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randomfoggytiger · 2 years

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X-Files Collector’s Edition: Ghostly Hauntings and Experiences-- AUs

Mulder and Scully always find themselves in ghastly, ghostly situations-- but it’s even more fun to twist canon or at least stretch its limits a little bit. These fics feature AU Mulders and Scullys dealing with ghosts, as wells as other timelines where they become ghosts themselves. Let’s go!

Loose chronological order below~

Dealing With Various Ghosts

theramblinrose’s The Holinshed Ghost

Chapter 2

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

““...So, the story has it that he got tired of her mouth and he killed her with an axe. It’s something of a joke, in the area, to remind all new brides of what happened to Marguerite Holinshed.”

“A word to wise women,” Mulder said with a laugh.

“Charming,” Scully responded.

“Beg your pardon, Ma’am,” Bernie said. “It’s just a local legend.”

“No, it’s fine,” Scully said. “Sometimes those legends hold keys that help us in understanding the people we’re dealing with and the possible background of the crimes that have been committed.””

Post Irresistible Scully has recovered enough to join her husband Mulder on a new ghost case in a small semi-superstitious town. The couple discuss her recovery, new levels of openness and intimacy, and their excitement over parenthood of their developing “alien” while solving the case in a Scooby Doo-esque “haunted” hotel with secret hallways.

The Holinshed Ghost is a part of theramblinrose’s unnamed series, where Mulder and Scully’s marriage and pregnancy replaces the abduction arc. LOVE these fics (especially when she paralleled it to the Aubrey storyline and carried that developing narrative through to End Game.) It’s riveting how she depicts the duo’s advanced bond while acknowledging the changes and slight growing pains their new relationship would bring; but tenderness and trust smooth most road bumps and pave the way for a better path ahead. Unfortunately, this series was never finished; BUT I can fill in the blanks by myself, thank you very much!

(*Note: As an aside, this story reminded me of Analise’s Haunted House and @dreamingofscully‘s Surely, to the sea -- soon to be on their own lists.*)

prufrockslove/plenilune’s (Ao3, Alt. Gossamer, Geocities, Colonization HQ)

Finding Rokovoko (Ao3)

“If a cure existed, Mulder would make the deal - leave the X-files, abandon his search for the truth. Do whatever Cancerman demanded in exchange for Scully’s life.

If a cure existed.

In the dark doorway of a ruined little building far across the courtyard, Mulder spotted three small, pale children, squatting, arms around their knees, and watching him. Or an optical illusion. Or some beige rocks. He didn’t know or care anymore.”

Post Never Again AU-- Mulder’s frustrations at Scully’s distance (after she had made moves on him and shut down immediately after) is halted by both her cancer revelation and by being stranded in the woods while squallies-- children with black eyes-- surround their car and confuse their directions. Scully’s health quickly deteriorates; and their only shelter leads them further into possible destruction and death... but also into the heart of the mystery of the Litchfield projects. There are only two teams, and both are monsters.

Keleka’s Gray Ghosts

“I can't help but wonder why I'm the one seeing ghosts on this trip. Maybe I wouldn't be seeing them if I hadn't become more open to extreme possibilities in recent months. Mulder would give up his accumulated leave to see this, but he's back in the hospital sleeping off a narcotic cocktail.”

Post Theef-- Mulder and Scully bring TLG with them to investigate the violent deaths of the 47th Brigade. As Mulder plunges headlong into the alternate dimension of a vengeful demon- undeterred by his earlier proposal and recent injury at the hands of a possessed soldier- Scully grapples with her faith in religion, her father, and her military when she witnesses General Patton and his soldier ghosts praying in the cathedral.

MD1016′s (FFN) Journal 2000 3/3

“For eight days he shadowed her every move, leaving her only for the handful of minutes he spent in the bathroom. Dag brought in all the supplies they needed, but never stayed for more than a minute or two. Her mother visited nearly every day, but never broached more than light conversation, and even that felt forced. Scully wasn't sure what Mulder had said to them, but it was clear by the way they looked at her as if she might foam at the mouth at any moment that he said something.

It was strange, suddenly seeing the world through the lens Mulder had worn for so many years, especially now that he was looking at her through the other side. And, of course, that was the most difficult part. That Mulder, for the first time, was on the outside peering in.”

Colonization Scully and Mulder are settling into a new location, waiting for their child’s arrival with the support of Maggie, TLG, and new friends. When Scully begins to question her own sanity-- taunted by her brother Charlie’s ghost and losing some of Mulder’s trust in the process-- she becomes increasingly afraid at the warnings only she can hear: that she, alone, will be have to face re-abduction to save Mulder and the planet.

This is an incredibly strange follow up to the Colonization drama of Journal 2000 Parts 1 and 2-- I’m conflicted between liking parts (when Scully is proven correct) and parts where I believe my own criticisms are valid. Personally, though, when I’m in the mood to reread this mini-series I read Part 2 more: barely escaping their settlement, crashing in a lift in the woods, navigating the snow and temperature and tiredness, and waiting with baited breath as the mountains crack through the night airs with possible avalanche groans... those were my favorite moments (But that’s not this list, SO NEVER MIND.)

Dealing With Their Own Ghostly Existence

Hestia01‘s (Ao3) The Next Great Mysery 1/ 2/

““Now we just have one question left. Where do we haunt?”

A wicked grin crosses Scully’s face, immediately mirrored by her partner. As usually, they’re thinking the same thing.

“Could be a federal offense.”

“Come and get me.”

In the blink of an eye, they stand together in the basement office they’d spent so much of their lives in. They both look around at it and have to smile, they’re home.”

Circa Post Paper Clip Scully rejects Heaven after death to keep Mulder company. She returns in time to witness his “death by grief”; and the two start kicking it, giggling at Skinner taking their poster and getting to box Bill in the nose. Everyone wises up to their antics and celebrates by marrying them. Then they all get bored of catering to ghosts, and Skinner “fires them to death.”

I laugh every time I think about the ending.

Philiater’s Night House

““Why do I get the feeling that this is more about satisfying your curiosity than my safety?" I said, trying to deflect his concern.

"I'm always thinking of the paranormal possibilities, but I'm more worried about you. It's not like you to run off and buy houses on a whim."

"No it's not," I admitted reluctantly, "but, I'll be fine. I have to go. Goodbye, Mulder."

I hung the phone up before he could say more. No one it seemed could fathom why I'd bought this dream house. I wasn't entirely sure I understood it either.”

Scully buys a haunted house, only to realize it is she who is haunting it.

Joyce’s

Revenant

“Here, shrouded beneath the greenwood, the stars are dimmer. They do not dance like living flames to the music of the spheres. The ocean of heaven does not shine with their fire. I raise my vacant eyes to heaven, remembering the warmth of my dream, but see only pale crystals of ice glittering in the somber sky. I reach up to touch my late companions in the dance, to grasp the hem of their robes in supplication, beseeching them to take me back. My hand, more earth than flesh now, cannot reach the sky.

I cry aloud my desolation, the horror of existence within this rotting shell.”

Circa The End Mulder is raised from his heartwrenching death by Scully’s cry for help. He shambles- rotting- into the night to prevent her demise and to avenge his own. She releases his “debt” after he gruesomely stops her enemies.

Ghost in Her Life 1/ 2/

““I wasn't supposed to die, Scully. Get banged up, spend a week in the hospital with a broken shoulder, but dying wasn't on the agenda. Somebody fouled up somewhere and to everyone's surprise out there, I showed up. By the time the mistake was caught, there wasn't much use in sending me back. Believe me, Scully, you really don't ever want to see what the inside of a brain looks like after it's been smushed into pate. Yuck.””

A separate AU-- Mulder is killed by a baseball hit to the head, and Scully is horrified at his sudden death. That horror, however, turns to confusion, disbelief, and wavering acceptance when his ghost returns to explain that, because he wasn’t supposed to die YET, he’s stuck on earth until things are sorted out. Both find tentative happiness as they use his new enhancements to their advantage in investigations (despite the challenges of him having to manage his new corporeality and leech-like existence.)

The Ghost at her Side 1/ 2/ 3/

“Mulder leaned carefully over the side of the desk, his arms folded behind his back, trying to avoid brushing against Skinner as he attempted to read the open file. Two men murdered, both prominent citizens, and a police chief who asked for him by name, that was almost an X-File by itself. Mulder tried to remember where he might have met Chief Anson Talbert. The name was vaguely familiar, but the precise memory was elusive. As Mulder craned over to read the opening paragraphs of the report, Skinner leaned forward to close the file and his head brushed against Mulder's face. Skinner jerked with shock, shivering as the chill of Mulder's aura set his teeth aching. Mulder shuddered violently and fled to the far corner of the room, trying to shake the horror of feeling a living body pass through him.”

It still isn’t easy being a ghost-- Mulder and Scully are still solving crimes; but the greatest challenges are still adjustments for Mulder and vulnerabilities for Scully. Both help the other with their struggles and find new allies in like-minded Chief Talbert and slow-learning new partner Agent Ambercrombie.

The Ghost in the Dark

“With her new-found sensitivity to Mulder's moods, helped by the fact that he turned odd shades of gray according to the prevailing emotion, Scully decided that she could finish her quarterly expense report at home. Death really hadn't changed Mulder all that much. As long as there was a case to keep him occupied, he seemed to accept being a ghostly appendage to her life. He had been on his best behavior despite the boredom of no new case in nearly three weeks, but she was well aware of his growing restlessness. She had been bracing for an outbreak of mischief in the upper levels of the FBI building for nearly a week now; it was like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Mulder was going to get into mischief. The only question was how much chaos was he going to leave in his wake.”

While Ghost Mulder is wandering around on Halloween, he is abruptly summoned by an unapologetic woman who needs help dealing with the local bullies. The poorer kids haven’t been able to trick-or-treat like those in safer areas, and her righteous indignation ignites Mulder’s protective anger to permanently quell the chaos. Old and new wounds are healed with the balm of acceptance and love that no one else but Scully had given him in life or death.

I cannot state ENOUGH how BEAUTIFUL these are. Ahhh, the perfect sting-- that tightrope between pain in life and pleasure in death; transformed purpose; and the existential question of life, meaning, and joy through suffering. ALL of these fics are so, so, SO good. (Confession time: I’ve only thoroughly read Revenant and The Ghost in the Dark, but the others are just as good-- though I don’t know if they’re just as GOOD good. HIGHLY recommend you at LEAST read those two. ...Wow, look at all these words that capitalized-- you could say that I’m passionate about these fics, y’know, hypothetically~.)

threeguesses’s (Live Journal, DreamWidth)

And if I make my bed in Sheol (DreamWidth)

“When she wakes up, he is still there, watching her from a chair. “You don't exist,” she says, but goes into to the bathroom to change anyways.

He is still there when she eats breakfast. And when she unloads the dishwasher. And when she leaves for work. And when she comes home.

A week later, and he is still there. Scully has stopped telling him that he isn’t real. Talking to one’s delusions is probably not the best route to mental wellness.”

Mulder dies when Scully is not there to back him up. His ghost finally breaks her denial at acknowledging his presence; but his victory is short-lived when she begins to give up living life to stay in her apartment with his trapped soul.

Jenna Tooms/misslucyjane’s (Ao3, mulderscreek)

Ghost- A Love Story (Ao3, Goss)

“Her hair is silver and her face is lined, but her eyes are still bright and her mouth still a cupid’s bow. Her voice has a slight quaver but it still reminds me of syrup over pancakes, husky and warm and soothing. Her hands aren’t as steady as they once where, but she hasn’t wielded a scalpel in years. Nowadays her hands mostly cook and caress her grand-nephews and -nieces, tend her roses and linger over old photographs.

I watch her and she doesn’t know it. I watch her read or garden or watch her beloved old movies. I watch her slowly brush her hair, her eyes far away and dreamy. I watch her eat and sleep and talk, and I marvel at how little she’s changed.”

Mulder is killed... but, stubborn ghost that he is, he’s not ready to cross into the beyond. He follows Scully around and happily observes her griefs, joys, and full life until one day she is able to join him.

WELP, what a way to cap off this list. Love all these fics in their own, unique ways (of course) and hope you all--

Enjoy!

#txf #xfiles #xf fanfic #fic #Collector's Edition #Ghostly Experiences-- AUs #theramblinrose #prufrockslove #plenilune #Keleka #MD1016 #Hestia01 #Philiater #Joyce #threeguesses #Jenna Tooms #misslucyjane #mine

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