by: mldrgrl
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mulder/Scully
Summary: Set during early revival times (with absolutely no acknowledgment to any of the revival). Scully accidentally stumbles on an unexpected truth.
If not for a dead man in rural Indiana they wouldnāt be here, in the middle of an empty road, contemplating what happens next, if thereās any hope for a future for them at all, partnership or otherwise.
Things had been tenuous between them for some time, but theyād been in an upswing. Theyād started to get back into their old groove being reinstated to the FBI, back on the x-files, back to each other even though there was hesitation to fully reconcile. They spent most of their waking hours together, but had yet to pass an entire night in each other's company.
After their latest assignment, it was Scully that suggested they stop at the combination flea and farmerās market, having seen signs posted along the way on their drive to the Fort Wayne airport. Seeing as they had plenty of time to kill before their flight later that evening and the only tourist attraction theyād seen advertised was for the worldās largest ball of paint, it seemed like the best option for a pit stop.
The market was in the faculty parking lot of a high school. Mulder pulled the car over behind a line of vehicles dotting the sides of the road. He stretched his back once he was on his feet, no longer acclimated to long-distance driving like he had been once upon a time. A whistle blew in the distance and he turned to watch the scrimmage on the football field past the fenceline. He breathed in the smell of the dirt and fresh cut grass.
It was a pleasant fall morning; mild and sunny, bright blue sky, low, stationary clouds, no breeze to move them along. Miles and miles of grass and cornfields as far as the eye could see.
He started slightly when he felt a hand between his shoulder blades and he looked down to find Scully at his side. Her fingers trailed softly down his spine and then hooked into the back pocket of his jeans for a moment before she dropped her arm and then squinted up at him.
āGotta love a small town,ā he said.
āYou always did,ā she answered.
He smiled and gave her a brief nod, resisting the urge to cup her cheek, to brush his thumb over the mole above her lip, as heād done a thousand times before. He took her hand instead, a small, but bold gesture, something that was never even a consideration once upon a time in their first go-around. She hadnāt made any rules this time though, and besides, Special Agent Scully had been packed away that morning along with the pantsuits in her luggage.
Gravel crunched underfoot as they turned towards the flea market, clasped hands swingingly lightly.
āAre we looking for anything special?ā he asked. āOr looking just to look.ā
āJust to look.ā
āIf we were closer to home Iād get some new chairs for the porch.ā
āWhatās wrong with the old chairs?ā
āGotten a bit rusty.ā
āForget to put them up for the winter?ā
āMe? Forget?ā He chuckled when she lifted her brow in response. She smiled and squeezed his hand. Heād always forgotten and sheād always had to remind him.
They reached the tented stalls, vendors packed into two neat rows. There were fresh vegetables, homemade goat cheeses, jars of honey, and baked goods on one side, and dusty antiques, old records, toys, and knicknacks on the other. Mulder let go of Scullyās hand to rifle through a milk crate full of National Geographic magazines and she browsed a collection of novelty salt and pepper shakers at the same table.
Mulder bought a well-thumbed sci-fi novel a few stalls later that he vaguely remembered having read in junior high. He quickly shoved the small book into his back pocket as though he didnāt want Scully to see it and she promptly plucked it out to take a look at it. They play-fought over it briefly, ending with Scully in a bear hug as she pressed the book to her chest with both hands, both laughing. He loosened his arms, but still held her, peering over her shoulder as she finally got the chance to inspect his purchase.
The cover was aged, but still had a glossy patina. Like most pulp covers of the time the illustration was designed to titillate. Front and center stood a man holding a gun, crouched slightly as though prepared for battle and behind him a long-legged woman in a mini-skirt, midriff bare, clutching his hand. They were surrounded by large, silver robots, arms outstretched in attack.
āAre you actually going to read this?ā she asked.
āYou might like it,ā he answered, reaching over to point to the people on the cover. āIf memory serves, that guy was a former army captain and he teams up with a gorgeous and brilliant scientist to save the world from a robot uprising.ā
āMiss Tube Top is a scientist?ā
āI happen to know from personal experience that smart and sexy women arenāt just science fiction,ā he murmured into her ear, pulling her hips a little tighter into his before releasing her from his arms.
Scully hummed and then spun around. She held the book out to him and he brushed his thumb along hers as he took it and put it back in his pocket. They walked on, rejoining hands, fingers threading naturally together.
āYou can borrow it when Iām finished,ā he said. āThe book. If youād like.ā
āNo, thank you. I have no doubt youāll subject me to a lengthy book report in the coming days, anyway.ā
āDo you have a preference for oral, or written?ā
She gave him a sideways glance. āAfter all these years, I think you know my preference by now, Mulder.ā
āYeah, I think I do.ā He stopped and took her elbow, pulling her towards him as he bent his head to kiss the corner of her mouth. She smiled into his next kiss on her lips and put a hand on his chest.
āDouble-spaced,ā she murmured against his lips, āsingle-sided, one inch margins, TImes New Roman font, by the end of the week.ā
He chuckled and then straightened, tossing his head back with a groan. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, bright with amusement and mischief. He hadnāt seen that look from her in a long time. Her fingernails scratched lightly at his t-shirt and he covered her hand with his against his chest. The moment was broken when someone walking by bumped his shoulder and they both sidestepped out of the way.
āI uhā¦saw a sign back there for the restroom,ā he said, thumbing over his shoulder. āGonna hit it up before you dole out anymore assignments.ā
āIām going to wander.ā
āIāll find you.ā
āYou always do.ā
She slipped her hand out from his and turned to walk away. She didnāt look back, though she was tempted just to see if he was watching. She wasnāt ashamed to admit that she hoped he was.
She didnāt really know what had gotten into her, but she was feeling flirty. Lately, things had felt like the best of old times and it made her nostalgic. Sheād missed all of this. The work, the challenge, the mystery, even the long car rides through the middle of nowhere, but most of all she just missed him. She missed being together. She missed his touch, his humor, his companionship, the solid and safe presence of him when he was beside her. She missed the way he made her feel and the way he looked at her when she played the tease. She knew he felt the same and they should probably stop wasting anymore time.
At a table before her, she picked up a crocheted bumblebee amongst the display of handmade creatures. It was hard to believe it had been eighteen years since waking up in Antarctica. She thumbed the little yarn stinger on the bees backside and then put it down. There were some things she preferred not to remember.
She moved on to a stall of aromatic soaps and oils, neatly displayed on cloth-covered tables forming a horseshoe. Each bar was wrapped in tissue paper, closed with a small gold sticker embossed with the initials JM and a handwritten label indicated the blend. She brought a few to her nose to smell. Lemongrass, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. She was particularly drawn to one called vanilla chai. A small stack of brochures was in the centermost table, held down by a heavy geode.
Miller Family Soaps. All soaps are handcrafted by Certified Aromatherapist Jane Miller using all natural, locally sourced ingredients, and made from the milk of our farmās seven Nigerian Dwarf goats. Personalized wellness blends are available through private consultation. Call 555-3849 for more information and pricing. Stop by the farm off Route 127 and meet the goats for yourself!
At the bottom of the brochure was a black and white photo of what Scully presumed were the goats in question, lined up like they were taking a class photo. She smiled and folded the brochure three times over and slipped it into her pocket.
A few minutes later, she had two bars of soap in hand, the vanilla chai for her and an orange sandalwood for Mulder, ready to purchase. There was a woman at the end of the tables, a basket of soaps on one hip, her back to Scully.
āFine, fine, but only the ones at Miss Shirleyās table and donāt even think about asking for hot dogs this time.ā
Scully froze at the sound of the womanās voice as she got closer. She turned quickly, a chill coming over her in an instant. She felt as though she were going to hyperventilate and she took a few deliberately long and deep breaths. She turned again, slowly, trying to keep a neutral, casual expression on her face. The woman still had her back to Scully and she was speaking to a young girl Scully guessed to be thirteen or fourteen with long, auburn hair and a little boy no more than eight who was the spitting image of her brother Charlie. Scully swallowed. The kids started to walk away.
āSpence, hold Abbyās hand,ā the woman called after them, āand I mean it you two, no hot dogs, and if you go out to the field, donāt get in your fatherās way!ā
Scully stared at the back of the womanās head. Her hair was a faded strawberry blonde, pulled into a loose braid falling halfway down her back while unruly curls managed to frizz at the scalp. She wore a long-sleeved floral dress down to her ankles and Birkenstocks on her feet. Her wrists jangled with a plethora of slim bracelets.
āMissyā¦ā Scully breathed.
The woman turned, but didnāt appear startled. Scully sucked in a breath. It wasnāt just that the tone and cadence of the womanās voice matched that of her sister, the resemblance was more than striking.
āOh, hello,ā the woman said, setting her basket of soaps down onto the table. āIām sorry I didnāt see you there.ā She took a glance over her shoulder and put a hand on her head. āKids. They were supposed to be with my mother-in-law today, but she got sick andā¦anyhow, Iām rambling. Hi, Iām Jane. Those soaps are five each, or three for twelve if you wanted to get another.ā
āUmā¦ā Scully turned, searching. She grabbed the closest bar of soap and then handed them over to the woman, trying not to stare, but finding it impossible not to. The woman, fortunately, seemed too distracted to notice, placing each bar gently into a brown paper bag.
āTwelve even,ā the woman said, passing Scully the bag. āWe can take cash or Venmo.ā
Scully knew she had a twenty dollar bill in her pocket and she gave it to the woman. āJaneā¦Miller? From the brochure?ā
āThatās right.ā
āDo I look familiar to you at all?ā
āOh my gosh, Iām so sorry.ā Jane gave Scully her change and then put her hands on her cheeks, looking chagrined. āDid we meet at the PTA fundraiser last month? I apologize, there were so many new faces and I have terrible recall. Youāreā¦?ā
āDana.ā
āDanaā¦Danaā¦ā Jane squinted and then shook her head. āRemind me, are you Bethās friend?ā
āNo, Iām justā¦my partner and I are passing through andā¦ā Scully felt her eyes drifting up and caught the hint of a scar creeping out from Janeās hairline above her temple. She quickly looked away, but her gaze shifted again almost immediately. Jane slid her fingers up to her temple and Scullyās face flushed.
āIām sorry,ā Scully said. āI couldnāt help but notice.ā
āOld brain injury,ā Jane answered. āNot that thatās an excuse, but thatās why it takes me a little longer in the memory department, even if it was almost twenty years ago.ā
āBrain injury? What kind of brain injury? Iāmā¦Iām a medical doctor, maybe Iā¦may I ask what happened?ā
āCar accident.ā
āOhā¦ā
āThatās what started this though.ā Jane gestured vaguely at the tables. āWhen I came out of the coma I had terrible headaches, terrible nausea, you knowā¦well, terrible everything as you might imagine.ā
āHow long were you in a coma?ā
āTen months. I had a lovely physical therapist that taught me about using different scents to aid in healing and once Iād fully recovered it was like Iād found my calling. I got certified in aromatherapy and well, it became more of a hobby once my kids were born, but now that theyāre older Iām able to find ways to use my credentials.ā She lowered her voice slightly and leaned closer to Scully. āPeople around here though, you tell them youāve got a license to use some nice smelling oils and they think youāre into crystals and tarot cards.ā
āAre youā¦into crystals and tarot cards?ā
Jane smiled and shrugged, lifting her brows. Scully licked the corner of her mouth. She wanted to embrace this woman, even if she wasnāt who she thought she was, she wanted to feel what it might be like to have her sisterās arms around her one more time, to breathe her in again, smell that combination of patchouli and sage that Melissa wore like a second skin. Her eyes started to well and she blinked and looked away.
āUh, Iā¦I take it youāre notā¦from here then?ā Scully asked.
āWell, my husband is from Indianapolis. I grew up just outside of Chicago.ā
āDo you still have family there?ā
Jane gave Scully a curious look and Scully closed her eyes, pressing her lips together into a tight line.
āIām sorry,ā Scully said. āYou justā¦you look a lot like someone I lost a long time ago and Iāmā¦I must look like Iāve seen a ghostā¦ā
āLet me see your hand.ā Jane reached out and gently took hold of Scullyās wrist, turning her hand palm up. Janeās hands were soft and warm. She pressed her index finger into the outer tendon at Scullyās wrist and then took a deep breath. āBreathe with me,ā she said, taking another slow, deep breath.
āOh, I donātā¦ā Scully trailed off as Janeās other hand came to rest on the top of her head and she pressed her thumb to the space between Scullyās eyes.
āFocus on your breathing,ā Jane instructed, pressing a little more firmly against Scullyās wrist. āIn through the mouth and out through the nose. We want to slow the heart rate by putting pressure here at the Spirit Gate.ā Jane then moved her thumb in small circles, massaging the spot between Scullyās brows. āAnd this,ā she said. āThe Ajna chakra. For emotional regulation.ā
Scully tried to breathe deep, but she shuddered on intake and Jane moved Scullyās hand up and put it on her chest, pressing the heel of Scullyās hand into her breastplate. Scully felt herself become aware of her chest expanding against her palm with every inhale, aware of the quick thump of her heartbeat, aware of Janeās hand that moved from her head to her back and straightened her spine with a gentle press.
āThe Sea of Qi,ā Jane said. āFor relieving anxiety and stress.ā
They were both still for a few moments, Jane holding Scully straight with the press of her hands. And then Jane took her hands away and Scully sagged, feeling bereft from the loss of her. She blinked her eyes open and Jane had moved away towards the center of the tables and was rifling through a small wooden box. Scully opened her mouth, but was at a loss for words.
āYou need frankincense,ā Jane said, coming back to Scully, a small bottle in her hand. āPut a few drops in a hot bath or dab a bit on the pulse points. On the wrists or behind the ears. Also-ā
āMooooooooom!ā
Both Jane and Scully turned at the sound of a little boyās voice. Over Janeās shoulder, Scully saw Mulder, walking towards the tables. He stopped short, his mouth falling open. He cut his eyes to Scully and back to Jane and then slowly moved his way to the stall. There was panic on his face that she could read past the stoic facade. He slid an arm around her waist, taking a firm grasp of her hip and pulling her to his side like he was subtly trying to urge her away.
āMulderā¦ā
āI know what youāre thinking,ā he whispered to her. āDid you-ā
āSorry about that, we seem to have some kind of chocolate chip cookie crisis on our hands,ā Jane said, turning her attention back to Scully. āOh, hello. You must be Danaās partner? Iām Jane.ā
āMulder.ā
āFox,ā Scully said, speaking over Mulder and scrutinizing Janeās face for any sign of recognition. There was none. āHis name is Fox Mulder.ā
āHow unique,ā Jane said.
āYour name is Fox?ā the little boy asked. āLike aā¦fox fox?ā
āAfraid so,ā Mulder answered.
āThatās weird.ā
āSpencer!ā Jane chastised. āDid you leave your manners at home today? Apologize right now, young man.ā
āSorry,ā Spencer mumbled. His pale skin had a pink blush, which made the freckles on his face stand out. He leaned back against Janeās stomach as she put a hand to his chest and one on his head, much like how sheād just calmed Scully.
āNow you know why I go by Mulder.ā
āWhat was I saying before?ā Jane asked.
āUmā¦frankincense,ā Scully answered.
āRight.ā Jane passed the little bottle over to Scully. āTake this, I probably have dozens back at home. And get yourself some chamomile. Anywhere that sells essential oils should have it, no problem.ā
āThank you, thatās reallyā¦ā Scully lost her train of thought as she caught sight of a small, pale pink mole at the bottom of Janeās right earlobe. Melissa had that same mole. She felt faint, like her knees were going to give out on her.
āNot to be rude,ā Mulder said, digging his fingers into Scullyās hip, ābut, we have to get back on the road so we donāt miss our flight.ā
āIt was nice meeting you,ā Jane said. āSafe travels.ā
Scully felt like she was on autopilot as Mulder pulled her away from the stall. He was moving quickly, radiating tension and adrenaline.
āMulderā¦ā she squeaked, voice pinched and breathless.
āKeep moving, Scully.ā
āWhy?ā
āJust get to the car.ā
āMulder, myā¦that wasā¦it couldnātā¦ā
He didnāt say anything else to her, just hustled her to the car and put her into the passenger seat himself before coming around to the driverās side. She felt as though she was in a fog of confusion and he was in a heightened state of awareness, looking over his shoulder and in the rear view mirror as though danger was imminent. They were at least ten miles away from the market when Scully finally broke through the haze and demanded that Mulder stop the car.
āWhat arenāt you telling me?ā she asked.
Mulder wouldnāt-couldnāt look at her. He cut the ignition and stared out the windshield and the empty highway, white knuckling the steering wheel. It had been years since heād even considered something like this might happen and heād forgotten all the things heād once thought about to say to her.
āMulder? Who was that woman? Was thatā¦was it Melissa? Was it my sister?ā
He hesitated to answer, which was a mistake. āYour sister is dead, Scully.ā He clenched his jaw and Scully saw the muscle in his neck twitch.
āWhy do I not believe you?ā
āBecause the truth isā¦the truth is that that woman might have once been Melissa Scully, but not anymore.ā
āWhat does that even mean?ā
Mulder sighed. āYouāll obviously remember when I was contacted by the clone of my sister, the group of them, actually.ā
āOf course I do.ā
āAnd that we thought theyād all been murdered after the exchange was made on the bridge that night.ā
Scully nodded and swallowed. It was an incident that used to make her stomach flip every time she thought about the fact that Mulder had given up the woman heād thought was his sister for her, before they knew the truth of who the woman was. It made her stomach flip thinking about it again.
āWell, they werenāt,ā he said. āNot all of them, anyway. Andā¦when they heard about what happened to your sister, they took it upon themselves toā¦make their own exchange, of sorts.ā
Scully put her hands over her face, pressing her fingertips deep into her forehead. āThey abducted a dying woman? Used her as a lab rat and you kept it from me all this time?ā
āNo! No, it wasnāt like that, I swear to you, Scully. It was an act of kindness, they wanted toā¦what they wanted to do was heal her. They were doctors, scientists, just like you. And they thought theyād be doing us a favor, keeping her safe likeā¦like witness protection.ā
āAnd that woman back there, Jane, are you telling me they cloned my sister?ā
Mulder shook his head. āThey were able to keep your sister alive, physically heal her, but her memoryā¦her memory was gone. She had noā¦she didnāt know who she was and when it became clear that she never would they decided thatā¦that the best thing they could do was give her a new life. So, they did.ā
āBut, what does that mean? What did they do to her?ā
āThey gave her some kind of implant that theyād been working on that altered memories. Itās my understanding the intention was to remove painful memories of an abductee's experience. Likeā¦Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind style.ā
āThis isnāt funny, Mulder.ā
āIām not laughing.ā
Scully turned away, her elbow braced against the window of the car. She put a curled finger in her mouth and bit her knuckle not to scream.
āWhat they did was create a new life for her,ā he said.
āA lie,ā she responded. āWhat they created was a lie.ā
āThey thought it was the humane thing to do.ā
āHumane!?ā Scully exploded, pulsing with fury. āYou call taking a woman away from her life and family and treating her likeā¦like Frankensteinās monster, you call that humane? She was just another science experiment to them!ā
āThey kept her alive, Scully. She was in a coma for I donāt know how long and once she came to, the longer she went without recovering her memory, the more agitated, depressed, and anxious she became. They did what they thought was best.ā
āI canāt listen to this anymore.ā Scully yanked at the door handle and tried to get out of the car, but she was stopped by the seatbelt, jolting her back into the seat. She growled in frustration and released herself before stepping out of the car and slamming the door behind her. She heard the slam of Mulderās door as well as she walked away from the car, hands on her hips, breathing heavily.
Finally she stopped, her back to him, staring at the ocean of green grass ahead of them and the grey line of highway that stretched endlessly through it. It looked like a straight line, but it felt like a circle. She turned. Mulder was behind her, hands in his pockets, looking grim.
āI want you to know I didnāt find out until years later,ā Mulder said.
Scully took a few steps towards him, brows coming together in consternation. āBut, you knew. You knew and never said anything.ā
āWhat was I supposed to say?ā
āI donāt know, how about āyour sister is alive and well and living in Indiana!āā
āI didnāt know that!ā he argued, rubbing the back of his head. āScully, I didnāt know that. Aside from what I just told you, I didnāt know her name, I didnāt know where she lived, I didnāt know her job, I didnāt know anything other than sheād been taken out of the hospital and her death was faked. You saw her back there and she had no idea who you or I were. The reason I didnāt tell you your sister was alive is because she isnāt. Melissa Scully is dead. And that woman you saw back there isnāt her. I didnāt say anything because opening up that can of worms wasā¦I didnāt want to do that. To you or to her.ā
āWhy did you get to make that choice? Why you alone when itās my sister?ā
āI donāt know, Scully, why did you get to make the choice to give William up when he was my son too?ā
Scully reeled back as though sheād been slapped. She stood stock still, nostrils flaring, trying her damndest not to start shaking, but her hands started to tremble and then the rest of her followed. She blinked rapidly and then angrily swiped at the tears pooling in her eyes.
āI didnāt mean that,ā Mulder said, reaching out for her, but reflexively drawing back when Scully took a step away from him. āI didnāt mean it like that,ā he repeated. āI justā¦I just couldnāt stand the idea of bringing you any more pain. I think we both know how unbearable it is knowing heā¦knowing someone is out there somewhere and you canāt do anything about it.ā
She could understand it, but it didnāt excuse the fact that heād kept something from her. It was the truth of her stolen ova all over again, it was all the times heād run off on her in the middle of an investigation and left her in the dark. It was a pattern she couldnāt accept any longer.
āI canāt keep doing this,ā she said. āFinding things out about my own life that come as no surprise to you.ā
āThere is nothing else that I have kept from you, I swear. Scully, nothing.ā
āI wish I could believe that,ā she whispered, voice strained with the tears that had now begun to roll down her cheeks.
āScullyā¦ā He blinked back tears of his own. This wasnāt supposed to happen. They were in an upswing. They were getting their groove back. He was going to ask her to move back in.
She wiped her eyes and then folded her arms across her chest, walking back to the car with her head down. He stood in the middle of the highway, endless road in front of him, endless road behind him, and wasnāt sure if they would recover or if this was the proverbial straw that broke the camelās back.
āWait, a minute,ā he said, trotting after her. āHold on!ā
If Scully heard him, she didnāt acknowledge it, and he grabbed her elbow when he caught up with her and pulled her to a halt. She frowned and tried to jerk her arm free, but he held on, forcing her to turn towards him.
āYou told me to stop looking for my sister so many times over the years Iāve lost count,ā he said. āYou told me to stop bringing the darkness into our life, into our home.ā
āThat didnāt mean lie to me.ā
āI never lied. I just didnāt tell you what little Iād found out, but I didnāt lie. I didnāt even know if it was real or some kind of set-up to try to lure me out of hiding. Dammit, Scully, you have no idea how hard it was not to dive headfirst down that rabbit hole. But, I didnāt, as much for your sake as for mine because if Iād started, Iā¦I wouldnāt have been able to stop.ā
āYou never stopped, Mulder. You never will. Every light in the sky, every monster in the dark, every conspiracy that needs to be unraveled, youāll always be there.ā
āAnd now weāre back to the beginning of the end again.ā He let go of her elbow and let his arms drop heavily to his sides in defeat. āExcept I did exactly what you asked me to do. I did hold back.ā
āAnd why is that?ā Scully crossed her arms with a frown and narrowed her eyes. āIf it were your sister, we wouldnāt even be having this conversation.ā
āSo are you angry with me that I did what you asked of me and never pulled at that thread, or that I didnāt tell you about something I never investigated in the first place?ā
āBoth!ā
Mulder turned, lacing his fingers together at the back of his head while he puffed his cheeks and blew out a long, steady breath. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. āScully, all I know is that I was emailed a video that was less than five minutes long. It was of one of the God knows how many clones are out there of Samantha. It looked like it was recorded secretly, like bodycam footage, grainy image, hard to hear. Someone off camera asks what happened to Melissa Scully. She explains exactly what I told you and the video cuts out.ā
āWho sent it to you?ā
āI donāt know.ā
āIt never crossed your mind to find out?ā
āOf course it did. I struggled for months over what to do about it.ā
āThen why didnāt you tell me?ā
āBecause you already had one foot out the door!ā He threw his hands up and then shook his head. āYou had your battles with the hospital, you were still angry at me for helping the FBI on that case, you werenāt even coming home except once every, what, two-three weeks? It was too questionable. I had nothing to go on and I had to wonder why someone was sending it to me and the timing of it, if it was even real. Who would be hurt? Who would be put in danger if I started digging? But, I just kept coming back to what youād said to me in that locker room. You didnāt want to hear it. You didnāt want āthe darknessā in our home.ā
Scully tightened her crossed arms and lowered her head. āIām sorry you felt you couldnāt talk to me,ā she said.
He sighed and put his hands up like he was going to embrace her, but he stopped himself short of touching her and shoved his hands into his pockets. āLetās be honest, Scully, open communication was never our strong suit, if it wasnāt about work. And even thenā¦ā
She lifted her eyes to him, then quickly dropped her gaze and shook her head slightly. Keeping things to themselves, holding their cards close to the vest was nothing new for either of them, especially when they wanted to protect themselves or one another.
āMaybe I should have said something a lot sooner,ā he said, taking a cautious step towards her. āBut, can you at least see why I didnāt? Why I couldnāt?ā
She raised her eyes again and this time held his gaze. Her chin wobbled, but her lips were defiantly pressed closed. He put a hand on her cheek and then bent to touch his forehead to hers.
āYouāve gone through more than any person should ever have to,ā he whispered. āLost so much.ā
āWe both have,ā she murmured.
He moved to kiss her brow and then pulled away. She kept her head down, eyes closed, until he grazed a knuckle under her chin and the dam burst. She let out a sob, falling forward against his chest. He enveloped her in his arms, one hand buried deep in her hair and the other molding to the curve of her hip.
āIām sorry,ā he said. āIām so damn sorry, Scully.ā
She shuddered against him, deflating just a little as she let go of her initial anger and the sorrow crept in. His heart thumped steadily against her cheek, too quick, but hers was faster still. She breathed deep, holding the strange aroma of aftershave and dust and adrenaline in her lungs before exhaling long and slow. When she finally pulled away, it was with an upturned face and Mulderās hands brushing the tears from her cheeks.
āDo you want to go back?ā he asked.
āBack?ā she questioned.
āTo the flea market. To explain the situation.ā
After a hesitant pause, she shook her head. āNo,ā she whispered.
āDo you want to investigate?ā
āRight now I donāt know what I want.ā
He nodded. A soft breeze stirred her hair and he pushed it back from her eyes. She surprised him by stepping back into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. It was his turn to shudder, overwhelmed by that small bit of reassurance that they werenāt lost to each other. He took a moment to run his hands up and down her arms when the hug ended and they got back in the car.
āI donāt know where Iām going,ā he said, buckling his seatbelt.
āRight at the first crossroads, I think,ā she answered, retrieving the map sheād stored in the glove compartment when theyād stopped for the flea market. āItāll take us back to the interstate.ā
It was a good ten minutes before they reached their turn. As the car veered, the bottle of frankincense rolled across the floorboard and hit Scully in the foot. She picked it up, held it in her palm for a few moments before she unscrewed the cap. She closed her eyes, breathed deep, and thought of her sister.
Tumblr put a limit on my ask box visitations, so I'll put the question here:
Philes, what do you consider to be the most softly unhinged moment between Mulder and Scully? And separately? (Knowing them, it'll probably be in public; but those parameters are not required.)
Thatās what happens when an idea gets stuck in my head. Introducing the Y-Files featuring Agents Deer Moose and Foxy Squirrel.
Guess anyone can see Iām a writer not a painter.
You know what makes me feel the happiest about this David and Gillian SAG reunion? Historically, both of them have expressed their reticence about attending awards shows, like itās really outside both of their comfort zones for the most part, and I think for completely different reasons. And to be fair I think Gillian has gotten more comfortable with them, where David has gotten even less. So what was the reason they were there? Neither of them are nominated for anything. Neither of them have won anything recently. Neither have significant others there. Certainly not for funsies and probably not JUST because they were asked. So what was the reason?
Maybe Netflix is trying to woo them with something. Maybe Netflix is fucking with us for some reasonā¦. Maybe it was because they were asked to present together and it was one or none and they wanted to support each other. Maybe they even did it for us! But Iām just so happy that whatever the reason, they did it. Because this new, relaxed and settled into themselves version with each other is pretty great. And yes the presentation was chaotic, but it was also shtick, and people are free to find it cringe or weird or chaotic, but it was them having FUN. And so was I.
NOW DO A MOVIE TOGETHER BECAUSE I WILL WATCH THE SHIT OUT OF IT.
Happy Heart (-Shaped Hail) Day! Fic Recs for Rain King for Valentine's Day (or Any Time)
It's funny how in the fandom circles I tend to spend time in now, Rain King seems to be a pretty beloved episode: super shippy, romantic comedy, multiple fanfic tropes made canon.
When it aired, the online fandom's opinion of this episode was pretty mixed. There was a large contingent of fans who really hated it. (I remember this because I am 4,000 years old.) Season 6 had already been perceived as being too light in tone, and we'd already come off of a run of Triangle, Dreamland I and II, and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas. There was a lot of anxiety about the move to LA killing the show's dark and angsty feel.
Me, I always liked Rain King (and Triangle, and Dreamland I and II, and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas). And while I can identify the tone change in season 6, I don't hate it, nor do I think that the show really loses its darkness and angstiness (a lot comes back in the second half of the season). I'm also not someone who believes comedy is a de facto more stupid or less substantial genre than drama or suspense, so I think that's part of it.
Rain King has generated so, so much fanfic, and most specifically fanfic that zeroes in on this little fun fact: THEY CANONICALLY SHARE A MOTEL ROOM BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE ROOM. Obviously many of the fics I'm recommending below are based on that premise.
So here are my Valentine's Day recs based on Rain King. (Even though I think it's not actually set at Valentine's? Because the cold open happens months earlier? There's some kind of timeline hijinks, idk.) But anyway, it's the clearest Valentine's episode we have, so happy Valentine's Day.
Free Merlot at the Cool View Motor Court by Sarie_Fairy @sarie-fairy
Scully tries a little experiment with Mulder after the reunion that gets rapidly out of hand. This is smutty funāthe kind of high end sexy times this author is really known for.
Dating Kings and Queens - Baroness_Blixen @baronessblixen A pure romantic comedy style plot variation on the ending of Rain King. The agents discuss the last time they've been on a date. Turns out it HASNāT been so long for Scully. This is just so charming.Ā
Kroner by DM
When Mulder finds out about the āflicked switch speech,ā he deals with it in a flirty, somewhat less sentimental way that feels very in character to me. I like a fic with dialogue that feels like it goes a little unexpected.
No Big Deal by dreamingofscully @dreamingofscully
Scully offers to help Mulder sleep in the hotel. This is UST, but deliiiiiiightfully so, and heavy on the complex feelings.
Canāt Fight This Feeling by mldrgrlĀ @mldrgrl
A sweet and more subtle little feelings reveal after Rain King by an author who does this exact thing well. Also there is slow dancing to 80s music.
Time Enough At Last - baylorrific
Absolute textbook classic one room trope, but it stands out for me because I like how it focuses on their mutual discomfort. Theyāre both so awkward here, even though itās Mulder POV. I also like how the classic Twilight Zone episode Time Enough At Last is in conversation with whatās happening with the MSR.
Thereās No Place Like Kroner - MonikaFileFan @monikafilefan
You know what would make a āthereās only one roomā Rain King fic extra fun? DIANA. Okay, okay, I admit I wrote this prompt for the exchange, lol, so of course I think it sounds fun. But Monika wrote the actual fic, and you donāt want to miss it.
Pillow Talk - Alelou
This is a short piece about a chatty Mulder very carefully putting out feelers in the motel room after the reunion. Sweet and in character.
Land That I Heard Of Once in A Lullabye - leiascully @leiascully
In Kronerās tiny airport, Scully takes stock of where theyāve come from and where theyāre going. I love this. It feels especially spot on character-wise for season 6.
All that Lights Upon Us - wonderland @amplifyme
This is a very different kind of Rain King fic, part of a series, although it can be read alone. During the events of Rain King they share a first kiss, but this fic is about their conversations afterwards (Mulder and Scully, as well as Mulder and Maggie). Gentle affection, and the process of taking little steps towards one another.
On the Flicking of Switches - SisterSpooky1013 @sisterspooky1013
Mulder initiates an awkward conversation in the motel room after the reunion. SisterSpooky1013 always has her characterization shit together, but I think this is an especially compelling character sketch of season 6 Scully.
Break in the Weather - ATTHS_TWICE @atths--twice
Mulder and Scully canāt fly out another night in Kroner, so they kill time by going to a drive-in movie. Honestly, this is just adorable.
Still Raining - Donna
When Sheila sends them both a letter a few months later, she alludes to what Scully told her in the bathroom. This raises questions for Mulder.
Stop Me - Gina Rain
A little seduction by Mulder in the Kroner motel room. It starts with her feet, if thatās your thing. But itās not exclusively about feet, if that isnāt lol.
They're SOOOOO MANY great Rain King fics, so drop any I missed in the comments! And if you want to read my Valentine's Day recs last year based on Milagro, they're here.
blakekathryn
romaincrisis
pixelskylines
amandla
