And Death Shall Have No Dominion by Jean Helms is having a moment on here, @thexfileswithoutcontext, @deathsbestgirl and @fringephile have all posted/asked about it and I absolutely love that this classic fic has stuck in so many people's brains. It's so good and is such a good reminder of how lucky we are to have literal decades worth of brilliant fic writing in this fandom. I'd love to know what other fics have lodged in people's brains in the same way!
it's been a while since I've read any fics so I'm frantically scouring through my ao3 bookmarks, trying to remember which ones are Scully centric, but I think I've found some!
Heuvelmans' On the Track by The_Mythopoeic. this is THEEE x files fic of all time. truly a work of art. canon divergence starting from Fight the Future. there are various POV's but it is very much Scully-centric.
Phenomenology by h0ldthiscat. short and sweet, also one of my favorites, though not to the degree of the previous one. set around the time of the second xfiles movie, which I've never seen and don't plan to, and instead prefer to interact with it via fanfiction.
folie imposée by seek_its_opposite. set after Folie à deux, Scully taking care of Mulder. I am not immune to Scully the medical doctor.
Touch by @leiascully. Scully's ouroboros tattoo gets some attention 🙂↕️
Living with the Dreaming Body by Punk. s5, post-Emily.
thirty-six by softnow. Scully's birthday fic <3
Pause by cecily_sass. amnesia fic ✨
as you can see I'm not good at summaries but I pinky promise that each of these is absolutely worth reading!
I've also got some Scully fics here, here and here, which are ridiculous compared to those above, because I'm an artist and not a writer, but if you do end up reading any of those, I'd appreciate a comment hehe
Not that I'm an expert or anything—and I'm sure all of these are ice-cold takes—but mostly so I have it to update as I fall in love with new ones: here are the TXF fics (all linked) that have moved me the most:
Lots and Lots of Files by Fandomme: the first TXF fic I fell in love with. Still (as of 1/2026) being updated, but there's plenty there to love already (240k atm). Internally consistent, canon-compliant, following the length of the series in (mostly post-ep) vignette form.
Incrementum by lepusarcticus: Absolute sexual poetry. Just unbelievable stuff. Lit a fire in my brain that has not gone out, months later.
Omens by lepusarcticus: A casefile with deeply satisfying UST—> RST MSR.
Blood Rush by danidedarcy: A fun college AU vampire story. Very good UST.
A Ponderous House by @cecilysass: Recently completed, but instant classic. The angst, you guys. So, so good.
The Marriage Spectacular by @cecilysass. I don't want to include too many by the same author(s), but it's easy to to do with cecilysass's work. Her fics are consistently great, and she excels at that border between yearning and angst. This one was sweet and funny and very satisfying.
Never Enough by ee_ombra_ombra: Not complete, but absolutely captivating. There's dark stuff here, so proceed with caution; it probably isn't for everyone. But the characterization and the prose are mesmerizing.
Goshen by Bonetree: I don't even know how to describe this one, other than must-read. Beautiful and sweet and intense.
Edges of the Night by oohnotvery: Incredibly angsty. Honestly makes me wonder if I should even be writing, myself, with how perfect and liquid the prose is. Very satisfying, great plot choices. A fun and moving read.
Love in all the Wrong Places by SisterSpooky1013: I went into this not knowing what to expect, and what a great time! I giggled with delight multiple times. Fun and sexy, and a great ending.
Days Off for Saving the World by lonegunga1: A post-Millenium fic that takes such time and care in its exploration. Sexy, fun, sweet, intense. Like slipping into a warm bath. There's plenty to savor—and the quality of the prose is stunning.
The Haiku Files by geekgirl25: Updating (at least) daily right now. A single haiku per episode from Scully's POV. Sweet, quick, and straight to the heart, like a little daily fun-sized candy bar.
isn't it messed up (how i'm just dying to be him?) by lovesprings: A post-Small Potatoes fic (which might be my favorite category; I'm a sucker for SP) in which Mulder is an absolute sopping mess over Scully in the best way. Very well-written smut.
Later by Soronia: In-sane-ly hot 🔥, you guys. Also mesmerizing prose. Possibly my favorite characterization of DKS that I've read, hands down.
One Week at Quantico by CrossedBeams: incredible yearning. A fun pre-series AU in which Mulder is teaching at Quantico while Scully is in training. Hits the sweet spot at 33k.
---------------
Obligatory? Masturbatory? Who knows. Here's me:
mamuscript on ao3
So I really like post-DeadAlive fics. Not because I’m a big resurrection story fan (Jesus / Osiris stans, no offense) but because I can’t get enough of angst, repressed feelings and baby daddy reveal drama. I am going to post a version of my very own later this week. Meanwhile, I read a lot of these, so I thought I would share some recs. Here are a few of my favorites.
Slow Returns - o666666
You just don’t know how often I reread this. I love it so, so much. This one puts the emphasis on Scully’s trauma, and it’s so angsty, and it’s so sweeeeeet. I tear up every time.
DeadAlive AU - @markwatneyandenesemble
I always say I actually think this should probably be called Three Words Canon Divergence or something, but whatever it is, I love it. The premise is two specific changes to canon. When Mulder comes back from the dead: (1) he has memories only to 1996 and (2) Scully isn’t visibly pregnant yet.
Author Skuls seems to feel about about this subgenre like I do, because she seems to have written a lot of post-DeadAlive, and I’m not complaining. Here’s a little DeadAlive Skuls tasting trio:
the smaller odysseys - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)
An AU DeadAlive fic in which Doggett convinces Skinner to keep Mulder’s resurrection a secret from Scully for longer. This ends like awwwwwwwww.
ashes and dust - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)
A largely canon-compliant DeadAlive / Three Words deep dive.
inches between them - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)
Another Skuls fic on this subject, also exceptionally sweet.
Doctor, Copper, Sailer, Corpse - Scarlet Baldy
This is a series of first person vignettes from Scully POV. Extremely angsty and a little painful, with a very self-destructive version of Mulder here, but ultimately a hopeful ending.
Ray of Light - OnlyTheInevitable (@gaycrouton) Honest conversation, then hot pregnancy sex—a Three Words fic we can all get behind. Which I think is actually one of the suggested positions for pregnancy sex.
Words, Words, Words - Circe Invidiosa (@invidiosa ) I’m not much of a Doggett fan, but I love this fic about Doggett breaking things down for Mulder. This is subtly written and moving— a heartbreaking Mulder characterization, in my opinion.
home run - kittenscully
Another great “Doggett gets involved” fic. Also very moving. Apparently this is how I like my Doggett.
The Laws of Coming and Going - Buckingham
A gentle Mulder-centric fic focused on his good intentions and slow moves back towards connecting with Scully. Very in-character and sweet.
Hour of Lead - DarlaBlack (@sigritandtheelves)
This is an excellent read — but watch out for the bleak, tear-out-your-heart ending. It's only painful because it’s canon compliant, so warning: you have to remember what happens with Scully’s longed-for miracle baby in canon. Waaaaah. So much angst.
Untitled - @wtfmulder
I see you, you wildly touching little drabble. This is set between Three Words and Empedocles, and it’s meant to explain the seeming change in Mulder’s attitude, and why does this make me cry?
What have I missed? Y’all have other post-DeadAlive fics you like? Have you written any? SEND THEM MY WAY.
TINH/DeadAlive/ThreeWords/Skinner the silent MVP/supports Scully through her burial decisions/tells Mulder truth about what she went through/knows PTSD/never leaves an agent behind--That Day Is Done - Lapsed_Scholar
Pre-DeadAlive/Scully buys roses/burying “her love”-- "155 Words - Gather Ye Rosebuds" by Shelba
Pre-DeadAlive/ISTJ talks to Mulder’s grave/wishes she had been there to help him somehow)-- We Always Reveled in the Pain - Chapter 8 - BananaChef
Pre-DeadAlive/Mulder torments himself w/ grim satisfaction at ruining ISTJ’s life/”dig further into coffin”/looking down from above-- @scully-loves-ruthie's Tumblr
Pre-Deadalive/Scully refuses to finish moving out of Mulder’s apt-- @baronessblixen's Tumblr Ao3 Not Today
Pre-DeadAlive/Scully doesn’t feel like he’s completely gone/remembers their harmonious banter Frohike calls/she feels alive-- "An Unexpected Song, An" by Rain, Gina Ao3 Unexpected Song, An
DeadAlive/Scully waits by his bedside/ENTJ “I feel old”/so does she/she won’t give up on Mulder-- "Scene 13 - Alone" by Diadem
AUish/Post Deadalive/Scully tells Mulder/the happy before the PTSD/twitches to touch-- The In-Between - Chapter 30 - BananaChef
DeadAlive/Scully rushes to bedside/Mulder happy/drifts before explanations-- @agentwhalesong's Could It Be Any Harder? - Chapter 4
DeadAlive/ISTJ heartened by Mulder’s mouth L word/ready for both to be alive-- "Silent Confessions" by Bishop, T.
Post DeadAlive/Scully tells Mulder in hospital/happy/BEFORE THE DARK TIMES-- "Do You Know?" by ML
Post Deadalive/Mulder knows he’s the dad/before PTSD sets in-- @greycoupon's Baring Fruit
AUish/Post DeadAlive-Three Words/Scully immediately tells him about kid/Mulder has severe PTSD/afraid of hurting her, withdraws/Scully scrambling to unlock his normal side-- @alldolleduppink-blog's Reditum
These are good for any time of year, of course, not just February 14. But here are my favorite fics related to the season 6 episode Milagro, a long time favorite. (And @sisterspooky1013's favorite episode of all time: happy VD, girl!) I’ve been reading and sifting through these for some time, and I have tried to include some from all eras: newer AO3 fics, some written right after the ep aired, etc. But I'm sure I've missed some, so hit me with your own faves, please.
Because of Milagro's ending, this entire genre of fic tends to be heavy on the hurt/comfort and angst (which is fiiiiine by me), but that’s not all that’s here. Many of these are smutty, but not all.
Adagio - Terma99
A meditative, peaceful take on the aftermath of Milagro by a veteran author that includes both agents realizing something they had learned. Lovely.
Alma - 6hoursgirl (@sixhours)
A lovely hurt/comfort Milagro piece. This one is Mulder POV, which is a little less common for post-Milagro, I think, and I like this characterization of Mulder as desperately wanting to help Scully, desperately wanting to protect her, but also a tiny bit scared of the intimacy and relationship he feels they’re on the cusp of. He’s so good-hearted and also a little dysfunctional here, and I love it.
Bated Breath - dreamingofscully (@dreamingofscully)
This one has an original take on Scully's experience; it leaves Scully with clarity and new direction in her relationship with Mulder. DreamingofScully tends to write a more confident, in-charge Scully in the MSR than some do, and I appreciate it.
Beyond the Strokes of a Typewriter - storybycorey (@storybycorey)
When Scully is stricken and ashamed that it’s been so long since anyone has seen her as a woman as Padgett did, Mulder is pushed to revelations. Mulder 3rd person POV. Very good smut build up. And nobody does a gorgeous feelings reveal from Mulder like storeybycorey, man.
I Believe - Diana Battis
There are a lot of lovely, heartfelt hurt/comfort fics about the aftermath of Milagro (for obvious reasons), but this one is especially well done. Viewed from Scully’s third person point of view, it focuses on Mulder’s capacity for tenderness and guilt. Plus some smut.
Don’t Look Up - ArtemisX5
After Padgett's hallway revelation, Scully is horrified that she has no secrets left. But you know, Mulder is much slower on the draw than she gives him credit for. There is also such moving hurt/comfort in this.
Intimacies with Strangers -mldrgrl (@mldrgrl)
This mid- and post- Milagro piece has Mulder and Scully simmering in tension and then boiling over. Their relationship is complex and painfully entangled, and I love how it plays out. There is also excellent Scully characterization. This one helps me to get more fully why she might have been drawn to Padgett initially, something I struggle with in the episode.
La Madrugada - h0ldthiscat
A carefully told tale of RST that takes both characters seriously and is sincerely moving. Excellent.
Lacuna - Aloysia_Virgata (@aloysiavirgata)
This is a longer work, not really a classic post ep per se. But I love this moody, angsty casefile set right after Milagro. This Scully has not come to terms with her emotions, is thoroughly freaked by how she reacted to Padgett, and hasn't even entirely worked out how she feels about Mulder. There is Scully/other here, but the ship is steering home. The end of this is so moving, but cw: dark themes in the casefile, extreme violence against children, traumatized agents.
Still Life - Seek_Its_Opposite (@seek-its-opposite)
Ah, this is such a thoughtful and exquisitely written Scully character piece — and it contains some truly beautiful insights about Mulder, too. It suggests the heartbreaking idea that Mulder’s way of showing Scully respect (giving her distance) is continually hurting her. So tragic (and consistent with canon, e.g. Never Again.) One memorable line: “Every one of their fights is about how to care for one another, every last one.”
Alma Gemela - matchingfabric (@matchingfabric)
After the events of Milagro, Scully (and Mulder) get accustomed to platonically sharing a bed for comfort. This is a slightly different take on post-Milagro. Exceptionally, irresistibly sweet. Oh, and smutty.
What did I miss? Tell me. And yes, I'm working on my own short Milagro fic that will be coming soon-ish.
As a Diana angst lover, I was wondering what are your favourite S6/One Son/Diana angst fics. I love the emotional baggage, but I think some aspects were poorly executed, like the feeling of incompleteness
Making It Personal: Fic Recs for Two Fathers, One Son and Diana Angst
Anon, this is definitely one of my fic weaknesses. I cannot resist a Diana angst fic, and more specifically, I can't resist a One Son fixit fic.
Two Fathers / One Son is a very flawed mythology two-parter, in my opinion. I have watched season six so many times, and I still struggle to follow all that’s happening in these episodes, which means either I'm slow, the show's storytelling has gaps, or both. I completely agree there is a feeling of incompleteness. I know originally there were supposed to be more flashbacks to CSM and Bill Mulder—scenes they had to cut—and that might have added some needed layers.
And—okay, this is about to be controversial, and younger me would be horrified—but I also just wish they would have committed one way or the other with the Diana storyline. Like, if you want to show us that Mulder has a thing with Diana, then just show it. If you want him to obviously suspect her after Scully’s warnings, show that. Go one way or the other, but choose a lane and commit. While you’re at it, give more definition to Diana’s character, too. Is she sincere in any way—or no? What are her motives?
That’s not even focusing on the most frustrating part of One Son, which is that at best Mulder and Scully painfully miscommunicate, and at worst Mulder treats Scully very badly. There’s not really ever a direct resolution of that. We don’t ever get to see that put right in any satisfying way. But … that’s definitely where fic steps in. (It also helps with giving the decontamination shower scene more of a spotlight, and I'm in favor).
I’m focusing my recs on One Son fics particularly, but I’ll include a few more generic Diana angst fics, too. There’s absolutely no way I’m going to create a complete list of these, so please forgive any obvious omissions. Hopefully people can chime in with other favorites.
The Recs
Absolution - SlippinMickeys (@slippinmickeys)This fic fits within the events of One Son perfectly. Scully is still angry, obviously. Angry sex and apology sex. Completely lovely.
Car Ride by JLB
The awkward car ride back from the hangar. Poor Scully’s suffering as she has to deal with Mulder’s continued obliviousness.
The Coldest Night of the Year - oohnotvery
This is not One Son specific, but it is some angsty angsty Diana angst. When a snowstorm hits town, Scully goes to Mulder's to shelter in place, but discovers Diana is there with them. World's most awkward sleepover.
Deluge - OnlyFoxMulder
While taking shelter from the hurricane in Florida during Agua Mala, Mulder pushes Scully to talk about her anger towards him. I like the dialogue in this, and it’s a good balance between allowing Scully to be angry and still caring about Mulder.
the guts - wtfmulder
This fic and its sequels are dark chocolate angst, the kind that says 80% bitter on the wrapper. It’s not for the faint of heart: both Mulder and Scully behave badly, and the pain, the pain. It starts when Mulder accidentally drops an empty condom wrapper after One Son. It does go in more hopeful directions eventually.
Hot Shower - Suzanne Barringer
This is an AU version of the decontamination shower scene. Interestingly, this is because it was written when the scene was rumored but had not yet aired—and given that, it’s closer to the actual scene than you might think. Still, it focuses on… some different aspects of the scene. A fun and hot read.
Hurt’s Hopeful Plunder - DarlaBlack
This is a very satisfying wrap-up to the Mulder being an asshole plot of One Son.
in this metallic silence - light_loves_the_dark
In the aftermath of One Son, Diana manipulates an oblivious Mulder and it results in Scully being physically hurt. This is Angst Level High, but it has a happy ending. It also includes a scene of Mulder really comprehensively taking Diana to task, which is something the author points out is fairly rare.
(In)Visible - 13starbuck42
A shorter piece in which Scully drinks a bottle of wine and plausibly takes Mulder to task in a satisfying way.
Mulder, Scully, and Diana Fucking Fowley - Sarie_Fairy
This fic is post-Milagro, but it is really about the damage wrought during One Son. Sarie_Fairy can construct such a good emotional build-up in her dialogue.
Never Cold With You By My Side - Baroness Blixen
Diana requires Mulder and Scully to stay overnight in Fort Marlene after their decontamination shower, which has … effects she may not have intended.
Pilgrims creeping towards the dawn- softnow
This is one of my favorite Diana angst fics. It's not One Son specific, but still. This one gives it to you pure and unfiltered. Beautifully written little heartbreaker. Ouchy ouch.
Sinking Ships - Benduini
A post ep written right after the ep. Scully makes peace with the fact she’s going to lose Mulder to Diana, only to have things turn out unexpectedly.
the waffle house index - audries
Subtle, beautifully written story about the aftermath of One Son. It doesn’t mention the events of One Son, yet somehow is entirely about them. It’s also about a partnership that is straining under years of failure to communicate well and a tendency to lean too hard on comfortable patterns. This fic has one of my favorite tags: “Waffle House is a metaphor, Hazel Grace.” (The author says in notes she’s never been to a Waffle House, which is unimaginable for me, honestly.)
A Winter’s Tale - Anjou
Scully and Mulder are chilly post-One Son. When Mulder is oddly absent, Scully is not even sure he isn’t secretly meeting Diana. He isn’t, and the truth takes them on a tense cross-country trip. This is a satisfying MSR adventure.
wishbone - light_loves_the_dark
This fic imagines a scene where Mulder and Diana go to pick Scully up to go to El Rico. In an intense, angsty conversation, Mulder tries to convince Scully to get into the car. Talking about his feelings just feels manipulative to Scully. Painful, moving, satisfying.
One Hand Tied - me me me (cecilysass)
This is my own take on post-One Son with some canon divergence. After One Son, Mulder and his suitcase disappear, last seen with Diana. Scully assumes they have gone away somewhere together, but there’s more going on than that.
Other fics of mine that feature Diana prominently, but not necessarily in One Son context: Honest Man, Pause, The Kaleidoscope, The Marriage Spectacular, Unobserved.
The X-Files: Decoding the Secrets of
My Struggle IV's Ending
Chris Carter mentioned recently that no one really understood the Revival's ending, nor do they "know" its last secret.
So: what do we know, per his own words?
My Struggle I-IV were created from three main points: to separate Mulder and Scully, to reunite them (through miraculous means that were, in my opinion, fleshed out later), and to make William immortal.
March 22, 2018:
Carter gave us one major clue in the text at the end of the opening credits. The words “Salvator Mundi” (savior of the world) flash across the screen, in reference to the controversial lost Leonardo Da Vinci piece that resurfaced and sold at auction for $450 million. The painting shows Jesus in Renaissance dress as the savior of the world and master of the cosmos. Carter explained to Den of Geek the significance of the message and how it shaped the dynamic of the finale:
“For me, there were three parts to that. We have William’s immortality and resurrection at the end of the show, that’s the final image. We have Mulder who could be considered to be someone who just saved the world by stalling the Cigarette Smoking Man’s plans. Then, we have the Cigarette Smoking Man who actually looks at himself as the savior of the world, sort of diabolically, he was going to start the planet anew. Like the devil, he believes that he is right.” ...
The breadcrumbs of the William/Jackson arc are all over the later seasons of The X-Files. This storyline was a long time coming for Carter.
“I had those four episodes in mind in that I wanted to tell Mulder’s struggle, Scully’s struggle, the Cigarette Smoking Man’s struggle, and William’s struggle. They were the four characters who, for me, were most central to the mythology of the show,” he said.
“I had this image of Mulder and Scully being united, once again, with a miracle. So, you got that final image, and that William would be immortal, those were all things I had in mind.”
Scully knew William was alive.
March 21, 2018:
Interviewer: If the show returns and if Gillian returns as Scully, will Scully still be able to sense that William is alive? Or has that connection somehow been severed?
Chris Carter: Because he’s still alive, there is that connection. I imagine right now, that’s what she sensed at the end of the dock at the sugar factory: William might in fact not be dead.
The miracle baby is Mulder and Scully's (and likely has alien DNA, i.e. powers); but will already be narratively baited.
March 21, 2018:
Interviewer: Given the twist about William’s paternity this year, can you confirm this is biologically Mulder and Scully’s kid that she is carrying
Chris Carter: I will confirm it is their child. But I will also confirm Scully has alien DNA.
July 15, 2018:
Interviewer: We’ve seen some really interesting developments in the relationship between Mulder and Scully in season 11. Now that Scully’s pregnant again, how do you see that relationship developing in a hypothetical future season/film?
Chris Carter: We always have the show in real time, so I would imagine that if we come back, there would be a passage of time, and Scully would have had that baby – or not. We might find out things about that child that are unexpected as well, so there are lots of unanswered questions and interesting things there.
Skinner and Monica Reyes probably survived.
March 22, 2018:
Skinner, in an act of sacrifice, tried to gun down Monica Reyes and the Smoking Man. Reyes, it seemed, took a few bullets. And Skinner ended up sandwiched between two cars. Did both characters meet their maker?
“As I like to say, no one stopped to take their pulses, so of course there’s a possibility that they both survived,” Carter said.
CSM is not dead.
March 21, 2018:
Fans have seen CSM die multiple times, including his explosive death in the original series finale. Should fans buy that death and if not, what could kill him at this point?
That’s a good question and also a part of the cliffhanger: is he a product of the science he claims to have in his possession? Is that what allows him to regenerate? Will it continue to be regenerative?
March 22, 2018:
“Scully had these images of him when she had her visions, with a face that had been totally reconstructed. Then, as we saw in episode, the season opener this season, and the season finale, he seemed to have been completely healed, although he had minor scarring. That was by design. He has powers to rejuvenate. So, is he dead? That’s a question that remains to be answered,” Carter said.
March 24, 2018:
“CSM has access to a lot of science, and we saw him regenerate before. And Scully had those visions of him with horrible disfigurement, but we only saw light scarring in the end, so what is that about? And with Skinner and Monica, no one stopped to take their pulse, so no-one knows. Was it a kill shot?”
Chris Carter believes the finale was perfect.
July 15, 2018:
Interviewer: Do you have any particular favourite episodes from these last two short seasons?
Chris Carter: I have to say there are four, and they’re kind of all equal. I loved the AI episode this season that begins with Mulder and Scully in the sushi bar (Rm9sbG9eZX.Jz). I loved Darin Morgan’s episodes from last season and this season (Mulder And Scully Meet The Were-Monster and The Lost Art Of Forehead Sweat), and I really liked the season finale (My Struggle IV) this season. It struck several chords perfectly.
BONUS
And lastly, we have a bit of post-canon revisionism.
Chris Carter held that CSM was William's father--
March 21, 2018:
Interviewer: Chris! You don't like creative permanence, do you? All right, so does Skinner ever tell Scully that the Smoking Man is William's "father," or does she just figure that out intuitively, or based on her visions?
Chris Carter: You know, she has intuition as we've set up, but he actually tells her in the car, except it's done where we go into Scully's head. We see him all but say the Cigarette Smoking Man is William's father.
--until recently:
July 28, 2024:
Was the CSM William’s father? CC mentions mitochondrial replacement/removal, thanks to which a child can have two fathers and one mother, and “that’s the answer”; DM and the audience boos him! [a way to have your cake and eat it too – both Mulder AND the CSM are biological parents, according to CC, and that’s final....]
Perihelion walks back some MSIV canon.
Per Claudia Gray's book (Eat The Corn's review here): CSM is not William's father, and is dead; Skinner survived; Reyes isn't mentioned; Scully has special powers, and it's suggested her and Mulder's daughter will have them, too. (Also, Mulder and Scully became an official couple...?)
assigning Scully to the X-files was the funniest thing the US government ever did because imagine you send this logical, rule-following scientist to spy on the Basement Weirdo but instead they fall in love and soul-bond so intensely that it’s actually a legitimate threat to national security. all the super-important super-evil government conspiracies are at risk because you (the US government) accidentally pulled the best matchmaking job in history and now they’re so in love and oh shit they’re breaking into another top-secret facility, they’re discovering evidence of another war crime and they’re gazing longingly into each other’s eyes next to a crashed ufo and it’s all your fucking fault
Some Halloween fic recs, y'all. I probably moved too fast on this, so let me know if you have other favorites. I feel like I forgot some!
Other Night - Punk
Mulder chooses Halloween as the night to ask Scully to go to dinner, because of course he does. Gentle, witty little piece.
I Put A Spell On You - Sarie_Fairy
Mulder and Scully go undercover at an invitation-only Halloween party where everyone is acting strangely drugged. All the right tropes in this one.
Bump in the Night - Lysandra
Sweet in every conceivable sense. Caramel apple covered in Butterfinger. Also, it's somehow a sequel to How the Ghosts Stole Christmas: impressive for a Halloween fic.
Poltergeist - all_these_ghosts
Halloween in the Unremarkable House. Watching Poltergeist on video. Local teens who think the Unremarkable House might be haunted. (Isn't it?)
Trick or Treat - Baroness_Blixen
Fluff flawlessly executed. This is more candy to put in your bag, but it is so, so awwwwww.
Time Warp - SisterSpooky1013
The Gunmen have a Rocky Horror Picture Show party. I can't lie; I have a very soft spot for the idea of Mulder dressed as Brad.
A Few Bonus Scary / Creepy / Horror Fic Just For Vibes:
The Summoning of Nikola Price - alienqueequeg
Mulder and Scully attend a seance in a quite effed up haunted house with many disturbing historical deaths. Scary.
Gardening in Tropical Climates - threeguesses
I would describe this as psychological horror. Starts one way and turns into something else. I adore this fic.
Waldron Island - SisterSpooky1013
This is freaking terrifying. A straight up horror story, but you know. Excellent MSR and smut and all that, too
X-Tropy - DeadCanons
Including this for Halloween vibes because it's a ghost story, among other things. I'm going to keep going on about this fic until more people read it. It's sci fi and a Scully character study and sweet MSR and so mindbendingly creative.
did you know that the x files has over 40 accompanying books, from original novels to episode novelizations? do you want to try reading one of them? all of them? i have a resource that can help!
the x files literature mastersheet contains each one of these books and their associated information, with the ability to sort by date of publishing, episode chronology, collection, and more. there are also links for a handful of them that are available on the internet archive! below is a snapshot of what you can expect to see:
there are some columns i use for my own reference (notes, date finished, etc.) that you can ignore. if you're aware of any books that i'm missing or you have additional access links, feel free to let me know!
happy to answer any questions and/or yap about x files books :-)
I spent the last 24 hours throwing together an extensive list of authors and fics that would fit the bill... but my heart kept returning to @msrafterdark's work. It's best to keep things simple, sometimes.
Loose chronological order below~
msrafterdark's
Prompt List #1 - Chapter 9
“Sun feel good?” His voice rumbles into her outdoor-induced pleasure and she smiles without opening her eyes, nodding.
“Mm,” she confirms, “Hopefully it’ll be worth the inevitable skin damage.”
“Oh, the freckles are worth it, believe me,” his voice is SO mellow, gentle and laden with deeper meaning. She feels herself pause. That’s the third soft little compliment he’s given her today. She stares at him for a moment, and she decides she can blame the caffeine for the giddy, restless way he’s making her feel right now.
It’s not the caffeine.
Mulder, Scully, sunshine, pastries, and laughter-- is there a better combination? (Perhaps it's missing one thing....)
24 Days of X-mas Files - Chapter 7 (Ao3) and 24 Days of X-mas Files - Chapter 8 (Ao3)
Is this not their first date? Is it in reality their twenty-sixth? Perhaps they're sixty-seventh? Even the coffeeshop Mulder selected feels familiar and safe. The atmosphere, appropriately decked out for the holidays, is comfortable and trendy, the coffee quite rich and flavorful. She has a feeling she will look back at this memory with a hazy, gold cast over it, like a film filter or a camera lens smeared with a vaseline vignette.
Mulder, Scully, and coffee-- and date plans.
A Playful Ruse
Things had been subtly, almost imperceptibly changing between them in a wonderful way. It terrified him, mostly because he wasn't quite sure what it meant. But he liked it...wanted more of it, and often the happy blush of a case well-closed was just further reason to spend a little extra time in her company.
AU-- Scully rises to Mulder's pretend-dating game.
Not For Anything and Not For Anything (Part 2)
She hasn’t noticed him step into the kitchenette just yet so he indulges himself, taking in the way her shoulders are set back and the way her carriage is as crisp and efficient as it always is. But there’s a sense of warmth there, now… Once again he is struck by how content she looks—she’s still Scully, still serious, still controlled, still self-contained—but he can’t seem to get enough of the warmth that seems to be emanating from her that he noticed ever since he woke up.
Morning after Mulder's and Scully's thoughts.
wanted
She stirs in the crook of his arm, as though even in sleep she’s aware that he’s awake and restless. Clumsily she touches his sternum as if locating him, then loops her arm around his middle, securely attaching herself to him.
“Mm...M’lr,” comes out in a soft, drowsy murmur. Then a happy sigh.
The first time Mulder ever felt loved.
"Could you say that again?"
She is so utterly, unequivocally precious to him, and he can’t stop staring. She lounges here in his bed with his sheets tangled around her waist, looking every bit like she plans to stay the rest of the night, and he prays that she will.
Mulder likes staring at Scully.
the third time
“Mulder, can we make a new rule?” she mumbles sleepily with her eyes closed, and although her tone is relaxed he finds his anxiety rippling just a bit. He doesn’t know how to play this, or where this request could go.
Mulder asks if Scully will stay over.
Prompt List #1 - Chapter 5
Though he constantly aches not being able to cradle her as she sleeps, he seldom challenges her request of no fraternization while on out of town investigations. She more than makes it up to him once they stumble into one of their respective apartments, anyway. He has no cause to complain.
Scully crashes Mulder's room.
Headcanon Fics (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 10
The next night when they part ways for sleep, he makes sure to note that the door is closed. When he comes back however, the gap is there as it was the night before. He gets goosebumps at the possible implications of this—who else could have propped it open but Scully? Was this a signal? Was she telling him it was okay to join her? His heart soars at the thought but again, he doesn’t want to disturb her. He goes to bed.
Mulder notices the dividing door's left open.
Week 1: Sugar
He catches the blissful aroma of home as soon as he walks in her door: sugar and cinnamon and vanilla. He had wondered why she’d be calling him in the middle of a Sunday afternoon with a voice of purpose requesting he drop by. Despite his asking “what for??” twice, she’d simply told him to come over and promptly hung up. She’d sounded business-like—no please-come-over-now-Mulder-I-want-you tone and no distress, leaving him wondering all the way up to unlocking her door and letting himself in.
Mulder drops the "L word."
"Did you just refer to me as your boyfriend?"
She looked so happy, and it made his heart melt. They had a week away at a cabin in Bend, he felt happy and healthy, and Scully was sitting crossed-legged on their bed with a trucker’s breakfast, happily stuffing her face. Her hair was mussed and she had donned the sweatshirt he’d worn while they cuddled up to watch a late showing of “Monsters of Yore” the night before. They’d behaved for all of fifteen minutes before it had been discarded.
Scully drops the "boyfriend" word.
Headcanon Fics (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 20
So now he was standing in front of a vending machine, tucked a few yards away from their motel room, staring at the glass and trying to find a Mars Bar for Scully. She never asked for anything, one thing he could do right was to get her one of her favorite candy bars.
Except there weren’t any Mars Bars. There wasn’t even any chocolate. Just Skittles and Starbursts. And one packet of Rice Crispies.
Somehow he felt like he had failed her.
Scully soothes Mulder's guilt.
Week 4: Candy
She returns from her lunch break with two Rite Aid bags worth of party mix candy, all the good stuff: Reeses, Twix, Snickers...He can't resist pilfering some and manages to wrestle two pieces out of the packaging before she swats him away.
"Don't tell me this is a late addition to my birthday present, Scully," he teases around a half-chewed fun size bar, the caramel already sticking to his teeth, "The birthday smacks were more than enough--not to mention the cake."
"No, it's for the kids in my neighborhood," she explains without a beat, neatly tying the plastic bag in a knot to prevent further thievery, "Most of them live in my building."
Mulder, Scully, and Halloween.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 60
She’s startled, whips around, and the goosebumps that rise on her skin tell her who that deep, droning voice belongs to. He looks so tired; at least two days without a shave and he must have fallen asleep on the plane because one side of his hair is simultaneously flattened and spiked. His tie is crooked, but his eyes and mouth are soft with a welcome. Without a word she springs up and wraps her arms around him, burying her face in his collar.
Scully waits for Mulder's plane.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 15 (Ao3)
Maggie made her way quietly to Dana’s bedroom and peeked past the partially closed doorway, reassured when she recognized the fluffed waves of her daughter’s hair amidst the sheets.
What she hadn’t expected to see was Fox in the bed with her.
Maggie busts the duo.
Prompt List #1 - Chapter 3
He trades between re-reading a sentence of his notes and looking back up at his parter, now girlfriend, always love of his life. She could be anywhere she wanted to be today, and she chose to wake up snuggled against his side and ask him oh so sweetly to make her some toast for breakfast.
Mulder is surprised at the strength of his love.
Little Things - Chapter 1 and Little Things - Chapter 2 (Ao3)
One cool Friday night she had asked him to stay the weekend. Surprised and a little anxious over her request, he had hesitantly agreed. Saturday they had gone out to breakfast, then they had driven to the National Arboretum where they had walked until they were drunk with sun, starved for food, and their feet ached. They drove back to Scully’s place where she had quickly thrown together a casserole. He had assisted with dessert, laughingly giving her two more scoops of Fudge Nutter ice cream than she had requested while she protested and ate it when a smile.
Sunday morning he had made the mistake of telling her he would be glad to help her with housework, and to his chagrin she had taken him up on it, giving him dusting and vacuuming duties as she scrubbed at the oven. When dinnertime rolled around she had wanted to make him dinner, but he insisted on buying them take-out, one because she had done enough work, and two, he wanted to reward her for making the housecleaning venture enjoyable. When she had fallen asleep against him while they watched AMC, he had longed to carry her to bed, but instead settled for gently guiding her to her bedroom.
“This was nice.” She had sleepily murmured as they lay wrapped in her sheets, her breath brushing over his chest as her head rested on his shoulder. He had stroked her back in agreement.
Mulder, Scully, and the little things they do for each other.
Five Sentence Fics (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 3
“Mulder, I’m in a rotten mood today so you’d better be using those lips for better things than making caustic comments.”
Scully's bummy mood.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 6
“I never want to have sex again,” she said pitifully, “I just want to take my ovaries out, set them on the opposite side of the room for a while until they decide to calm down, and then maybe I’ll put them back in.”
Mulder chuckled despite himself.
“Spoken like a true forensic pathologist,” he teased.
“It’s not funny, Mulder. I’m dying.”
Mulder pampers Scully while she battles period cramps.
Headcanon Fics (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 15
“Protest all you like,” he chuckles, “but you do, and I think it’s utterly adorable.”
She squints at him deviously, as if she’s mulling over a cutting retort but he knows she can’t come up with anything when she haughtily takes a sip of her coffee.
Mulder insists Scully snores. Scully doesn't want to believe.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 44
“Mul—what is it?” She suddenly becomes aware of how messy Mulder’s kitchen has become. Medical reference books are piled atop the counter, half-eaten toast (her dinner) rests cold and stiff on a plate beside her, and her laptop is nestled in the one spot not covered in notes and autopsy forms on his kitchen table.
“You’ve been working all evening,” his hand is gentle on her back, “You wanna relax on the couch with me? I can get you something more to eat?”
Scully needs help decompressing during a case.
If your still taking headcanons/Headcanon Fics (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 17
He heard her call his name softly just as he had tossed some frozen turkey apple sausage in the pan. He smiled to himself, glad she was awake relatively early this weekend - maybe after breakfast they could drive for a hike somewhere in the afternoon. They never spent enough time outdoors when they had time off.
Mulder finally feels like a normal dude.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 33
“Read to you? Scully we’re on a stakeout!” he almost chuckled.
“Mm hm. And she’s not going to show, you and I both know that. We’ve got fifteen minutes until we can leave and sleep. I want to hear your voice.”
Scully asks Mulder to read to her.
"I like it when you play with my hair"
He may never move again. At least not while his very tired partner is using him as a full-contact body pillow atop her bed sheets.
Mulder's and Scully's soaking in intimacy.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 74
“You’re such a good man,” she whispers into his thick, silky hair. He needs to hear that more.
She feels the hitch in his breathing against her lower abdomen, and the arms loosely bracketing her hips squeeze her enough to let her know that he’s heard. She sinks lower on the bed and shifts so that she can kiss his face: his roughened cheek, his earlobe, his paper-thin eyelids.
Scully marvels at Mulder's peace.
Mulder likes to call scully "baby", and she loves it
Her feet, lower back, and temples ache as she snaps off the latex gloves and disposes of them in the bin. Long hours are par for the course, but she still wouldn’t mind a few nine-to-fivers once and a while. She can’t wait to get out of her scrubs and back home so she can curl into some threadbare sweats and a blanket.
Mulder promises to make her dinner.
Unnamed
Scully snuffling a bit with a small scowl, murmuring a slurry "time isit?", nestling her face into his chest.
Tender snapshots in the night.
24 Days of X-mas Files - Chapter 3 (Ao3)
He's over at her place [again] tonight, his lanky and irritatingly attractive body sprawled across the entire length of her cream-colored couch while she taps away at her desk. He's done absolutely zero work on his report, save for writing down the current date in the upper right hand corner of his yellow legal pad. Said pad is still sitting untouched on her coffee table as he lays on his back tossing a balled up piece of memo paper to himself like a twelve year old on the pitch. She wonders when he stopped coming over to her apartment in his suit and started wearing jeans and Henleys.
Mulder likes distracting Scully from her reports.
Ficlets (Tumblr Prompt) - Chapter 90
The “m” word, a noun that he promised himself to never experience after enduring his parents’ bitter and angry divorce, is flickering around in his head. He keeps having fleeting thoughts about whether Scully likes white or yellow gold, keeps imagining a diamond on her left ring finger. It terrifies him, the fact that he’s even considering this, but the mere concept of being able to call Scully his wife covers his entire body in goosebumps.
Scully's unexpected stay turns into longer, more permanent plans.
home for thanksgiving
Dana is…Dana’s different now. She seems a little firmer, a little more stoic, and he’s sure from what little she’s told him about her current line of work that it HAS to have an effect on her. The last several years have thrown so much at this family…arguably her most of all.
Charlie observes his sister and her partner.
MSR Ficmas Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25 (Ao3)
“When you’re my wife you won’t have to drive across town if you wanna snuggle,” he’s teasing her, but there’s also something else there…she feels as if he’s testing waters with her. They haven’t talked about details yet since he gave her her ring, knowing him he’s probably wondering if she’s having second thoughts. Truth be told, the ring hasn’t left her finger since he slipped it on in her childhood bed that breathless Christmas night.
Mulder and Scully's first Christmas together as a couple: baking, a surprise weekend getaway, shopping, and a holiday alongside the Scully family.
MSR Ficmas // Day 30 - Fireworks
As she unwraps and reads each of the sparklers from the pile, Scully realizes he is listing off all the things he loves about her, from something as sweet as how she takes her coffee (two sugars, no cream), to the growling noise she makes in her throat when he takes her from behind. There has to be at least thirty of these wrapped notes, culminating in a blazing glow that lights nearly the entire back yard.
It's the eve of Mulder and Scully's wedding.
AUs
Miracle at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Ao3) and Christmas Eve Call (Ao3)
Scully allowed her body to settle as she remembered the soft words Mulder had murmured only a few hours before as he had pressed soft kisses to her closed eyelids.
“I wonder why things have been so good for us lately.”
Scully insists a stranded Mulder join her and her family for Christmas.
The Hands Resist Him (Ao3)
She had been wondering how long it would take him to ask, and with that in mind she made the conscious decision not to bring it up, however much she was battling with herself to do so. She wasn’t quite sure if she even wanted him to ask, the concept of it equally tantalizing and terrifying.
This AU version of Mulder’s return is what we should have had in canon. Watching these two idiots fall back in love and navigate Mulder’s amnesia while trying to figure out what happened to him was absolutely delicious. The author absolutely nailed the characterizations, and M&S acted exactly like I feel like they would in the show!
🧚♂️🏴 Tam Lin by Pequod
M&S uncover magic, mythology, and folklore as they travel to Scotland to solve the case of three missing boys.
This fic explores a fascinating question: Can Scully make herself believe if it’s the only thing that can save Mulder? Despite this, it’s relatively lighthearted. I loved the memorable OCs, the sickening (affectionate) UST, and the fact that our agents got the chance to ogle each other in formalwear.
🔮😵💫 Way Through the Woods by Pellinor & Rebecca Rusnak
Mulder has been missing for three months, and Scully must follow the clues to find out what happened to him.
I went into this fic expecting more of a survival story, but it’s much more of an angsty psychological thriller. The nonlinear plot and constant flashbacks were confusing at times, but I read this one while sick with a cold, so that could be the reason why I had a hard time with it. I loved it nonetheless and recommend it to anyone who wants to be taken on an existential ride.
⌚️💥 SN 1573 by prufrockslove
(Thanks to @fine-nephrit for reminding me I wanted to read this one lol)
Officially starting a conspiracy that PFL is secretly a wildly successful published author. There’s simply no way this kind of talent goes unrewarded by the universe. PFL, if you’re out there, just know I’m onto you 👀
Anyway, this post-colonization fic HURTS in the best way. What do you do when the world ends, but you’re still here? How do you go on? I love seeing characters pushed to the absolute brink. I love watching them bend until they break. I love watching them put themselves (and each other) back together in the face of abject despair. And BOY HOWDY does this fic deliver.
As always, the world-building and characterization are out of this world. Every detail is so meticulously written that I found myself believing this is exactly what would happen to humanity when there’s almost nobody left. And the flashbacks to Before — UGHHH the contrast between the happy, flirty, sappy beginning of their relationship to the absolute depression of After fills me with shrimp emotions.
💍💒 Proposal by @slippinmickeys
This little fic is one of my favorite MSR proposals ever!! I love an unconventional proposal, and this one definitely delivers. Mulder’s love for his little family gives me yet more shrimp emotions.
“I’m irredeemably in love with the both of you,” his voice cracks. “And I want to bind you to me in every way I possibly can.”
👆 that’s the good stuff right there!
🕯️👻 Beacon by @cecilysass
Lovelorn M&S are caught in a ghost’s curse and must admit their feelings before time runs out.
I love when our two favorite idiots are forced by outside influences to figure out their relationship (this one is along the lines of HTGSC, but with a Hanahaki disease-esque twist). It may take some meddling from a ghost or ghoul, but they get there in the end! This fic is perfect for warming your heart on a cold winter night.
🇺🇸👯♀️ An Alluring Indiscretion by beduini and M. Taylor Harrison
This intriguing casefic involves a senator, prostitutes, and doppelgängers. While it’s not the most polished fic I’ve ever read, it’s still very enjoyable, and there’s plenty of MSR to be had.
😷🔥 if the truth forgets about us by @leiascully
Angsty cancer arc smut my beloved!! Somehow, the angst makes the smut that much more intense. I’m in love!
🤕🫂 always in sickness, never in health by @mulderfrl
More cancer arc angst!!! Scully muses on her relationship with Mulder and how she wishes they had more time. It’s heartbreaking in the best way!
👿🛌 No More Demons by Penny Daza
During season 4, M&S decide to (platonically) sleep together — literally. Just for comfort.
I’m not gonna lie to you. This fic is messy as heck. You just have to let go of your adult brain and pretend you’re a 13-year-old again, reading fic on wattpad late into the night. Embrace the mess and just enjoy the ride.
💌💝 My Funny Valentine by @libbytxf
M&S celebrate Valentine’s Day throughout the years. I looove to see the evolution of their relationship from coworkers to friends to “it’s complicated” to lovers. Those USTy years are my favorite!
⛈️🤞 Lucky Stars by @thursdayinspace
Post-Syzygy, M&S want some space apart. Their plans are foiled, and they end up getting closer than ever.
This fic made me all warm and tingly! So precious!
😴🌲 The Dreaming Tree by @slippinmickeys
This fic has become one of my favorite casefics of all time! The premise had me hooked right from the start. It felt like an episode of the show, but better (and sexier).
I love the way it incorporates Native American history (in a much more tactful way than the show did). It’s respectful and informative while still being fantastical and entertaining. Genius!
🧚♂️🌳 The Unseelie Court by @slippinmickeys
Another banger of a casefic from slippinmickeys that deals with folklore and fairies. I love how sweeping and cinematic this one feels, especially the more magical scenes. It was so fun to put together the pieces and figure out what’s happening as I read!
❄️🚁 Falling Snow by Snark
Finally, a true wilderness survival fic I haven’t read already!
I would’ve liked some of the threads introduced the beginning to be woven together more. Certain things happen that have little to no impact on the overarching story. Still, once the big things start happening, I enjoyed this fic immensely! The OCs were surprisingly intriguing, and the tension had me reading late into the night.
🌳🦌 Old Growth Forest by Andrea
I very much enjoyed this time travel fic! It’s like a mixture between The Mastodon Diaries and a Wild West AU with plenty of survival elements.
However, I found myself wishing that it covered a longer period of time. There are certain things I was hoping to see, but the book ended before we got there. There were also some missed opportunities for added drama/characterization/internal conflict, but all in all, it was still a great read!
When I Think About You, I Touchstone Myself:
Fic Recs for the Biogenesis/ Sixth Extinction/ Amor Fati trilogy
I thought it was time to do some fic fixes for these important episodes for a few reasons.
First, Amor Fati is an episode I can’t ever stay away from; I both love it and have big issues with it. I love the tribute to Last Temptation of Christ, a film I admire, but I also find the identification of Mulder as a Christ figure to be problematic, or at least to raise questions the show doesn’t really address. I love the touchstone speech and the boy on the beach sequence; I find a lot of the real-life dialogue (e.g. between CSM and Diana) to be clunky.
And honestly, I find it kind of irritating that Diana's death happened off screen, too. Deep Throat, Spender, X, CSM, Well-Manicured Man, Blevins — their deaths were all dramatized onscreen, so it seems weird that Diana’s was not, doesn’t it? Anticlimactic and odd. To me, it's the straw that broke the camel's back for the Diana arc, really raising the question of whether she was ever really written intending to be an important character to the mytharc plot at all ... or whether she just really was a cardboard cutout character there to generate jealousy.
But I digress. What I mean to to say is: I always want to talk more about Amor Fati.
Second, I particularly enjoy me some psychic Mulder fic, and there are some great examples below. How well does he read minds? Does he read Scully’s? Her every thought? How long does it last? Readers want to know.
Finally, if you believe season 7 was the season of secret sex, or even if you just hold to season 7 as the “sometime consummated” season, these 3 eps have to be a crucial turning point. Some people maintain that Mulder got the affirmation to move ahead with MSR when he heard Scully's thoughts. Possibly. Either way, though, by the end, through the events of Amor Fati, they both validate the other’s point of view in a way we don't really see before. Plus, you know, maybe you heard? They’re one another’s touchstones. So this is a crucial MSR trilogy, too.
So I have a (NO DOUBT INCOMPETE) selection of fic recs below. I’m mixing up the fic recs for all three episodes, but I try to note if a fic is really more about one ep than another.
Fic Recs:
Before the White Noise - Nimz12peekaboo
Scully goes to see Mulder inside his padded cell in Biogenesis. This is sweet and canon-attentive, if not quite compliant.
A Less Certain World - Sarah Segretti
This is really only post-Biogenesis and goes AU after that; it’s the author’s AU Sixth Extinction, I suppose. Mulder is much more affected by the trauma to his brain and body than in the show, and Scully is scared for him. Amazing fic.
Temporary Shelter - Gwendolyn
Also a Biogenesis post-ep, this fic imagines that Scully springs psychic Mulder from the hospital and then takes him back with her to the Ivory Coast. They stay in a cabin (with only one bed!) that was once occupied by another couple affected by the artifact. This is rich in plot (and in MSR.)
Stunned - Vickie Moseley
This is, by description, what happens in the commercial breaks in Biogenesis. And let's just say that it’s kind of a lot. This fic focuses on Scully coming to calm Mulder down at the hospital, on their trust between one another. There is a little Diana wrap up, too.
All the Places - Ambress
A lovely, lovely take on Mulder’s ability to read minds. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
Out of Our Minds - Sarah Segretti and haphazard method
This is specifically post-Biogenesis, written before season 7 began. It focuses on the rather realistic idea that Scully would be freaked the fuck out by Mulder being able to read her mind—like, existentially freaked out. Both characters’ POV here; both characters have your sympathy; angsty and extremely true to character.
Disonance - suilven
This piece is kind of a classic in my own little personal world. It just such a satisfying concept. It delightfully doesn’t take the canon implications of Mulder’s telepathy seriously, like, at all, which is why we love fanfic. Mulder, Scully, and Diana get stuck on an elevator just as Mulder’s starting to realize he can read minds. Delicious set-up.
the things they say in the dark - MonikaFileFan
Missing scenes for Amor Fati, this piece helps us see the two moving closer and closer together while still having the invisible line between them. There is hurt/comfort here with Scully caring for Mulder, and a little light mind reading. So sweet and well done.
how to tell your lover you’ve seen all their secret gardens - 0666666
While Scully is taking care of Mulder after the events of Amor Fati, he tries to think of how to tell her he heard her thoughts. Very good.
Woven Deep by Maureen B. Ocks
This is a really smart little Amor Fati post-ep with sharp dialogue / banter throughout. Mulder is in recovery, and they have a chance to talk about his experiences. It’s Mulder POV, but Scully is written very well here.
Synesthesia by haphazard method
On a case shortly after the events of Amor Fati, Scully is still coming to terms with the role she plays in their partnership. An excellent conversation.
Petrichor by Aloysia Virgata. A lovely gem, a fandom classic. A one-chapter case file set directly after Amor Fati. Mulder and Scully’s relationship is offkilter and unsettled; Mulder is troubled by dreams with messages from a familiar ghost; the plot riffs on Anglo-Irish folklore. The spot-on banter and exquisite writing one expects from this author.
Eli Eli by Marguerite
Mulder is recovering physically post-Amor Fati while Scully tries to cope with the crisis of faith her experiences in the Ivory Coast provoked in her. Skinner sends them to a beach house in Galveston to rest and heal.
Silence Waiting by JET
Scully is struggling to cope with the implications of what she saw in Africa as Mulder heals and worries about her. This is intercut with the story of another telepath, Gretta, who grows up only reading the thoughts of one boy in her town, Frederick. This fic is lovely in every way and makes me weep.
The Boy on the Beach - me me (cecilysass)
Yeah, I include my own fic. I just know it best, you know, lol? I include this one specifically for this theme because it was really written in part to engage with Amor Fati, specifically with the implications of Mulder’s Last Temptation of Christ-inspired dream sequence. But I'm the author, so you know, grain of salt.
Thoughts on Nothing Lasts Forever: Well, that final scene at least
So shock horror I actually started writing up my notes for my Beyond the Sea analysis – I have a day with nothing planned and nothing to do today, so figured what the hell! But when I opened my notes document I found this random chunk of word vomit I wrote after Nothing Lasts Forever aired. I’d forgotten about it, but I figure it’s a nice way of looking at this scene, and so I decided to share.
While I was initially frustrated that Mulder did not immediately and enthusiastically respond “yes!” to Scully’s, “are we together?”, I now see his reluctance as an even more loving response given their history as revealed later in the conversation.
Scully was the one who left, and while he was initially somewhat bitter and sarcastic about the situation in the beginning of season 10, he has progressively not only come to respect Scully’s right to be hurt by all that happened to her, but also the role both his presence, and later absence, played in her various traumas.
As a result, and out of deep love and respect for her, he has chosen to make himself available for whatever she needed with the patience to not presume anything before she is ready. During season 11, they have obviously become closer and closer, to the point of basically acting like they were together, but without any formal decision.
When he asks the question about what makes them so good together, it is a loaded question. He knows that. Potentially, he is feeling out the waters of whether she is ready to officially make that leap again – but he will not make that leap. He’s never going to ask anything of her. It’s all down to Scully to make a move. When she questions whether they are together, he doesn’t respond affirmatively because he, again, doesn’t want to assume anything, and is maybe slightly taken aback by the fact she is still uncertain about their relationship.
When she proceeds to explain that her questioning is based on the fact that she views herself as the failure in the relationship because she fled or couldn’t protect their son, he assures her that he doesn’t blame her. He instead blames himself and thinks often of the better life she might have had without him.
When she assures him that she doesn’t blame him or begrudge him anything and that is not why she left, he is left to then jump in and assure her that if all that is holding her back is her guilt or self-punishment for her failures, she should put that aside.
He wants her – has always wanted her, regardless of her choices. He is standing there at her side for whatever she needs. That is his choice, his faith.
She then makes her move.
My personal belief is that she told him that she wants to live a normal life, to retire and leave the past behind – put her guilt and regrets behind her. But what’s most significant is that she tells him that she’d like them to do this together.
Where before she was tentatively asking him if they were together, now she is saying that’s what she wants – for them to move forward together again.
Mulder seems emotional as he nods his agreement.
I believe he is referring to the X-Files… but more specifically their quest together. The journey they’ve been on for the past 25 years. What they are agreeing to here is saying goodbye to the past and starting a new chapter of their lives – truly letting go. Not like before where Mulder, particularly, was torn between the past and the present. They tried to live that life and it almost tore them apart. It has to be different this time.
Poignantly, Mulder then lights a candle for Scully’s prayer.
This prayer is something only he can answer for her, not God. I believe he will do whatever it takes; whatever is within his power to answer it. Even giving up his quest, the X-Files.
This is made all the more powerful by the fact that Mulder historically has been very dismissive of religion. And yet, here he is, now so committed to Scully that he will go wherever she needs him to go. He’s matured so much since all those years ago. To me, it feels like Scully is all Mulder sees now. She is everything to him. This Mulder would not allow even the X-Files to get between them… not anymore.
This scene feels like the message they tried to convey at the end of I Want To Believe but done right. Well, maybe that’s going a bit far. It’s at least done better.
That’s ultimately what I believe this scene is about – their growth. How they have learned and matured alongside each other. How they have survived through what would destroy most couples.
This scene is Mulder and Scully finding closure… and a new beginning.
Would Mulder and Scully take their laundry to a laundry mat or to their mom's homes on the weekend?
I always religiously tag my posts and try to keep those tags the same. For the above posts, I umbrella-ed them under #MSR Fic Tropes. :DDDDD Here's Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3~.
In fics, Mulder and Scully usually have a laundry room in their buildings, but sometimes they'll take each other's clothes to the drycleaners. And Scully's either a decent-ish cook (though not as good as her mom/sister), or a very excellent one (as canon implies in Beyond the Sea.) Mulder's the dark horse: he's either "morning cereal and takeout" bad, or a natural chef at heart (I lean to the latter, ish.)
