dart shot out and lodged into Jim's flesh. The merman stared at it confused, the modern darts were designed not to cause pain furthering an injured animals distress.

A huge claw batted it away, then Jim's eyes flickered sleepily, the tranquilizer had started to take effect.

Carefully, Mulder and Frohike helped the virtually unconscious merman up towards the surface, both Blair and Krycek staying close by.

Langly and Byers helped bring the huge merman up onto the floor that they had covered with surgical sheets.

"God, he's magnificent. Byers said awed. "I knew that they could grow big but..."

"I know. "Mulder replied with a chuckle. "That's the way I felt when I first saw him."

Working quickly now, they stitched up the wound and checked him for any other injuries. Other than the tail fin, there was nothing else. The settled the merman onto his side while Mulder quickly encased the sharp claws into the special mittens that Frohike had brought with him, then secured stout straps around his thick strong looking wrists. He then attached the straps to the metal bar of the steps that led into the pool.

"There, that should stop you from tearing your stitches out Jim." Mulder said. The merman made a rattling, snoring sound that made the four humans grin.

"I still think that we should take him to the aquarium Mulder." Byers said. "They are better equipped to care for him there."

Mulder sighed. "I know that." He replied. "But, look guys I can't, Scully doesn't know that Krycek is here, if she were to find out, she'd go ballistic."

"Why?" Frohike asked, he could not understand the need for this secrecy.

"Look guys, I have my reasons." Mulder told them. "I know that this is a huge ask, but please don't say anything about this."

The three man exchanged glances, then shrugged. "All right then Mulder, we won't say a word." Byers said. The truth of it was, they really did not get on with the Director of the aquarium and they liked Skinner even less, and they knew that Scully and Skinner were seeing each other, no matter how discreet they both were about it.

"Yeah okay." Both Langly and Frohike agreed, more because they did not care about any petty squabbles going on between the staff and management. Their main concern was for the animals under their care.

Mulder smiled at them relieved. "Thanks guys, you don't know how much this means to me."

"Well just remember Mulder, you owe us." Byers said.

"Yeah, big time." Langly added.

"Okay, the next weeks worth of lunches is on me." Mulder told them with a grin.

Frohike knelt down to check the sleeping merman one last time before leaving. He nodded, satisfied.

"Here's some antibiotics and some sedatives as well, it's important to keep him quiet." Frohike explained. "As it is he's not going to take having his hands tied down very well."

"That's for sure." Mulder replied. "But it's only until the stitches can start healing properly, I don't want him ripping them out and possibly causing an infection on top of everything else."

"Well I must say, you have the perfect setup here Mulder." Langly remarked, taking in the large pool and the open water channel that cut through the room and obviously continued down to the beach and into the open sea.

Mulder shrugged. "I like it."

"What I want to know is, why did this merman wind up here?" Byers replied, Mulder could see that he was mystified.

"I don't know." Mulder replied truthfully. "Both Blair and Jim were here when I got home this evening. I think that perhaps Krycek led them back here."

"Blair and Jim?" Frohike said, one eyebrow raised.

"I dunno, I think it kind of suits them."

Frohike shook his head. "You know Mulder, I am staring to think that you are more than a little crazy, but I'm not going to hold that against you."

Mulder laughed as he led the three of them to the door, thanking them once again for coming out so fast, and for keeping his secret.

"Hey it was worth it just to see those two beauties." Langly replied laconically. "We'll be by tomorrow after work, see how the big guy is doing, okay?"

"That would be just great." Mulder told them. He watched the three men leave, then closed the door.

Both Krycek and Blair were watching Mulder as he walked back to check on the still sleeping Jim. "How are you going there big fella?" Mulder asked. The big merman did not stir, the tranquilizer had been a strong one.

Mulder went into the kitchen, leaving the two smaller mermen to keep watch over the still sleeping Jim.

He quickly sliced up some pieces of coconut and crab and mixed in together, then he heated up some left over Chinese food for himself.

Blair and Krycek scooped up pieces of the food that Mulder had prepared, Blair rattling contentedly as he swallowed the crab meat.

"Bon appetite guys." Mulder said as he settled down to some re heated sweet and sour pork and a beer.

Jim slept for a couple more hours, finally coming around just as the late news was finishing.

The big merman was none to pleased to discover that both his hands were encased in soft leather and fur lined mittens and that they were tied quite securely to the metal handle of the pool steps.

Rattling loudly, he tried to tug his hands free, Mulder hurried over to him, ready to give him another sedative if he became too distressed.

"It's okay boy, it's okay." Mulder crooned, taking the greatest care, he reached out to stroke Jim's smoothly muscular arm.

The merman's lips pulled back revealing sharp pointed teeth, much like those of a shark.

He was clearly telling Mulder to back off.

"Okay big fella, I get the hint." Carefully Mulder backed away, he really had no idea how strong those straps were, they had held Krycek, but Jim was a lot stronger and definitely a lot more aggressive that the sweet gentle turquoise merman.

Just then, Blair appeared at Jim's side, making a gentle crooning noise, he began to push strips of crab meat between Jim's lips. Jim soon settled down, rubbing himself against his smaller mate.

Mulder watched, strangely touched as Blair fed his mate,the smaller merman taking care not to touch the wounded tail fin.

"Beautiful thing." Mulder whispered, then he turned to his own sweet merman who was sitting on the side of the pool busily grooming himself. He looked up at his his other and rattled, fins rising a little, a gentle erotic display for his beloved human mate.

Mulder smiled, feeling more contented then he'd had for a long time.

Five

Byers, Frohike and Langly were as good as their word. They arrived at Mulder's beach house a little after six in the evening. Mulder had taken the day off work, calling Scully to tell her that he had a sore throat and was too sick to come in.

"Hmmm, sounds like it could be the flu, might be best if you take a couple of days off." Scully had told him.

"Will do." Mulder replied, making his voice sound raspy. "Thanks a lot Scully." With that he hung the phone back up. He hated lying to Scully, the truth was, he liked the Director, and respected her as well, but someone had to stay here and look after the injured merman.

Jim had begun to recover nicely, the wound showing no signs of infection. Mulder was still not sure what might have caused it, it had not resembled a shark bite, nor did it look like a boat's propellors.

Another merman? He wondered as he scrupulously inspected the row of neat stitches standing out in stark relief against the smooth gray of the long well formed tail fin.

It was possible, but he doubted it, the main thing was that Jim would recover fully and both he and Blair would soon be able to head back out to the open sea once more.

"How's our patient?" Frohike asked, squatting down beside Mulder.

Jim hissed at the vet, then rattled, raising his tail slightly. Mulder knew if not for the fact that his tail was probably feeling quite tender, he would have brought it down in a massive slap on the floorboards.

"Help me roll him over." Frohike said. Both Mulder and the vet carefully rolled Jim onto his side, ignoring the threatening rattles and clicks coming from the outraged merman.

Frohike quickly administered a shot into what was roughly, the merman's hip. A broad spectrum antibiotic, much like the one they had given Krycek, and another, this time for pain.

"There you go big guy." Frohike grunted as they both carefully settled the merman back down again. "God he weighs a ton."

"That's for sure." Mulder gasped. "Boy fella, what have they been feeding you, lead weights?"

Jim rattled and clicked, clearly indignant at the way he was being prodded and poked at.

"Poor thing." Byers remarked sympathetically. "I wonder what it was that caused his injury?"

Mulder shrugged. "I've been trying to figure that out myself, I thought at first that it might have been a shark, but the wound radius doesn't fit a bite pattern, it looks more like a slash."

Frohike nodded in agreement. "Not from a propellor, something like that?"

"Could be, I really can't say for sure." Mulder looked thoughtful, staring down at Jim, who was starting to nod off as the painkiller kicked in.

"Well, whatever it was, let's just hope that it doesn't happen again." Langly said. "Well we have to get going, big day tomorrow, the new tank for the Kraken is being opened to the public."

"See you guys later." Mulder said as he saw the three of them to the door.

"Do you need us to come back tomorrow?" Byers asked. Mulder shook his head. "No, the wound seems to be healing just fine, and I can administer the shots as he needs them." Frohike had left Mulder an extra med kit for the merman.

"Okay." Byers said. "But if you need us for anything..."

"I'll call you, scout's honour."

Mulder closed the door behind them, then turned to where Blair and Krycek were sitting.

Seeing that the other two tails had left. Krycek slapped his tail against the floor with a heavy thump.

"What's wrong boy, haven't I been paying enough attention to you?" Mulder went over to sit beside his gorgeous merman.

Krycek rattled softly, then pressed his mouth against Mulder's cheek. Using his mouth, Krycek explored his human's face, a soft purring sound emanating from somewhere deep inside his chest.

Mulder could not help but laugh. Sometimes the merman could be more catlike than fish.

Suddenly Krycek gripped his human other tightly in his arms, wrapping his tail around Mulder's legs. With a swift fluid movement, Krycek rolled, holding Mulder to his chest and the human soon found himself in the water.

Krycek wriggled against Mulder's warm body, initiating the mating. Mulder laughed and gently pushed the horny merman away.

"Hey buddy wait on there, I need my re-breather, after all you don't want a drowned human on your hands do you?"

Krycek clicked, looking somewhat disappointed. Mulder kicked out to the side of the pool where he had left the breathing apparatus, quickly pulling it down over his mouth and nose.

Krycek watched as his human swam back to him, luminous green eyes watching Mulder's every movement.

"Here I am sweetheart." Mulder said. "Now where were we?"

Krycek moved closer to the human, the tip of his long slender penis already beginning to peek out from between the lips of his genital pouch.

A clawed hand reached down to explore the front of Mulder's shorts, rubbing against his stiffening cock.

Mulder closed his eyes, giving into the the incredible sensation of a fishy hand job. He felt the clawed hand grip the waist band of the shorts, sliding them down, a couple of kicks and Mulder soon had them off altogether.

Krycek wrapped his tail around Mulder's legs, drawing his other to him, Mulder's fully erect penis slid neatly into the merman's genital pouch, rubbing against Krycek's fully erect penis.

Krycek rattled as he humped against Mulder, the water swirling around them both. A smaller brown figure suddenly came into view. Blair, curious as to all the commotion in the water had decided to investigate.

The exotically finned Blair circled them, watching with complete fascination as Mulder and Krycek made love.

Back arching, Mulder climaxed, gasping, his heart hammering in his chest. Krycek's climax was only a beat after his. The merman trilled and then released his grip on his human love.

Blair was still now, head cocked to one side, eyes fixed on the human two tail. He hooted, then moved closer, reaching out to grasp at Mulder's hair.

With a chuckle, Mulder in turn reached out to gently touch Blair's sweet face.

WHUMP, a heavy blow from a blue green tail sent Mulder spinning back against the side of the pool.

"Shit Krycek." He gasped, holding his side where the tail fin had hit him.

Krycek was on full display, fins fluttering out, spines quivering, only this was for Blair's benefit not Mulder's.

Blair swiftly moved back, sinking lower, rolling to show his belly. Krycek, satisfied at Blair's show of submissiveness turned back to Mulder, lips pulled back from rows of pointed teeth.

Uh oh. Mulder thought. Krycek's claws settled on his shoulders pushing him down towards the the bottom of the pool, tail waving menacingly back and forth.

"It's okay Krycek, I'll keep my hands off the other mermen, I promise."

Krycek's head flashed down and suddenly Mulder felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A trickle of blood from a neat row of teethmarks dribbled into the water.

Mulder winced, then looked back at Krycek. The merman was studying him closely now, deep green eyes on Mulder's own hazel ones.

"Marking your territory huh fella?" Mulder asked gently. Krycek hooted, then bent his head down to lap gently at the small wound.

With a smile, Mulder drew the merman into his arms. "Am I forgiven then?"

A rattle and a rub with Krycek's soft cheek told him that he was. Together, they both swam upward to the side of the pool, Blair following behind.

Six

Jim's recovery was quite fast, in fact faster than Mulder had imagined. The giant merman's healing abilities were awesome. Only a faint line in the shiny gray scales betrayed any sign of the wound at all.

Mulder had released Jim's hands, inwardly praying that he was not about to be disemboweled by a sweep of one razor sharp claw.

Jim rattled and whapped his tail on the floor as Mulder loosened the straps, then as soon as his hands were freed, he plunged straight into the pool, the spray thoroughly drenching Mulder.

Both he and Blair swam and dived in the water, their fin twisting and rolling as they twined around each other.

Mulder watched their display, breath caught in his throat at the sheer and utter beauty before him. Not many people got to see two mermen in full display mode and it was utterly breathtaking.

Mulder walked over to the food tank, taking out some lobsters and crabs, tossing them into the pool. Both mermen dived after the food, cutting through the water like twin knives.

Another splash and Krycek was in the pool with them, chasing after a frantically swimming crab.

With a smile, Mulder squatted down to watch them, wondering how much longer Jim and Blair would stick around.

Seven

"I'm glad to see that you are feeling better Mulder." Scully said as the both of them stood in front of the new Kraken tank. A small Kraken squatted on the bottom, tentacles waving lazily in the water.

Mulder gave the petite red head a smile. "All I needed was a few days rest." He replied. Scully nodded, her mouth curved up in a slight smile.

"Sorry you missed the grand opening?" She gestured towards the tank, several smaller fish darted by, keeping well clear of the Kraken, a lone black and gray mass that seemed to just meld into the rocks and coral scattered around the tank.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I am." Mulder replied, it was not untrue either, he would have liked to have been here for the grand unveiling, but he had more important things to do, like care for an injured merman.

"I bet the crowds loved him."

"Yes, but they love Krycek more." Scully replied with a sigh. "Have you seen any sign of him at all Mulder?"

He looked at her for a moment, then shook his head. As much as he hated keeping the truth from her, there was no way he could ever let her know that Krycek was with him, not to mention two other mermen as well.

Scully had given him one chance, but he knew that's all you ever got with the Director, just the one chance, blow it and you instantly became a distant memory.

"Hi guys."

Mulder turned around, it was Skinner, he came up beside Scully, dwarfing her with his sheer height.

"So what do you think of our newest exhibition?" He asked. Mulder smiled. "Just great, only problem is, when he gets to full adulthood you are going to have to release him, are you going to be able to get another one?" Mulder knew that Kraken grew very fast, and very dammed large.

Skinner shrugged. "We hope so, you never know what might turn up." With that, he turned and smiled down at Scully, who returned his smile.

"Well, I better get back to work." Mulder said, he turned and left Skinner and Scully as they admired the lumpy like Kraken.

Mulder decided to leave a little earlier that day, he was anxious to get back home and see how Jim was doing.

He knew that the big merman was just about healed now and both him and his little mate Blair would be anxious to head back out to the ocean, and their pod.

It was silly of him to harbour any hopes that they might stay, but still...

He unlocked the front door to the beach house and walked into the strangely quiet living room.

"Krycek!" He called. There was no answering rattle.

"Krycek?" Mulder walked over to the pool, it was completely still, nothing stirred the water at all.

A feeling of dread started to form in the pit of Mulder's stomach. He quickly walked into the kitchen, nothing there either.

The rest of the house yielded nothing all three of them were gone.

Running now, Mulder dashed out of the house and down to the beach desperately searching for any sign of Krycek. The tiny private beach was totally deserted.

Lifting his hands to shade his eyes against the late afternoon sun, Mulder scanned the beach hoping, praying, to see a flash of blue against the white sand. Except for some gulls, there was nothing at all. Krycek had gone with Jim and Blair.

Mulder swallowed hard, ignoring the sudden aching lump that had risen in his throat, slowly he turned and headed back to the house.

"He'll be back." He whispered as he entered the silent house. "Please God, let him come back."

Eight

Nearly a week had passed and still there was no sign of Krycek. Mulder had waited patiently for the first couple of days, hoping against hope that each morning he would wake up and find his sweet merman laying on the bed next to him, or gamboling in the pool.

But each day passed and Mulder's hopes slowly started to fade.

What if something's happened to him? Mulder thought as he helped patch up a harp seal that had been injured by a motor boat.

What if a shark had gotten him, or perhaps he had been caught in a drift net?

Sternly Mulder shook himself out of these thoughts. No matter what he had to continue to believe that Krycek would come back to him....he had too.

Saturday dawned bright and clear. Mulder did not have to go into work, he decided to take the boat out instead.

He swiftly loaded the boat with plenty of fresh food and water, everything that he would need for a day out on the water, or to go looking for a pod of Homo-Aquarius.

The sea was calm, the water like glass as the boat cut it's way along. Mulder was heading towards the tiny island were Mulder had first made contact with the pod.

He cut the engine and raised the sails, knowing that the merpeople avoided boats as much as they possible, he allowed the sea breeze to push the boat along, hoping to god there were no full grown Kraken or sea serpents around.

He was not sure how long he sat in the boat for, then sun had dipped low in the water now and except for a passing pod of dolphins, Mulder had not seen anything.

Could the pod have moved on? Mulder sighed and opened a can of beer. It was possible, even after the time he had spent with Krycek's pod, there was still so much that he did not know about them.

Did they migrate? Probably, but where? And how far? None of these questions could ever been answered, not by him anyway.

"You selfish bastard Mulder, did really expect Krycek to stay with you forever?" He berated himself.

How could he ever have expected a beautiful, wild creature like Krycek to stay cooped up in an indoor pool of all things for Christ's sake. No it was time to let him go, as much as it hurt, he had to let him go.

Slowly Mulder stood and made his way to the tiny cabin, he glanced down at the floor, then a painful sob rose in his throat.

There on the deck were the faint scratches that Krycek had made when the sound of the motor had startled him. His claws had dug into the wood, leaving deep gouges. Mulder had repaired the damage after they had returned home, filling in the scars with special wood putty and even after buffing and polishing it, the faint marks were still there, a painful reminder of what he had lost.

"I'm going to miss you, you beautiful thing." He whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

"I guess it's time to let the sea have you back again."

Nine

The trip home was a miserable one. Mulder guided the boat back towards his tiny private beach and home.

He was not sure whether he would be able to stand the quiet now that Krycek was gone, but perhaps if he was really lucky Krycek might visit the aquarium, he seemed to like it there. And why not, free food, lots of other marine life to keep him amused and occupied, what was not to like?

Who are you trying to kid? A tiny voice rose up in the back of his mind.

Mulder moored the boat, and with a heavy heart, trudged up to the house.

Slowly he unlocked the door, just in time to see a spray of water shoot up from the pool.

"Krycek!

The merman gripped the metal bars with strong clawed hands and heaved himself up out of the pool.

He stared at Mulder, large liquid green eyes reproachful. "Good boy." He whispered.

"Oh yes, good boy." Mulder said, he hurried over to Krycek, kneeling down to gather the merman up in his arms, unaware that he had already begun to cry.

"Good boy, good boy." Krycek whispered, a claw came up to pat at Mulder's face, comforting the human.

Mulder laughed even as he wept, relief and fierce joy rising up within him.

"Oh Krycek, where have you been boy, why did you leave me?"

Krycek hooted softly, fins rustling. Mulder smiled, his face wet with tears. Krycek lifted his claw, curiosity in his eyes, tentatively his fingers flicked at the dampness, his touch feather light against Mulder's skin.

"Good boy?" Mulder smiled at the question held in that sibilant whisper.

"They're tears Krycek." Mulder explained gently reaching up to clasp Krycek's hand in his own. "I know it must seem strange to you but I am crying because I'm happy."

Krycek trilled, it was as if he understood.

"Well it doesn't matter, you're back now, that's all that matters, did you have a good time visiting your pod?"

Mulder gently stroke the merman as he spoke, watching as Krycek stretched his tail full length, the turquoise scales shining against the floorboards.

He ran his claws through the scales, ruffling them up, searching for parasites and sorting out any itchy spots, making that sweet purring sound deep in his throat.

Mulder stretched out beside him, rubbing his hands up and down the silky skin, still trying to believe his luck. Krycek had come back to him.

Carefully he began to pop gentle teasing kisses all over Krycek's shoulders, his arms, and chest, going lower and lower.

Krycek rattled and settled himself back, fully prepared to make the most of his mate's attentions.

Slowly Mulder dipped his tongue into the plump genital pouch, teasing it open, tasting the sweet salt of the inner skin there.

Rattle sigh....rattle. Krycek's eyes half closed as the sensations washed over him.

Mulder teased out the long slender penis, taking it whole into his mouth, his tongue flicking over the piss slit, something that was always guaranteed to drive Krycek out of his fishy mind.

Suddenly Mulder rolled Krycek onto his side, the merman protesting mildly. Then another rattle sigh as Mulder's tongue found the tiny anal opening hidden among the scales.

Then as carefully as he could, Mulder slid himself inside the tiny ring of muscle. Rattle.

Krycek pushed himself back against Mulder, wiggling slightly at the now familiar sensation of his human's cock inside of him.

With a cry, Mulder thrust deeply, hot sperm bubbling out to spill inside Krycek even as the merman's own climax hit.

Lying arm in arm, Krycek's tail wrapped firmly around Mulder's legs, they both fell into a deep restful sleep. The gentle lapping of the water keeping time with their breathing.

Ten

Both Skinner and Scully watched as Krycek swam around the main display tank, darting in and out of the schools of fish, delighting the crowd. Several children laughed and pointed excitedly as he stopped to spread his fins out. Then he was off again, chasing a turtle around, gently batting it with his hands. The turtle coasted off, annoyed at this blatant lack of respect from the playful merman.

Skinner smiled shaking his head slightly. "They really love him." He remarked and not for the first time.

Scully nodded. "Well, why not, he's magnificent.

"And a real money maker." Skinner added, his accountant's heart well satisfied. Scully chuckled and together they moved off.

Mulder watched them go, then turned his attention back to Krycek who was now chewing on some kelp.

It had been a couple of weeks since Krycek had come back, of Blair and Jim there had been no sign, Mulder had been tempted to go and look for them, then had decided against it.

They were back where they belonged, the call of the sea had been strong and they had answered it. And that Mulder decided was the way it should be.

As for his beloved Krycek, he had returned of his own free will, proving once and for all to Mulder that the merman's love, his need for the human was as strong as his own.

"How's he doing?"

Mulder turned, it was Frohike.

"See for yourself." He replied, nodding towards the tank and the delighted crowd.

"I thought he might have been lonely, now that the other two were gone." Mulder had filled Frohike, Langly and Byers in on the events of the past few weeks.

"Well I think he's happy enough." Mulder replied. I know I am. He added mentally.

Frohike nodded, then gave Mulder a sharp glance. "As long as he is Mulder, that's what counts." With that he turned and walked away, leaving Mulder to stare after him.

Epilogue

Jim swam with strong strokes of his tail, Blair darting about beside him. The pod chatted and rattled as the followed, their clicks sounding through the water.

The wound was all but healed now, the stitches gone, Jim had cut through them with one sharp claw.

The wound from the young sea serpent had been painful, Jim had been fortunate that it had been a saber fanged serpent and not one of the venomous specked ones. But still, any sea serpent was always good to avoid.

He briefly wondered about Krycek, his pod brother and the two tail that he had taken as his mate, his bonded other. Then he glanced at Blair, his own other, his mate, he hooted softly and the sweet faced brown was instantly at his side.

Slowly Jim's fin rose, feathering upward in the water, a magnificent display of mirrored scales reflecting a rainbow of colour in the crystal depths of the water.

Blair watched, hypnotized, swaying back and forth gently as if time to some unheard music.

Then slowly, golden fins rippling, Blair swam to him, and the joining began.