#prufrockslove

[randomfoggytiger]

Collector's Edition: Reworking Requiem and Mulder's Return (Part III)

Requiem, oh Requiem.

Loose chronological order below~

JET's (mulderscreek, tumblr, freeservers) Snippet Fic

She conceded, "So our track record has been iffy at best during the most recent Decembers. But last year wasn't too bad."

"Yeah, I think the highlight of the month was when I was attacked by zombies."

Pre-Requiem: There is no baby, and no abduction-- only Scully picking up Mulder during the holidays.

XPhileChai's Life is like a new case - you never know what you're gonna get.

She opened her eyes and met his. He saw the change in her eyes go from "calm and happy" to "oh, yeah, I'm in a car on a stakeout".

Pre-Requiem: Mulder rushes Scully to the hospital, where they discover she miscarried one of two babies.

@myownsuperintendent (Ao3)

“Marry Me” (Ao3)

He hadn’t expected her to say that soon, but he knows she means it.  Her practicality makes him smile.

Pre-Requiem: Mulder remembers how they found out about Scully’s pregnancy before he left for Oregon; and decides to seal their partnership with a proposal. 

Fic: “No Secrets” (Ao3)

“You could have died if I hadn’t gone back and looked at your medical records from last year.  If I hadn’t figured out what was happening and how to reverse it.  And you…you weren’t going to tell me?”  Her voice is no longer even now, but she’s not yelling either; it sounds like all the air has gone out of her.

“I didn’t think there was anything we could do about it,” he says, but he realizes how stupid that is even as he’s saying it. 

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned; and Scully not only finds him but also heals his brain disease. 

@alsoablankslate/tabulaxrasa's (LJ, tripod) Things Outside

The sun was setting, and the sky was a wide swath of indigo out the kitchen window. Sometimes it was very beautiful here. Summer here was like springtime in DC, maybe. How you were always conscious of it, of the rightness of the season, the perfect fit of area and temperature and color and the smell of the air.

They couldn't find out about the baby.

Pre-Requiem: Mulder is never abducted-- instead, he and Scully are put under house arrest in the middle of nowhere.

xphilernj’s (Ao3, Two Close for Comfort) Find the Future - Chapter 1

Upon their arrival at Dulles International Airport in D.C., Mulder was fit to be tied and Skinner was ready to clamp the handcuffs on him and throw Mulder in the trunk of his car.

Requiem: Mulder rushes back to Scully’s side.

Erin M. Blair’s The Blessing

He stood in the doorway of her hospital room and walked toward the chair by the bed. Pulling it as close to the bed as possible, he sat gingerly on the chair's edge, then gently held her hand in his.

Requiem: Scully floors Mulder with her pregnancy news.

bellefleur’s "Arms Wide Open"

I look over to see my partner's mother standing a few feet away from me, stock still and drained of color, with her hand covering her mouth. It's takes me a minute, but as I register the fact that her first sight was of me sitting in the hallway with my head in my hands, and then with obvious tear tracks on my face, I begin to comprehend her reaction. She must have immediately thought the worst.

Requiem: Mulder hears the news from Scully; and panics, fleeing the room. Maggie helps him get his head in the game. 

Maidenjedi's Would That I Could Travel Both

She held her breath as his arms wrapped around her, and felt his reluctance to leave her as much as his eagerness to go, to discover, to find the all-encompassing Truth.

Requiem: Among a selection of AUs, Mulder didn't get his answers but did have a happy ending.

dmwones's Anagrams

"We can attempt to stabilize Dana for as long as possible. Give her blood transfusions, and corticosteroids. One to treat the low platelets, the other to help the fetus' lungs mature. But it's not a cure. Her body is under duress and HELLP syndrome is life-threatening. We can maybe buy a few extra days. But you're going to have to make a decision."

Requiem: In one of many AUs, Mulder is never abducted; but Scully and their baby suffer complications from preeclampsia.

Pattie’s Erlenmeyer Injustice

Not a day goes by that I don't think of the implications of this job, and especially this partnership. The knowledge that one or both of us might be killed or permanently injured in the line of duty hides in the backdrop, waiting to be cast and played out, by directors unknown.

Requiem: Mulder chooses to leave with the alien ship.

LuvTheBeez’s (mulderscreek) A Safe Place (MC) and Equanimity (1/2, and 2/2) 

The minutes ticked slowly by. Unable to stand it any longer, Scully reached out a gloved finger to lift Skinner's eyelid. There appeared to be no change - the black clouds of oil were still visible. She looked at the others, concerned that there was still no reaction.

"Maybe we should increase the -"

When Skinner grabbed her wrist, it was with such force that she could feel the bones grinding together, and she waited for the sound they would make as they cracked into pieces. She gasped in pain and surprise - Skinner increasing his death grip on her as his body began to convulse violently.

Frantic, Mulder reached for her, his fingers scratching at her skin as he attempted to pry Skinner's strong hand away from her wrist…. 

Finally, there were other hands there to restrain Skinner, and they were able to loosen his grip long enough for Mulder to pull Scully away from him. The sudden release caused both of them to fall backwards, and they landed in a heap on the floor. 

Post Requiem: Scully rushes to the hospital after Mulder’s return. Unfortunately, he forgets his abduction experiences just as the world plunges into Colonization; and Skinner, Krycek, and Marita-- who had initially joined them on their trek to safety-- are separated from the group in another wave of attack.  

Forte’s (Gossamer) It Came in the Mail 

Scully rushed into the basement office, mind racing.  It was a leap of intuition.  A leap of faith.  A leap of Mulder proportions.  He'd be proud, wouldn't he?

He'd expected it.  He knew she would figure it out.

Post Requiem:  Scully and TLG shift into high gear when she is shipped an envelope of Mulder’s fingerprints. 

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

Alienated

"No – please let him stay. I asked for him. Stephen," came Mulder's tired, raspy voice from the room. "Let's talk quarks."

"Let's not. Let's rest," Scully said, squeezing past Dr. Hawking to get to the hospital bed. Three other men were hovering, pads and pencils ready to take notes if the tape recorder missed anything. Outside, men in black were swarming the hallway like army ants.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned in Las Vegas, staggeringly intelligent with all the answers of the world locked in his head. Naturally, Morris Fletcher and his troop come crashing in for information.

Pascal's Wager

I have no memories of what They did to me and some of my pre-abduction memories are still a little scrambled - not missing, just out of focus. I'm functional, barely, but at night rumors roam free, untouched by regression hypnosis, drugs, or Scully's gentle attempts to reach out to me. This is PTSD, she says, closing my chart and running her palm over my cheek comfortingly. Rest, Mulder. Do your exercises, Mulder. Don't think about your personal price- check chip in your frontal lobe, Mulder.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned after the birth of his daughter, struggling hardcore on the long road to recovery. Is he becoming insane, or enlightened?

Daniela Riedel's (mulderscreek) Never Ever

She wanted to tell him so much. Before he disappeared they never had the chance to talk about their feelings. Sure they had been close. This night in the hotel in Oregon. She wanted so much to tell him that she loved him dearly but couldn't find the courage to do so. Both of them knew about the other's feelings though.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned, staring at the hospital ceiling and repeating names over and over.

zulu's

Fight The Past

"I never thought she'd manage it..."

Mulder turned back to him, the spell of his memories broken. "Manage what?"

"Why, to earn your trust, of course. You're not an easy man to get to know, Mr. Mulder. You'd rather get a root canal than admit to an emotion. Or, at least, that is how you were." He nodded to the window. "That's how he is."

Post Requiem: CSM offers Mulder to opportunity to travel back to the Pilot, stop the motel fire, and change history. 

syn‘s (Tumblr) Careless Wishes

Melissa's eyes narrowed.  "You know, you could *ask* before borrowing my stuff.  I mean, I don't rummage through *your* jewelry box do I?  Not that I'd wear any of that WASPy, wispy stuff anyway."

"But Melissa," replied Scully incredulously.  "You were *dead*."

"What difference does that make?" asked Melissa, reaching over and pulling the necklace off over Scully's head with an annoyed yank.  "I mean, someone with a little foresight, with a little respect for my personal property, should have known that I wouldn't want anyone wearing this necklace."

Post Requiem: Scully uses a potion to bring back Melissa, Pendrell, Mr. X, Deep Throat, and even Queequeg back to life… all of whom are incredibly terrible company. 

lesbianreinaa's Simply the Best

“I completely forgot, Mulder I’m sorry.” She exhaled, their silly gag of a tradition had turned into something much more meaningful as the years had passed. October 15th, they had returned from their first case on the road, the only place open being Lenny’s, both agents being famished had set up camp inside, scarfing down their burgers and caffeinated beverages before returning to J. Edgar Hoover for more late nights.

Over the years it had remained a night that they kept, laced with more and more intimacy given the circumstance.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned almost immediately; and Scully joins him in a dance, working up to her news.

Singing_Violin’s Sculleus and Muldeurydice 

Mulder was dying; Mulder might already be dead. She had already grieved for him, but new hope had cruelly been handed to her by a known enemy. However, if he was inside, Mulder needed her.

Post Requiem: CSM picks up Scully, drives her to an imprisoned Mulder, and warns her not to touch him as they escape. 

Cathey Scully‘s Hidden Truths

The last thing she'd expected when she'd heard of Mulder's abduction was to be holding a gun on him.  Mulder.  Her Mulder, standing there in front of her, absolutely soaked to the skin, and she was holding a gun on him.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned to Scully’s apartment. 

Kemystre’s Frisson 

He stepped away from the plane and his knees were shaking.  

Closing his eyes, he pulled in a sharp breath.  The cold February air 

burned within his lungs and he almost smiled.

Fox Mulder was home.  Finally, at last, he was home.

Post Requiem: Mulder is returned, and runs home, happy. 

Cici’s Somebody's Child 

"But I don't think you're hearing what I'm saying, Mulder. There are men besides me who will stop at nothing to get their hands on this baby and the genetic code that it contains. They will not hesitate to take Agent Scully's life if it means obtaining their goal. But these men don't want to save the world, Mulder. They only want to turn this baby over to the aliens to save their own skin and that of their families."

Post Requiem: Mulder returns, with Krycek’s help, without realizing he’s playing into Krycek’s ulterior motive. 

Spooky2u2’s Only Death Would Stop Me 

The sound of Scully's crying drifted through Mulder's apartment.  The man in the other room moved. If anyone had been watching they most likely would have missed it. It was miniscule, but it was there.  His head tilted ever so slightly to the left as though listening for a sound he wasn't sure he'd heard.  If anyone had been watching they would have seen a dull flicker of life in this man as some part of him that had held to what was left of his soul  pulled him toward that sound.  

Post Requiem: The Alien Bounty Hunter returns a broken, unresponsive Mulder… who breaks out of his trance long enough to ferociously protect Scully, if needed. 

Agent L’s (mulderscreek) 

Out of the Woods 

"Fox."

No one called him Fox. At least no one that he knew anymore. He ignored the gentle voice and drifted back toward oblivion.

"Fox. You must listen to me."

Post Requiem: Melissa talks to Mulder in his hour of need. 

Misinformed

But at least I was able to protect you from this. 

Maybe now that they have me, you'll be safe.

"Safe, Mr. Mulder? No one is safe."

Post Requiem: The Consortium toy with Mulder’s brain module during repeated experiments before brainwashing and dumping him back home. 

No Place Like Home

He hadn't thought about people being worried, searching for him. Was there someone he should call? A friend or relative? His memory remained stubbornly blank when he tried to recall a familiar face or name.

His wallet was on the nightstand and he leafed through it, but couldn't find any names or phone numbers other than his own. The photo of the young girl struck a chord this time, however -- half-remembered laughter, teasing. Childhood. But there was sadness here as well...a deep longing that tugged at something deep within him, filled him with an unaccountable sense of loss.

Post Requiem: Mulder is dumped, amnesic, six months later; and has to use spotty instincts to somehow trek the long way home. 

A Man Walks Into a Bar (mulderscreek) and Pilgrimage (mulderscreek) 

Mulder's knees buckled and he started to sink to the pavement. Instinctively Doggett grabbed for him, to save him from falling. Mulder sagged against him for a moment, then Doggett felt something press against his ribs.

His own gun.

A rookie mistake.

Post Requiem: Doggett finds Mulder. Neither man trusts the other; but, despite a few fundamental differences, Doggett still drives him back to Scully’s apartment.  

Beyond This Experience series (01, 02, 03) 

"Where's Mulder? I expected to see him here."

She was silent for so long that he turned back to her, alarmed. Mulder had been in bad shape, but even Scully, as a doctor, hadn't seemed to think anything was drastically wrong. If Skinner had endangered his life by bringing him back, he'd never forgive himself. 

Scully met his eyes, her own brimming with tears, and bit her lower lip. "I - He's - He left."

Post Requiem: Skinner finds Mulder and brings home home; then goes the extra mile to support him through a PTSD moment and talk him out of his fears. 

Thursday's Child

He didn't expect to find Mulder awake, but he did expect to find Mulder in bed. John came through the door to find both the patient and the IV stand gone. 

He'd been ditched.

Post Requiem: Doggett tries to be a good dude by driving Scully to the hospital when she goes into labor, and intercepting (then aid and abet) Mulder’s unhinged antics to be by her side. 

Scullysfan‘s The Discipline of Blessings 

But she was tired of playing by someone else's rules. Maybe it all came down to that.

Tilting her head back, Scully smiled softly into those sad eyes she knew so well, and then she faced Skinner again. "Mulder and I need to discuss this. Alone."

Post Requiem: Scully’s baby heals her after she is accidentally shot; and, realizing their child will never be safe no matter where they run, she convinces Mulder to stand their ground and not go into hiding after his return. 

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[red2007]

I moved my living room around yesterday which highlighted 2 of my bare walls. I've made some awesome book covers, and I love words. So I spent some time today making these. I'm gonna print them on vintage paper, 2 are 11x11 and will surround my XF Frome, the others are 8x8 and will be squares on the other wall.

I'm so fucking excited.

[pookie-mulder]

what’s Kamala Harris’s plan to help girls who want to lay in bed and read fanfiction all day but have to go to work instead huh

[calimanc]

Fics I read on the plane

Whiteout by EvanBlack

Some very sweet bits, survival/hurt/comfort, smutty smut and Skinner making himself lol. Also it's a plane crash which I didn't realise was probably psychotic of me to read on a plane until about 3 hours after I'd finished it.

While you were sleeping by Sammie1million

Lovely. Vignettes over the years of him watching her sleep.

Finding Rokovoko by Prufrockslove

Reread of a classic. The first time I read it I genuinely didn't know what to expect and it scared the crap out of me. This time I was able to focus more on the MSR in all it's thorniness and tenderness.

The Prelude Series by Helen Willis (plus part vi)

Interesting AU where Scully is the agent on the X Files and Mulder is no longer with the bureau for complicated personal reasons. Haven't finished this one yet.

Land of Endless Sky by nowwhateinstein

Oregon Trail AU. Mulder leaves the army on moral grounds and Scully is heading west with her family hoping to work as a doctor. Things go wrong and they end up together.

Since We Fell Apart by RynThorn

This is set around Arcadia, post One Son angst. There's some untagged Scully/other.

Rule No. 1 by Brynstein

Phone sex smut, definitely glad I had a privacy screen for this one.

Temporarum VI by Emily_M1013

Third installment of an AU series in which Emily lives and Mulder and Scully’s lives change. This one only has two chapters so far but I really liked the second installment and I hope she updates soon.

No more travel planned for the moment!

[renard42]

So I'm re-reading "Dr. Scully's School..." after many, many years and :

1. It's so very good and immersive...but it hurts. Still worth it.

2. Now that I've heard the rumor that DD is Prufrock's Love... I have to say, it seems within the realm of possibility 😬. I mean, I doubt it, but.... have to admit some of these prose and the writing style seem very similar to his style.

Anyway, go read it...regardless of who authored it.

[audiofanficpod]

AFP S3E04: Top 3 Lone Gunmen Fic!

Join @anniexami @msrtheatre0223 @red2007 as they chat about fics featuring our favorite rag-tag bunch of side kicks. Listen to the episode and share any we missed below.

march 18, 2000 by @softnow

The Lonely Gunmen: Frohike by @viceversawrites

The Man Without A Trace by @syntax6

Den of Iniquity by @frangipanidownunder

Visiting the Uncles by CobraGirl

The Seaweed is Always Greener by theo_rathke

The Haunting by Skinfull

Chance to Say Goodbye by @thexwoman-fanfic

Bumpy Ride by @gaycrouton

South of The Lake by Scarlet

Where the Boys Are by ML

Lost in the Stars by ML

Pair Of Aces/Double Or Nothing by @aloysiavirgata

Waiting to Hold You by ThePreciousHeart

Before Their Eyes by DSc1110

What Happens in Vegas by @malibusunset-xf-blog - Audio

Dryad by @aloysiavirgata

Chickadee by Living_Underground - Audio

Spying by @gillianandersob

A Moment in the Sun by prufrockslove

Heuvelmans’ On the Track by @mashnotesofthemythopoeic - Audio

[asifyoudidntknow]

Her pencil continued its scratchy journey across a yellow expanse. “Would you like me to stop trying to derive some secret meaning from a random prime number in order to discuss the cognitive dissonance involved in me going to bed with a sexually adventurous stranger who’s obviously made my carnal satisfaction his end game for a decade?”

Belphegor’s Prime by prufrockslove

[slippinmickeys]

I just reread Belphegor’s Prime by prufrockslove and FUCK it’s so good. Have you read it? Any idea when it was written? I’ve seen dates ranging from 2013 to 2018.

Prufrock is an incredible writer, but I find her interpretations of Scully often miss the mark.

Belphegor’s Prime, however? Ticked all of my boxes and more. I believe it was written somewhere in the middle of my 15 year hiatus from the fandom, and as such, I don’t have a clue!!

Does anyone have a date for this one?? Help a blog out!

[randomfoggytiger]

Which of prufrockslove's fics is yours?

Belphegor's Prime -- the "intelligent beyond repair, and YET" fic

Hiraeth -- the "isolationist love story that ends happily anyway" fic

Paracelsus -- the "Civil War with crumbling emotional stability" fic

Finding Rokovoko -- the "Death is playing a cat and mouse game" fic

Malebolge -- the "disaster horror cave-in" fic

War Stories & Maple Hair -- the "let's bond before the war" short fic

Alienated -- the "OP is a celebrity now" crack fic

Personally, my coat is dyed in the colors of Hiraeth's remote, movingly tender love story... but only the parts I skim read.

Curious about everyone's answer-- consider yourself tagged.

[randomfoggytiger]

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!

[pookie-mulder]

My Holy Grail Fics

After the past several months of reading TXF fic, here are some of my ultimate faves so far! I’d love to know what your holy grail fics are, as well. This fandom is full of incredibly talented writers!

(Also, if have any recommendations of fics you think I’d like, send them my way!)

The Boy on the Beach by @cecilysass

I read this entire thing yesterday. Ooh boy was it a page-turner! Time travel in fiction can get dicey, but this one handles it so well. I love how the time travel plot forced M&S to confront themselves and their pasts in order to better understand each other and move forward in their relationship.

Gaslight by @sisterspooky1013

This one should come as no surprise to you. It’s rare that a fic consumes my every waking thought and I spend every free second reading as much as possible, and boy, this fic delivered. I’m such a sucker for stories like this one where the character(s) don’t know if they can trust their own minds and have to really dig deep inside themselves to find the truth.

Pause by @cecilysass

Similar concept to Gaslight as far as the amnesia goes, but totally different vibes! I love the dramatic irony of the reader putting together the pieces before Scully does. It’s agonizing in the best way!

Fall Into Place series by @skelavender

My favorite WIP fic! I look forward to reading the newest installment every Friday. I adore the slowburn, UST, teetering-on-the-edge-of-something-more MSR, and LT is the master of it! This series is filled with heart-squeezy moments that make me feel like I’m melting into a puddle of goo.

X-File #02291996 by @skelavender and @7crowsinadress

Time loop my beloved! Such an interesting (and 🔥🔥🔥) take on this trope. I can’t wait to see where it goes!

Arizona Highways by Fialka

I’m always down for an Emily AU, and this one has such a compelling, angsty twist and an air of mystery that forced me to keep reading late into the night!

Tempest by MissyPennington

I love a good survival story! There’s something so delicious about two people leaning on each other both physically and emotionally to keep going. The follow-ups are incredible, too!

All That Is Dark and Bright by @malibusunset-xf-blog

Amazing Emily AU! Dad!Mulder is my weakness. Plus, I love the way they figured out how to treat her illness. It really felt like something that would happen in canon.

I’ve Got You Under My Skin by cuits

Beautiful soulmate AU! Only M&S could have literal, undeniable proof they’re soulmates and still overthink their relationship to a ridiculous level. And I ate it up! Give me the angst! The drama! The tension!

Emily AU by skuls

Last Emily AU, I swear! This series melts your heart in the first installment, crushes it to pieces in the second one, and then makes everything better in the finale.

Update 7/16/24

Here’s some more!

Blinded by White Light by @dashakay

Omens by lepusarticus

Heuvelmans’ On the Track by The_Mythopoedic

Finding Rokovoko by prufrockslove

Belphegor’s Prime by prufrockslove

[pookie-mulder]

July 2024 fic roundup

Here are the highlights from this month! I really love doing these. It helps me be more engaged with what I’m reading and actually remember individual fics once I’m done with them (rather than stuffing them in the collective “fic soup” in my brain, where they’ll combine together until there’s no hope of remembering details). Anyway, I highly recommend doing some sort of fic journal! I’d love to know what you guys are reading.

🦆👧 Temporum VI by Emily_M1013

This is the third installment of a wonderful Emily AU, The Mallards series. I love how it puts its own spin on canon events, and I’m delighted every time I see an update in my inbox!

🤫🪪 Snakebitten by @onpaperfirst

My favorite thing about this fic is the way it adds to canon without rehashing what we’ve already seen in the show, building on season 5 so seamlessly. (The motel scene is 👌)

👰‍♀️🤵‍♂️yesterday’s future by @thursdayinspace

This fic answers the question I posed in this post: What if Mulder and Scully got married right after William was born? I loved it so much! The angst and the longing and the overwhelming love were just perfect.

👓😩 spectacular by @thursdayinspace

Scully has a thing for Mulder in glasses. Mulder has a think for Scully in glasses. They bang about it. (And who can blame them, really?)

🌳☕️ Suncadia by @sisterspooky1013

A banger from the great sisterspooky! It’s a casefic set in the weird post-Millennium era where they kiss sometimes but haven’t established the terms of their relationship yet. Pining and yearning abound!

🏥👰‍♀️ Something blue (and something pink) by @sunflowernyx

Mulder and Scully get married during the cancer arc. It’s sweet, angsty, adorable, and tender. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

🐶🪤 A Change of Seasons by Jo-Ann Lassiter

Still making my way through @lilydalexf’s survival fic recs! This one is a one-shot; perfect for when you want a bit of hurt/comfort without all the peril and drama.

🌨️🌲 Frozen by @dashakay

Classic, cozy, cabin-in-the-woods fic where our two favorite agents get snowed in and finally admit their feelings for each other.

🏥👻 Finding Rokovoko by prufrockslove

An instant addition to my holy grail list! This is the first fic I’ve read by this legendary author (I think?), and BOY HOWDY do I see why they’re so revered. I finished this fic in one sitting, reading late into the night (yes, I was very tired at work the next day).

I think it’s best if you go into this one mostly blind. All you need to know is that MSR are teetering on the knife’s edge between UST and RST, there’s plenty of cancer arc angst, and they go on a spooky adventure that will give you the creepy crawlies.

📝📱 Belphegor’s Prime by prufrockslove

Another absolute banger from the legend themselves. This fic is as close to perfection as humanly possible. The way everything comes together is just incredible. If you haven’t read it yet, do it now! Shirk all other responsibilities and devour this fic in one sitting!

One of my favorite things about this fic is how ruthless Mulder is. I don’t think I’ve encountered a version of him quite like this anywhere else. His intense love for his family and his innate sense of duty are intensified to the point where he skirts the boundaries of what’s morally acceptable. He’s so desperate to protect his loved ones and fix the world that he will do anything, even if he risks becoming his father(s). It felt so organic and natural for him to become that version of himself under the extreme circumstances.

Anyway, if you’re a fan of time travel, DILFs, or characters whose greatest strengths become a curse, this is the perfect fic for you!

🎪🎡 More Than a Feeling by @sisterspooky1013

A s6 casefic where M&S go undercover at a traveling carnival. I love how fleshed-out the OCs were — it really raised the stakes of the story and made you care what happened to them. Such a fun read!

🐞🩺 Inspection by @ingridgradient

Our favorite agents use tick checks as an excuse to touch each other. Need I say more? Things get hot! (Thanks for the rec, @is-on-its-way!)

P.S. If you like this one, check out let’s have a look by girlfromnowhere (thanks for finding it for me, @randomfoggytiger!)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿✝️ Hiraeth by prufrockslove

This is one of those fics that leaves you gobsmacked that someone wrote this for free and posted it online for anyone to enjoy. The amount of detail in this story is truly unbelievable. I don’t even normally like total AUs, but this one won me over!

Mulder and Scully’s medieval counterparts are so far removed from anything in canon, yet they still feel exactly like the characters we know and love. This fic is an absolute master class in characterization. I am now a prufrockslove stan account.

———

Special shoutout to @skelavender’s latest installment of fall into place, which isn’t out yet but I had the pleasure of beta reading. Guys, you are in for some serious shrimp emotions. It’s got everything you could ever want. I can’t wait until everyone gets to see how awesome it is!

[randomfoggytiger]

Do you have a list of comfort fics? Not them comforting each other but for when you're feeling wrecked and you just need something lovely to make it better?

randomfoggytiger's Comfort Fics

I'm not joking: I've reread more fics than I'll ever read new ones. My usual routine is to pop open Google docs, select an author, and mow down their list.

These three pieces were the ones that started it all; but I forgot to include @seek-its-opposite's photosensitivity. A+s, all of 'em.

Authors that I can't single out comfort fics from and can't tag because Tumblr is restricting my tag options: @baronessblixen, @settle-down-frohike, @onpaperfirst, @markwatneyandenesemble, Lapsed_Scholar, Apostrophic, @ghostbustermelanieking, @o6666666, touchstoneaf, @welsharcher, @scenes-in-between, @mldrgrl, @spooky-nerd, @melforbes, etc.

**Note**: Will ghost edit later~

PART I

Bittersweet Comfort Fics

misslucyjane's Scully seeks insomnia advice from Mulder, and Mulder dies, then lovingly watches Scully live the rest of her life

Kipler's cancer arc set casefile involving WWII vets and letters

melforbes's cancer arc Mulder takes his new bride to the sea for her last spring, and Pre-IWTB Mulder and Scully finally have a home

MldrItsMe's AU Redux II Scully is REALLY suffering, and Sein und Zeit Mulder's suicidal confessions

@discordantwords's Mulder and Scully are almost killed by the Fiji mermaid

mixiz877's Mulder and Scully fight off a gryphon

@fbismostunwanted1158's Scully is beaten down ala Stella Gibson in The Fall

Joyce's S5 AU Mulder is killed, comes back to life to save Scully, and Mulder dies but stays as Scully's partner solving cases with her (Part 1, Part 2, and-- my favorite of the three-- its Halloween sequel)

@teethnbone's post Travelers fic with Mulder and Scully

@sarie-fairy's AU Tithonus love confession, Post Milagro Scully realizing what it feels like to be Mulder, and Post The Unnatural Scully is bleeding out on a failed Sasquatch hunt

@sigritandtheelves's Post Monday Scully remembers Mulder's death

whatliesabove's Post Milagro Scully stays dead (or does she?)

ChaneenW's Pre-IVF arc Mulder is shot into a parallel timeline, reliving the Small Potatoes adventure with Scully

dee_ayy's post Amor Fati recovery fic (with baseball)

@bohoartist's Sein und Zeit through Scully's eyes, and Post Closure Scully rescues a photo of baby Mulder

Lolabeegood's AU where S8 Mulder is returned with false memories (would also recommend Lolabee's IWTB era fics, btw.)

@dreamingofscully's AU S9 Skinner entices Mulder back into profiling... and it doesn't end well

@television-overload's Pre-IWTB Mulder surprises Scully with a baseball field (and his old self again)

@queeenpersephone's AU where IWTB Scully stuck it out with Mulder

@danascullysjournal's Post IWTB bonding fic between a discouraged Mulder and uplifting Scully

@kateyes224's Mulder and Scully content in their UH, and Mulder sells the UH, and Scully buys it

@realmofextremepossibility's Breakup Mulder waiting for Scully's return Part I and Part II.

vulcanscully's Post Breakup Scully stops hearing from Mulder and assumes the worst

enigmaticdr's AU post IWTB Scully thinks she has cancer again (she's pregnant), Breakup Mulder is defeated at their anniversary dinner, AU where Revival Scully gets cancer, and The Revival baby laughs for the first time

prufrockslove's AU Mulder is a Welsh prince, Scully is his betrothed bride, and lots of Prince John high court drama ensues (part I of a sweeping, interconnecting AU series)

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[pookie-mulder]

August 2024 fic roundup

This was truly the month of the longfic. And to think I only read short fics until @skelavender showed me the error of my ways!

📰🖋️ Paracelsus by prufrockslove

One of the biggest txf fics ever, and I absolutely devoured it. I loved reading it right after Hiraeth and seeing all the little nods to their past lives. This author knows how to spin a yarn, guys. My one complaint is the never-ending miscommunications towards the end, which is never my favorite source of drama/conflict. Just talk to each other, you idiots! (Although they have those moments in canon, as well, I suppose.)

⚾️🏟️ A Moment in the Sun by prufrockslove

I will remember this fic for the rest of my life. It’s the type of fanfic you want to write fanfic about. It makes me wish I knew now to print and bind my own books. The universe is so rich and developed. Definitely in my top 5 of all time!

Here’s a list of things I love about it:

William. My precious, bratty British boy.

The way the plot includes elements of the mytharc but put together in a different way so you don’t know exactly how it’s all gonna come together

Emily!! You know I love a good Emily AU, and this fic certainly counts. I’m a sucker for a found family, and this fic delivers.

Josh Exley my beloved (and Arthur Dales, but the other one)

Dad!Mulder. The man is an absolute DILF. He tries so hard to overcome his shortcomings and be the father his kids need.

Frohike. His job as an eccentric baseball manager suits him surprisingly well, and his characterization is on point.

The little nods to canon, including episode titles and locations.

The insinuation that all of PFL’s AUs take place in the same universe (as Mulder said, “It has to take more than one lifetime to learn to love someone this much.”)

The only thing I’m not zazzed about is the ending. It kind of just…ends? I would’ve loved an epilogue or even a sequel (or a 12-book series).

🏫📸 Dr. Scully’s School for Exceptional Boys by prufrockslove

Oh boy. This fic is a tangled mess of emotions and betrayal and shame and guilt and love and promises and sacrifices and, most of all:

Definitely recommend.

👒👩‍🔬 The Regency Files by @slippinmickeys

I needed something that needed less mental energy after 4 massive PFL fics in a row, and this one delivered! It’s sweet, romantic, elegant, and has just enough of a plot to keep you interested. If you’re a fan of historical AUs (as I am now, I guess), this one’s a must-read!

🛌🍷 The Reunion by @muldersfingers

Absolute trope-y goodness without feeling too cheesy or predictable. My favorite part is how much they laugh and tease each other when they finally make use of that one bed ;)

🐶🥇 underdog takes the title by @wtfmulder

MSR’s first time is sweet, silly, and giggly. Mulder is absolutely pathetic and pitiable, which Scully finds hot (same, girl). It absolutely melted my heart!

👶👨‍🍼 the bitter and the sweet by @xf-cases-solved

What if baby William was a girl? What if they named her after Samantha?

Absolute perfection. This is how season 8 should have ended!

🏔️🌲 The Mountain Man and A Deadly Hunger by aka_Jake

This historical AU takes place in the same time period as Paracelsus, but it’s so vastly different in its setting that it’s unfair to compare them. In this one, Mulder is a Montana mountain man who smuggles arms to the Native Americans, and Scully hopes to become an army doctor in a nearby frontier town. It’s a classic Wild West romance with plenty of drama and conflict. I love how each of the characters feel like themselves, especially Scully, who retains her headstrong independence despite social norms.

🔙🥩 The Mastodon Diaries by aka_Jake

Mulder and Scully travel back in time to the Pleistocene era and must rely on their wits and each other to survive.

This is one of those fics that changes you as a person. I will be thinking about it for a long, long time. It broke my heart a thousand times and then lovingly stitched it back together. There were so many moments that took my breath away.

The portrayal of prehistoric humans is especially incredible — they’re so well-thought out, and their culture is so rich and developed. Even though 12,000 years separates us, we’re not so different from each other in the end. I absolutely fell in love with the native OCs, which is a compliment of the highest order. I already miss them!

Anyway, it’s like this fic was created in a lab specifically for me. It has all my favorite tropes and story elements: wilderness survival, historical AU(ish), soooo much whump and caretaking and hurt/comfort, found families, Dad!Mulder, and a surprising amount of romance. If you haven’t read this one yet, I’m begging you to give it a try!

🇦🇶❄️ On the Verge by aka_Jake

This fic fits into one of my favorite canon holes: How did Mulder and Scully get back from Antarctica? I love reading everyone’s different takes on this missing scene/plotline, and this one is no exception!

[red2007]

Hello authors I love, you're now on my wall and I'm even more obsessed. It turned out amazing.

Heuvelmans' On the Track and Parabiosis by @mashnotesofthemythopoeic

Monsters and Hell of a View by @rahleeyah

North of Zero by @slippinmickeys

Omens by @lepus-arcticus

Petrichor by @aloysiavirgata

Ropes by @lyricara

Belphegor's Prime and A Moment in the Sun by prufrockslove

[randomfoggytiger]

Ask game! 24, 30, 34!

Yay, more questions! >:DD

24. Best multichapter fic I've read?

I've already mentioned my bestsellers in a previous ask, but there are many. These fics happened to be part of my early reading collective; and, thus, they've stuck to my memory like flypaper.

Yes, they are all famfics. It's not my fault.

Sukie Tawdry's Way Things Are, The (1/2)/Way Things Are, The (2/2): a Season 1 AU.

LuvtheBeez's

Snow,: a married (Season 5?) AU.

Equanimity: a post Requiem AU.

Karen Rasch's By the Wind Grieved: a S8 AU.

And lastly, prufrockslove's best fic is Hiraeth. >:DDD

30. Have I ever read a fic for a fandom I'm not in?

Yes-- Acquainted with the Night, a Beauty and the Beast (1987) fanfic written by Nan Dibble. The quality was so exceptional I became invested in the World Below within paragraphs (then watched the series, then read more and more and more.)

Highly recommend even if you've (like me at the time) not seen a second of the show.

34. Least favorite fanfiction site?

FFN. They won't let me copy-paste, so I either have to take screenshots and transcribe or I have to make a new tab and transcribe.