Collage by Marina
Updated August 12, 2002
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4:34 a.m. (2k) -- Susan
Frankovich
Category: VR | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: none
Summary: She is there sleeping beside
him, just as he had always hoped she'd be.
Lara's Rec: A moment in the night,
as two people take comfort in the mere presence of each other. This brief
glimpse is sensual and romantic, beautiful in its simplicity -- in other words,
just the kind of thing Susan does best.
Abstract Insight
(26k) -- JLB
Category: V, MSR | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: All Things
Summary: Mulder is frustrated, Scully is
worried, and no one's really talking.
Lara's Rec: Remember that line of
Mulder's near the beginning of "Biogenesis," where Scully asks him
what else he hopes to find? "Closure" was supposed to give him
that -- but imagine what the work would be like for him afterwards. We got
a hint of that feeling in subtext during the rest of the 7th season, but JLB has
taken it a step further, looking at everything through the filter of newly
acknowledged emotions and burgeoning intimacy. Incredible visuals enhance
this lovely vignette.
An Acceptable Level of Happiness (144k) --
Jenna
Tooms
Category: MSR, Holidayfic, Babyfic,
Improv, humor, angst, sex | Rating: NC-17
| Spoilers: 8th season
Summary: Christmas is the most stressful
time of the year. Fortunately Scully has Mulder, and Mulder has solutions.
Lara's Rec: No simple Holidayfic,
this. Jenna has crafted a beautiful, elegant story about love and life and
family that goes so far beyond any expectations for a mere Christmas
story. Most of what actually happened in the 8th season doesn't happen
here (the baby has a different name, too), but this is the "Mulder
returns" story I would've liked to have seen -- where both Mulder and
Scully struggle to find their balance again, where the scars, emotional and
physical, don't just fade away.
Across the Rubicon
(28k) -- Anne Haynes
Category: SR | Rating:
PG-13 for language and adult situations | Spoilers:
All Things
Summary: Once you cross the line, where
do you go from there?
Lara's Rec: Okay, so I'm
coming in late to this whole fanfic thing -- I've never read Anne's "12
Rites" series, or her "Sonnets" series, or. . . any of her
series. This story, however, made me a confirmed and dedicated fan.
Anne explores the aftermath of Mulder & Scully's first time, with a
different take on how they might handle their developing relationship on the
job.
Across the Void (19k)
-- Zuffy
Category: MSR, angst | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: Scully finds a surprise at
Mulder's apartment.
Lara's Rec: After a disturbing
encounter with Mulder's landlady, Scully gets introspective, then discovers
something wonderful about him. This touching story is quietly delightful
-- no excessive angst, no sappy romance -- just in-character vacillating
between joy and doubt and uncertainty. Zuffy's original character is fun,
and the cameo appearance by the Gunmen is perfect in their intense sort of way.
Adjustment (20k) -- JLB
Category: MSR | Rating:
PG-13 (some implied sex, nothing too graphic) | Spoilers:
6th season
Summary: Mulder and Scully need some
time. . .
Lara's Rec: Just because two people
are best friends, that doesn't mean they can just fall into a romantic
relationship. That's JLB's premise in this beautifully told story about
adjusting to the changes resulting from our choices in life. The
hesitance, the fear of appearing too eager, too possessive, too much of what
you're feeling -- all that combines with the love that lurks just below the
surface to make me believe that, while it may take a little time, Mulder &
Scully are gonna be okay.
After (79k) -- MystPhile
Category: X, MSR, SA, S/O |
Rating: NC-17 |
Spoilers: Never Again
Summary: The relationship is at its
lowest ebb. Can it be saved while working on a case in Philadelphia?
Lara's Rec: Most MSR fics take the
view that love conquers all -- for Mulder & Scully, anyway. Not that
there's anything wrong with that (heck, I've written stuff like that), but in
this story, MystPhile takes a different approach. Set just after they've ended
a romantic relationship, Mulder & Scully find themselves in Philadelphia
dealing with a case involving one of their hot-buttons -- religion. Throw
in a nice, attractive detective and you have the makings of an emotional
explosion. Beautiful character exploration here.
Afterimages (19k) -- Ravenscion
Category: V, A, UST | Rating:
R (language, disturbing images) | Spoilers: The
Pine Bluff Variant
Summary: Aftermath of Mulder's traumatic
experience w/ the New Spartans.
Lara's Rec: I stumbled across this
story in a recent Gossamer update, and was just blown away. I'd been
thinking about writing a post-ep for "The Pine Bluff Variant" (one of
my favorite episodes) dealing with just this sort of thing -- what Mulder went
through after that last scene at the bank -- but now I don't have to.
Ravenscion says everything I would've said, and with a rare and powerful sense
of emotion.
Aftermath
Spent in Solitude (10k) -- David Hearne
Category: post-ep | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: Paper Clip
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: The "Anasazi"/"Blessing Way"/"Paper
Clip" trilogy was, in my mind, a turning point for the series. The
characters and their relationships with one another were altered by the events
of these episodes, and in David's story, they recognize this. David shows
us several points of view, from the Well Manicured Man to Albert Hosteen and
everyone in between. And what makes this story shine is the skill with
which he moves from one POV to the next -- it's flawless.
After William (1k) -- Kel
Category: Angst | Rating:
not rated | Spoilers: William
Summary: Everyone has a breaking point.
Lara's Rec: Short but razor-edged, this
brief moment in Scully's life after "William" is powerful in its
brevity. The last line is especially sharp.
Agnus
Dei (external link) -- Livia
Balaban
Category: VA, AU, DAL | Rating:
G | Spoilers: The Sixth Extinction
Summary: "History has a predictably awful
way of repeating itself."
Lara's Rec: Livia put a special warning on this
one -- "If you're very sensitive to religious 'interpretation,' I suggest
you simply hit 'delete.'" Take this to heart. While I loved
this very alternative way of looking at Mulder & Scully's relationship, I
can see where some might not. As for me, the story gives me chills every
time I read it.
All of These are
Nothing (24k) -- Luperkal
Category: not listed | Rating:
It's violent. In a "my, that's odd" sort of way | Spoilers:
Without
Summary: "Each thing hostile / To
every other thing. . . ."
Lara's Rec: Suspenseful and dark,
told in a disjointed style that works beautifully. Luperkal's Scully
is completely in character, her actions totally understandable. The world
in this story is chaotic, and yes, it's violent -- it's also very angsty and
almost unbearably sad. Incredible imagery here.
all the way home
(12k) -- Vickie Moseley
Category: SkA | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: DeadAlive
Summary: Skinner doesn't understand how
Scully can be so calm.
Lara's Rec: Like Vickie, I didn't
quite get Scully's calm during the trauma of the fourth act of
"DeadAlive." Vickie's explanation -- that she's somewhat
confident that what she's doing will work -- makes sense, especially in light of
her prior experience with something like this. Yes, Vickie remembers that
Mulder's been exposed to a retrovirus in the past, and Scully successfully
treated him! She also addresses the question of decomposition, another
thing I'd wondered about in the episode. An added bonus -- Vickie's
unerring Skinner voice. My favorite line? "And here I always
thought 'sir' was a term of respect for authority, not a death threat.
Stupid me."
Alunakanula (25k) -- Dasha
K
Category: SRA | Rating:
NC-17 for adult themes | Spoilers:
Requiem
Summary: The moon has vanished.
Lara's Rec: A beautiful, lyrical exploration of
Scully's thoughts and feelings immediately after the events of
"Requiem" as she seeks refuge in her mother's back yard. Her
memories of a weekend with Mulder are described quite vividly, and her moments with him and the baby at the end are exquisitely
tender.
Always
Through the Changing (external link) -- Marguerite
Category: post-ep (duh) |
Rating: PG-13 (language, adult themes) | Spoilers:
DeadAlive
Summary: Post-Traumatic stress from four
points of view.
Lara's Rec: Gotta love it when a show
leaves us with so many unanswered questions -- great fanfic can result.
This story is the perfect bridge between "DeadAlive" and "Three
Words," not only giving us the explanation for Mulder's behavior in the
latter episode that we were denied, but his reactions to learning about what
happened during his absence that led to it. Marguerite also shows us those
moments through Scully's, Skinner's and Doggett's eyes, along with some
beautiful conversation between them. The shifting POV is seamless,
shifting from one person to the next without a single misstep.
Anahata (8k) -- T
Bishop
Category: MSR/SA | Rating:
Barely R | Spoilers: This is Not Happening
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: The scenario Teresa lays
out here is perfect -- I won't spoil the story for you, but suffice it to say
that the events of many episodes late in the 7th season and early in the 8th are
beautifully explored and explained here. The depth of Scully's anguish is
palpable and heartbreaking.
And the Other (30k) -- Karen
Category: Reyes. Doggett.
| Rating: PG-13 | Spoilers:
Empedocles
Summary: This is wrong. It
was wrong right from the start. It will always be wrong, no matter what
you feel for me, no matter how I feel about you, no matter how tired we are. .
.
Lara's Rec: This story resonates for
me on a completely personal level, one that I won't go into. But beyond
that, Karen demonstrates an amazing grasp of these two characters. She
gives us some much needed backstory for their relationship, and especially for
Reyes, creating a real person from the glimpses we've been given.
Incredible writing here -- powerful, emotional, painful.
Anno Domini (17k) -- frogdoggie
Category: VA | Rating:
R, for language only | Spoilers: Millennium
Summary: Skinnerfic. LGM fic.
Implied MSR. The Millennium approaches. Happy New Year? Read
on and find out.
Lara's Rec: frogdoggie writes the best Skinner
around, because his affection for the Big Guy is evident. Here he explores
the uneasy alliance between Mulder & Scully's friends -- a look at what
Skinner and the Gunmen might've been doing while Mulder & Scully saved the
world.
Another Chance (17k)
-- Leslie Sholly
Category: VRA | Rating:
R (language) | Spoilers: Trevor
Summary: Pinker Rawls is no longer a
threat. Why can't Mulder move on?
Lara's Rec: While "Trevor"
contains one of my favorite dialogue exchanges ("Spontaneous human
combustion." "Scully. . . !"), I never really felt it was
an episode crying out for post-ep fic -- until I read this story. Leslie
picked up on something completely unexplored -- Mulder's connection to Pinker --
and explored it in a beautifully sensitive way, leading to a touching final
moment. This is a sweet, sad story.
Another Day
(external link) -- Frohike
Category: not classified
| Rating: PG | Spoilers:
Existence
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: A sweet, gentle, loving story
about moving on. Frohike's use of dialogue and visuals is lovely.
That's really all I want to say about this story, because to say more would
spoil the experience of reading it.
Another Lunch at
Will's (19k) -- Maggie McCain
Category: V, H (sorta-kinda), M/S UST
| Rating: PG | Spoilers: none
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: Maggie has a gift, an ability to
create a vivid image with words. My favorite line? "The Ditch
King and the Queen of Denial, ruling the kingdom of emotional repression from
their palace of the paranormal." A bonus from Maggie is that her
Mulder & Scully always reveal a little more of themselves to the reader than
I think they intend to.
Apathy
(external link) -- Flynn
Category: SAR | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: Mulder's back, but he's not the
same. Will anything ever be again?
Lara's Rec: Many post-"Requiem"
fics assume Mulder can come back from wherever he is essentially unchanged,
unaffected by his experience. Flynn doesn't assume that, taking him
through a lonely, quiet journey back to himself. Told from Scully's POV,
this story eloquently expresses her longing and sadness as her friend and
partner struggles to cope with what happened to him. Lovely. (This
story is followed by three sequels, all of which are archived here:
"Ritual," "Ritual II: Another Perspective," and
"Eavesdropping.")
Ardent Hope (11k) -- ArtemisX5
Category: SR, MSR, H, some A
| Rating: R for language and sexual content
| Spoilers: Trust No 1
Summary: Scully: not as innocent as
advertised.
Lara's Rec: Snippets of season 7 events
help put a timeline to the "Per Manum" flashbacks in this funny, sweet
tale. Artemis' Scully is as driven as we've come to expect, but she has a
devious side we haven't seen before, which gives her a nice depth. She
isn't just wishing for a baby -- she's determined to have one, no matter
what. And her hope for the future isn't perfect, which is a nice touch
too.
Ashes and Oatmeal
(9k) -- Maggie McCain
Category: VA | Rating:
G | Spoilers: Closure
Summary: Stolen memories, pretty lies. How
do you hold on to your identity when everything you know is gone?
Lara's Rec: "Closure" seems to have sparked a new genre of fanfic --
Samantha Speculation. What was Samantha's life like between the ages of
eight and fourteen? Maggie's story is quite plausible, and her Samantha
voice is delicate but strong. Evocative language.
Asylum (22k) -- Marta
Christjansen
Category: Humor, X-over |
Rating: PG-13 | Spoilers:
7th season
Summary: Mulder's dream (well, one of
them) comes true.
Lara's Rec: This delightful little
story made me giggle myself silly. Bob, Marta's original character, is
hysterically funny, and her Mulder & Scully are just enough over-the-top to
make the whole thing fun. The last few lines had me howling.
At
Your Feet, His Emblems Fall (external link) -- M.
Sebasky
Category: Post-ep, Frohike POV,
Angst. Scully, Doggett and Skinner are here, too. | Rating:
R | Spoilers: This is Not Happening
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: There's a lot to do when
someone dies. Arrangements to be made -- caskets, clothes. Emotions
to be dealt with -- loss, guilt. Second-guessing to be done -- wondering
if anything could've been done differently. M.'s amazing story delves into
all of those things, and shows them to us through Frohike's eyes as he handles
everything at Scully's request. The emotional intensity and depth of
character M. has crafted are superb, making this probably my favorite
post-"TINH" story.
Bad Habits (2k) -- Avalon
Category: MSR, 155-word
challenge | Rating: G (What?!?) | Spoilers:
none
Summary: We all have them, don't
we? The title says it all.
Lara's Rec: It's the little things we
notice about the other people in our lives that have the ability to drive us
crazy at the same time they make us smile. Avalon's caught a lot of little
things here, and she describes them with affection and grace. Not quite
enough for a slice of life, this is. . . a wonderful moment.
Becoming Dana (14k) --
Brandon D. Ray
Category: VA | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: En Ami
Summary: "Things are changing,
inside of her and between the two of them. Those changes have been slow
and gradual, almost as imperceptible as the movement of a glacier. They
are also, like that glacier, overwhelming and inexorable, and impossible to
ignore."
Lara's Rec: There's some beautiful
dialogue and narration in this story. Brandon has an unerring Scully
voice, and his Scully soars -- the combination of emotions expressed here is
astounding. Her fear and longing combine with a sense of loss to create a
very satisfying characterization -- and a more plausible explanation for her
actions in the episode than the one we were given.
Before
She Was Mine (external link) -- Livia
Balaban
Category: V | Rating:
G | Spoilers: 7th season
Summary: I am coming, she was telling me.
Follow me, pay attention, and I will come.
Lara's Rec: One of the loveliest, quietest
post-7th season fics I've read. Vivid imagery and gentle memories
highlight this relatively angst-free story. Simply beautiful.
Bend Down and
Whisper (19k) -- Foxie Meg
Category: MSR, V | Rating:
NC-17 or maybe R. I d'know.
| Spoilers: The Pine Bluff Variant
Summary: A story about meeting halfway.
Lara's Rec: I love reading good
challenge-element fic. When a writer can take a haphazard list of elements
and create something wonderful, it really excites me as a reader. Meg's
accomplished that here. Her characterizations are dead-on -- even Frank, a
character who's discussed but never seen. This story is gentle and sexy
and beautifully romantic.
Best Intentions (37k) --
J. S. Michel
Category: Doggettfic, Scully/Doggett
friendship, implied MSR | Rating:
R for language | Spoilers: Existence
Summary: Ten years after
"Existence."
Lara's Rec: Lots of us would like
nothing better than to see Mulder and Scully and William live Happily Ever
After. But this is The X-Files, and nothing in that world is
quite so simple. J. S. Michel gives us a glimpse of a possible future in
which HEA isn't an option right now. Doggett's voice as narrator is strong
here, totally in character, and the author has projected a nicely realized
pre-teen personality for Will, too.
Beyond the Blue
(external link)
-- JHJ Armstrong
Category: Angst. MSM.
Angst!!! Did I mention ANGST? Someone pushed the Big Serious
Button | Rating: PG-13 | Spoiler:
Requiem
Summary: "I do love nothing in the
world so well as you." - Benedick to Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing.
A simple tale of life, loss and love.
Lara's Rec: I love looking at Mulder
& Scully through other characters' eyes -- especially when those other
characters are as well drawn as Dave and Lainey. JHJ has created a world
in which Mulder & Scully and their son Jacob exist on a tangent, with Dave
and his love taking center stage -- at first blush, anyway. Looking
closer, you can see that Dave and Lainey are essentially a reflection of our
characters, a "what if" image in a life where senseless things happen
all the time. A lovely tale.
Black and White Make Red (57k) --
Jenna
Tooms
Category: story, Scully/Doggett
relationship, AU, angst | Rating: NC-17 | Spoilers:
This is Not Happening
Summary: Familiar elements make an
unexpected equation.
Lara's Rec: Trust me when I say that
there's not a speck of beta-bias in this recommendation -- this story is that
good. What Jenna's done here is something few DSR writers can do or even
bother to try -- she's created a Doggett/Scully romance that doesn't forget
about Mulder. He's a very real presence here, from the first line to the
last, and there's every indication that he will continue to be a vital part of
their lives. The dialogue is geniune and heartfelt, the characterizations
solid and strong. This is a marvelous piece of work.
Blankets (3k) -- Ms
Lillian
Category: not listed | Rating:
G | Spoilers: 8th season
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: Brief but powerful, and
so completely in character. There's poetry here, eloquent use of language
and emotion. This story made me gasp. . . shiver. . . cry. . . I
don't want to say more for fear of ruining the story's impact -- just read it.
Blessed Night (37k) --
Tess
Category: S, MSR | Rating:
NC-17 | Spoilers:
How the Ghosts Stole Christmas
Summary: I said it was NC-17 didn't
I? Do I really need to say more?
Lara's Rec: Tess may not think she
needs to say more, but I will -- this is so much more than just smutfic.
Yes, there's hot, desperate sex -- followed by romantic cuddling, then a shower
scene to die for, then more romantic cuddling. . . And Tess writes lots of
conversation that's perfectly in character.
Bobbie
Collins' Exclusives series (external link) -- EPurSeMouve
Rating: PG-13 | Spoilers:
Requiem
Lara's Rec: Funny and insightful, Bobbie
Collins is the most refreshingly original character I've read in fanfic.
Read all of these stories and you'll see why.
1.
Inquiring Minds
Category: V, H | Summary: Freedom of the press belongs to
everyone.
Lara's Rec: Since I was born and raised in
Nashville, I have a special place in my heart for fellow Tennessee gal Bobbie Collins.
She's tough but fair, dedicated, sympathetic and strong -- a lot like a certain
redhead she meets in this story.
2.
Damn Temptin'
Category: S | Summary: I'm on the scent, and I always get my
story.
Lara's Rec: The long-awaited sequel to
"Inquiring Minds" is a rare delight. Bobbie's trials with her job, mother and daughter are
touching and real. Her interactions with Scully and the other XF
characters are genuine and heartfelt. And be sure to read the headers --
Bobbie wrote them.
3. Believe It Or Not
Category: SXRHA | Summary:
The long week of Bobbie Collins.
Lara's Rec: I must admit to a little
beta-bias, but don't let that keep you from reading this one. Bobbie
is every bit as engaging here as in her previous outings, and we get a bit of
information about Mulder's return and its effect on his relationship with
Scully. The investigative beats are solid and the characterizations are
dead on. Great moments between Bobbie and her daughter Patsy.
Bonemeal
(external link) -- Magdeleine
Category: not listed | Rating:
R for graphic violence and disturbing subject matter | Spoilers:
abduction/cancer arc
Summary: Here there be Pigs.
Lara's Rec: Damn, this is a good
story. Another of those two-hour improvs, this is startling in its
intensity and impressive in its use of language. Magdeleine has skillfully
woven a tale that could easily fit into the show's mytharc, paying close
attention to detail -- the hamster, the mulberries, the magnetic alphabet on the
fridge. . . and the ending gives me chills every single time I read it.
Bored Games (11k) -- Vickie
Moseley
Category: MSR, could be considered
fluff, 3rd POV | Rating: PG, but you can make it
R with a decent imagination | Spoilers:
Hollywood A.D.
Summary: Sometimes it gets pretty boring
on the road. A little harmless entertainment can help pass the long
nights.
Lara's Rec: Vickie should really put
a "snort warning" in her headers -- this made me spew coffee all
over! Combine a playful Moose & Squirrel with an occasionally serious
undertone and you have Vickie at her finest. The characterizations are
right on target, and the original character who tells the story is well
developed in her own right. Fun stuff here.
Brave New World (41k)
-- Meredith
Category: A, MSR | Rating:
R | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: There's so much here
that makes complete sense -- Scully moving to Oregon, and her desire to do
whatever it takes to get Mulder back, among other elements. The time
Meredith takes to develop the story allows us to experience the passage of time
along with Scully. I loved her bewilderment in the beginning, developing
into confidence as the story continues. The ending is especially resonant.
Breach of Trust (24k)
-- CindyET
Category: V, MSR, Post-Ep, Smut
| Rating: NC-17
(language, violence, graphic sexual content) | Spoilers:
En Ami
Summary: Post-Ep for "En
Ami." Dark, dark, dark. Smutty, smutty, smutty. Need I
say more?
Lara's Rec: I like angry sex.
I mean, I like reading about angry sex. And "En Ami" just cried
out for an angry sex post-ep. Cindy has given us a dark, angsty tale of
fear and love to accompany all that angry sex. Mulder's rage and
desperation, Scully's regret and resentment -- all of it comes through,
completely in character and in keeping with the tone of the episode. Cindy
also has an amazing sense of language, skillfully moving from short, staccato
phrases to longer, more verbose paragraphs -- all without missing a beat of
emotional impact.
But
Ourselves (external link) -- Marguerite
Category: Post-episode, Angst
| Rating: PG-13 (language, disturbing imagery)
| Spoilers: Tithonus
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: An incredible missing-scene
fic, covering the time in "Tithonus" before the final scene at the
hospital, showing us what I for one wanted to see -- Mulder's reaction.
Marguerite has a gift for getting inside his head, and she shows us every aspect
of what he's feeling. Her Skinner is pretty damn amazing as well, and even
the minor characters -- doctors, nurses -- are memorable.
By Hand (7k) -- SueBee
Category: MSR, V, telephone
smut | Rating: NC-17.
. . I made myself blush on this one | Spoilers: Per Manum
Summary: Sweeter stimulation.
Lara's Rec: "Per Manum"
has inspired a new genre of smut -- CupFic. (Well, that's what I call
it. Others call it DonorFic, which isn't nearly as much fun. . .)
SueBee's is by far one of the best I've read. It's fun, playful, sexy,
gets the job done and leaves the door open for more. Just delightful.
By the Window
Hearing Light (external link) -- Jesemie's
Evil Twin
Category: Oddness. Angst.
| Rating: R | Spoilers:
DeadAlive
Summary: Is it so small a thing to have
enjoy'd the sun, to have lived light in the spring, to have loved. . . -- Matthew Arnold
Lara's Rec: This story just takes my
breath away. The details are exquisite, from the cold and ice to the nest
of blankets and alien-head rattle. The characters, especially Mulder, are
beautifully drawn. The story's structure works perfectly, shifting at just
the right moments for the most emotional impact. JET's Scully walks a fine
line between reality and fantasy here, so fine a line that I've read the story
five or six times and I'm still not certain what's real -- that's a good
thing.
Cabbages and Kings
(32k) -- LC Fenster
Category: Talking heads
warning. Post-episode fic. M/K UST | Rating:
PG-13 (language, mostly) | Spoilers: DeadAlive
Summary: After "DeadAlive,"
Mulder and Krycek converse in Mulder's apartment about events past and present.
Lara's Rec: There are some slashy
overtones here (and I'm a big fan of realistic Mulder/Krycek slash), but what
drew me to this story were the answers it proposes. Why was Krycek waiting
for Skinner in Mulder's hospital room? What really led to Mulder's
recovery? What's with this whole new alien virus thing? LC's answers
are entirely plausible, and are presented through outstanding dialogue and a
nice emotional resonance.
Cacophony (18k) -- Scullysfan
Category: VRA | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: none
Summary: Sometimes silence is the loudest
sound one will ever hear.
Lara's Rec: I've always loved
Mulder's voice. As evidenced in this story, Scully does too -- and she
doesn't realize how much until it's silenced. Scullysfan tells a
beautifully nuanced tale of words said in anger and the longing to hear the
voice of the one you love just once more. My favorite part, though, is the
story of Theodore -- sad and sensitive, sweet and touching.
Caprice
(external link) -- Diana Battis
Category: MSR, S, A | Rating:
NC-17 | Spoilers:
Je Souhaite
Summary: Intimacy does not come without a price.
Lara's Rec: An unerring Scully voice combines
with the power of the unspoken to create an incredibly fun post-ep fic.
Add a cameo by Jenn and some lovely smut, and you have one my favorites from
Diana.
Cashmere Sweater
(26k) -- T Bishop & Char
Chaffin
Category: MSR | Rating:
R | Spoilers: Millennium
Summary: A well-spent $200 bucks, in
Scully's opinion. . .
Lara's Rec: I love cashmere. I
once had a silver-grey cashmere sweater that was just sexy as hell, so soft and
fuzzy and warm. . . So I can relate to Scully's urge to splurge. And
I've seen Mulder's reaction first-hand, so I understand that as well. Char
and Teresa shine in their narrative, and what's fun here is the planned
spontaneity and back-and-forth between Mulder & Scully.
Caught in My Shadow
(9k) -- Lilydale
Category: VA | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: 8th season
Summary: A journey through a tired mind
reveals more than you would think about a life.
Lara's Rec: This is one of those
deceptively simple little fics that is in reality so very much more than first
meets the eye. Lilydale weaves a fascinating stream-of-consciousness
monologue that jumps around in time, in space, in emotion -- and packs quite a
wallop at the end. To say much more would spoil the story, so just read
it. It's truly outstanding.
Chainlink (5k) -- Gnatalie
Category: VRA | Rating:
NC-17 | Spoilers:
none
Summary: Things change.
Lara's Rec: Hot, hot, hot. Did
I mention this is hot? And they don't just have sex and fall asleep --
there's conversation afterward. I love that. And when I get both hot
sex and genuine conversation in the same well-written, not-a-wasted-word
package. . . sigh. . .
Chances
Are (external link) -- aRcaDIaNFall$
Category: not provided | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: Irresistable
Summary: Musings in a morgue. A
short scene.
Lara's Rec: There's a lot of death
on The X-Files, a lot of time spent in morgues. Yes, when one of
your main characters is a pathologist, that happens -- but they don't talk about
it much. This story gives us a death conversation in a morgue, one that
exposes some of Mulder & Scully's fears and emotions. A short, sweet
little vignette with some vivid dialogue.
Checking the Milk (8k) --
ga
Category: Relentless
angstorama. Character death, and those who are still there aren't all
there. Dysfunctional DSR, mostly implied | Rating:
PG I guess | Spoilers: Jump the Shark
Summary: Everybody Hurts
Lara's Rec: A difficult story to
read. It's that painful, like watching someone you love fall apart,
knowing there's nothing you can do to help her. But ga's Scully is
perfectly in character -- someone so controlled would shatter when pushed past
the point of no return. ga's physical description of her is most haunting.
Cherished (84k) -- Alcott
Category: SA, UST | Rating:
PG-ish. There's a bad word here and there. | Spoilers:
7th season prior to Sein Und Zeit
Summary: An unseen friend keeps vigilance
over Scully's sick bed.
Lara's Rec: Alternately told from a
third-person omniscient POV and in first-person through the eyes of an
intriguing original character, this story of love and devotion touches my heart
every time I read it. Mulder's despair is palpable here, but the most
refreshingly different element in this story is Alcott's depiction of Maggie
Scully.
The Children We Were
(13k) -- Tara Avery
Category: V, A | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: Millennium
Summary: Why do bad things happen to good
children, Mulder?
Lara's Rec: A heartbreaking
vignette, narrated by an introspective Scully. She muses on her childhood,
and Mulder's, and how they became the "bruised children wearing tailored
suits, Armani suits, carrying badges and guns" they are. Exquisite
use of language.
Choke Hold (17k) -- CindyET
Category: Post Ep | Rating:
strong R (adult themes, implied violence, language) | Spoilers:
Oubliette
Summary: "Not everything I do, say,
think, and feel goes back to my sister. You, of all people, should realize
that sometimes motivations for behavior can be more complex and mysterious than
tracing them back to one single childhood experience." -- Fox Mulder to
Dana Scully in "Oubliette"
Lara's Rec: Ever since the first
time I saw it, I've wondered about that line in "Clyde Bruckman's Final
Repose." Cindy gives us a plausible explanation while exploring the
sometimes troubled psyche of Fox Mulder. Her portrait of him and his
partnership with Scully feels very genuine. I can see this sort of thing
happening to him, especially as he's presented here.
Christmas in
California (24k) -- Michelle Kiefer
Category: Story | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: extremely vague 9th season
Summary: "Get her to come to San
Diego, Mom. Christmas in California is just what Dana needs to cheer her
up."
Lara's Rec: I'm a total sap for a
well-told holiday tale, and this one definitely qualifies. Michelle's
picture of a sad Dana, missing Mulder especially now, is just lovely.
Maggie Scully's POV is perfect for this, and it's nice to see Bill Scully
portrayed as something other than a demon from hell. This is a wonderful
holiday fic.
Closed Colony, Special Stock (81k) --
Branwell
Category: X, A, M/S friendship,
casefile with mytharc connection | Rating: PG-13
for mild language, innuendo, disturbing images and ideas | Spoilers:
none
Summary: A body is found in a top secret
area on an Air Force Base. No one knows the cause of death, or why the
dead woman was in a secured area. The Air Force officer in charge makes a
last ditch effort to prevent the project from being closed down. He uses
his clout to get the FBI to send Mulder and Scully to investigate. Scully
finds she knows the right questions to ask -- but how?
Lara's Rec: Written for Virtual
Season 8, Branwell's story is one that could never be seen on the show.
Why? Its unique and exciting point of view. The first-person
narrator is a fascinating character, well developed and fully realized.
Mulder and Scully are perfect together, especially Scully and her struggle to
accept what's happening. And this is my favorite kind of casefile -- one
with a bit of mytharc blended in. The mythology elements work beautifully
with Branwell's wholly original plot, making this an incredibly fun ride.
Closet Musings (4k)
-- Mary Parker
Category: not listed | Rating:
not rated | Spoilers: Alpha
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: I never thought of
Scully as a 'feminine wiles' kind of woman. But Mary shows me the error of
my ways and takes us on a journey through nearly seven years of a slow, careful
seduction -- via Scully's wardrobe. This is a bright, delightful story,
full of history and promise.
Comfort (17k) -- Vickie
Moseley
Category: V, MT, UST | Rating:
PG | Spoilers: How the Ghosts Stole Christmas
Summary: Mulder's thoughts when he's been
shot.
Lara's Rec: A classic of Vickie's
that gives me what I've been craving -- Mulder. Vickie seems to inhabit
Mulder's mind, his voice and his thoughts unerringly in character. I was
right there with him, in pain, struggling toward consciousness, worrying about
his partner. . . Terrific stuff.
Convergence (35k) -- Snark
Category: A little Scully angst, a
hint of MSR | Rating: PG | Spoilers:
All Things
Summary: When decisions are made, options
and opportunities die. . . don't they?
Lara's Rec: Ever contemplate the
notion of parallel universes branched off from this one? The idea that one
decision, sometimes made in haste, shapes the rest of your life? Scully
experiences the many roads not taken in this story, and Snark tells the tales
with vivid imagery.
Coping Strategies
(17k) -- Lisa
Category: SRA | Rating:
R | Spoilers: Per Manum
Summary: Scully undergoes fertility
treatments.
Lara's Rec: Lisa's deceptively
simple summary doesn't scratch the surface of this story. Here she
explores the emotional cost of the fertility treatments and IVF, and how it
might bring Mulder and Scully closer together. Her doubts and fears about
the wisdom of the whole thing, his uncertainty over his place in their child's
life, their grief when it didn't work. . . and their comforting one
another. Geniune, heartfelt emotion is Lisa's strength here.
Covenants, Contracts
& Restrictions (external link) -- Suzanne
Schramm
Category: MSR, RST | Rating:
NC-17 | Spoilers:
Arcadia
Summary: Missing scene from
"Arcadia." Night 1: they spoon like baby kittens
(shyeah!). Night 2: Scully tosses Mulder out of the bedroom. Night
3: anyone's guess. All I know is Mulder was looking pretty chipper the
next morning. And Scully was acting downright wifely when she asked him to
give up playing in the mud on Night 4.
Lara's Rec: I can't help it -- I
loved "Arcadia." The flirtation, the air-kiss, the constant
touches. . . everything just warmed my little shipper's heart. Suzanne has
written the missing-scene fic I would've written -- sexual tension escalating
until they just can't stand it anymore, infused with some truly outstanding
dialogue. Suzanne addresses recent events too (Fowley, El Rico Air Base,
Scully getting shot) with style and acknowledgment of their resonance for Mulder
& Scully. And heck -- there's smut. And Shirtless!Mulder.
In his glasses, no less. What's not to love?
Crossing
the Street (external link) -- Forte
Category: VA | Rating:
PG-13 (for language, including that pesky "f" word) | Spoilers:
One Breath
Summary: Mulder shares a conversation
with a stranger.
Lara's Rec: A deceptively simple
little story of love and devotion, of watching out for the people you care
about. Written as a tribute to someone she loves, Forte's writing is
eloquent and heartfelt. Simply lovely.
The Crouching Thing
(32k) -- Sarah Ellen Parsons
Category: story, horror | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: Sometimes we see things we don't want
to see.
Lara's Rec: In case you hadn't noticed, I
have an affinity for stories that are out of the ordinary and authors who take
chances. Sarah's story is a perfect example of that.
Frightening and creepy, this is a brilliant
post-"Requiem" fic.
Current
(external link) -- Audrey Roget
Category: SR, with a few A
flavor-flakes | Rating: NC-17
| Spoilers: Triangle
Summary: I like smut.
Lara's Rec: Most "first
time" fics are pretty similar -- they kiss, they fall into bed, he asks if
she's sure, they declare their undying love, they have hot sex, they fall
asleep. Audrey takes a somewhat different approach. The kiss is
quick, falling into bed takes a very long time, the obligatory "are you
sure" moment is incredibly literate and adult, there's no verbal
declaration of undying love, the hot sex is very hot and goes on forever,
the nap is brief -- and there's an aftermath. I love a smutfic with
aftermath.
The Curse of Urticaria
(11k) -- CindyET
Category: V, Post Ep | Rating:
PG-13 (language) | Spoilers: Teso dos Bichos
Summary: "Teso dos Bichos"
seems to make it onto every Phile's 10 Most Hated list. Could a post ep
salvage this universally unpopular episode? ~nervous laugh~ Good
thing I enjoy a challenge.
Lara's Rec: To answer Cindy's
question in the summary -- yes, a post-ep (especially a really good one, like
this) can salvage even the reviled "Teso dos Bichos." Cindy
borrows Gillian Anderson's cat allergy and gives it to Scully -- she also gives
Scully a reluctant hero in Mulder, hesitantly covering her back in calamine
lotion. Mulder's running inner monologue is delightful.
Daddy (78k) -- Xanthe
Category: T, A | Rating:
NC-17 - for male rape | Spoilers:
Closure
Summary: Mulder profiles a vicious rapist
in a bid to stop him before he kills.
Lara's Rec: Xanthe has a special
warning on this story -- it contains scenes of male rape and implied child
abuse. Now here's my warning -- this is an extremely dark
story. I'm incredibly impressed by the skill of the storytelling -- Xanthe
has written completely believable characterizations of Mulder and especially
Skinner, taking them on a dark journey into a deeply troubled mind.
Outstanding writing here.
A Day at the Office
(30k) -- XScout
Category: SA | Rating:
R | Spoilers: Chinga
Summary: An Emergency Medical Technician
is called to the scene of a car accident where the life of an FBI agent is in
her hands.
Lara's Rec: I love stories like this,
where the party making Our Heroes' lives miserable isn't some shadowy
conspirator or shape-shifting alien. On the side of the angels here is Jo,
a dedicated EMT doing her best to provide some comfort to them both. Jo is
a terrific original character, telling this story in a compelling voice.
XScout's characterizations of Mulder & Scully are right on target, too.
Debrouiller (100k) -- Tess
Category: MSR | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: Existence
Summary: Coping.
Lara's Rec: Despite what people tell you,
motherhood is not an instinct. I know that I, personally, don't have
it. And there's no guarantee that Scully will take to it naturally,
either. Tess explores Scully's inner turmoil as she endeavors to be
everything to everyone in her life, and the remarkable thing about this story is
that it's completely true to the characters. Tess' Mulder & Scully
aren't instantly happy, struggle with the new demands of parenthood, vainly
attempt to reestablish their own relationship. This is a beautifully
realized story.
Deliberation
(external link) -- Sophia Jirafe
Category: not provided | Rating:
R | Spoilers: 8th season
Summary: Stupid -- yes, stupid to think
he wouldn't guess.
Lara's Rec: Loneliness, pain, guilt,
need. . . Warring emotions in Dana Scully's life early in the 8th
season. Any woman in her situation would feel this way -- but for Scully,
because she's spent so long behind walls of her own making, her feelings are
tearing her apart. This is the premise for Sophia's excellent story of
need and denial, love and loss, pain and support. Her Scully is
exquisitely drawn, an inner monologue deliberating her conflicting
emotions. Doggett's nobility and evident affection for Scully are strongly
portrayed here.
Delivery at the Corner of
Dupont and Connecticut (11k) -- Rachel
Wilder
Category: VHA | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: 8th season
Summary: Scully's life has turned into a
soap opera and it's not getting better now that the baby is on the way.
Lara's Rec: I've never had a
baby. Both my sisters have, but they were in other cities when my nephews
were born, so I didn't even get to experience it peripherally. Everything
I know about having babies comes from TV -- which is why I giggled myself silly
when I read Rachel's story. Poor Scully, miserable and huge and missing
Mulder. Poor Doggett, just trying to help. Poor Skinner, sacrificing
his wardrobe for the cause. Of course, by the end, all is right with the
world -- but it's a fun trip getting there.
Dermatology (2k) -- ML
Category: Vignette, 3rd person
POV | Rating: PG | Spoilers:
Nothing Important Happened Today
Summary: This will only hurt for a
moment.
Lara's Rec: We are, in essence, the sum
of all our parts. ML takes one of Mulder's most distinctive parts (no, not
his nose) and asks us an unexpected but logical question: if he were going
into hiding, what would he do? This is a delightful answer.
Descension (11k) -- Meredith
Category: V, M/S | Rating:
not rated | Spoilers: Closure
Summary: What goes up must come down.
Lara's Rec: Building a bridge
between "Ascension" and "Closure," this story gives me
chills every time I read it. There's so much to love here, not least of
which is the incredibly vivid imagery and Meredith's compelling use of
metaphor. Quiet and subtle, Meredith paints a picture of a man in
transition, in metamorphosis. Exquisite.
Desire (110k) -- Alelou
Category: MSR | Rating: NC-17 |
Spoilers: All Things
Summary: A loving elaboration of the
canon as represented by "All Things."
Lara's Rec: This richly layered
story explores sexuality and sexual compulsion, the difference between erotica
and pornography, and hormones and the nature of desire -- through some very
intelligent and well-written dialogue. Alelou provides a plausible
explanation for Scully's attitude at the beginning of "All Things,"
and gives us a terrific original character to make Mulder's life miserable.
Desperate
Measures (12k) -- Kelly Keil
Category: V, A | Rating:
R | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: Desperate times call for desperate
measures.
Lara's Rec: Kelly's special warning reads,
"Do not read this story if you are faint of heart. This is angst with
a capital A." Indeed it is. Her Scully is a woman faced with an
impossible choice, and once that choice is made, she must turn to an unlikely
ally for help. This is a sad, tragic story, beautifully told.
Dinky Dau (22k) -- CindyET
Category: V | Rating:
R (violence and language) | Spoilers: Unrequited
Summary: "I'm afraid to look any
further beyond that experience." -- Walter Skinner in "One
Breath"
Lara's Rec: The more I read
Skinner-centric fanfic, the more I really, really like this guy. Cindy's
story takes us back to a Skinner-centric episode in the 4th season,
"Unrequited," and gives us a look inside his troubled mind.
Taking us back through his own experiences in Vietnam, this harrowing tale
explores his character in a way that episode should have. Outstanding
work.
Distance to Touch
Upon (45k) -- Trixie
Category: S, A, MSR | Rating:
PG-13 (cause Scully has a dirty mouth. . .) | Spoilers:
Requiem
Summary: Have you ever listened to
"Elsewhere" by Sarah McLachlan? This is NOT songfic, and that
song appears nowhere in this fic, but I think listening to it provides a nice
sort of summary. Plus, it's a cool song. Go on, you know you want
to. I'll wait. It's on one of her older CDs. No, the other one
-- Fumbling Toward Ecstasy. Right. There you go.
Lara's Rec: Okay, I must confess --
I adore that summary. I don't know the song (I have that CD, I just
haven't listened to that song yet), but the way Trixie wrote her summary told me
I'd really enjoy this fic. Beyond the very cool summary, there's just so
much else to love here -- the family dinner, the Mulder scenes, the reunion. . .
and especially the magical final sequence. And we get to meet Charlie!
Divergence (13k) -- Jennifer
Scott
Category: VA (*maybe* VRA, but that's
a looooooooong stretch) | Rating: NC-17
| Spoilers: All Things
Summary: When little surprises you, and
you anticipate much, it's what you don't expect that hurts the most.
Lara's Rec: If life were all about
happy endings, it would be dull as dishwater. (Don't ask -- it's a
Southern thing.) Unfortunately, fanfic is too often all about happy
endings -- I love it when a writer takes a chance on something else. As I
read this the first time, I remembered a line from an old Star Trek episode,
something about the having not being as good as the wanting. This fic
isn't what the optimist in me would like to see happen, but it's exceptionally
well written, and I applaud Jennifer for taking chances.
Domestic
Inclinations (24k) -- Gwinne
Category: MSR | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: DeadAlive
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: Ever wonder when those
flashback scenes in "Per Manum" were set? I have. Gwinne
takes us all the way back to "Arcadia" for a bit of explanation as to
how Scully's baby-lust might've developed. The little touches Gwinne shows
us -- Working Mother magazine, thread counts, tiny pink socks -- are perfectly
layered. The emotional landscape of the story is rich and varied, from the
highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Exquisite.
Down a Lazy River (16k) -- Dasha
K
Category: SRA; Skinner/Doggett, slash | Rating:
NC-17 -- avert your eyes, kiddies
| Spoilers: DeadAlive
Summary: An Irish wake.
Lara's Rec: Skinner/Doggett slash is
my favorite slash pairing these days. IMO, the chemistry between these two
just leaps off the screen. Apparently Dasha sees it too, because they
lured her out of retirement for this story (yay!). Her Skinner is haunted
and grief-stricken, her Doggett compassionate and caring. The sex is both
hot and tender, and the level of emotion (particularly from Skinner) is
incredibly deep.
Dream Life (14k) -- Gwinne
Category: MSR | Rating:
PG-13 | Spoilers: Requiem
Summary: not summarized
Lara's Rec: This is another of those
stories I have a hard time with -- it's difficult to put into words what I love
about it. I guess my favorite thing is that Gwinne's Mulder & Scully
are exactly the same as Chris Carter's Mulder & Scully, even though
they're in very different situations. Everything about Gwinne's
characterizations is perfect, from Scully's dreams and Mulder's comfort to their
affectionate banter and silly jokes. Outstanding dialogue, heartfelt
emotion.
Dream Through My
Heart (7k) -- Louise Andrews
Category: Vignette, MSR |
Rating: PG | Spoilers:
Without
Summary: The trials and horrors were
over, his hospital stay complete and his recuperation underway. He came
home last night, home to her apartment, home to love.
Lara's Rec: Louise's poetic prose
takes us deep into the hearts and souls of these two damaged people. The
pain of separation, the joy of reunion, the spark of love that ignites when
their eyes meet. . . This is a beautiful, heartfelt vignette.
Drive
Thru (external link) -- Beduini
Category: V, Mulder POV, M/S UST, MA, SA,
DAL with a touch of MSR | Rating: R for adult language
and themes | Spoilers: Triangle
Summary: Shades of Monday, shades of Drive, but
not one spoiler. Oh, well, Triangle, sort of.
Lara's Rec: An unusual story, not only written
from Mulder's POV but with the reader knowing only what he says or thinks.
If you pay attention as you read this, you'll be privy to a wonderful
exploration of who Mulder is, how he's grown a little with Scully's help, and
how he feels about her. A fabulous story.
Drowning In You (13k)--
Char Chaffin
Category: MSR, Vignette, Musings |
Rating:
R | Spoilers: none
Summary: "He may know how to swim, but right now
he wants to drown. . ."
Lara's Rec: Exploring the mind, heart and soul
of Fox Mulder, and his devotion to Dana Scully. Lyrical and evocative,
exquisitely written, this story is one of Char's best -- and that says a lot.
Drowning Sorrows
(7k) -- ML
Category: missing scene, angst
| Rating: PG-13 for a couple of bad words
| Spoilers: DeadAlive
Summary: Two manly men share their
feelings.
Lara's Rec: Skinner and Doggett have
a lot in common besides their Marine Corps past -- their separate promises to
Scully to find Mulder, their obvious (to me, anyway) affection for her, their
self-sacrifice in putting things right. . . and their mutual feeling of complete
and utter uselessness once they've succeeded. ML gives them a moment of
male bonding, which results in some wonderful character development for us
readers.
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