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Chapter 6
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Crystal City, VA
Friday, Feb. 20
6:28 p.m.
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Skinner opened the door to his apartment and looked around at the mess. He put his briefcase down and went to look for the source of the mess. From across the room, he saw it under a wool blanket, sleeping on the couch.

Walking gingerly and quickly, he snuck up to the couch and pulled the blanket off it like a magician revealing a trick; but, like in a trick, nothing was there. The blanket had been wadded at one end of the couch, just another contribution to the mess of strewn newspapers, misplaced books, and dirty plates.

Feeling like a stalker, Walter tread carefully up the stairs and down the hall to the bedroom. This place was worse than downstairs. Clothes littered the floor, and reading materials left in various locations belied that Mulder had been more bored than usual today. The surpriser was surprised by the surprisee when the bathroom door opened and Mulder stepped out, naked except for the towel he was using to dry himself off with.

Seeing Skinner in the room, Mulder wrapped the towel securely around his waist. "Good God, am I glad to see you," he exclaimed, a faint smile on his lips. "I've been bored out of my skull. I can't wait to get back to work."

"I can *see* you were bored," Walter replied, indicating the reading material all around the room. He crossed the carpet for a kiss, which was tentatively returned.

Breaking away from Mulder's lips, he reached a hand out and ruffled Mulder's damp hair. "At least *something* around here is clean," he said teasingly. "You know, Fox, if you ever get *really* bored, you know where the vacuum is. And the dishwasher. Or should I give you a guided tour of all the cleaning supplies?"

Mulder broke into his Oscar Madison/"The Odd Couple" slob act, sticking his gut out and rubbing it. "Come on, Felix, give me a break." He grinned wider, and motioned to the computer in the corner of the room. "I got busy with some new sites I found on the 'net." The monitor surface moved with a screen saver, inspired by the movie "M.I.B.", showing a man rip his own face off to reveal the head of a monstrous alien. Installed, of course, a week earlier, when Mulder first came to stay at Skinner's apartment.

Since Mulder had returned from the hospital, Web surfing had become a new form of diversion for him - especially since he was still not recovered enough to go for his daily runs. By the time Mulder was ready to go back to work, and to move back to his own apartment to leave every dirty plate and piece of clothing he owned on his own floor, Skinner would expect Mulder to have his own website set up - devoted to the Roswell coverup, or some such topic, of course. Well, at least it kept his mind off things, Skinner thought.

Although maybe that wasn't such a good thing. Mulder didn't want to talk about what had happened to him over a month ago. All he would say was that he didn't remember much of anything. Whether or not that was true, Skinner thought it was time they stopped avoiding the subject. Whether or not Mulder remembered anything, Skinner remembered it all. Every last horrible minute. Every second of worrying, of watching Mulder's assault by Patterson, of thinking Mulder was probably dead while it was being done to him, and the frustration of not being able to show to anyone how the unfolding events were affecting him. Skinner needed to be able to open up to Mulder again.

He looked over at Mulder, standing close to him, eyes vacant as they still gazed at the monitor. Silently, Skinner put his arm around Mulder's shoulder and brought him in for an embrace. Mulder stood stiffly, but did not pull away.

/That's a first,/ Skinner thought with hope. Finally, he broke the silence, and his unrequited embrace. "Fox, I have to tell you. I have to talk about it."

Mulder stepped back to sit back down in the computer chair, dividing his attention between Walter and the screen.

Skinner continued, voice shaking from his efforts to contain his emotions. "*I* remember, Fox. We don't have to talk about it now, but I want you to know that I remember it all. I thought you were dead...that he'd killed you...and that it was my fault."

Mulder looked up at Walter. He couldn't keep the anger he felt from affecting his voice. "It *wasn't* your fault, Walt. There's been enough misplaced blame in my life. I'm not going to have you feeling responsible, too."

Skinner paused a moment, taking in the fact that Mulder was finally discussing this with him. Then he nodded, wanting to kiss Mulder for his openness, but knowing that might only make things worse. "When you're ready to, promise me you'll talk to me about it. And to Scully, and to anyone else who can help you. We've been through a lot, and we'll get through it together."

"I promise. As long as you promise, too." Mulder looked like he was not going to let Skinner avoid answering.

Not that he planned to avoid it; Skinner was just relieved that they finally were getting things out in the open, and that Mulder was now taking it as seriously as he did.

"I promise," he answered.

They mutually and silently decided to leave it at that, for the time being. Skinner went downstairs to scrounge something up for dinner.

Mulder went back to staring at the computer screen and the grisly moving image it held, repeated over and over again.

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Conclusion of Skinner's report:

"I continue to hear from various Bureau personnel about how much more tragic the outcome of this incident could have been. However, I hope we do not forget the losses we have suffered, especially the loss of Michael Delaney, a top-notch ISU leader who will be difficult to replace. It is also vital to remember the service William Patterson gave to our ranks, before whatever conditions that caused his mental illness took hold of his sanity. His degeneration and ultimate suicide is just as much of a senseless loss.

"Hopefully, we can find the time and resources to lick our wounds and find healing in what we have, as well as to strive to gain better understanding from Patterson's fall from within our own respected leadership. To realize the impropriety of his obsession, present even while he had worked shoulder-to-shoulder with our agency, and to recognize it in ourselves before it brings such tragedy again.

"Our goal should be to prevent anything like this from possibly happening again. I would hate to lose an investigator as fine as Agent Mulder."

Skinner looked at what he had written, hardly able to believe how impersonal he had managed to be with his words. The last sentence echoed in his mind as he saved the file and sent it to print. Signing the printout, he left the office and put the report on Kim's desk on his way out to head for home. A place that was no longer a refuge for him, because Mulder waited for him there.

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End of Puppeteer I

Note from Griffin: For those who read the first posting of "Puppeteer", this is where the plot of the original version left off, although many details have been added and adjusted in these first six chapters - which originally were five rather short chapters, which might give you an idea of how much was added!

Please send any and all comments to your starving slash puppy (::that always gets their sympathy!::)- Griff.

See you in Puppeteer II...still a work in progress.

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