TITLE: Back Again
AUTHOR: Jennie
FEEDBACK: jennieemcg@aol.com
DISCLAIMER: Not my characters. 
FANDOM: X Files
PAIRING: M/K
RATING: PG
ARCHIVE: Ask first, please.
SPOILERS: Oh, I don't think so
NOTES: Written for the first turn of the new M/K Lyric Wheel. Thanks to Laura for the great song lyrics, which are at the end of the story.
SUMMARY: Alex comes home.
BETA: Kel and Sue

Back Again
by Jennie

For the M/K Lyric Wheel

Many thanks to Laura for the great song!


***

Old habits die hard. Despite having grown used to his tendency to appear with no warning, usually in the dead of night, I jolt awake, tense, with nerves giving off alarms of 'intruder, intruder'. Ignoring my knee jerk hilarity at the way my inner ear hears this warning in a voice sounding just like the robot from Lost in Space, I slowly open my eyes and look at my unexpected bedmate.

Oh. It's him. 

Once again, silently and with no warning, he's returned to me. I study him, well, as much of him as I can see without tearing the covers away from his sleeping form. Breathe a sigh of relief. Because, the tell-tale signs of injury - the signs he can no longer hide from me - are not present on his face.

Yes, he's tired. Lines of exhaustion cut deeply into his skin. Purple shadows are vivid under his eyes. He's snoring in a quiet way, which he only does when profoundly tired. But, no lines of pain. No careful stillness in his sleeping body. No sign of that awful pale cast to his complexion that is always my first clue to him having been injured yet again.

Thank God.

My Alex is home again from the wars. Weary but unhurt. And, still, after nearly a year of his comings and goings, my heart leaps with relief and joy to have him back and safe - and with me. Safe with me.

It hasn't been easy, learning to accept his need to roam. His careless (in my eyes) disregard for his safety. His casual reaction to being injured in the line of duty. But I have. Mostly due to his threat to recuperate before coming home to me. 

He's a contrary bastard, but he's *my* contrary bastard and I wouldn't have him any other way.

I scoot just a little closer, and try not to wake him as I curl up against his body. But... my God! He's home! I need to touch him. Feel his warmth. Hear his heart beating. Just be close to his living, breathing, *uninjured* body.

Despite my best effort, he wakes. Gradually, the rhythm of his breaths changes, he sighs, stretches, and lifts one hand to rub at his eyes.

Groans a protest. "Dammit, Mulder."

"Sorry," I whisper. "I just needed to-"

Rolling onto his back, he looks at me blearily. "'s okay. I know."

"I missed you."

He grunts. Mr. Romantic. That's my Alex.

"You're not hurt this time."

"No mother. I'm fine. Just tired."

He's a sarcastic sonofabitch. It's a defense mechanism on his part. I know that. Really I do. 

But still.

"Stop pouting, Mulder," he says, lifting his hand and tapping at my lower lip with his forefinger. 

Said lip protrudes even further and I give him a dose of my best sad eyes for extra measure.

He yawns. And grins at me. "Mulder, Mulder, Mulder. What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me?"

"That goes without saying."

"Now?" I ask suggestively.

"Can you possibly wait until I've slept for more than an hour?"

"Welll... it won't be easy, but for you, I will."

"Smartass."

I smirk. "Pot? Meet Kettle. Pot? Kettle? Black."

Then he yawns again. Blinks heavily in an obvious attempt to keep his eyes open. 

I pull him into my arms and settle his head on my chest. "Go back to sleep."

"Mmmm", he hums contentedly. "Missed you, too."

"I know, Alex. Now, sleep. You're home. That's all that matters. We can talk tomorrow."

"Hate leaving you, Fox," he mumbles against my chest. "But I..."

"I understand, Alex."

"Yeah. I know you do. But-"

"No but. Just as long as you keep coming back again. As long as you keep coming back to me, everything's okay."

"Always," he says in a low voice. "I'll always come back."

And that's enough for me. 

More than.

***

The song:

Keep Comin' Back
by Mike Younger


Close your eyes
don't say a word
There's no need to explain
where you've been
Just as long, as you
Keep comin' back again

You can go
as you please
Bring the angels
to their knees
I won't stand in your way
like I did then
Just as long, as you
Keep comin' back again

We just keep trying to get
back to ground zero
Then we overlook the bottom line
You were my fantasy and
I was your hero
Long before, I was yours
and you were mine

So if, it was time
to say goodbye
I can take it like a man
and show no pain
Just as long, as you
Keep comin' back again.

We just keep trying to get
back to ground zero
Then we overlook the bottom line
You were my fantasy and
I was your hero
Long before, I was yours
and you were mine

So, close your eyes
And please don't say a word
There's no need to explain
where you've been
Just as long, as you
Keep comin' back again

Just as long, as you
Keep comin' back again