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[xxsksxxx]

Almost Heaven

Summary:

Mulder’s attempt to find more exciting cases to investigate while stuck in the bullpen turns into another weekend trip to the forest.

Meanwhile, Scully is faced with a tempting offer that could change both her future and their lives.

Notes:

This little story has been stuck in my head for almost a year. It’s taken more than one change of direction over the last months until I was happy with where it was going. I hope you'll enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it.

And if you want to leave kudos or a comment—no matter if it’s an emoji or several long paragraphs—that would make my whole month.

I also want to say a huge THANK YOU to the wonderful @baronessblixen!

If it hadn’t been for her, and her constant encouragement to continue working on this story and her questions about its progress, I'm sure this story wouldn't be the same. Your input and excitement for this spark of an idea during a Sunday evening chat about something completely unrelated was invaluable. Thank you, my friend!

This story is complete, and I’m going to post one chapter a day.

AO3 | @today-in-fic

Chapter 1: To the Place I Belong

J. Edgar Hoover Building, Washington, D.C. FBI Headquarters – Bullpen Friday, November 27th, 1998, 3:30 pm

“Any plans for the weekend, Scully?” Mulder placed a sunflower seed between his teeth and looked at Scully questioningly. He leaned back in his desk chair, slowly bouncing backward and forward, returning Scully’s questioning glance with an innocent look.

Mulder was completely bored after spending days doing nothing but paperwork and sorting files. He knew Scully was bored too, even though she didn’t mind doing reports half as much as he did.

Scully reached for her coffee cup and sipped the hot liquid, closing her eyes in appreciation. Mulder grinned; he loved watching Scully enjoy her coffee. Mulder could tell she was frustrated by their punishment, which was exactly what was happening. They were being punished. This was also why he had started making an extra effort to get her a cup of coffee just like she wanted every morning and afternoon. She had stoically navigated his frustration with their current situation over the last few months, keeping him in line. And it hadn’t been that long ago that he had had to reassure her that she played a major role in his life. If getting the perfect coffee for her made her happy, he was all for it.

Scully opened her eyes and hummed appreciatively before looking back at him, and he gave her a knowing look. She blushed a bit but didn’t avoid his gaze, her eyes full of warmth. “Did you finish calling the letters ‘H’ and ‘I’ already, or are you planning on spending YOUR weekend catching up?” she quipped and turned back to her keyboard.

“I don’t care about any ‘E’s and ‘I’s. No one is going to follow up on this, anyway. They just want to keep us busy and off any real cases!” he said emphatically, pushing off the floor with his foot and bouncing his chair back and forth again.

“’H’ and ’I’, Mulder. Not ’E’ and ’I’. You did the ’E’s’ last week already. Remember that report I had to rewrite for you because you couldn’t help but add your opinion on why you consider this pointless?” Scully took a new file off of the pile and gave it a cursory glance before sighing.

“Aha! See? You’re just as bored by this as I am, Scully!“

She slowly rotated her shoulder and neck before turning back around to him. “I never said I wasn’t. Of course, this is pointless. None of these people ever so much as stole a chewing gum, much less organized a terrorist attack. But the more we protest, the longer they’re going to keep us assigned to this, and we’ll never get the X-Files back.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “Let’s just focus on getting this over with. If we keep our feet still long enough, they might trust us with the X-Files again.” She smiled tightly, and he knew she was trying to sound confident.

He gave her a long look before sighing and turning back to his overflowing pile of folders. “I hope you’re right, and we’re not wasting our time expecting they’ll forget about us.”

He knew Scully was hoping for the same. He despised sitting around, working on senseless tasks, following up on even more useless information when he could be on the road or talking to people who had actually seen something related to the truth.

“Well, at least Kersh didn’t make you recheck your report this time. Maybe he’ll give up sooner than later,” Scully joked, looking away from her monitor for a second.

“Yeah. By the way, thanks for going over it. I doubt I’d have gotten the same reaction to my original draft. You’re a lifesaver!” Mulder gave her a half-smile and pursed his lips.

She returned his smile with one of her own before turning back to her task.

“So, about those weekend plans—” Mulder began, only to be cut off by the ringing of his phone. “Hello?” he said into the receiver, grimacing at Scully when he recognized the voice of Kersh’s assistant. “Yes, we’ll be right there,” he clipped before hanging up and getting up from his chair, grabbing his jacket. “We’re expected in the Deputy Director’s office asap, Agent Scully,” he parroted, not waiting for her before taking off towards the open reception area of Kersh’s office.

He could hear Scully sigh, but she followed him without comment. What now? he wondered. Nothing good ever came out of being called into their boss’s office.

Office of Deputy Director Alvin Kersh

“Have a seat, Agents,” Kersh greeted them without looking up from his note-taking. His tone was as unreadable and impersonal as ever.

Mulder glanced at Scully, but she wordlessly took one of the two seats in front of their boss's desk.

The minutes passed slowly, and Mulder counted the ticking of the analog clock hanging on the wall at the side of the office, which signaled the passing of time. Kersh was making them wait, and Mulder hated every second of it. Just as he opened his mouth to ask if they were keeping him from his work, Kersh looked up and put his pen aside.

“I have a new assignment for you,” he began, giving them both a calculating look. When neither agent reacted, he slid a thick brown folder across the desk towards them. “There have been reports of some nighttime activities down at the Waterfront Resort. I want you to investigate those reports and ensure that nothing illegal is going on there.”

Mulder reached for the file and started to read the top sheet. The more he read, the angrier he got. “Nighttime activities, sir? From what I’m reading here, there have been reports of some kids staying out past their curfew down there. That’s not an actual assignment, a security guard could easily take care of this.” He angrily snapped the file shut and threw it back on the desk.

Kersh’s eyes narrowed, and his tone became even colder if that was possible. “What is an assignment and what isn’t is still something for me to decide, Agent Mulder. Are we clear on that?”

Scully quietly cleared her throat and reached for the folder. “Yes, sir. Agent Mulder and I will take care of this.” She quickly got up from her chair, placing her hand on Mulder’s arm.

Kersh nodded, his eyes still piercing Mulder’s with a cold glare. “Very well, Agent.” He took his pen back in his hand and began writing again, dismissing them wordlessly.

Mulder stood up abruptly, and for a moment he was tempted to have Kersh have it. He was so tired of being roadblocked every step of the way. A gentle squeeze of Scully’s hand on his arm kept him quiet, though, and with a last glance at their boss, he turned around and headed for the door.

FBI Headquarters – Bullpen

Mulder watched as Scully sank into her office chair, her exasperation clear. Another day, another senseless task, he thought.

Mulder frustration was close to exploding. The longer they worked under Kersh, the worse it seemed to get. Scully glanced over at him, and Mulder realized he had been morosely staring at his monitor. He started to bounce his leg, trying to get rid of some of his anger. He’d definitely have to go for a long run tonight, he mused, or his head would explode.

“Mulder, stop fidgeting!” Scully slapped her hand on his bouncing knee, forcing the offending appendage to stop moving.

Mulder sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to stay still. “I just hate this, Scully. We’ve been sitting around, doing nothing, for weeks now.” He slowly moved his head from his left shoulder to his right, trying to stretch out the stiff muscles. “And now this! We both know this assignment is just to keep us sidelined. I don’t know how long I can stand waiting around! What are they even planning to do with us at this point?”

Scully nodded, her own frustration evident. “I don’t know, Mulder. I just know fidgeting is not going to change anything. What I do know, however, is that we have to play along for now, or this is going to escalate even higher up, and then we won’t ever get the chance to get the X-Files back.”

Mulder turned to face her directly. “It’s just so frustrating! We should be investigating real cases, not watching some teenagers commit the unspeakable crime of underage drinking.”

Scully gave him a sympathetic look. “I know, Mulder. And I’m just as frustrated as you are. I didn’t choose the FBI to do this kind of grind work either. I want to find the truth just as much as you do.”

Mulder didn’t reply, his eyes firmly fixed on Kersh’s reception area, where the Deputy Director had just appeared and had started laughing with his assistant. Mulder deflated once again, dropped back in his office chair, and gave Scully a pointed look. Kersh had them right where he wanted them.

Scully returned his look grimly before turning back to the folder with their assignment and started rubbing her temples.

He watched her for a few long moments before jumping up and grabbing her arm, pulling her with him. She let him drag her out of her chair, hissing, “Mulder, what are you doing?!” while taking a cursory glance around the large office space. No one was paying them any attention.

Mulder reached for his jacket from the back of his chair, shrugging it on. “This assignment is going nowhere. I’m pretty sure no one has even glanced at this file in the last several weeks. Let’s get out of here, Scully.” He grabbed his keys from his desk and slipped them into his pants pockets before putting his arm on her shoulder, squeezing softly.

She gave him a long look before sighing. “Might as well,” she added, grabbing her coat and putting it on.

Mulder placed his hand against her lower back, and together they walked down the hallway towards the elevator.

[lightcastlenineteen]

So nämlich. 🔥

[lightcastlenineteen]

Who would have to leave for you to stop supporting Frankfurt?

My heartbeat.

[xxsksxxx]

🤝

[xxsksxxx]

This or that? Trope edition

Thanks for the tag, @randomfoggytiger !

slowburn or love at first sight // fake dating or secret dating // enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers // there’s only one bed or long-distance correspondence // hurt/comfort or amnesia // fantasy au or modern au // mutual pining or domestic bliss // smut or fluff // canon-compliant or fix-it // reincarnation or character death // one-shot or multi-chapter // kid fic or road trip fic // arranged marriage or accidental marriage // high-school romance or middle-age romance // time travel or isolated together // neighbours or roommates // sci-fi au or magic au // body swap or genderbent // angst or crack // apocalyptic or mundane

Tagging: @baronessblixen

[basementcherub]

Retracing Diana Fowley, a forgotten FBI agent

Diana Fowley's existence drives me up the wall for many reasons, but I have to say that her reveal after 5 SEASONS/YEARS is especially intriguing. Beyond Mulder not telling Scully about her, I work in a large, public organization as an office worker and I find it incredible that Scully had never heard about her through other means.

What we know about Diana Fowley

She and Mulder met while they were training at the academy, and later, they (re)opened the X-Files together in 1991. She had training in parapsychology, which made her a tailored likely ally for Mulder. We’re not sure about the extent of her contribution on the X-Files, and she left when she got an assignment in Europe “after the wall fell.” Now, the in-universe date of the pilot is said to be March 1992, which is regularly challenged and pointed out as a possible mistake. Regardless, that means that Mulder and Diana’s time on the X-Files was… pretty brief. At most about 1 year if you’re a 1992 truther, or 2 or if you believe the pilot really happened in 1993.

The Lone Gunmen tell us she was “Mulder’s chickadee” (cryptic much?) and from that, along with other contextual clues, we can infer that Mulder and Diana were more than just work partners.

Evidence of Diana in the files

At work, I read tons of old files written by former coworkers whom I've never met, and I recognize their names. I'd imagine that Mulder and Diana would have gone on cases together, and Agent Fowley probably annotated some X-Files or signed reports alongside Mulder. At the very least, casual notes in a handwriting other than Mulder’s could certainly attract Scully’s attention. The thought that Scully has never come across any trace of Diana, or picked up on any of them, is certainly intriguing.

This could mean that maybe she doesn't go through old files regularly (which is plausible, Mulder seems to be the one who's most familiar with them, but on the other hand, Scully is someone who puts in the work…).

Maybe Agent Fowley has signed so few of these reports, left so few traces, that Scully doesn't pick up on her name. It doesn’t stand out to her.

Maybe some X files are files sent from other divisions, which means that it’s not unusual for them to have comments from other people around the FBI.

Does anyone remember Diana in the FBI?

At work, my coworkers occasionally bring up some of their former coworkers who left before I arrived in conversation for various reasons. Sometimes they mention them because they’re still friends, or they worked on that one file I should look up as a reference, or they did something legendary/stupid that left its mark.

Now, the X-Files division is made up of two people, but Mulder and Scully aren't always 100% isolated from the rest of the FBI. They have to participate in some bigger operations with other agents or help out other divisions. They also send evidence to different people around the FBI.

So surely, someone somewhere remembers Agent Fowley being on the X-Files with "Spooky" Mulder? Mulder seems to be widely known around the FBI as the guy who solved Monty Props and then... took a strange turn. Wouldn't a few people know of Agent Fowley from Quantico, or a different role, or even by association with Mulder? Of course, it’s possible that in 5 years, no one has ever brought up Diana to Scully’s face, the FBI is a big place… but still. Has no one ever mentioned tha Mulder used to work with someone else, even in passing?

Having said that, if Diana’s stint on the X-Files was really brief, and nothing much came of it, it's possible that people genuinely don’t remember her.

Mulder never mentions her , even when it’s relevant to the X-Files

Now, as much as I love fanfiction, I don’t think Mulder and Scully really play truth or dare while on stake-outs, spilling the beans about their first kiss and first time and respective exes.

Just like Scully had never told Mulder about Daniel Waterson until all things, it’s possible that Mulder had just never mentioned Diana to Scully during those five years. Coworkers, even very close ones, don’t always share everything.

Where this idea gets trickier is that, unlike David Waterson, Diana was involved in the X-Files. She could have come up in more organic, work-related ways. For example, one case could remind Mulder of a case he investigated with Diana. So then he starts telling Scully and just leaves Diana out entirely, or doesn’t elaborate on her role on the files and/or in his life?

The thing about Diana is that you don't get the idea that Scully has even remotely heard of her. The name doesn’t ring a bell . It would be one thing for Scully to go, “Where have I heard/ seen this name before?” But Scully seems thrown for a loop when Diana turns up. I don't think Scully had ever considered that Mulder had had another partner (besides Krycek) before her.

It begs the question: Did they ever discuss what was going on on the X-Files before Scully was assigned? Between 1991 and 1992 or 1993? When you start to think about all that time spent in cars and planes and downtime on cases… it seems like a long time to not discuss any of it.

Nothing to tell and hurt feelings ?

You know what, maybe there was nothing to tell. Maybe Mulder and Diana didn’t work out together because they’re too alike. He actually tells Diana he’s done okay without her. But in “The end,” Diana and Mulder are sharing looks and behaving… a little cryptically, and I think most people who watch the episode will get away with the idea that Mulder and Diana had been serious. And that there could be some unresolved things going on there.

Or maybe Mulder was genuinely hurt by Diana leaving him and tried to wipe her from his memory. I think that’s a likely possibility. Phoebe Green leaving him took him years to heal, and Diana left him both as a romantic partner and as a work partner on their unusual little project. He lost more than a girlfriend; he lost someone with whom he was working on the most important thing in his life.

Her reveal

The way she is revealed is super weird for Scully. Scully quickly picks up on the fact that Diana was around in 1991, just around the time Mulder started the X-Files, and she picks up that they knew each other. When Scully presses her on it, she just tells her that it was “a long time ago.” Mulder also isn’t eager to clarify things with her at any point. She has to go to the Gunmen to get an attempt at an answer.

In the end, the fact that Mulder hasn’t breathed a word of Diana Fowley probably makes it worse than having brought it up. It almost makes the whole thing like it’s something he meant to hide from her. At this point, Scully is questioning everything. And Diana is not only a “romantic” threat, but a very serious professional one at that.

I always wonder how and when Mulder could have broached the subject. Casually dropping that you dated your ex-work partner to your new female partner would be weird. It would be a weird thing to reveal to the audience, like an expectation that Mulder and Scully will get together.

But waiting 5 years was too long.

My conclusion

I do sometimes wish we had gotten a better Diana Fowley storyline (and also one where she isn’t implied to proposition Mulder when he’s ill). Her very existence served its purpose; she made Scully very jealous (and pissed off a lot of fans). She was there before Scully was, and that knowledge shakes Scully (and us!)

Beyond that, her goals are a little hazy and not that well-defined. Personally, I don’t know enough about her and Mulder to really understand why Mulder trusts her to the extent he does.

She got plopped down right before the movie, when people were dying to see Mulder and Scully together. There was no evidence of Diana’s actual existence until she turned up, and little evidence was provided afterward to support that in hindsight.

But then again, maybe the writers added her to the show as a device to make Scully jealous (that worked!) and didn’t think much about her role in the Grand scheme of things.

[lightcastlenineteen]

https://x.com/DFL_Official/status/2034987356567036246?s=20

More of the DFL interview with Laura

Thank you anon! Here are the screenshot of the article. So you all don’t have to go through the whole magazine. 😅

[cecilysass]

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.

What'd I miss?

[xxsksxxx]

Either/ or

Thanks for tagging me @randomfoggytiger 💕

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

Tagging anyone who wants to play and hasn't so far.

[randomfoggytiger]

Hello there! As always, I bow before the altar of your knowledge.

I'm on the look-out for msr/x-files fics where Mulder and Scully investigate haunted houses! One day I'll write a haunted house story of my own, since I love them so much, but until then I will settle for reading all I can get my hands on. I've only just finished The Summoning of Nikola Price by alienqueequeg, and it was fabulous- if you could recommend me any amount of others, I would be so, so grateful!

Collector's Edition: Mulder, Scully, and Haunted Houses

My pleasure! :DD

As an aside: here's some previous lists that are somewhat related (i.e. featuring ghosts and spooks), if you're curious: Creepy and Cozy Cabins Happy Halloween with the Mulder-Scully Family   Ghostly Hauntings and Experiences- AUs 

Loose chronological order below~

@cock-holliday/biggayyeehaw's Fictober 22- Day 31 (Ao3) “Mulder, the Bureau isn’t going to cover international flights…” she sighed.

“I know, I already tried,” Mulder explained, “But we could still go on our own.”

S1 Scully simultaneously shoots down Mulder's ideas while also surprising him with one or two of her own (and a haunted park.)

ceruleanmilieu's Halloween Invitation College years of cheap lager and lazy costumes imbued Mulder’s memory of the holiday, but even as a somewhat spooky adult, Halloween had become an nonentity. With a full schedule of actual ghosts and frights, it occurred to him that the holiday was just crass commercialization of his life’s work. Plus, he didn’t need an excuse to watch his sci-fi b-movies.

S1 TLG lure Mulder (and Scully) along with tales of a haunted house.

viola_dreamwalk's The Veiled Lady The other three exchanged somewhat skeptical looks. It should have annoyed him, that these three, with their perpetual paranoia and far-out theories, could look at him like he was nuts. But that was what he’d come here for, wasn’t it? He needed a healthy dose of skepticism, a raised eyebrow, a quietly questioning voice. He needed someone to balance him, to ground him, and in the absence of anyone else to do it, these guys were the best he had.

Post-Ascension Mulder and TLG investigate a haunted statue. (Bonus: there's a Danny cameo.)

@o6666666's (Ao3) An Irresistible post-ep So, one might say, he’s tricked her. 

“There was an exorcism here,” he says, pointing with his middle finger to the house across the street from where they have parallel parked. “On this night, in 1949.”

Post-Irresistible Mulder tricks Scully into getting more sleep.

@cecilysass/cecily_sass/Cecily Sasserbaum's Beacon (Ao3) She forces herself to take three breaths. Then, she decides, she’s going to ask. Because she needs to know. It has to be better than just wondering.

“Mulder,” she starts, “you’re worried about the ghost targeting you because … because there’s someone significant in your life, isn’t there?”

Mulder doesn’t shift his gaze from the ceiling, but a muscle in his jaw pulses.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me who she is,” she adds quickly. “I understand. We don’t always talk about things like that. I just … I just wanted you to know I’m your friend, and you could share that. If you wanted.”

S3 Mulder and Scully investigate a hotel haunted by an avenging ghost (and mistake each other's feelings.)

@numinousmysteries/numinous_mysteries's The Baying of the Six-Pound Hound (Ao3) He'd been in an uncharacteristically deep sleep when the yapping woke him up, which made it all the more annoying. It was rare for him to be so fully disconnected from the waking world. Typically, he'd float just below the surface of consciousness, the smallest noise enough to rouse him. But on this night, in a narrow, single-story motor lodge wedged up in the Colorado mountains, Fox Mulder had been completely, deeply, aslumber.

He'd been dreaming, too. 

Post-Quagmire Mulder believes he's being haunted by a furry little ghost.

@mldrgrl's (Ao3) Drabbles! 9 and 95 “What did you expect?” Mulder asked as they crossed back to the other side of the island and back to the boat.  “Ghosts don’t usually come out and introduce themselves.”

“There is no such thing as ghosts, Mulder.  I expected…I don’t know what I expected.”  She sighed in exasperation.

Post-Quagmire Mulder and Scully are stranded on a haunted island.

prufrockslove’s (Ao3, Geocities) Finding Rokovoko (Ao3)  Mulder got them lost in the Everglades and trapped in a collapsing, haunted old mental hospital. She’d lost her sister. Scully’s career was the same joke as his. If removing the microchip implanted during Scully’s abduction had caused her cancer – her work with Mulder had caused her abduction. She’d folded her arm beneath her head as a pillow, drank a quarter of the canteen of water, and swallowed six tiny bites of the candy bar of the future. That took ten minutes and resulted in a nap.

As Mulder waited, he used his fading flashlight and saved the battery on hers.

Post-Never Again Mulder and Scully are stranded in a world-between-worlds of black-eyed children and buried experiments, with disastrous effects on Scully's health.

emmbright/Emma Brightman's (LJ) What is Essential "I don't know, Scully. Maybe we just needed some time together, after...well, after everything," he says lamely.

"What, like a Halloween miracle?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "You must be kidding. There has to be a better explanation than that."

Post-Detour Mulder and Scully discover-- of all things-- a haunted gas station.

Jill Selby's Poised for a Fall "Hang on, Scully! Just hang on."

As if I need a reminder. But I bite down on the urge to fling a sarcastic response as I squint up into his flashlight's beam and nod. As frantic as he is, it's hardly the appropriate moment.

And if things don't work out, I don't want to risk leaving him with that final memory of me.

Mulder and Scully explore (nearly fatally) a haunted tower.

@purrykat/mylifeinshadow's 32 from the prompt list. “Two words, Scully,” he says by way of greeting. Just like that, you’re immediately exhausted. At your raised eyebrow, he continues. “Lizzie Borden.”

“Took an axe,” you recite, dryly. “Gave her mother forty wacks.”

Mulder, Scully, and a Lizzie Borden stakeout.

@libbytxf/LibbyT's My Funny Valentine (Ao3) “Scully, do you know the Hotel El Dorado, in San Diego?”

Scully looks up from the file on her desk, and sees Mulder beginning to pace excitedly around the office.

Mulder and Scully exchange moments, memories and-- yes-- haunted hotel ghost stories through the years.

@xxsksxxx/xxSKSxx's Shadows and Lights (Ao3) The sun hangs low in the late afternoon sky, casting long shadows through the dense canopy of trees. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves, sending a shiver down Mulder's spine. He tightens the collar of his coat, glancing at Scully, who stands beside him, her expression focused and determined.

The abandoned cabin looms before them, its weathered walls and broken windows giving it an ominous appearance.

S5 Mulder and Scully unsuccessfully investigate a ghost case... or do they?

@writingwell/RocketMan's Ancient Corridors "Mulder?"

"I can't believe I never even thought about it. . ."

"Mulder-"

"Lizzie Borden." He could just see her frown wrinkling her forehead, her mind whirling to take the jumps that he was.

"No. Mulder, that was over a hundred years ago."

Post-All Souls Scully becomes entangled in a ghost case while memories of her late father rise from her past.

the_eternal_optimist/@oohnotvery's Unheard Of Someone had lived here recently and it was not a group of witches. 

Post-FTF Scully and her injured partner are trapped in a house in the woods, surrounded by vengeful townspeople.

@virtie333/Virtie333's Home By the Sea "Come on, Scully," he was telling her, his head close to hers over the top of the small table. "It'll be fun. Have you even been to a haunted house? I mean, a real haunted house."

Mulder, Scully, Diana Fowley, and Detective Kresge investigate a haunted house.

@agentwhalesong's (Ao3) Tell Him “She, not it. The spirit in this house is a woman, from what has been reported. Her name was Francis and she was walled alive by her own father, who couldn’t accept the fact that she was pregnant out of wedlock.”

“And no one saw it happening?”

“Apparently, the next-door neighbor heard muffled cries for help, but ignored them because he couldn’t make out where the noise was coming from. They only found her bones years later, reminding the neighbor of that very specific episode and making him wonder if he could have saved her.”

Scully shivered, but there was no wind this time.

Post-HTGSC Mulder and Scully visit another haunted house.

TessMooreXF's Stay Thrifty "Scully, c'mon." He gently turned her over, cradling her head in his lap. He could see the obscene swelling around her arm and wrist. She'd no doubt broken it this time. She moaned and sighed in his arms. "We've got to get out of here, Partner."

"Mmmm... Mulder. He attacked me." 

Scully, injured from a Kersh assignment, stumbles upon a haunted motel.

@leiascully's (Ao3)

Fic: Endeavors Too Small Of Desires  "There's a haunted wood in West Virginia that's very scenic this time of year," he says.

"Haunted?"

"The hotel has a hot tub," he says. "And the hike up to the site is gorgeous."

There is a long moment of silence. He hums The Eagles under his breath.

"Pick me up in half an hour," she says and hangs up.

One Son-The Unnatural Mulder and Scully "investigate" a (supposedly) haunted wood while drawing back together.

Would you write a mini fic that has only dialogue? “Oh, so the cabin is haunted now?”

“The man who rented it to me may have implied it was haunted, but it’s possible he was just trying to give me some strategies to get you to cuddle up in front of the fire.”

“He’s lucky I haven’t been keeping up with my kickboxing.”

Mulder and Scully banter over a (hypothetical) haunted cabin.

OctoberFicFest Day 6: The Fair “Can’t you hear it?” he said, and suddenly, she could, her mind untangling layers of background noise: traffic, crickets, frogs, cicadas, and beneath it all, the Pied Piper lilt of carnival music, half-heard like the fair itself was balanced between worlds.  She’d read stories like this when she was younger.  Some barrier between mundane and magic thinned and a fair appeared, replete with wonderous prizes and the kind of people one would never see again.  

Mulder takes Scully to the fair.

@danascullysjournal/Paper_hearts_and_homemade_arts's If You Will Let Me (Ao3) But that couldn’t be his fate- not yet.  Not while the possibility of finding Scully was even remotely plausible.  Every second was closer to something terrible for her, he knew.  Something meant to break her and fold her into the writhing mass of darkness.  He could feel time ripping away from him.  The memory of Padgett choking her on the bed, taking every shred of her dignity, was carved into his subconscious.  The gloating visage of that man haunted Mulder.  Taunting him inside his head. 

That hadn’t been real. 

Post-Milagro Mulder and Scully are tortured by old forces.

Keleka's Gray Ghosts He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I don't know, Scully, but it seems like a good place to start. Besides that, the key is missing. Maybe someone has been using the room for some reason and that has--"

"Reawakened the spirits?" I say, finishing his sentence.

He shows me that goofy grin again and I can't help but smile myself. Okay, he's right. It is a place to start, if nothing else.

Post-Amor Fati Mulder, Scully, and TLG investigate a haunted military base.

@atths--twice/ATTHS_TWICE's (FFN) Just Beyond the Edge (Ao3) “You’re saying you think the forest is haunted?” Mulder asked Cassie. 

“I… I wouldn’t say haunted, but…” She looked at the other people around her and they nodded. “There is something to it.” 

“But it’s been searched,” Scully stated and Mulder turned his head to look at her. “Have you not all been involved in the search?” 

“Yes, we have. It’s just… have you been out there? Have you seen the forest?” 

“I have,” Scully said with a nod. 

“And you didn’t feel anything?” 

S7 Mulder and Scully investigate the Tali Keno.

MystPhile's

Bump in the Night (mulderscreek) Scully shrugged. "Well, we got out alive. And for your birthday, I had to think of something you'd like to do. So I checked into your haunted house file and selected this one because it was located nearby." She flashed her light around, like a realtor showing off a highly desirable property. "Does it have enough atmosphere to satisfy your . . . desires?"

Mulder and Scully and a spirit who must witness an act of love to be free.

2008 01 - 04 Combined (1/3), 2008 01 - 04 Combined (2/3), and 2008 01 - 04 Combined (3/3) She knew that Mulder, traumatized by the early loss of Samantha, was still sensitive. The Glass Menagerie, which ends with Tom abandoning his family to save himself, was bound to resonate unpleasantly for Mulder. Especially since Amanda, Tom's mother, tried so hard to foist the responsibility for his sister's well-being onto Tom. Shades of the old Mulder Guilt.

Poor, torn Tom had run from the unfair burden, only to be haunted by thoughts of Laura's need, and his own guilt. Laura's candles, by the end of the play, turn into his glowing, burning perpetual guilt, impossible to escape from or forget, even amidst the flames of war. His memories, his misery at failing his sister, were just too close to Mulder's feelings for Scully's comfort. Always find out what play you're seeing, she told herself. Life Lesson #382.

AU-- After a long separation and reunion, Mulder and Scully give an earnest shot at a relationship (while unwittingly stumbling upon a haunted seaside cottage.)

Erin M. Blair, XSketch, Pattie, Mae'chii''s Saw, Sanders and Spectres To her complete surprise and with a hundred pounds of guilt in her head, Scully had managed to have a long sleep. She had fallen asleep in the livingroom waiting for the hospital to call.

Post-Closure Mulder and Scully believe his late mother is trying to warn them.

Cornerofmadness's Clowning Around “Mulder, what have you gotten me into?” Scully stared at the clown painting above her bed in horror.

Mulder picks a motel adjacent to a cemetery.

@ladymeggs/LadyMeg's Remember Promises (Ao3) “We both know my aim is far better than yours. But don’t get your hopes up, I’m not going to be wooing you with a fluffy pink bear today, Mulder. Sorry to shatter your dreams.” 

Mulder and Scully are scared in a haunted house (but it at least kicks them into an acknowledgment of their feelings.)

@starbuck09256/Starbuck09256's Trick or treat? “Mulder, this doesn’t look structurally sound, at all” but his back is facing me and he turns and makes that face the one that dares me to back down and I can’t I can’t not go after him, not follow him.

Mulder and Scully, now a couple, visit a "haunted" house.

Analise's (xphilefic) Haunted House "Apparently Mrs. Hallery has lived in these parts for years. Her husband has died recently and she is trying to determine if she wants to sell the house or not. Mr. Kride was not very enlightening about much else. All he was clear on was that this house is haunted and that the 'dark spirit' that walks the halls at night is dangerous. He thinks we should leave as soon as possible."

"And did you tell him that we weren't planning on making this our vacation hideaway?" she asked, her voice soft with sleep and humor, her eyes closed.

Mulder and Scully's stay-over at a haunted house takes a turn.

Shoshana's Jerome I closed my eyes one more time and when I opened them she was gone. I suppose I should have believed. However, the power of suggestion is so strong, and I was so relaxed and happy before I went to bed, that I still doubted whether she had appeared to me or not.

A night at a ghost motel (and a proposal.)

AUs

BarbaraWar's The Ghosts Whose Christmas Was Stolen "How bad is it?" "Yeah." She grimaced. "I think you may have pierced my stomach, Mulder." He winced at the wording. "What can I do to help? Is it serious?" "If you did puncture it I have maybe 15 minutes before I die of either blood loss or poisoning from my stomach acids. You need to get help Mulder, fast." Her pallor was increasing, her breath becoming more labored.

How The Ghosts Stole Christmas ends very differently.

Philiater's Night House For some reason, I felt I knew the house and stopped my car in front along the circular drive.

Scully buys a haunted house... or she believes.

@dreamingofscully’s (Ao3) Surely, to the sea (Ao3) “A haunting, maybe? A spirit focused upon him or the house? It might explain the electrical problems, the radio interference. How worn down he is from being tormented in his sleep… but he never reported any strange noises or objects being displaced. No temperature changes. And he hasn’t reported the feeling of a presence. I don’t think you’d go in that— what?”

“Scully,” Mulder was staring at her with a dazed expression, a smile spreading on his face. “I don’t know how it’s possible but I just fell in love with you all over again.”

“That’s not very helpful,” she said, though her chest tightened at his words. 

AU-- Mulder and Scully, married paranormal investigators, are called to a house engorged with evil.

Deadcanons's X-Tropy Reyes thought for a moment. “Maybe a persistent ghost can come back after being sent away. And maybe that causes the rules to change.”

            Scully snorted. “It’s science fiction, Monica. I was malnourished, exhausted... Mulder might have haunted the house in Tennessee, but what happened last Christmas was a delusion. It has to be.” Her eyes dropped to the candle between them and stayed there.

            There was a short silence. Reyes tapped Doggett’s cane on the floor. “I’d like to hold a silent supper for him. Do you know what that is, Dana?”

An immortal Scully disbelieves, at first, that her late partner is reaching beyond the grave, despite the decades, to keep her new, patchwork family safe (from dark magic and malevolent intentions.)

BONUS

memories_child's (LJ) Three Times Mulder Was Afraid of The Dark And One Time He Wasn't There are two kinds of things that go bump in the night. He learned this in school today, sitting on the top of the monkey bars with Billy and Walt. There are two kinds of things that go bump in the night. The good things, like Mom checking the latches on the windows downstairs before turning out the lights and climbing the stairs, like Sam stubbing her toe on the doorjamb before climbing into his bed and asking for a story, like Santa's reindeer bumping the sleigh onto the snow-covered roof on Christmas Eve. And the are the bad things, like the bogeyman hiding behind the closet door and making it creak, like the monster under the bed that rustles and bangs when he's just about to drop off to sleep, like the vampire that taps on his window pane when it's dark and the wind is whistling outside.

He laughed it off then, when the sun was shining and the yard echoed with the yells of kids dressed as ghosts and ghouls.

Mulder is haunted by (metaphorical) ghosts.

Viridian5's Haunted "I'm fine. How long was I in orbit?"

"Just a few minutes."

From the look on her face, Mulder guessed that his own had revealed more of the emotions involved with that memory than he would have wanted her to see. He treasured her for letting him decide whether to bring it up or not.

"I just saw a few ghosts of my own, Scully." The past colored the present... Then it fit. "I think Aaron may be haunting his cousin, instead of this site."

Mulder is transported back to a dark time in his life.

CONCLUSION

Hope those are what you're looking for!

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[xxsksxxx]

Thank you so much for reccing my fic @randomfoggytiger 💕

And there are so many amazing fics on this list! Anon is in for some TREATS!

[baronessblixen]

I just read one of your Diana and Scully fics (...okay, maybe three) so seeing your tags on the cat fight reblog GOT ME. XDDDD

It's so true.

Thank you for re-reading ❤️

To be honest, the only story I remember is Fowl Play. And that's mostly because @xxsksxxx is a fan of it. But those cats immediately screamed Scully and Diana at me. It was perfect. Their coloring too 😂

[xxsksxxx]

Oh you bet I'm Fowl Play’s biggest fan. That fic’s got everything I like in a Diana!angst fic. This paragraph gets me every time:

“He takes another step forward and Scully takes a step back. Mulder stops, stares at her, and the hurt in his eyes is unmistakable. They’ve been here before, at this peculiar crossroad, a few years ago. This time there are no rose petals and the pain sits deeper, has taken root. There is no bruise on her face, this time, no battle scar. The trauma a silent one, having only left a dent in her heart.

“Mulder, please, I need time.”

He nods, takes a step back. When his eyes meet hers, there is naked pain. This time, he won’t ask. All because I didn’t pick you up from the airport? No, this time he understands.”

And in case it wasn't one of the three you read @randomfoggytiger , here’s a link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18417338 😉

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[xxsksxxx]

I was just reminded of this fic and let me tell you it’s well worth the read. If you haven't read it, treat yourself. Diana!angst with a happy ending.

[scullysexual]

I love some Diana tension. Can you write something where M&S are together, but there is some Diana induced friction between them? thank you

S6; established relationship.

The ticking clock draws her attention up for what feels like the 50th time that day.

4:05pm. 55 minutes and she’ll be out of here. She just has to survive 55 minutes.

Scully isn’t the only one restless. The agents around her shift in their seats as the end of the work day gets nearer; one guy rearranges his legs three times in one minute, someone coughs, someone farts to which Scully crunches her nose up unimpressed.

She hates this bullpen. The constant noise, the constant people; phones ringing, keyboards clacking, someone always moving. Some days she couldn’t even think properly with all the distractions, her agitation at it all worsening the closer the day got to the end.

She wants to scream.

Somebody taps her arm and it just about send her crashing, ready to throw her computer screen at their face.

It’s just Mulder.

“You mind covering for me?” He asks, standing up and putting his blazer on. Scully watches as he puts his foot on his chair, tightens the secret gun around his ankle more securely because while they technically relinquished their guns when they got grounded to the bullpen Mulder, naturally, found a way to keep one on him.

“We’ve still got 50 minutes. Where are you going?”

“Diana wants to talk to me. She’s got something to show me.”

Fire lights inside Scully’s body. A burning rage that puts her agitation to shame.

“It can’t wait until after 5?” She asks with blatant annoyance.

Mulder looks at her blankly. “Come on, it’s not like I’m doing anything important in the last 50 minutes. My phone is off so I won’t receive any calls, you’ve just gotta tell Kersh something if he asks.”

Covering for him, lying to their boss while he runs off to discuss X-Files with the bad guy. She thought they were in this together.

Crossing her arms and looking at him with disinterest she asks, “And what, exactly, do you want me to tell him while you’re with Diana?” She doesn’t stop the hatred for the woman seeping into her voice as she says her name.

Mulder doesn’t miss it either.

His hackles raised, he, too, enters a defensive mode. “Tell him the truth for all I care.”

And be responsible for potentially getting him fired, no thanks.

Scully continues to seethe. “So I have to stay here in this hellhole while you play field agent with the enemy, is that it?”

Mulder laughs incredulously. “I don’t know how many times we need to discuss this: Diana isn’t the enemy. She’s actually very valuable and if anything she’s trying to help us.”

Is that why she’s constantly smelling of cigarette smoke?

“Yeah, sure, you keep telling yourself that,” Scully says.

That’s the comment that sends Mulder over the edge. He yanks his top drawer open, reaching inside it for his badge as he says, “Don’t bother coming over tonight, Scully. I’ll probably get home too late for us to do anything.”

It hurts, a stinging pain straight through her body, striking at her heart. It’s Friday; their day, their night together. Movies and a drink and maybe something more but he’s ditching her, explicitly choosing Diana over her. Yes, it fucking hurts like nothing else could.

But Scully doesn’t want to show him that. He doesn’t deserve to see her pain. Instead, she takes that pain and stuffs it right down, buries it beneath the walls that come charging up.

“That’s fine,” she says, keeping all emotion out of her voice. “I was gonna cancel anyway. I’m too tired.”

There’s nothing more to be said. They’ve laid their differences out on the table. If Mulder wants to continue trusting Diana Fowley then he may do so but she doesn’t want to be anywhere near the danger zone when it all blows.

“Enjoy your night Scully,” is all Mulder says before he heads off through the bullpen.

She will enjoy her night. A bath, a glass of wine, maybe even a book. She doesn’t need Mulder. She doesn’t need anyone. And she most certainly does not need Diana Fucking Fowley.

@today-in-fic

[lightcastlenineteen]

Bundesliga FOTD #43:

In 2024 fans came up with the running gag that Georgia Stanway and Sam Kerr are actually twins. And the two fully embraced it. 😅

[lightcastlenineteen]

Based on recent discussions I’m so incredibly glad that my club has a captain that chose to speak out during the mens World Cup in Qatar. I just know that our women would not approve of this shit.

[The events surrounding the World Cup in Qatar are also on my mind. As an active player, I fall under the umbrella of FIFA and at this point I would like to clearly distance myself from the actions of the world governing body that are currently being discussed. Unfortunately, all of this now has very little to do with what football should actually stand for: fairness, respect, integrity and diversity.

Football is a game for people – all people – and therefore becomes political at the very latest when this simple fundamental principle is completely disregarded. Respect for culture? Absolutely. Respect for discrimination? Absolutely not.

For people. For football. One Love.]

[psychicpinenut]

mulder + his hands on scully's back

[xxsksxxx]

Liberating the Mirage

Summary:

When an assignment goes horribly wrong, Mulder has to race against time to find Scully.

But sometimes the line between reality and illusion blurs—and it turns out there’s more than one locked door that needs to be opened.  Notes:

This is my little contribution to Fictober, a yearly event that celebrates writing and reading—and fall. All of which are good things in my world. 

Since there’s no way I can come up with a new story every day, I’ve decided to write one fic that includes all prompts from the Fictober 2023 prompt list. They’re all in bold if you want to seek them out specifically. You can find the list here: Fictober 2023

This story is complete, but to keep in the spirit of Fictober, I’m posting one chapter a day.

I hope you’ll have as much fun reading this fic as I had writing it.

AO3 | @today-in-fic and @xffictober2023

Chapter 1: Trouble Loves Company

Bladensburg Road, Washington, D.C. Warehouse

“Motorcycle approaching from the left,” Scully reported crisply into the mouthpiece of her microphone. She unobtrusively observed the upcoming vehicle in her rearview mirror. “Estimated time of passage: 15 seconds.”

“Confirmed,” Mulder replied, his voice tinny through the earpiece attached to her head.

She pulled the sun visor down and pretended to check her makeup in the small mirror attached to the back as the motorcycle passed her van slowly. She watched out of the side of her eye to avoid causing any suspicion, but the driver didn’t seem to pay her any attention. Mulder's car discretely pulled out of its parking slot, only a few cars down the road, and followed at a distance.

“I believe it’s our target,” Mulder’s voice crackled through her earpiece. 

“Confirmed,” Skinner joined the conversation from his car on the other side of the warehouse. 

Scully squinted against the rising sun and watched as the motorcycle rounded the corner and disappeared from view, Mulder’s car not far behind it. “Visual contact lost,” she reported into her microphone. 

“Copy,” Skinner’s voice replied promptly through the line. “Maintain position, Agent Scully, in case of a potential escape.”

“Understood,” she confirmed and leaned back in her seat. All she could do now was wait. She turned her head to keep an eye on the warehouse, making sure she wouldn’t miss Eddie Connolly if he decided to try to escape through her side of the building.

*****

Mulder pressed his back against the stonewall and moved closer to the steel door Connolly had walked through only a few moments before. He checked his gun one last time before gripping the handle and carefully pulling the door open. He squeezed through the small opening he had created and closed the door softly.

The musty smell of old wooden crates filled the abandoned warehouse. He was surrounded by boxes that were stacked to the ceiling, and everything was eerily silent. Mulder tried to make out any sounds that would reveal where Connolly had disappeared to and carefully pulled up the tiny microphone at his collar. “I’m inside. I don’t see anyone.”

Careful to not step on anything that would give him away, he moved slowly across the room. After rounding a stack of old wooden boxes, he finally heard murmuring voices. He pressed his back to the wood and carefully looked around the corner. Connolly was animatedly talking to a tall man who was leaning against a table in the middle of the room. He seemed to try to explain something to the other man. From what Mulder could tell, the other man wasn’t impressed, his arms tightly crossed while listening.

Just as he was about to raise his gun, a third person joined the group, and Mulder swiftly moved his head back to avoid being seen. He cursed silently, wondering why there were three men. Their contact had told them Eddie Connolly was going to meet with the head of the group alone.

He couldn’t make out what the three men were talking about, but their conversation grew louder and more animated, suggesting they were discussing something quite important. Mulder debated risking another glance but turned his chin down into the collar of his tactical vest instead. “Our target met with two other men. It’s getting heated,” he whispered into his microphone.

“Three men? We only knew about one other person. Can you confirm?” Skinner’s voice sounded through Mulder’s earpiece.

“Confirmed,” he whispered and slowly moved his head back around the corner— just in time to watch the tall man giving a signal to the third person. Mulder scanned him with a quick glance. He was at least 6’5 and built like a brick wall. A bodyguard? Mulder wondered just as the burly henchman closed in and swiftly seized Connolly by the throat. The tall man moved closer and bent over Connolly, whispering something. Mulder watched the man’s eyes widen, but he couldn’t hear what they were talking about. He cursed again silently. He needed to get closer.

Maybe he could sneak around the back of the crates, he wondered, while carefully retreating from the corner. He eyed the boxes stacked around him with a critical eye.

As silently as possible, he crouched down and moved behind the next stack of boxes, slowly making his way closer to the group.

Just as he was about to get close enough to hear what the tall man was telling Connolly, the bodyguard looked up and spotted him.

Mulder had only a slit second to react. He raised his gun, aiming at the burly man. “Federal agent! Stop right there! Move into the light. Hands where I can see them!” he shouted. Dimly, he registered Skinner’s voice in his ear giving orders to storm the building and for Scully to watch the exit for anyone trying to escape.

For a second, the three men froze and stared at him. Then all hell broke loose as the tall man opened fire before darting around one of the tall crates, disappearing from view.

Mulder retreated quickly behind his stack of boxes, his heart racing. He tried to calm his breathing when suddenly a shadow rounded the corner and crashed into him. The thug landed on top of him, and all the air went straight out of Mulder’s lungs. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

The other man wasn’t faring any better. He cradled his arm in his left hand and tried to get past. Mulder tackled his legs and brought him back down, swiftly turning the man’s arm behind his back and kneeling on his lower back. The henchman screamed in pain.

Just then, Skinner came running onto the scene, followed by two other agents, who immediately swarmed out to search the warehouse.

Mulder tried to catch his breath while handcuffing his suspect. The man lay grunting on the floor, no longer a threat. “Did you get Connolly and our head guy?” he asked Skinner, jumping back to his feet.

Skinner held up a hand, listening intently to his earpiece. He let out a frustrated groan and turned back to Mulder. “This one here seems to be just a thug that follows orders. We’re searching the warehouse, and Scully got the front exit covered. It’s not too late to arrest them all, let’s go!” Skinner turned around, clearly expecting his agent to follow, but Mulder was rooted to the spot, staring at his boss with wide eyes.

Scully! Mulder thought frantically. In all the chaos of the last few minutes, he hadn’t heard Scully’s voice in the mix at all. The realization hit him like a truck. Scully would’ve reported in by now. Something must’ve happened.

“Scully!” he shouted and took off towards the front entrance in a dead run.

*****

Scully gingerly lifted her hands in the air, palms facing out. “My gun’s attached on my right side,” she said, pointing with her chin, her eyes never leaving the tall man standing in the open passenger side door, aiming his gun at her.

She turned her back all the way towards the driver’s side window, facing the armed man fully and giving him her full attention. The tall man got into the passenger seat without missing a beat and closed the door without moving his eyes away from her. “Hand me your gun,” he said icily and held out his empty hand towards her, making an impatient gesture with his fingers.

Slowly, she pulled the weapon from her waist, careful not to startle him. If I can slow him down enough, backup will be here ASAP, she thought. Mulder had probably already noticed that she hadn’t reported in. All she needed was some time.

“All right. I’m handing you my gun,” she replied and slowly moved her hand with the weapon closer to his outstretched hand.

“I wouldn’t play any games if I were you,” he said calmly, completely unfazed by the fact that several FBI agents were looking for him only a few feet away.

An icy chill ran down Scully’s back. This guy was no ordinary criminal, she realized. This man had seen far worse than an observation and bust from the FBI. She shouldn’t have underestimated either of the men. He’d been clever enough to know that the front door was under surveillance. That meant he’d come through the back where Skinner and the other agents had come in to back Mulder up, she thought. He’d known they wouldn’t expect him to come towards them instead of taking the supposedly easy front exit. He’d outsmarted them all.

He must’ve seen the realization hit her because his mouth moved into a sarcastic smirk. “I see we understand each other. So if you don’t want me to shoot the first person that comes running out of that building and make you drive me out of here anyway, I’d suggest you turn on this car and drive,” he said. “And make no mistake, if you try to trick me, and we get caught, I’m taking you with me!”

Scully offered no response and shifted her gaze to the front, fully aware that Mulder might burst through that door at any second, unprepared for anyone just waiting to shoot at him. If she wanted to make sure that he wasn’t killed, she needed to get them away from here. She turned the key and the car came to life effortlessly.

“Where do you want me to go,” she asked calmly, ignoring her racing heart.

“I don’t care, just drive!” the man said, looking outside the window towards the front entrance of the warehouse. When he was sure that no one was in sight, he turned his attention back to her.

Scully expertly steered the van onto the road, driving as slowly as possible, hoping that Mulder would notice what had occurred and reach her in time. However, the man sitting next to her had different plans. “What are you doing?!” he yelled and pressed his gun right into her side. “I said drive!”

With a sigh, she pressed her foot down on the accelerator, knowing she’d have to find another way to get out of this.

*****

Mulder sprinted towards the front exit in a dead run. He threw his shoulder against the door and shoved it open. Outside, he frantically scanned the sidewalk for Scully and the green van she’d been in. It wasn’t there.

His eyes moved up and down the street anxiously, catching sight of the van just as it gained speed. “Scully!” he yelled, sprinting in the direction of the disappearing van.

He ran as fast as he could, but the car was getting further and further away. By the time he reached the next traffic light, it had rounded a corner and disappeared from view. He grabbed his knees, breathing heavily. That’s when he remembered the microphone attached to his collar. “I need help,” he shouted. “They’ve got Scully!”

After taking a long look in the direction the van had disappeared, he turned and sprinted back to the warehouse as fast as he could.

***

Thank you so much for reading. You can also find this fic on AO3.

[xxsksxxx]

Almost Heaven

Summary:

Mulder’s attempt to find more exciting cases to investigate while stuck in the bullpen turns into another weekend trip to the forest.

Meanwhile, Scully is faced with a tempting offer that could change both her future and their lives.

Notes:

This little story has been stuck in my head for almost a year. It’s taken more than one change of direction over the last months until I was happy with where it was going. I hope you'll enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it.

And if you want to leave kudos or a comment—no matter if it’s an emoji or several long paragraphs—that would make my whole month.

I also want to say a huge THANK YOU to the wonderful @baronessblixen!

If it hadn’t been for her, and her constant encouragement to continue working on this story and her questions about its progress, I'm sure this story wouldn't be the same. Your input and excitement for this spark of an idea during a Sunday evening chat about something completely unrelated was invaluable. Thank you, my friend!

This story is complete, and I’m going to post one chapter a day.

AO3 | @today-in-fic

Chapter 1: To the Place I Belong

J. Edgar Hoover Building, Washington, D.C. FBI Headquarters – Bullpen Friday, November 27th, 1998, 3:30 pm

“Any plans for the weekend, Scully?” Mulder placed a sunflower seed between his teeth and looked at Scully questioningly. He leaned back in his desk chair, slowly bouncing backward and forward, returning Scully’s questioning glance with an innocent look.

Mulder was completely bored after spending days doing nothing but paperwork and sorting files. He knew Scully was bored too, even though she didn’t mind doing reports half as much as he did.

Scully reached for her coffee cup and sipped the hot liquid, closing her eyes in appreciation. Mulder grinned; he loved watching Scully enjoy her coffee. Mulder could tell she was frustrated by their punishment, which was exactly what was happening. They were being punished. This was also why he had started making an extra effort to get her a cup of coffee just like she wanted every morning and afternoon. She had stoically navigated his frustration with their current situation over the last few months, keeping him in line. And it hadn’t been that long ago that he had had to reassure her that she played a major role in his life. If getting the perfect coffee for her made her happy, he was all for it.

Scully opened her eyes and hummed appreciatively before looking back at him, and he gave her a knowing look. She blushed a bit but didn’t avoid his gaze, her eyes full of warmth. “Did you finish calling the letters ‘H’ and ‘I’ already, or are you planning on spending YOUR weekend catching up?” she quipped and turned back to her keyboard.

“I don’t care about any ‘E’s and ‘I’s. No one is going to follow up on this, anyway. They just want to keep us busy and off any real cases!” he said emphatically, pushing off the floor with his foot and bouncing his chair back and forth again.

“’H’ and ’I’, Mulder. Not ’E’ and ’I’. You did the ’E’s’ last week already. Remember that report I had to rewrite for you because you couldn’t help but add your opinion on why you consider this pointless?” Scully took a new file off of the pile and gave it a cursory glance before sighing.

“Aha! See? You’re just as bored by this as I am, Scully!“

She slowly rotated her shoulder and neck before turning back around to him. “I never said I wasn’t. Of course, this is pointless. None of these people ever so much as stole a chewing gum, much less organized a terrorist attack. But the more we protest, the longer they’re going to keep us assigned to this, and we’ll never get the X-Files back.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “Let’s just focus on getting this over with. If we keep our feet still long enough, they might trust us with the X-Files again.” She smiled tightly, and he knew she was trying to sound confident.

He gave her a long look before sighing and turning back to his overflowing pile of folders. “I hope you’re right, and we’re not wasting our time expecting they’ll forget about us.”

He knew Scully was hoping for the same. He despised sitting around, working on senseless tasks, following up on even more useless information when he could be on the road or talking to people who had actually seen something related to the truth.

“Well, at least Kersh didn’t make you recheck your report this time. Maybe he’ll give up sooner than later,” Scully joked, looking away from her monitor for a second.

“Yeah. By the way, thanks for going over it. I doubt I’d have gotten the same reaction to my original draft. You’re a lifesaver!” Mulder gave her a half-smile and pursed his lips.

She returned his smile with one of her own before turning back to her task.

“So, about those weekend plans—” Mulder began, only to be cut off by the ringing of his phone. “Hello?” he said into the receiver, grimacing at Scully when he recognized the voice of Kersh’s assistant. “Yes, we’ll be right there,” he clipped before hanging up and getting up from his chair, grabbing his jacket. “We’re expected in the Deputy Director’s office asap, Agent Scully,” he parroted, not waiting for her before taking off towards the open reception area of Kersh’s office.

He could hear Scully sigh, but she followed him without comment. What now? he wondered. Nothing good ever came out of being called into their boss’s office.

Office of Deputy Director Alvin Kersh

“Have a seat, Agents,” Kersh greeted them without looking up from his note-taking. His tone was as unreadable and impersonal as ever.

Mulder glanced at Scully, but she wordlessly took one of the two seats in front of their boss's desk.

The minutes passed slowly, and Mulder counted the ticking of the analog clock hanging on the wall at the side of the office, which signaled the passing of time. Kersh was making them wait, and Mulder hated every second of it. Just as he opened his mouth to ask if they were keeping him from his work, Kersh looked up and put his pen aside.

“I have a new assignment for you,” he began, giving them both a calculating look. When neither agent reacted, he slid a thick brown folder across the desk towards them. “There have been reports of some nighttime activities down at the Waterfront Resort. I want you to investigate those reports and ensure that nothing illegal is going on there.”

Mulder reached for the file and started to read the top sheet. The more he read, the angrier he got. “Nighttime activities, sir? From what I’m reading here, there have been reports of some kids staying out past their curfew down there. That’s not an actual assignment, a security guard could easily take care of this.” He angrily snapped the file shut and threw it back on the desk.

Kersh’s eyes narrowed, and his tone became even colder if that was possible. “What is an assignment and what isn’t is still something for me to decide, Agent Mulder. Are we clear on that?”

Scully quietly cleared her throat and reached for the folder. “Yes, sir. Agent Mulder and I will take care of this.” She quickly got up from her chair, placing her hand on Mulder’s arm.

Kersh nodded, his eyes still piercing Mulder’s with a cold glare. “Very well, Agent.” He took his pen back in his hand and began writing again, dismissing them wordlessly.

Mulder stood up abruptly, and for a moment he was tempted to have Kersh have it. He was so tired of being roadblocked every step of the way. A gentle squeeze of Scully’s hand on his arm kept him quiet, though, and with a last glance at their boss, he turned around and headed for the door.

FBI Headquarters – Bullpen

Mulder watched as Scully sank into her office chair, her exasperation clear. Another day, another senseless task, he thought.

Mulder frustration was close to exploding. The longer they worked under Kersh, the worse it seemed to get. Scully glanced over at him, and Mulder realized he had been morosely staring at his monitor. He started to bounce his leg, trying to get rid of some of his anger. He’d definitely have to go for a long run tonight, he mused, or his head would explode.

“Mulder, stop fidgeting!” Scully slapped her hand on his bouncing knee, forcing the offending appendage to stop moving.

Mulder sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to stay still. “I just hate this, Scully. We’ve been sitting around, doing nothing, for weeks now.” He slowly moved his head from his left shoulder to his right, trying to stretch out the stiff muscles. “And now this! We both know this assignment is just to keep us sidelined. I don’t know how long I can stand waiting around! What are they even planning to do with us at this point?”

Scully nodded, her own frustration evident. “I don’t know, Mulder. I just know fidgeting is not going to change anything. What I do know, however, is that we have to play along for now, or this is going to escalate even higher up, and then we won’t ever get the chance to get the X-Files back.”

Mulder turned to face her directly. “It’s just so frustrating! We should be investigating real cases, not watching some teenagers commit the unspeakable crime of underage drinking.”

Scully gave him a sympathetic look. “I know, Mulder. And I’m just as frustrated as you are. I didn’t choose the FBI to do this kind of grind work either. I want to find the truth just as much as you do.”

Mulder didn’t reply, his eyes firmly fixed on Kersh’s reception area, where the Deputy Director had just appeared and had started laughing with his assistant. Mulder deflated once again, dropped back in his office chair, and gave Scully a pointed look. Kersh had them right where he wanted them.

Scully returned his look grimly before turning back to the folder with their assignment and started rubbing her temples.

He watched her for a few long moments before jumping up and grabbing her arm, pulling her with him. She let him drag her out of her chair, hissing, “Mulder, what are you doing?!” while taking a cursory glance around the large office space. No one was paying them any attention.

Mulder reached for his jacket from the back of his chair, shrugging it on. “This assignment is going nowhere. I’m pretty sure no one has even glanced at this file in the last several weeks. Let’s get out of here, Scully.” He grabbed his keys from his desk and slipped them into his pants pockets before putting his arm on her shoulder, squeezing softly.

She gave him a long look before sighing. “Might as well,” she added, grabbing her coat and putting it on.

Mulder placed his hand against her lower back, and together they walked down the hallway towards the elevator.

[xxsksxxx]

Split Seconds

Summary:

Sometimes trouble finds Mulder—and sometimes Scully steps right into its path.

Fictober24

Fanfiction Fandom: The X-Files/ #xfiles Prompts: 4, 11 Rating: T Warnings: none Tags: angst

Notes:

This is part of my contribution to Fictober, a yearly event that celebrates writing and reading.

Since I’m not good at sticking to one prompt for each story, I’ve combined two separate ones in this story. They’re in bold if you want to seek them out specifically. You can find the list here: @fictober-event.

I once again felt like exploring the angstier side of things—this time it's more the physical aspect though. This little ficlet wouldn't exist if it wasn't for @baronessblixen who talked me off the ledge once again. 

If you want to leave likes, tags kudos or a comment—no matter if it’s an emoji or several long paragraphs, please feel free. I'd be eternally grateful!

AO3 | @today-in-fic | @xffictober24

Bells Mill Road, Maryland 12:32 pm 

Scully slowly raised her hands. The man standing in front of them held his gun firmly pointed at Mulder, his eyes darting around wildly. She felt her breathing increase and her palms begin to sweat. 

“Put your gun down,” Mulder said soothingly, turning his palms towards their opponent in a peace offering. “There's no need for shooting anyone.”

Scully watched a bead of sweat trickle down from the man’s hairline, over his temple, and down his face until it disappeared into the collar of his dirty blue shirt. She quickly appraised the man, trying to determine how much trouble they were in.

The knuckles of the man’s right hand had turned white from gripping the gun handle so tightly, and his chest rose and fell rapidly. This man was clearly nervous and agitated, Scully concluded, and she’d felt her heart rate speed up. 

Her hand reflexively closed into a fist. If Mulder so much as took a hasty breath, there was no way of telling what the armed man would do. 

Why do we always end up in unlikely situations like this, she wondered. It's not like their cases weren't unusual enough. No, even doing something as simple as stopping for gas had them involved in a stand-off with an armed robber. Sometimes she wondered if it was Mulder’s destiny to find trouble–and hers to get them out of it. 

With an internal shake of her head, she returned to their current situation, just in time to watch the man slowly inch to the left, his gun firmly trained on her partner. “Get out of my way, or you'll see who needs to be shot,” he hissed, baring his teeth in an angry snarl. 

Without taking his eyes off of them, he blindly grabbed the plastic bag filled with money and cigarettes, the gas station worker had put on the counter before crouching down behind it. Scully could just make out the top of the young man’s bright red hair above the counter. 

“No, we’re not doing that! I think I'm going to make sure that you don't get any funny ideas, hero man,” the robber spat before taking an unexpected step forward, hitting Mulder across the face with the barrel of the gun. 

Mulder’s head flew to the right, a spray of bright red blood splattering on the countertop. 

“No!” Scully shouted and grabbed Mulder’s arm, checking to see how badly he was injured. A deep cut across his lip had opened up, and Mulder was squeezing his whole fist against it, trying to stop the blood flow. His eyes were tightly closed against the pain, and Scully could feel her anger erupt inside of her like a volcano. 

She whirled around to the gunman, who was now busy cramming bottles of alcohol into the plastic bag with his left hand while keeping a watchful eye on them. 

When he noticed Scully whirling around, he raised his weapon towards her and winked. “I didn't hit your boyfriend too hard, don't worry. He’ll be fine if you behave like a good little girlfriend and keep him away from me.”

Scully could feel Mulder tense next to her and grasped his forearm to keep him still. 

The robber laughed and gave her a quick once-over. “Seems like you're feistier than I thought. Romeo here seems to follow your orders like a puppy. We could have some fun, you and me. I like it when they are wild.”

Scully didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction, and just returned his look dispassionately. 

“Ooooh. Must be my lucky day. You're really a wild one. How about I give your boyfriend a real reason to cry?” He shifted the gun’s muzzle slightly to the right and lowered it towards Mulder’s knees. 

Well, that worked out great. Scully tensed and a cold dread swept over her like an icy wave. She quickly stepped in front of Mulder and straight into the gunman’s line of fire. 

“Scully, no!” Mulder shouted. He tried to grab her arm and pull her back, but his hand only caught air. 

Scully was now standing a few feet in front of him, her arms raised slightly above her head, and her eyes were firmly locked on the man across from them. 

The robber cursed and quickly redirected his gun to her. “Get out of my way,” he growled through tightly clenched teeth. “I'm done playing with you two. Give me your money, and then I'm out of here!”

When Scully didn't move, he grabbed her raised arm forcefully and pulled her towards him. “I. Said. Give me your MONEY!” he screamed into her face. 

Scully winced as the man tightened his grip on her wrist. This situation was rapidly spiraling out of control. “All right, I'm going to reach into my coat and get my money, ok? There’s no need to get angry,” she tried to soothe him. Where are the police, she thought frantically. Surely the kid hiding behind the counter had pressed the emergency button while she and Mulder had been playing bait, right? 

She slowly reached inside her coat, but the man grabbing her other arm wasn't in the mood for slow. He pushed her hand away and pulled her coat open, frantically groping for her purse—and that's when he saw her gun attached to the back of her pants. With a surprised yelp, he quickly whipped her around and threw her on the floor, kneeling down on her back. “Why do you have a gun!? Who are you!? Are you police? Have you been following me?! You lying piece of shit!” 

Scully tried to breathe against the pain of the sharp knee pressing into her shoulder blade. Now they were really in trouble. She tried to raise her head, seeking Mulder. Just when she met his eyes, she saw his mouth open in the beginning of a scream, his eyes widened in terror.

I’m sorry, Mulder. I guess I found the trouble this time, was her last conscious thought, then the handle of the gun came down hard on the back of her head, and all she could see was darkness.