I think your right there

I totally agree with you there. I've always thought that he felt his parents blamed him for her disappearance. That they may never have said it, like you mentioned, but they did make him feel it by never saying that he wasn't. Those are my thoughts about that exactly. That they never said anything so he just blamed himself. Never had anyone says, "It wasn't your fault." I actually came up with a scene to fit in some story, not sure which yet, where Krycek sees that need in Mulder to be told it isn't his fault. Actually, tells him it isn't over and over while holding him after a nightmare or something.

You might be right about over-reacting to Krycek. That by hitting on him he is trying to prove he is a good son. If like we slashers believe, he is attracted to Krycek then that would only make him feel more guilty. Make him feel that he was a horrible son, so he is sublimating that into beating up on him. Physical contact that would be excused away and not questioned. While it might not be the kind of contact he wants, all he allows himself to have.

I think you came up with a really good insight there. Im going to have to jot that down in my notes somewhere about it. Seems like it is an essential part of his characterization that makes sense to me. A missing piece to that puzzle as to why he might react to Krycek like that.

Clio