She sat on the couch, a glass of J&B in her hand.  It matched the one
in Frohike's hand next to her.  Scully sat in the armchair as Byers
and Langly perched in computer chairs across from them.  Mulder sat
in the remaining armchair near the couch.

"I'm sorry to drag you two away from whatever plans you had tonight."

Scully waved her hand in negation.  "You said it was important.  You
need us right now."

Rachel looked up, infinitely sad at that remark.  Ok, Please don't
interrupt me, then.  I'm really still processing all this."  Frohike
patted her shoulder as she took a drink.

She took a deep breath.  "As you know, I ran into a friend from my
college years lately."  They all nodded.  "Well, he was actually more
than a friend.  We met in poetry class, the only English elective we
could both stand.  I majored in Engineering, he in Criminal Justice. 
We dated, fell in love, and moved in together.  I lived with him for
three years, and we had plans for the future.  Then one day, I came
home to an apartment where all his things were gone, and a note lay
on the hall table."  She blinked, not noticing the Gunmen's knowing
looks at each other.  Scully looked sympathetic and Mulder just
looked confused.

"I took off the ring that day and never wore it again.  The note said
he had been recruited by another, less public agency, and he had to
leave immediately.  He wished me well, said have a nice life, and
he'd never see me again.  I completely believed that until last
week.  I ran into him in the grocery store of all places.  I was
stunned.  He asked to come over to explain what happened, and I
agreed, and gave him my address.  He came over earlier tonight, sat
on my couch, and saw my copy of the Gunmen's paper."  Byers looked at
the other two, frowning so they wouldn't say anything.

"He promptly warned me that they knew dangerous people, people whose
friends tended to get hurt."  Mulder opened his mouth, But Langly
reached across and grabbed his arm.  He fell silent.  "I told him I
trusted them with my life.  He'd certainly not given me a reason to
trust him, he left me.  He apologized and promised to leave me alone
unless my life was in danger, then he left."  Her eyes closed in
pain, then opened slowly.  Her lashes were wet with unshed tears.  "I
realized you knew him, that he'd taken his mother's maiden name." 
Mulder looked really lost, but Scully's face was tightening in
comprehension.  "The last name he was born with was Knight.  I used
to tease him about it, call him my white knight.  You knew him as
Alex Krycek."

Mulder was towering over her in a flash, yelling.  Scully rushed to
restrain him as Frohike held out an arm in protection.  "How could
you?  He murdered my father and Scully's sister!  How could you be in
league with that devil?" 

Rachel stood, fists clenched and eyes flashing.  Frohike was trying
to interject a defense.  "Mulder, man, chill!  Weren't you
listening?  She said she knew him before he joined up."

She hissed at him in fury.  "Yes, Mulder.  Weren't you listening? 
You've known Krycek was evil for years.  I've only had a day to
reconcile that the man I intended to spend the rest of my life with
is a killer and a traitor."  She sat back down.  Mulder retreated to
his own chair, Scully nearby.  "When I knew him, he was one of the
good guys.  He wanted to join the FBI and make bad guys pay, see that
justice was done.  He had hopes and dreams and ambition, and I was a
part of that.  I didn't connect your Krycek with my Lexy until now, I
only met his mom once.  She'd taken her maiden name back when his dad
died."  All the tension left her body as she sagged against Frohike. 
Her eyes seemed to search Mulder's, begging for an answer.  "Who are
they, Mulder?  What kind of men could make a good man sell his soul? 
When you knew him, did Alex ever seem weak?"

Byers answered before Mulder could.  He hoped he was answering her
real question.  "Krycek was never weak, Rae.  Everyone has a price. 
Somehow, they found his.  Think about this.  If he truly loved you
that much, may not have your safety been that price?"  She looked up
as they all turned to stare at Byers.  He plunged ahead with his
theory.  "Mulder went to the ends of the earth to save Scully. 
Literally.  Maybe Krycek hated himself after helping with her
abduction, hated that he hadn't gone to those lengths for you,
regretted that he gave in to a threat.  Bitterness and loss can
change a man for better or for worse."

She took another drink.  "Thank you, John.  That… helps.  I think." 
Mulder started apologizing, but she just held up her hand for
silence.  "You reacted from the heart, Mulder.  It's okay.  I just
thought you all had the right to know."

Frohike stood and held out his hand.  When she took it, he pulled her
off the couch into a hug.  "You don't know what it means to us, Rae. 
You trust us enough to be honest with us even when you don't have
to.  That means a lot."  Byers and Langly mouthed their agreements as
they moved into a group hug.  They broke apart after a minute, but
Frohike still had an arm around her waist.  "C'mon, chickadee.  You
can crash in the extra room.  I think Langly has a clean shirt you
can wear, and we'll talk more in the morning.  You're in no condition
to be alone."  She smiled, wiping her eyes and nodding.

Mulder was contrite.  "Look, Rae, I'm really sorry."

"S'ok.  Go home, Mulder."  She looked at Scully who seemed amazingly
understanding.  Scully just looked back.

"Curse of being a woman.  Get some sleep."  She led Mulder towards
the door.  Langly ran to get a shirt as Byers locked the door behind
the agents.  Frohike led her to the guest room upstairs  Langly
headed awkwardly back down after apologizing for not having a shirt
that wouldn't stand on its own.  Frohike went in his room, then came
back with the top to his blue cloud pjs that he usually wore under
his Kevlar vest.  She thanked him, then shut the door.

A knock sounded a moment later.  "Which one is it?"

She heard a low chuckle.  "Frohike.  I made you some cocoa, it should
help you sleep." 

She slid the door open.  She grabbed the mug before he could drop it
as he gasped a little.  His gaze slid up her shapely legs to the hem
of his nightshirt just above her knees, to her pale throat and hint
of cleavage where the first button started, to the riot of copper
curls massed around her face.  She always wore her hair in a French
braid, he'd had no idea how curly or long it really was.  He finally
met her amused eyes twinkling sagely above the mug as she
sipped.  "Thank you."  Suddenly serious, she dropped her
gaze.  "Ummm… seriously, if you guys decide you don't want me around
anymore, I'll understand." 

She was cut off by the finger he placed against her lips to quiet
her.  "Rachel, enough.  We do have to talk about what this could all
mean, but you're not going anywhere.  You're smart, beautiful,
talented, trustworthy and honest.  What's not to want?"

She smiled as he dropped his hand.  Stepping closer, she
whispered.  "You don't know how much that means to me.  I'm glad it's
not too late."  Before he could respond, her lips were warmly pressed
against his.  The kiss was short and sweet, and rocked his world in
the space of a second.  She stepped back and lifted the mug to
him.  "Good night Frohike.  Thank you."

He stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door.  He wasn't
sure how he got back to the kitchen and only came to when he sat
heavily in one of the dining chairs.  Was it possible?  Was Rachel in
love with him?


Lexy Came Over