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myownsuperintendent · 4 years

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New Fic: “Snapshots and Moments”

Melissa and Monica take a cross-country trip, during which they make a discover that brings changes to the Mulder-Scully family. I anticipate that this will be the last installment in my 1960s AU, which, at the point this story is set, is now a 1980s AU. Special thanks to Gillian Anderson for writing “all things” so that I had two canonical wlw to include in this fic! Rated G, also here on Ao3. The whole series is here.

.....

Snapshot:

The whole family, on Christmas eve. They’ve got a lot of people this year, now that they bought the house, now that they moved out of the city (still nearby, though). Emily’s smiling, holding the present she got to open early, a doll with three outfits that Melissa and Monica gave her. She’s in between Mulder, a little blurry from running back to his spot before the timer went, and Dana, her head tipped back, one hand on her stomach (the baby’s due in May). On the left, Melissa and Monica, arms around each other; on the right, Charlie, wearing a hideous Christmas sweater and a grin. Even Bill and Tara came this year, with Matthew, who’s looking curiously at his relatives. It’s a beautiful picture, Dana thinks, once she sees it printed. It’s not perfect; all families have fault lines and fractures, and the ones she’s part of are no exception. But it’s them, all together this year, happy and whole.

.....

Moment:

Dana and Melissa talk in the kitchen after dinner, once everyone’s getting ready to head their different ways. “You’ll keep in touch with us?” Dana asks. “Call? Or write at least? I just want to know where you are.”

“Don’t worry,” Melissa says. “I’ll make sure I don’t end up in a ditch.”

“Melissa,” Dana says. “Please. Don’t joke about that.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Melissa says. “I’ll take care of myself, okay? So I can keep spoiling my favorite niece.” She smiles at Emily, who’s sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, half asleep and half absorbed in her doll. “Besides, Monica won’t let me do anything dumb.”

“What are you saying about me?” Monica asks, coming into the kitchen.

“That you’re my better half,” Melissa says, pulling her to her. “That you won’t let me get into danger on the trip. And that you’ll even get me to write to Dana.”

“Of course we’ll write!” Monica says. “Don’t you want Dana to know what we’re doing? We can send her pictures and everything. And then we’ll have a record of the whole thing, for later.”

Dana laughs. “Well, I can count on one of you, anyway. Thanks, Monica.”

“No problem!” Monica says. “And I don’t know what kind of danger Melissa could get into, anyway. We’re just going to be driving around. Seeing different places. It’s a big country, right? And we’ve never seen most of it.”

“Yeah, don’t worry, Dana,” Melissa says. “It’ll be great. And we will write, and we won’t even be gone that long. Unless we find a place we really like and decide to stay there longer. We’re keeping it open.”

“True,” Monica says. “Who knows what we might find?”

“Who knows?” Dana agrees. She stretches to try to get a bowl back on the top shelf. That’s the one thing she doesn’t like about this house: the kitchen might be well-proportioned for Mulder, but for her, the shelves seem very high.

“Here, I’ll get it,” Monica says, taking the bowl and putting it away.

“Yeah, don’t strain yourself,” Melissa says. “Don’t overdo it. You don’t want to have the baby until we get back.”

“I hope not,” Dana says, “seeing that I’m not due for four and a half months. How long are you planning to be driving cross-country for? I know it’s a big country, but it’s not that big.”

“Well, we’re not planning to be gone that long,” Melissa says, “but like I said, we’re keeping it open. Here, we’ll give you the number every time we’re staying somewhere, okay? And then you can call if you’re having the baby, and we’ll come back.”

Dana shakes her head. “I don’t think you have a great understanding of how human gestation works.”

“Probably not,” Melissa says, “since I’ve never gestated anything. Don’t plan to either. I’m one of those cool aunt types.”

“You’re ridiculous, is what you are,” Dana says, but she’s laughing, and she pulls Melissa close to hug her. “I’ll miss you guys,” she says. “You will write, really?”

“For the last time, yes,” Melissa says. “We’ll write so much you’ll be begging us to stop.”

Bill, Tara, and Matthew have already left, and now Melissa and Monica leave with Charlie; they’re all driving to the train station together. Dana and Mulder stand on the steps to see them off, turning out the light once the car is out of sight.

“We’d better get Emily in bed,” Dana says then. “Tell her Santa won’t come otherwise.” She’s not sure Emily still believes entirely—she’s got a suspicious look sometimes when Santa comes up—but it’s worth a try.

“Good thinking,” Mulder says. “Then we can get us in bed. How does that sound?”

“Good,” she says, and he kisses her, and they go inside.

.....

Snapshot:

Melissa leaning against a car, wearing sunglasses and sticking out her tongue. The setting is a generic gas station; you wouldn’t be able to tell where it was except for the 30 MILES TO CHICAGO sign in the background. It falls out of the envelope along with a letter.

Dear Dana,

Well, no danger yet! I even have a picture to prove it—I can promise that Monica and I were both alive when she took it.

So far, it’s been beautiful. It’s great not having any kind of schedule and just doing and going wherever we feel like that day. We’re in Chicago now, but we probably won’t stay here that long. Cities are nice, but we like being outside much better. Seeing what nature’s like in different places.

Tell my favorite niece that we’re bringing her lots of presents when we get back! I also bought you a dress, and MONICA said she thought you would like it, so if you don’t, you can’t just blame my taste. We don’t have anything for Mulder yet, but we’ll keep looking.

We miss you! Monica says to give you her love. We’ll be back soon though, probably. Sometime in the next month to year. Only joking! We’ll write again so you know.

Love,

Missy

.....

Moment:

Mulder’s home before she is, tonight. “You got a letter,” he says when she comes in. “From Melissa, it looks like.”

“Oh, good!” Dana says. She takes the envelope he hands her and opens it, reading her sister’s words. “They’re having a great time,” she tells him. “And…oh gosh…they bought me a dress.”

“Looking forward to seeing that one,” Mulder says. Melissa and Dana have discovered, over the course of their lifetimes, that they can’t agree at all on clothing purchases. And yet somehow there’s an optimism that leads them to try anyway, at times.

“It was a nice thought, at least,” she says. “I wonder if I’ll fit into it.” She looks down at her stomach; she already feels huge, and there are still months to go.

“You look beautiful,” Mulder says softly, putting a hand on her back. “And you’ll look beautiful in this dress, no matter what it’s like.”

“Thank you,” she says. “How was work today?”

“Hard,” he says, “but worth doing. You?”

“The same, actually,” she says. It’s a little ritual they have, variations on these words. She’s proud of him. She knows he’s proud of her.

.....

Snapshot:

A car parked by the side of the road, surrounded by fields. Wheat as far as the eye can see. Monica leaning against the car this time, also wearing sunglasses, also sticking out her tongue.

Dear Dana,

Melissa said we should send a picture of me this time, so that you know I’m sound in body. I think she’s having a little too much fun with this.

We took this picture in Kansas, which we just left; it’s not going to win a prize for most exciting state, but I still liked it. We sat in the car for a long time last night, watching the stars.

I hope you and everyone else is doing well—say hi to Mulder and Emily, of course, and to everyone else if you see them. I found a store with some of the weirdest postcards I’ve ever seen, so I sent them to Langly. They seemed like his kind of thing. And we got some little things for Emily, and something for the baby too. It’s nice to have two nieces/a niece and a nephew to get presents for.

We’re looking forward to getting to the coast—we have some friends out there we’re planning to see. But I’ll write again when I get the chance.

Love,

Monica

.....

Moment:

It’s a busy evening for them, so Dana reads Monica’s letter later, once Emily’s in bed and things are a little stiller. She shows it to Mulder too. “It sounds like they’re having a good time,” he says. “And like Emily might not have any space in her room, with all the things they’re getting her.”

“They like spoiling her,” Dana says; she’s nestled into the corner of the couch, her back against the cushions. “That’s what aunts are for.” The baby kicks then, and she puts a hand to the spot. “Yes,” she says, “they’ll spoil you too, once you get here.”

“Moving around?” Mulder asks, and when she nods he moves closer too, interlacing his hand with hers. “We should think about names,” he says.

“Yeah,” she says. “Make a list, maybe.”

“Lot of names out there,” he says.

She’s not sure how to ask, but she does. “If she’s a girl,” she says, “would you…do you want to call her Samantha?” It seems right to give him that choice, to make that the first option they consider. She knows Samantha is always a central presence in his thoughts, no matter how many years go by. That might mean he wants to use the name, or it might mean he doesn’t. But she needs to at least ask, to let him know she’s thinking about it with him.

He's quiet for a minute. “I’m not sure,” he says, eventually. “I think I might.”

“We don’t have to decide today,” she says, and they nestle together on the couch, their hands still joined over the curve of her abdomen, where their baby moves and kicks.

.....

Snapshot:

Four women under the trees. Melissa and Monica have their arms around each other; Monica’s a little tanned from their travels, Melissa a little burned. Colleen and Carol stand to each side of them; Colleen has her arm flung out in an expansive gesture, as if showing them the lay of the land. They’re all wearing sweaters or sweatshirts—Oregon is cold this time of year. There isn’t much foliage, out on the farm. But they’re here.

.....

Moment:

“Thanks, Sally,” Colleen says, to the woman who took the picture.

Sally nods, handing the camera back. “It’s no problem!” she says cheerfully.

“Do you want us to take one with you in it?” Melissa asks.

“No,” Sally says. “No, that’s okay,” and she turns and hurries off towards one of the buildings.

“Did I say something to upset her?” Melissa asks.

“No,” Carol says. “No, Sally’s just like that. She’s great! But she’s a little shy.”

The wind is picking up, so they turn to go inside themselves too. “It’s really so beautiful here,” Melissa says.

“Yeah,” Monica says. “Reminds me of where I grew up, a little. It wasn’t exactly like this, of course. But just having land.”

“You two should stay out here!” Colleen says. “You know you’d be welcome.”

Carol nods. “Really, think about it. You don’t know how great it is until you’re here. I mean, we were in the city for years, and we thought we had a great community”—Colleen nods, beside her—“but this is so much better.”

“And not just the land,” Colleen says. “You honestly don’t know how much energy men are taking up until they’re not around anymore.”

Melissa laughs. “I bet. Well, maybe someday. What do you think, Monica?”

“Maybe.” Monica shrugs.

“This trip has been amazing,” Melissa says, “but I still like the city too, you know. We have our friends there. And I like being near my sister.”

“No shame in that,” Colleen says. “But even if you wanted to stay for a while, that’d be all right. Most of the women don’t stay here forever.”

Women are working together in the kitchen when they get inside; they exchange greetings. “Here,” Melissa says, “we can help,” and the four of them join in the work. Melissa sees Sally again, when she’s getting some jars off the shelf. She smiles, and after a moment Sally smiles back, tentative. Her hair is curling over her shoulders. For a second she looks familiar, and then it’s gone.

.....

Snapshot:

A group of women, sitting together after dinner, in one of the common areas of the farm. The room is warm and inviting. Monica’s looking directly at the camera, and so is Colleen, a wry smile on her face, but most of the others are intent on their own conversations, their own occupations. Sally’s sitting in the background; she’s not looking, but you can see her face in profile. Her hair is braided back.

......

Moment:

“Here, I’ll take it,” Monica says, when the picture comes out of the camera. She begins to shake it briskly, turning to join Colleen and Carol’s conversation. Melissa puts down the camera then, stretching, and starts to wander around the room. Sally looks up as she passes, smiling.

“Hi,” Melissa says. “Mind if I sit?”

“Please,” Sally says, indicating the space next to her on the couch.

Melissa flops down. “It’s really beautiful here,” she says. “I love the energy.”

“Yeah,” Sally says. “Me too. It’s my favorite kind of place.” As Melissa looks at her, she goes on, saying, “I don’t think I could ever…I wouldn’t want to have a family, or anything like that. Nothing where you’re just with a few people all the time. But something like this, where you can meet a bunch of different people, be a part of something, that’s what I like.”

It's the most Melissa’s heard her say since they got here, and she’s intrigued. Not that she doesn’t sympathize with some aspects of what Sally’s said. “Families can be a trip, can’t they?” she says.

“I don’t like having people think I belong to them,” Sally says. “I don’t belong to anyone, right? Nobody has to.”

“That’s right,” Melissa says. “No one owns us.” But she wonders if she’s coming at this from the same point of view Sally is. She certainly has family she wouldn’t want to give up—Monica counts in that category, in everything but legality, and there’s Dana too, and Charlie. And while she’s mostly made her peace with it, these days, she wasn’t the one to give up her parents. She likes to think she’s a free spirit; it’s how she’s seen herself for a long time. But she doesn’t know if she’d want to be like Sally, cutting all ties and enjoying it.

“It’s not that I don’t like people,” Sally says. “Just…you know. Not too much.” She smiles at Melissa then, and Melissa smiles back, and then Monica yells that they’re going to play Scrabble.

“Do you want to join us?” Melissa asks.

“Sure,” Sally says, and she follows Melissa back across the room. She’s good, too; she knows a lot of words that Melissa hasn’t heard of, but when they check in the dictionary they’re always real ones. “I read a lot,” Sally says, her braid falling over her shoulder, trailing on the board as she studies her letters. Melissa looks at her face. That familiarity again. She’s pretty sure they’ve never met, though. She doesn’t know what it is.

She talks to Monica about it that night, where they’re in the room that was allotted to them; it’s small, tucked up in a corner of the attic, but it’s cozy, with a heater and a beautiful wool blanket on the bed. “Do you think Sally looks familiar?” she says.

Monica considers. “I didn’t notice. She was never in our group in New York, was she?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Melissa says. “Unless she came once or twice or something. College?” They only overlapped for a semester before Melissa dropped out, and Sally looks a bit younger than her, but maybe Monica will remember something.

“I’m pretty sure she wasn’t,” Monica says.

Melissa lies down on the bed. “It’s going to drive me crazy. Someone she looks like, maybe?”

“Michelle?”

“Who?”

“That friend of Starchild’s who does tarot readings,” Monica says.

“No,” Melissa says, “she doesn’t look anything like her.”

“She does a little,” Monica says, indignantly. “Same kind of hair.”

“Yeah,” Melissa says, “but this…it’s something around the eyes, maybe…give me that picture I took.”

“You won’t be able to see anything,” Monica says, even as she hands it over. “It’s too small.” Melissa studies it, but Monica’s right. She knows there’s an answer, but damned if she knows what it is.

“Let’s forget it,” she says, tossing the picture aside and leaning in to kiss Monica. Monica pulls her close, their limbs tangling together atop the bed, atop the soft blanket, adventuring together here, far from home.

.....

Snapshot:

They’re sitting together on the front steps, the three of them. Emily’s between her parents, looking up at the house almost curiously. Mulder and Dana’s eyes meet, above her head; they’re both smiling at the camera. Mulder is pointing at the house, an exaggerated gesture. It’s sitting on the table in the living room now, in a small plain frame, next to other photographs. Their wedding day. The first day Emily came home with them, back in the apartment. Dana’s medical school graduation. Mulder and Samantha. People and times that are important to them.

.....

Moment:

“That’s a cute picture,” Melissa says, picking it up from the table. “When’s it from?”

“The day we moved in,” Dana says. “Frohike took it when the guys were helping us move. And he told us that we were now sold-out suburbanites. But you can’t have everything.”

Melissa laughs. “We love you even if you have sold out. Open your presents.” She turns to watch as Dana unwraps a tissue paper package to reveal a dress. It’s loose, flowing, in different shades of greens and blues. She lets Dana look at it for a minute. “What do you think?”

“Oh,” Dana says softly, turning it over, “oh, it’s really nice, Missy.”

“Do you actually think that, or are you being nice?”

“No, I actually think that!” Dana says. “You know I don’t lie to you.” She shakes out the dress. “And I might even fit into it, too.”

“Yeah, that’s what we were thinking,” Melissa says. “You can wear it now, before the baby, and then after that you can wear it as a loose dress. Wow, I can’t believe I actually found clothes you liked.”

“Give me the credit!” Monica calls. She’s sitting on the floor with Emily, who’s playing with an array of small stuffed animals, each of them from a different state.

“Yeah, Monica should get the credit,” Melissa says. “Because I checked with her this time, instead of just buying it on my own.” She points to another package. “That one’s for the baby, but you can open it. It’s a little hat. And a blanket.”

Dana opens the package. “This is a really neat pattern,” she says, looking at the blanket. “Where’d you get it?”

“At the farm we told you about,” Melissa says. “The one where Colleen and Carol are living now, with the women’s collective. We met this woman there, Sally, and she makes blankets and things like this. And we were telling her how nice we thought they were. And then on the day we left, she gave us this one. We thought it would be perfect.”

“It is,” Dana says. She touches the material to her cheek. “You should give me the address. I’d love to thank her.”

“I don’t think she’d expect that,” Melissa says. She’s looking through the pictures on the table again, idly. She almost laughs when she sees the one from Dana’s wedding, with her in the background as a bridesmaid; talk about different taste in dresses. “She’s kind of…she’s not really about the social obligations.”

“But we don’t even know each other,” Dana says. “And it was so nice…”

“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Melissa says. “I think she was happy about it, making something for someone she doesn’t know. Just for the sake of making it. I don’t know if she’d want to hear—” And then she stops, her words cut off. She sees it, the picture on the table, and the question that’s been in her mind for weeks has an answer. And Mulder comes into the room then, as if that wasn’t enough, and she looks at him and at the picture again, and she knows, she knows.

Dana starts showing him the dress and the hat and the blanket, and Emily comes running over to show him her stuffed animals, and Melissa is glad. Because she doesn’t know if she could say anything, right now. Usually she acts on her first instincts, but right now she doesn’t even have an instinct.

She doesn’t know what to say, what to do.

.....

Snapshot:

It’s blurry, but it’s there. Sally, leaning against a tree outside one of the buildings. She didn’t know Melissa took it, probably wouldn’t have liked it if she did. You can see her face, her long brown hair, her smile. It’s far away and it’s not that clear. But it’s clear enough that you can tell who she is.

.....

Moment:

“What’s with you?” Monica asks when they get home. “You were acting so weird back there. I thought you’d have been happy to see everyone.”

“I was. I am. It’s not that.” Melissa’s only half looking at her; she’s digging through the photographs from their trip at the same time. “Look.” She throws the picture of Sally in front of Monica.

Monica picks it up. “Have I seen this one? It’s not very good. What’s your point?”

“I figured out who she looks like,” Melissa says. “I figured out who she is.”

“And that’s why you were acting weird?” Monica asks.

“Yeah,” Melissa says. “I was looking at the pictures on the table at Dana’s. She’s…she’s Samantha.”

At least Monica knows how big this is. They’ve all heard about Samantha, over the years, enough to know what this could mean. “Are you sure?” she asks. “I mean…not that I am doubting you for a minute, but it’s been a long time. She’d be a lot older now…obviously, I know she is older…and you wouldn’t want to make a mistake about this. If you’re going to say anything. Are you going to say anything?”

“I don’t know!” Melissa says. “I do know it’s her. I can tell. I knew when I looked at the picture.”

“But you don’t know if you’re going to say anything?” Monica asks. “Can we not say anything, even? That feels wrong.”

“I know. I know,” Melissa says. “If it was just Mulder we were thinking about…But I’m thinking about her too.”

“Who? Sally?” Monica says, and Melissa nods. “Should we call her Sally or Samantha?” Melissa gives her a frantic look—she has no idea how to address that question—and Monica goes on. “Okay, Sally for now. You think she wouldn’t want you to say anything?”

“I don’t know if she would or not,” Melissa says. “She kept talking about how she was glad she didn’t have a family. How she didn’t want to belong to anyone.”

Monica looks thoughtful. “Do you think she…does she remember Mulder? How old was she, anyway?”

“Six? Eight? I don’t know,” Melissa says. “But I’m just thinking…there could be reasons that she doesn’t want to be found. I wouldn’t want to do anything…But I just don’t know.”

“What do you think you’d want?” Monica asks. She sits down next to Melissa, puts a comforting arm around her. “In her shoes.”

Melissa tries to think, but it’s not that easy, in a scenario full of blanks and gaps. She can’t imagine not wanting to see Dana again, if something happened to tear them apart. But she can very easily imagine—doesn’t have to imagine, even—plenty of reasons to be wary of families, of the rules they try to impose, of their insidious constraints. She can imagine wanting to know what she was getting into before committing to being a part of one.

“I think I’d want to choose,” she says. “To decide myself. I wouldn’t want anything to happen without me knowing.”

“So let’s go back,” Monica says, easily. “We can see her again and talk to her. And find out what she wants.”

“And if she doesn’t want us to say anything?” Melissa asks. “I don’t know how long I could keep that to myself.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Monica says. “Maybe she’ll…she’ll at least let us tell him that she’s okay.”

“You think he’d let it rest there?” Melissa asks. “Have you met him?”

Monica almost laughs. “Okay, I know. But we can’t know what will happen until we try. When do you want to leave?”

This is the right choice, maybe the only one, Melissa knows. As is so often the case, she needed Monica’s clear vision to figure that out. “Soon. I don’t think I’ll be able to be calm about it until I do. Can you get off work again this soon?”

“Sure,” Monica says. “You’re not going by yourself. I’d have to explain to Dana why I let you do that.”

Now Melissa smiles. “I don’t think we should drive this time, though. I don’t want it to take that long.”

.....

Snapshot:

Mulder, looking at the camera. He’s sitting on the couch—this was back at the apartment, before he and Dana moved, on her birthday last year. He’s smiling, not just a smile for the camera, but a real one, a happy one. Melissa remembers, looking at it, how Dana was standing next to her when she took it, talking to him, smiling too.

.....

Moment:

Melissa’s clutching the picture in her hand as they walk up to the farm. “Do you think she’ll recognize him?” she asks Monica.

“I don’t know,” Monica says. “I think she might. We’ve seen that picture of them when they were kids. You can tell it’s the same guy.”

“Yeah, but that’s because we know it’s the same guy,” Melissa says.

“Still,” Monica says, “I think she’ll know. If there was someone I was that close to…I think I’d know.”

Melissa thinks about it. There’s got to be some kind of lasting connection there, Monica’s right. She can’t imagine Mulder caring as much as he does and Sally not caring at all. Never thinking about him, never even wondering. Not believing it, when it’s there on that little square of shiny paper in her hand.

They told Colleen and Carol they were coming back, although not the whole story, and they’re there to greet them at the house. They exchange hugs, catch up on what they’ve been doing in the weeks since they were here before. And then Colleen says she thinks Sally’s in the orchard, so they go that way.

She’s picking apples when they see her. Melissa hangs back for a moment, watching; she’s fast, precise, assured. She doesn’t think they make a sound, but Sally turns suddenly to look in their direction; her face is startled for a second, and then it relaxes. “Oh, hi,” she says. “You’re here again.”

“We’re here again,” Melissa confirms, as she and Monica make their way towards her. “We wanted to see you.”

“Me?” Sally asks, and there’s a stiffness in her face again. “How come?”

“We have…we have something to tell you,” Melissa says. She doesn’t know where to begin, really; it feels almost wrong, to come out of nowhere and define this woman she still doesn’t know very well. “We think…we might know you.”

Sally shakes her head. “No,” she says. “You don’t know me.” She looks like she might disappear on the spot, run off between the rows of trees, take flight from a branch. Maybe that would be easier for her, not having to respond to anyone’s claims.

Melissa tries to be gentle. “Not us, exactly,” she says. “It’s…my sister’s…did you ever have a brother?”

Sally looks at her with wide eyes, as if she’s made the most miraculous guess. “I do have a brother,” she says. Melissa notes that present tense, wonders what it means. If they’re barking up the wrong tree entirely or if it means that she’s held on. Family doesn’t vanish, after all, even when you might want them to, especially when you treasure them.

“What’s his name?” Melissa asks.

Sally doesn’t speak at first. “It’s…” she finally says. “It’s…well, I do have a brother.”

There might be a time for trying to figure this out with words—there probably will be, in a bit—but Melissa doesn’t think it’s that time now. Instead she holds out the picture, gingerly, and Sally takes it from her.

She can tell that Monica almost doesn’t want to look at Sally’s face; she’s turned her head away to study the trees. Melissa follows suit, because she feels the same way. One glance was enough, and this moment isn’t about the two of them. It’s about two other people, and something that’s sacred. They had to be here to make it happen, but they’re not really a part of it; catalysts, she thinks, remembering something Dana once told her.

The silence stretches out. “Is he tall?” Sally finally asks, the words banal, her voice soft and awed.

Melissa finds that she can’t speak, all of a sudden, but Monica answers. “Yeah,” she says. “Really tall.” Sally’s not tall, Melissa thinks. Funny how families work.

“And he’s smart and he talks a lot?”

“Definitely,” Monica says.

“And he…does he remember me too?” Sally asks, her voice the softest of all.

“Oh,” Melissa says, and she can’t help hugging her, and they cling on, holding tight. “Of course he does.”

.....

Snapshot:

Samantha at eight, just before she disappeared. She’s smiling in the picture, standing under a tree, wearing a purple dress. The edges are blurred; she’s been twirling.

It’s not the only picture here: it’s one of a pile. So many pictures of Samantha, even from that short time. Samantha as a baby, with a bald head and a little hat. Samantha at two, eating birthday cake. Samantha at four, crying because he took one of her toys away. Samantha Samantha Samantha.

.....

Moment:

“Hey,” Dana says softly, as she comes into their bedroom, where he has the pictures spread out. “How are you doing?”

Mulder lets out a breath. “I guess…all right. It’s still hard to wrap my head around.”

“I know.” She comes to sit next to him on the bed, her hands on his back, rubbing gently. “I wouldn’t have believed it could happen this way.”

Neither would he. He keeps thinking back to earlier today, Melissa’s voice on the phone. He almost thought she was playing some kind of sick joke. But it’s real, he thinks, and he’ll know for sure soon enough: they’ll be back here as soon as they can get a flight. Samantha didn’t want to talk on the phone. She only wanted to see each other face to face. He’s not sure if he understands why, but he’ll do this on any terms she wants.

“Looking at pictures?” Dana asks. She picks up one of the two of them, hand in hand on Samantha’s first day of kindergarten, his first day of fourth grade. “This one’s sweet.”

“Yeah,” he says. “Just felt like it.”

“You know…she’s welcome to stay with us for a while,” Dana says. “If that’s what the two of you want, I mean.”

He looks back at her then; he loves her for so many reasons. “We haven’t talked about it,” he says. “Obviously. I think it…it would be good.” But what if it isn’t? What if it’s not the same? Well, that’s a stupid question. It obviously won’t be the same. But what if…The only thing he’s always been sure of is that if he finds her it’ll be like picking up again; it won’t be like two strangers meeting. But now he’s not sure of that anymore. Maybe because he wasn’t the one to find her. Maybe because, when it came down to it, he didn’t do anything.

He doesn’t know how to say all of that, even to Dana. “Maybe it’s not the best idea, though,” he says. “With the baby coming.”

“I don’t think that would be a problem,” Dana says. “Why should it?”

“I don’t know,” he says.

“Hey,” she says, touching his cheek. “This is…I can’t pretend to know exactly how you’re feeling. But I know it’s…I know it’s huge for you, and that isn’t always easy…”

“I should just be happy, though,” he says. “Shouldn’t I?” He is happy, of course, but it’s mixed with so much else: with worries and nerves and doubt and guilt. What’s wrong with him, that he can’t just be happy?

“There’s no should about it,” Dana says. “There’s nothing wrong with how you feel.”

He lets her hold him. “It’s so strange,” he says. “Knowing I’m going to see her again, but not seeing her yet. Maybe when I actually do, it’ll feel…” He doesn’t finish the sentence, because he doesn’t know how. She doesn’t press him.

.....

Snapshot:

None. Some moments are too private for film.

.....

Moment:

He can hear the door open. He looks up.

He’d know her anywhere, that’s his first thought. She’s still short compared to him (imagine if she’d come back taller). She wears her hair long and loose, curling back over her shoulders. Her eyes, her smile. Her bright yellow dress that seems so young. (He knows she’s not eight years old. It matters and it doesn’t.)

“Hi,” she says, so simple, so banal, and then she’s crossing the room, and she hugs him tight before he can even think about it. He hugs back, his head pressed against hers.

“Where’ve you been, Sam?” he asks.

“Lots of places,” she says.

“I always wanted to find you,” he says.

She nods. “I always remembered you.”

“I’m sorry,” he says, even though it isn’t enough.

“Why?” she says. “You didn’t do anything.”

“I should have…I should have protected you,” he says. “Kept you safe.”

“But we were kids,” she says. “Just little kids.” As if it’s as easy as that. “And you did protect me. When other kids were mean. Or that time I fell off my bike.”

“You remember that?” he asks.

“Yeah,” she says. “Of course.” And then they hug again, for a long time.

“This is where you live?” she says, when they break apart.

“Yeah,” he says. “I don’t know how much Melissa and Monica told you…”

“I know you’re married to Melissa’s sister,” she says. “And you have a little girl.” Her voice is soft when she says it. It sounds like she likes the idea. “Where are they?”

“Dana wanted to give us some space,” he says. “But I’d love you to meet them.” It sounds so formal. “I’m sorry,” he says. “This is strange.”

She shrugs. “It’s okay,” she says. “You’re my brother.”

He is that. “Do you want to meet them, then?” he asks.

“Sure,” she says.

They go into the living room, where Dana and Emily are waiting. (They’ve explained the basic situation to Emily, although that was a little tricky. He didn’t want to scare her, make her have nightmares about disappearing. He knows what that’s like too well. In the end they just told her that Samantha was his sister who he hadn’t seen for a long, long time, but that she’d be coming to visit them, and that they were very glad.) “Hi,” Mulder says. “This is…this is…” He turns to his sister. “Do you want me to call you Samantha?”

“Yes,” she says. “I want you to.”

So he says it: “This is Samantha.” He can tell this moment means a lot to Dana too: it couldn’t be what it is to him, but then he’s shared so much with her over the years that it might be something close. That’s what their partnership means. “Samantha, this is my wife, Dana. And our daughter, Emily.”

“Hi, Samantha,” Dana says. “It’s so wonderful to have you here.”

Samantha doesn’t say anything for the first minute, just stares at them. He wonders if this part will be strange for her. He certainly didn’t have a wife and daughter, or anything like it, the last time they saw each other.

“Oh!” she says. “You’re going to have another baby, too?”

Dana looks surprised for a minute—it’s not as though they could hide it, when she’s due in just a couple of months, but she probably didn’t expect to be asked like that. But then she smiles. “We are,” she says. “In May.”

“That’s wonderful,” Samantha says. “Really wonderful.” She’s smiling too, as she sits down next to Emily. “Hi, Emily,” she says. “I like your doll. Her dress is so nice.”

“Aunt Melissa gave her to me,” Emily says. “You’re my aunt too. Right?”

Samantha looks at her for a moment, and then she laughs. “I guess I am!” she says.

Mulder sits down with them; he doesn’t want to be far away from her, not even across the room. Not yet. “We thought…we wanted to know if you wanted to stay with us,” he says. “For a little while, at least. I know you have your own life too…” He’s not sure what he’s saying.

She looks back at him. “I’d like that,” she says. “Thank you.”

It’s almost strange to hear her thanking him. He feels like he should be thanking her, for being here with him again, for not blaming him for all he couldn’t do. But he takes it in. He squeezes her hand.

#the x files #my fic #1960s AU

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trademarkblue · 5 years

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The X-Files Rewatch: Season 1, Episode 2 - Deep Throat

This show really knows how to do a cold open, doesn’t it? I think I was honestly introduced to that whole concept through this show as a thirteen year old.

Let’s get into the highlights...

Scully’s drastic hair cut! What a giant wtf. I know they had to have done it because she looks like a child in the Pilot. But man, it sure is different. And fluffy.

Is it just me or is this version of Mulder’s apartment not the same one as in later episodes? This feels like something I should know as this big of a fan of the show, and I’m ashamed...

Scully’s second “where are we going?” in two episodes shows up fifteen minutes in. It’s like her catchphrase or something, although this one is way more classic exasperated than intoxicated-by-Mulder’s-endearing-brand-of-crazy like it was in the Pilot.

I also feel this is an appropriate place to interject how amped the snark level is from episode one to episode two. Damn.

Baby Seth Green, guys.

When Mulder has to slam on the breaks to avoid being hit by the military guys, that is so not Gillian Anderson or David Duchovny in the car, and how is this the first time I’ve noticed this?!

Mulder is over here crouching at the edge of the tall weeds at the airbase, and all I can think is what if there are snakes and aren’t you getting destroyed by bugs, dude?! That would nope me right out.

It’s crazy that such a series of iconic shots of Mulder standing under that triangular UFO happened in episode two.

Wait. Is David Duchovny why I’ve always had a thing for tall guys with big feet? Some things are coming together for me in my adulthood, y’all...

Scully is such a badass with the way she handles the sneaky airbase guy who shows up at her motel. And, let’s be honest, we all fully realize she’s consistently the only reason Mulder gets out of whatever stupid situation he got himself into. She just goes ahead and shows us her cards in episode two.

Mulder makes weird faces when he runs around a track.

Ooh, I have a thing for an empty shot where two people then enter from either side of the frame (final scene where Deep Throat approaches Mulder). I realize this is bizarrely specific...

Scully’s best line: “Oh hey.” I realize this is also her first line, but Mulder enters frame with no fucks to give for her personal space and immediately asks to buy her a drink, sooo...

Bonus: “Good thing we still kept that appointment.” Scully - 1, the military - 0.

Mulder’s best line: “But if I wanted to talk to one of those UFO nuts that you referred to earlier, where would I go?” Scully’s eye roll in the background is a classic.

Bonus: “If you were that stoned, what?” and “You think if maybe we ignore him, he’ll go away?”

#the x-files rewatch

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myassbrokethefall · 7 years

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X-Files Orientation Programming: Season 11

August, 2017

Welcome back to Vancouver, everyone! It feels like we just did this two years ago. Haha! Listen, I know this feels a little more old hat this time, but we still want to get you back into the swing of things, so we’ve planned a comprehensive two-day program that we hope you will all find interesting, informative -- and fun! The truth is out there, everybody!

Please enjoy your official orientation tote bag with David Duchovny's 5th-grade school picture on it and no other information, which includes:

Dog costumes of varying sizes for all your dog costuming needs

Unmarked baggie of (probably) granola

Single flip-flop once worn by Gillian Anderson (signed)

Copy of that book WBD wrote where he complains about everybody

Piece of gum that was in someone's mouth but is still perfectly good

Anonymous note reading "Are you good at resolving cliffhangers? Can you write really fast? Meet behind the dumpster at dawn"

Stunt bee that will lurk in the bag until you open it and then sting you and then receive a hefty union salary because it has a great agent

DVD of The Crown

Coupon for one (1) personal acoustic concert by David Duchovny ($30,000 value)

Brownie

DAY 1

Breakfast: The old crepe truck

Morning Warm-Up! Presenter: Mitch Pileggi Hey, everyone!!! Welcome back to set! I don't know about you, but I am PUMPED to be here doing another season of X-Files! Too bad Skinner can't get promoted, haha! You can blame Mulder and Scully for that one. This program will get your heart pumping and your toes tapping with excitement for getting the season underway! Expect lots of icebreaker games. Do you see several cartons of pipe cleaners? Evil chuckle! Get psyched!

I'm Not Touching This Presenter: Frank Spotnitz Sorry, guys. I'm not touching this. Sorry. I just wanted to let you know. I brought a movie we can watch though. It's The Karate Kid! Let's all watch it together.

Mid-morning snack: Apple that was thrown into someone’s boob

Is This A Meme? Presenter: David Duchovny "Zeitgeist Icon" David "Jazz Panda" Duchovny, star of Fox Television's monster hit "THE X-FILES," plays the brilliant and sullen FBI agent Fox Mulder, hero to millions and millions of self-proclaimed "X-Philes," who still spend their Sunday nights wide-eyed in anticipation just in case. He will look at things and tell you whether it is a meme. It probably is. Bonus content: If there's time at the end, he will tell you whether something is a podcast.

Workshop: Remedial Driving Topics covered in this lightly mandatory “refresher" course will include parallel parking, reaching the trunk hatch when it's very high, and how to recognize obvious, huge poles when they are literally right in front of your face. Neck braces recommended for all participants.

Lunch: Hot dogs (Not so fast, Michael Bublé)

I HAVE SO MANY GREAT IDEAS OMG I HAVE SO MANY Presenter: Bryan Fuller The presentation will cover whatever Bryan Fuller is extremely enthusiastic about at that moment, he just loves life, okay

Please Don't Call Me A Hero, I Just Wanted To Eat The Peanut Butter, Anyone Would Have Done The Same Presenter: Brick Duchovny, noted philanthropist

Mid-afternoon snack: Lozenges. Take as many as you need.

Jesus, We Tried Presenters: The people who made the Season 10 Scully wig That thing took a lot of work. Just saying.

Directing Seminar/Fun Rap Session Presenter: Todd Johnson Todd Johnson is an accomplished television writer and director who exists and has a lot of convincingly documented experience writing and directing television, specifically television very much like The X-Files. He is definitely not Matthew Rhys in a wig and mustache who has been planted by the fandom to secretly film fanfiction after Chris Carter has been lured away by a spirit. He will discuss his non-frightening, normal ideas for directing an X-Files episode, in which he will not rock the boat or upset anyone or disturb the perfectly orchestrated clockwork masterpiece that is the show’s continuing plot. Come to be reassured that nothing will change; stay for Todd Johnson's cool, relatable, spontaneous stories about being a regular Joe that you will find all check out if you care to look into it at all for any reason.

Dinner: That place, what was the name of it again? You know! The place with that fish thing! That guy Roger worked there? With the tattoos? Oh, it closed in 2002? Oh well.

Evening Activity: Group Episode Commentary Everyone gets mic'd up and then sits together and watches the episode in silence. ...Is that a gold car?? HAHA! A gold car! Now I've seen everything.

PUBLIC PROGRAMMING

Offered concurrently on Day 1. Tickets: $600

Things That You Want From A New Season Of The X-Files (Surprise: It’s Not What You Think!) Presenters: 1013 staff

How To Lure Someone Into the Woods Using Your Mystical Powers In Order To Accomplish Your Elaborate, Nefarious Agenda Presenter: The Spirit Nimue

You Are All Awful, And They Can Never Know About Any Of This Presenters: David and Gillian's social media people

DAY 2

Breakfast: Edible arrangement sent by Vince Gilligan. Accompanying note: Hi, guys!!!!! I hope you have a terrific season! I wish so much I could be there with you all. Unfortunately I have an emergency months-long business conference in Guam. Bummer!!! But I know you will all do great and I hope you enjoy this fun, tasty, nutritious fruit bouquet. You all have a standing invitation to come visit the Better Call Saul set anytime! Love always, Vince

How To Make Millions When Your Celebrity Friend Expresses A Vague Wish To Maybe Do Something Presenter: Brad Davidson

Salary Negotiation: Tips and Tricks Presenter: Gillian Anderson Such as: how to wait until they offer your male co-star something non-insulting and then say you’ll have whatever they’re giving him. Because, like, they’re not going to make the show without you, are they? Honestly. It’s 2017, folks. If time and progress towards the frustratingly torpid but necessary reshaping of societal norms permit, there will also be a survey of the fuzziest, softest caterpillars of the Pacific Northwest and also inchworms. Caterpillar assistant: Nelson Anderson

Mid-morning snack: Chili chocolate

Abject Panicking: When You Have To Write Another Whole Episode And You Don't Have Any More Old Drafts Of Things, Shit Shit Shit Presenter: Darin Morgan

Workshop: Physical Performance For The Infirm Are you over 45? Injury-prone? Tend to overdo it on the sports? Not good at checking how deep the pool is before you jump into it? Come to this required (for some attendees) session that will cover the basics of not hurting yourself while going down stairs and tips for running through a forest with various limb injuries. Don't forget your glasses! (Seriously, if you do not complete this course, insurance will not let us film.)

Lunch: Juice

Multitasking: How To Write A Script While Directing A Different Script At The Same Time Presenter: Chris Carter Did you know that it's perfectly possible to write an episode script in 5 hours while simultaneously directing another episode? Even a complicated cliffhanger that serves as the capstone to the triumphant, hard-won and much-heralded return of your iconic sci-fi series upon which the hopes and expectations of every major critic, an entire network, and millions and millions of self-proclaimed "X-Philes" ride? Well, it is! In fact, it's the only way to do things. Really, it's the only way and you should never try doing it any other way because why would you? Presentation details TK

I Did Not Fuck Mrs. Butterworth: A Rebuttal Presenter: The guy that fucked Mrs. Butterworth Arcadia garbage monster

Mid-afternoon snack: Ham sandwiches, served by someone dressed as a ham sandwich. Hilarious!!! Don't forget to take a picture and post it on Tumblr!

PowerPoint Presentation That Consists Of Nothing But Slide After Slide Of The Closed-Eyes Emoji Presenter: Gennifer Hutchison

Dealing With Vancouver Moistness Presenters: Original X-Files hair designers An instructive seminar about blowdrying the frizz out of people's hair as efficiently as possible so other people on set don't emotionally freeze them out for 6 years.

Dinner: Whoever will deliver at 2:30 in the morning

Evening Activity: Sleep Enjoy it while you can!

Quick reminder: Brad is a WRITER now. Please don’t ask him to get you a coffee.

THANK YOU ALL AND LET’S HAVE A GREAT SEASON! 👽💋☂️

#long post #i almost didn't put it under a cut but then i had mercy on you all #vancouver block party #season 11 #hamcouver #todd johnson #this is very stupid #ps i had to google michael buble hot dog x files to fact-check

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spotlightsaga · 7 years

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Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews… American Gods (S01E02) The Secret of Spoon Airdate: May 7, 2017 @americangods Ratings: 0.710 Million :: 0.30 18-49 Demo Share Score: 8.75/10

*********SPOILERS BELOW*********

There was quite the uproar over the polarizing reception of Bryan Fuller, Michael Green & David Slade’s premiere episode of the small screen adaptation of the novel ‘American Gods’. For me, it felt like the trio was oversetting the stage and throwing psychedelic-tinged visuals and buckets of blood, introducing character after character without giving it much substance. But 'The Secret Of Spoons’ is packed with both psychedelic goodness, heavy world building backstories, and is literally teeming with substance. I calls 'em like I sees 'em. Ya heard me?

They say if you want your audience to stay put, you not only have to stay consistent, but you have to grab them by the balls (that lines going to haunt me when I run for president in 2020). 'American Gods’ doesn’t just grab you by the balls in 'The Secret of Spoons’, it literally grabs the whole human undercarriage, with one or two fingers in the ass and all. Oh, is that too graphic for you? Then your watching the wrong show. The pulpy storytelling remains and Orlando Jones gives us a fired up, very much WOKE Mr Nancy who sticks out like a kaleidoscope colored tarantula on a slave ship coming to America. 'Oh you don’t know your black yet?’ Nancy barks at the men of color shackled to the ship going through a thosand emotions at once. Shame inspires major events, but fear does too… And from fear, Anger is born, and its fear and anger with a sliding scale of everything in between that drives would be slave turned sacrificial rebel to burn 'that motherfucker down’. While 'Anansi’ or Mr Nancy tells the slaves a somewhat accurate depiction of 'Coming To America’, the details are not all there and he tricks them into sacrificing themselves for him. God mode, baby.

This was a fantastic introduction to the African God Anansi AKA Mr Nancy, a mythical god well preserved by our Caribbean brothers and sisters, particularly the notoriously culture copied Jamaican 🇯🇲 people and the culture-rich, female strong country of Trinidad & Tobago 🇹🇹. He’s slick, talks the talk, walks the walk, and preaches quite the pulp to the masses. His intentions are are both transparently clear and opaque as unclear can be. He is knowledgeable and speaks truths from his solar plexus… That is when he’s not a colorful spider. Do spiders have solar plexus? Maybe, possibly this one. The wreckage of the boat washes ashore and Anansi crawls off a plank in spider form. At first the scene felt disjointed, excellently executed, but still disjointed… After the episode ends we see there is a theme tied throughout its duration. Immigration and color, technicolor, and the things that separate us as Americans are the very things that bond us together, like it or not.

'The Secret of Spoon’ slows down the pacing and let’s us take in these characters, their movements, their quirks, the nuances of their very being… This is exactly the type of pace and character work that I love, especially if you are going for a psychedelic aesthetic and perspective. THIS is my forté… So those who *attempted* to clock me last week, I told you to be patient. I WILL NEVER praise a series, even a favorite, when praise is not well earned or righteously deserved… But when it is, I will bow gently. I suspect this wasn’t an easy story to start, especially with the drop in number of episodes… But now that the characters with less density and foundation, such as the fractal eye candy Technical Boy have been introduced we are getting to the actual 'meat and potatoes’ of The Old Gods.

We see there is core narrative of a battle between The Old and New Gods brewing, bubbling to the surface… But there is still much mystery behind certain Gods and Goddesses’ intentions. Bliquis, for one, remains a huge question mark, continuously enveloping both women and men into her vagina which leads them to a place of psychedelic and sexual ecstasy, as we see her original date full on hard with his legs spread open taking a ride into a starlit constellation that resembles a vagina. She’s taking in a lot of 'victims’ and apparently using the internet, which is ruled by Technical Boy… Could New be using Old in a strange strategical power move? Ever taken 5-MeO-DiPT? It’s an intense sexually charged, erotic psychedelic tryptamine that induces a journey much like what we see here. It’s actually a favorite of mine (in the correct dosage, which is vital with the drug otherwise known as 'Foxy’ or it’s less intense, lighter body load sister Chem 'Moxy’). I bring this is up because the scene where her date is floating in the spacey landscape is exactly where the chemical takes you. If these Mythical God’s were real, they would work through chemistry, and since I fancy myself a modern shaman, these connections are made to best my understanding… And maybe those who have a deep understanding with spiritual journeys through varieties and psychedelic chemicals.

As Shadow shops for a few items Mr Wednesday gives him to prepare for their long long road trip in his trusty car, Betty (one of which doesn’t like highways and enjoys slow rides and taking in the beauty), he’s ambushed into the television isle by Media, a New God, who manifests on an myriad of TV’s in the form of Lucille Ball. Gillian Anderson has always been great, but I can’t recall her playing such an out of the box, spot-on, character actress before. She looks, talks, sits, and presents herself like a toned down, real life Lucille Ball… Not the 'I Love Lucy’, 'cameras on’ Lucille Ball, but the woman herself dressed and prepped to film. It’s quite astonishing and I can’t wait to see who she pops up as next. Media spits rhetoric and principles that are far too close to that of Technical Boy, the man who just attacked Shadow and left him a bloody mess. She promises to never hurt him and says that men like him end up in suicide… And that she’s trying to prevent that. If you ask me, none of these bitches are to be trusted. With great power (old or new), comes great manipulation.

Shadow & Mr Wednesday continue their trip to Chicago where they meet The Slavic Zorya Sisters, 2/3 of which we see with our very eyes. Cloris Leachman gives us everything as Zorya Vechernyaya, the wise fortune telling leader of the family. Her quiet, reserved sister Zorya Utrennyaya is played by one of my favorite faces on television, FX Baskets’ Martha Kelly. She’s perfectly cast, but I’m partial to her and her work anyway. I will always love everything she does… Capturing a naive vulnerability that she allows people to use for their advantages. The third sister sleeps through the entire episode, only to call out from her bedroom to see if everything is alright.

Their brother, Czenobog, needs no introduction. He’s been represented in media many times before including the evil monster in 'Fantasia’. Wednesday needs both him and his hammer… Not his brother who represents light. Czenobog is played by the legendary Peter Stormare who chain smokes and speaks his Eastern European dialect in a menacing deadpan manner. He talks about his brother representing light and him representing dark, their lifelong fight, and ultimately both of them turning the same color of grey, making their fight irrelevant… Making color irrelevant; A nice nod, tie in, and juxtaposition to the opening scene where we see the many different ways and struggles that Americans eventuality made it to this country… Some shackled to boats, some shackled to dirty streets, but all shackled to a struggle that has defined us as individuals many generations down the line. Czenobog is a dangerous man, a man who does not give any fucks, and wages Shadow’s life on a game of Checkers that Shadow ultimately loses. How that will play out? We’ll have to find out next week, but this episode left me ravenous for more. If I had access to all the episodes, I wouldn’t have stopped. Clearly 'American Gods’ just had trouble setting its original stage, because now, just in its second episode, its firing on all cylinders… A sign that bodes well for the remaining 6 episodes of the series that now has my full attention and enthusiasm.

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all-that-is-left-is-the-heart · 7 years

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A New Year

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The X-Files RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Gillian Anderson/David Duchovny Characters: Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny Summary: A new year begins and important decisions are made. Gillian says her answer to David.

A Sequel of A Christmas Letter

He stayed calm all these days. But then today, when she will give him her answer, he’s inexplicably nervous. David, in writing the letter was certain that this was what he should do, but now, he was not so sure anymore. Is it if Gillian would accept it just because it's what he wants? No, he knows her very well and he knows she only does what she wants. But then she may not accept. Does that mean she does not want to marry or does not want to marry him? Again David returns to consciousness and remembers that he knows Gillian and how much she loves him. He does not even understand why he's have these thoughts since this morning, especially since she called and told him that she was already at the airport and would be here soon. She had refused him to go get her. Maybe she didn't want him looking at her at the airport and knew her answer would be no. He said it was not for her to feel bad to say no to him, if that was her choice. He promised her that nothing would change, and it will not. But he can’t deny the little disappointment he will feel if she says no. Not for her answer, but for him to have asked, and put them in that situation.

He had been confident since when he wrote the letter, but when he sent to her, he felt a chill to his stomach, if he really was doing the right thing. He wants this, but he did not know if she wanted it either, at least he thought so, if any sign that she wanted them to live together was in fact the desire to marry. They could just live together without getting married — she already did it once — they were already a couple, but David recently felt the urge to do this to her, and that's why he told her he would surprise her this Christmas. He planned to do exactly this way — sending her a letter, which was something they did for a long time — anyone would find this strange and impersonal, but not Gillian, he knew she would see it as something thoughtful and special. David had asked her not to respond quickly and only give her answer to him in person, but he could be sure she would comment something about the letter when they spoke on the same day she received it. But to his surprise, apart from not commenting anything, she gave no signal as to what her decision was or if she had enjoyed the surprise. Gillian was doing what he said, but he didn’t fail to be surprised. In all their calls, they talked about everything, except about the letter. Everything was okay, until he started to interpret this as a possible no. And now about to have her in front of him, he can't help himself but get even more nervous. He's missing her terribly, and everything he wants is to hug and kiss her for all the days they've been away from each other. So, no matter what her response is, he just wants her close to him.

David was taken from his thoughts when he heard the car in which brought her to stop in front of his door. Gillian knew the gate security code — just as she had the keys to this house and his apartment in NY — so that she would always come in without having to call him. They are definitely a couple and act as such, have long. Who needs marriage? He thought as he went to find her in the doorway.

Gillian was taking her luggage from the driver's hands when she saw David appearing at the door. All she wanted was to run into his arms, but she held herself back. She had a game to play before.

When the driver got into the car to leave the residence, David approached grabbing her bag and taking inside.

“Hey, did you have a good trip? ” He asked coming closer to hug her. She leaned her head on his chest, closing her eyes and inhaled his scent, which she missed so much.

Gillian could tell that David was nervous, just as she was. But now, here with him, she could relax and fool with him; as she had already planned.

“Yeah, I did. How are you? ” She asked moving away from him and giving him a kiss on cheek instead in his mouth.

“I'm fine. Better now. What about you? Do you want to rest or eat something? ” David asked, becoming more nervous. They were acting like old friends — what they are, and will always be — but a lot had changed and they usually jump in the other's arms after they had been a while without seeing each other, even more so that they spent the holidays away from each other.

“I'm a bit tired, but even more hungry. ”

“I'll make you something. Let's go, ” he said taking her hand for them to go to the kitchen.

“Wait, David. You don’t have to prepare anything for me. I just want the chocolates you said you had to me, ” she said in a serious tone.

And there is her answer, he thought. David had given her the chocolate option just to give her an easier way to decline his propose, which he did well. He just didn't imagine it would hurt a little.

“Uh, of course, they're right there waiting for you. ” He gave a small smile and released her hand to get the chocolates that were on a table. When he picked them up, he paused to look at the small velvet box next to the chocolate.You were not the chosen one, he thought, and then returned to Gillian and handed her gift.

“It's your favorite. I knew you would not resist, ” He teased and this time his smile was bigger as he saw the smile she gave as she opened the package. That's what matters.

“Mmmm, ”she murmured as she put a bar of chocholate in her mouth. She offered him and he took a piece.

“It's very good, ” he said as he ate.

“Good? That's fucking divine, David, ”she said eating another and he laughed.

“I'll keep the rest for later, ” she said after eating the third piece and put the chocolate on top of her bag that was on the couch.

Gillian came back to David and thanked him for the chocolate and this time she kissed his mouth, a soft one, but that made them both sigh. She pulled away and looked at him.

“Now I want the other thing you have for me, ” She said and for a moment made David confused. What did she mean by something else? Was she referring to the ring? He said she could have both of them. So does that mean she also wants the ring, but not his propose? Rarely David could not read Gillian, but now it was one of those moments.

“David? ” She called after realizing he was lost in thought. “My other gift, where is it? ” She asked when he seemed to pay attention again.

“Yeah, it’s there. Okay, I'll get it, ” he said as he let go of her and went to get the ring.

He came back and she was smiling at him with her eyes shining. When he was about to hand her over, she stopped him.

“I think you should ask me a question first. I no longer remember exactly what the letter said, ” she lied. Gillian knows exactly what it said in the letter. Her memory may be bad, but she would never forget every word he said in the letter.

David frowned, he didn’t know if she was joking or not. Her face was again unreadable to him and it was serious and now without a trace of smile.

“Gillian, I ... about the letter, ” he began, but he was even more nervous.

He looked down and Gillian realized he was not understanding everything as her joke, and decided that she had already played enough. Her nervousness had passed and now she just wanted to tell him her answer.

“David, ” she said, making him look at her again. “I'm joking. I know exactly what it says in the letter. But I want to hear from you. I need to hear it in your voice, ” she said softly.

And like magic, he read her again and know exactly what she wanted and what her answer was. She just wanted to hear from him the propose. He smiled that she'd pranked him and he'd fallen for it. He loved these moments of her.

Holding the box with one hand and her hand with the other, David looked at her and could already see her watery eyes, as was his. Now that she had let the joke aside her emotions were come out.

“Gillian Leigh Anderson, will you marry me? ” He asked, and it was enough just to say this for Gillian's tears fall. She was crying and smiling at the same time and David's heart was beating even faster.

“Oh God, yes, of course I do, ” she said and finally jumped into his arms. David picked her up and spun her making her laugh louder. When he put her down he went to the door to his yard.

“SHE SAID YES! ”He shouted as if someone could hear. Gillian laughed and blushed and hid her face with both hands.

“You're crazy. It's a good thing we were not elsewhere, or now the world would know we're getting married, ” she said as he came back to her, hugging her and spinning her around the room again.

His smile was capable of brightening up a soccer field, and any doubt she might have would have ended when she saw that smile. But she never had any doubts. They were doing the right thing.

“I would not mind. I'm so happy, Gill,” he said still laughing and kissed her again.

“David, you're forgetting my ring, ” she reminded him as she broke the kiss.

“Why do I have the feeling that you just came for your gifts? ” He joked.

“Well, that's true, ”she chuckled as he squeezed her sides. “But especially for you, ” she kissed him again.

David then opened the velvet box to reveal the beautiful Tiffany diamond ring with princess cut, and studded sides of small brilliant diamonds. He didn’t know what shone the most; the ring or her eyes. He took her left hand and when he realized she was shaking, he gave her hand a kiss before putting the ring on her finger.

“Wow, it's so beautiful, David, ”she said, still admiring her engagement ring. “I think I'm your fiancée now. We're engaged, David, ” Gillian said, her voice high with excitement. “I still can't believe we're going to do this. ” She looked so happy and David felt his heart almost burst with joy and love.

“And I don't believe you will become Mrs. Duchovny, ” he said as he pulled her by the waist.

“Oh, I will, but I will continue to use Gillian Anderson.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips. He realized she was still staring at the ring.

“You'll always be Gillian Anderson to me. ” She looked at him again and smiled.

“I love you so much, David,” she said with her eyes shining again.

“I love you too, babe. And I missed you. ” He kissed her passionately, as he always did the moment they saw each other after a while.

The kiss deepened even more, with their tongues fighting with each other and tasting the taste of chocolate. And all their emotional and joyous state gave way to the desire to reconnect now with their bodies.

David took her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Gillian quickly took off his tshirt as he put her down. He in turn took all the time to undress her and look at her body. He missed everything about her.

Gillian lay completely naked on the bed. David took off the rest of his clothes, too slowly, teasing her. Gillian despite the rush to have him, enjoyed the mini striptease he was doing to her. He was already hard as a rock and she bit her lower lip while seeing his erection finally out of his boxers. David lay on the bed and positioned himself on top of her, and after kissing her, he run his lips down her body. Gillian was already wet and ready for him, but already knew that he would not fucking her quickly. David would love her body first and then make love to her. And despite the despair of having him inside her, Gillian appreciated the feel of his warm tongue over her body, and now he was licking her folds and gently sucking her clit.

David knew her body like a map, he knew all the places that give more pleasure to her and knew the right pressure to be applied. She also knew him very well. And could make him beg in a few minutes just wrapping her lips around his cock and turning her tongue in the way that only she knew. They knew each other's body well, but they also knew each other. They could read each other like a book; a book they would never get tire of reading. They would take a big step, but they were ready for it.

She came intensely, with his mouth still putting kisses on her body. When he again reached her mouth, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, drawing him into her. Gillian wanted to feel him filling her, to feel that energy she always felt when being with him, when she got lost herself in her orgasm and he is there to hold her.

David started moving slowly inside her wet and warm pussy, but hitting at all the right spots. Gillian lifted her hips and met his thrusts, making his cock hit deeper inside her, and making them groan with each thrust. She was already close again and she knew he was there too; but making an effort to keep at a slow pace. Gillian managed to open her eyes and met his intense gaze, full of desire and love for her. Raising a hand up to his face, she wiped a line of sweat and ran her fingers through his temple where there was a vein bouncing from the effort he was making to hold on.

“Faster, babe, ” Gillian managed to say. “Harder, please, I'm so...” She didn’t finish and gasped, giving a groan as she felt his fingers touch her clit. Now it would be a matter of seconds for her to come again.

David kissed her forehead and with a few more rapid thrusts, they both come together screaming each other's names. He collapsed to the side, but carried her with him, still inside her.

Gillian was now exhausted, her eyes begging to remain closed, she wanted to sleep like this — in his arms, listening to the rapid beats of his heart. As he slid out of her, Gillian sighed and raised her head to look at him. David was staring at her with that beautiful smile he gave her when she said yes.

“Hi my fiancée, ” he joked and she joined him in the laughter.

She laid her head back on his chest and played with her ring. David kissed her on the head and then took her hand, interlacing theirs fingers and resting them on his chest.

“Did you like it? ” He asked looking at theirs hands together and caressing her finger where the ring was.

“Yeah, a lot, it's perfect, David, ” she said, also looking at their hands.

“West helped me choose. Well, she helped me choose some and in the end I decided on this one, ” he explained.

“Does she know then? ” Gillian asked in surprise.

“Yes, but I didn't say how I would make the request or she would have laughed at me if you said no. ” He laughed. His daughter had loved the idea of him asking Gillian to marry him, but she certainly would not approve of his choice to do this in a letter.

“I would not say no, ” she said, frowning, even though he could not see.

“You had a choice, that's why I said I would have the chocolates. I wanted to give you a way out if you didn’t want to, ” he said giving another kiss to her head.

“I didn't think of that option in no time. I had no doubts, I knew what I wanted, ” Gillian said and looked at him again.

“Did you all that just to play with me, didn't you? ” David said with a laugh.

“I was so nervous. I had to play with you to relax a bit. Sorry if I left you in doubt, ” she said and kissed him.

“No problem. I still love you, ” he teased and gave her another sweet kiss. Gillian yawned and then laid her head on his heart again, which was now beating at it’s normal rhythm. She now just wanted to sleep in the warmth of his arms.

“Happy New Year, sweetheart, ” he said, stroking her hair. Gillian already had her eyes closed, but she smiled and kissed his chest. They were starting a beautiful and happy new year.

#fanfic #fanfic gillovny #fanfic rpf #gillovny rpf #xf rpf #I would write only part of the letter but since some asked for continuation I decided it was well deserved to have #gillian anderson #david duchovny

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onceuponatimeprompts · 5 years

Text

Swan Queen SPY story

Swan Queen SPY story promt

So I was watching THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME (because Kate McKinnon, you know…)))

And watching her interaction with the Secret services chief played by Gillian Anderson I’ve got the idea for Swanqueen fic I wish I knew how to write)) So here goes…

Emma Swan and her male friend Graham are fresh out of training center (for CIA?)

They are assigned to the team of infamous Operation Director Regina Mills (aka Evil Queen), who is not very happy to have two rookies to babysit. She lets them know of course in her sarcastic way as usual))

Emma Swan is unbelievably charming and a terrible flirt who wouldn’t quit, which makes her such a good undercover agent to begin with. She is an orphan who was picked up by someone in her teens and sent in to secret services training academy instead of prison when she got caught stealing one time too many. She is able to get out of any trouble by using her fighting skills, charm and improvising talents. While in the academy she was able to prove being very promising and graduate on the top of her class.

Based on their performance they were assigned to the team of the LEGENDARY and brilliant operative R. Mills who took charge of the operations department by becoming Director after she participated in extremely successful counterterrorist undercover operation. Unfortunately that particular operation took many operative lives including Regina’s fiancé Daniel. Regina herself was badly wounded which left her unable to have kids and PTSD to deal with. She was not ready to go back to be a field agent again and took the promotion when it was offered. Her clever leadership gained her a reputation of someone to be feared and a nickname Evil Queen among enemies.

Emma falls in love at the first sight and cannot help but try and win heart of the unapproachable Director. She shamelessly flirts with her at every opportunity, and tries to get Regina to give her a chance. Regina secretly enjoys the attention but does not take Emma seriously thinking she is a young and immature. There is also that “little” rule that forbids any kind of fraternization between Supervisor and the subordinate. That, however, does not stop Emma from trying to prove that her feelings are serious just as her skills and she takes up any chance to prove it to her boss by taking all the riskier and dangerous missions. That earns her nickname “SAVIOUR”

Graham, meanwhile, has a bit of an old crash on Emma ever since their time in Academy. But he starts to realize that she might never be with him as she clearly plays for a different team. Enter Ruby, new operative (aka RED HAT), who plays for the same team as Emma and asks her out. Emma explained that she is in love with someone else and can only be friends with her.They do get together eventually for the “girls night out” along with Mary Margaret (aka Snow White), Ashley (aka Cinderella), and Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty)

There they run in to Regina and Emma ended up sleeping with her after drinking together. Regina of course goes in to the denial mode in the morning (just as Regina always does) and refuses to face her feelings.

Emma mistakenly thought everything will work out becoming increasingly disappointed with Regina’s behavior and asks to be assigned to the new long term undercover mission to get over her hurt feelings.

While Emma starts losing her hope Regina becoming gradually more accepting of her feelings for Emma.

Graham goes with Emma as her as her fake “husband”, also thinking that he could may be get a chance to be with her at last.

While on the mission Emma meets Neal, who keeps hitting on her regardless of the “husband”))

In the moment of weakness she has one night stand with him and really regrets it in the morning….

I am not clear yet on what mission they were on, but they were made up and captured.

Meanwhile Regina is doing everything she can to get missing operative’s location and ensure their safe return.

She is very much regretting being cold with Emma and faced with the fear of never seeing her again finally admitting being in love with her as well. She realized she does not want to lose her too.

Emma and Graham both ended up being delivered to the base of the powerful drug lord Albert Spenser, who had been tipped by CIA insider (Robin) He had an ongoing feud with the CIA and Evil Queen was the reason he lost his bellowed son in latest attack on his organization.

While In captivity, they both are subjected to interrogation.

Spenser then sold them to Robert Gold (famously known extremist) for the purpose of gaining more information and upper hand.

There Emma finding out that Neal is Golds son and knew who she was before capture. They indeed have traitors within the CIA. Neal apparently also falls for Emma…

Meanwhile CIA was able to capture someone working for Spencer and gain knowledge of what happened to both agents. Robin was uncovered along with the August and Regina was restless in a search for both agents. No time to stop, not when her Savior needs saving.

Eventually location was found out and the rescue plan set in motion all the while negotiating the terms of prisoners exchange with the Gold.

Neal was not happy with the way his father was treating Emma and decides to let them escape; he also sends anonymous info as to their location.

During rescue operation Gold was trying to kill agents but Neal attempted to save Emma and gets killed instead. Gold is furious. Both Emma and Graham managed to escape in one of the stolen cars but get shot down on the way by Gold’s goons. After they found Emma is in coma and Graham is dead.

In the hospital after all the tests it was discovered that Emma is pregnant.

Regina deeply regrets her inaction towards Emma before and decides to give them a chance, but the latest “discovery” raises so many questions…

Will they be able to forgive each other and overcome all obstacles?

Swanqueen is the Endgame!!!

___________________________________

Sooooo, this is the story that didn’t leave me alone until I decided to try and find someone to write it.I w

as trying to be brief, I swear I was)) It just so many details to mention.

Anyway, just to point out there are building relations and feelings implied between characters that had to be written, I am lacking in that regard))

In particular, explore how Regina goes from being annoyed to liking, then loving Emma.

And how Emma discovers deeper feelings then just desire for Regina as well.

Then there is whole bunch of known characters that can be added at your will. I just wanted to draw the main storyline.

It genre is romantic action with the bit of a drama in it, so Romance/Drama/Action it is.

You can mix it up at your will, I just want Emma and Regina keep their major character traits all the way trough.

Emma, regardless of what happened to her, never loses her goofy/dorky side and a cocky attitude and Regina would still be her sarcastic self, just in the good way after falling for Emma. Emma loves her bad ass attitude)))

Pretty please, can someone write it???

Thank you

#hurt/comfort #humor #AU #romance #submission

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myassbrokethefall · 7 years

Note

Your 792 chapter coffee shop AU sounds like a new art form. I really think you should take on this challenge.

I would just like to say, for the record, that I DO have a healthy embarrassment over (a) the fact that I wrote this and (b) how much time today I spent on it.

CHAPTER 1

“My expectation is we will not have something next season. It isn’t impossible, but the clock is getting pretty tight.”

Hear that? That doubtful voice, those killjoy words? That’s me. Sigh.

Let me introduce myself. I’m Gary Newman, and I work for Fox. That’s me explaining to IndieWire that SOMEONE got some facts confused. About MY project. I’ve only been working on it for months and months, and I was starting to feel like I was really getting somewhere – and now David Madden might have screwed it all up.

Here’s me again: “It��s not easy to find time. We would love to do it again, and I believe there will be a time when it happens, but it does not feel imminent to me.”

OK, PAUSE. REWIND. Let me start at the beginning.

David and I both work at Fox. He’s the president of Fox Entertainment, and I’m co-chairman/CEO of Fox Television Group. We don’t even know each other that well – we pass each other in the halls sometimes, but we don’t have that many meetings together or anything. Yesterday was the TCAs – only the biggest TV press event of the year. And David wanted to come present with me. I was a little doubtful at first – did he know my project? Hell no, not like I do. But I figured it would be good to have some backup up there. Everyone likes David M. He’s good-looking, 71, medium build, obviously does a lot of NordicTrack. Whatever. He’s all right. I don’t really know him that well, like I said. He has amazing eyebrows. Ugh, please forget I just said that.

Anyway. My project. What’s it’s about? Glad you asked!

Our network used to have this show, The X-Files. Back in the day, everyone loved it. And last year, I brought it back. (Well, me and my bestie, Dana Walden – we’re co-chairs/CEOs. We do everything together.) It took a ton of work! First I had to get the creator, Chris “Old Man” Carter, on board. He’s this eccentric guy who lives in a beach house and surfs all the time. He has longish hair, sort of like an MTV VJ. He was up for it. But THEN, I had to convince the show’s stars, Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Don’t even get me started on them. They are both weirdos. But, super long story short, they finally agreed to work with us. We did the show, and it did great! Sure, the plot didn’t make any sense and the emotional arc was nonexistent (that’s Old Man Carter for you), but everyone liked it anyway. (Except the AV Club, but everyone knows they’re dicks.)

So we – me and Dana – were going to do another season. Once again, we talked to Old Man Carter and he was all for it. I think he has a lot of free time. That’s cool. But you know who doesn’t have a lot of free time? David D. and Gillian. They are both super popular, and BUSY. It was kind of a miracle that they agreed to help last time. So I’d been working on both of them – slowly and carefully. Figuring out schedules. Proposing deals. You know, executive stuff. And – things were moving forward. Slowly. And carefully. We’d had some setbacks, but I was still optimistic.

Cut to yesterday afternoon. There we were at the TCAs, talking to basically every entertainment reporter in the US of A. I’m all ready with more cautious optimism – the last thing we need is for the press to get prematurely excited and start reporting that the new season is a done deal. That could screw up negotiations in who even KNOWS how many ways. So David Madden, who basically horned in on my presentation, is up there with me. And here’s what he says:

“Sure, the deal-making is complex, but we expect to have an announcement shortly. Heck, we were hoping to reveal it today! But the deals aren’t QUITE done. I’ll tell you this, though – it’s going to be way more than six episodes! Not as many as 22, but still a lot.”

What??!?!

Oh, OK. I’ve only been working my BUTT off to keep everything moving forward, this delicate balance, trying not to promise anything or step on anyone’s toes. Can I just tell you – I have woken up nights thinking about this. Worrying that Bryan Fuller was going to steal Gillian away to NBC (our big rival) to be the lead in a series about a gay shoe store on Saturn run by ghosts or something. (You probably think I’m exaggerating, but you haven’t met Bryan Fuller.) Worrying that David D. would decide to stop acting entirely because now he’s super into being a singer-songwriter. (Here’s a secret – and it’s kind of mean, sorry – David D. CANNOT EVEN SING. But you did NOT hear that from me.) Worrying that Old Man Carter will just disappear into the jungle one day and never return. (Actually that might uncomplicate some things, but you did not hear that from me either.)

So that’s what he said, and that’s why after the press conference I had to set the record straight. And so, I come off looking like the bad guy. Me, Gary Newman! I love X-Files! I’m the one who’s been working so hard to bring it back! I am so ticked off right now I can’t tell you.

Next day. Dana and I were at our after-work job. We work at a coffee shop called The Twentieth Cup. It’s a pretty chill place, a lot of execs and middle managers, some talent. You might think being co-chair/CEO of a major television studio would be enough of a time commitment, but I guess I’m kind of an overachiever sometimes, plus I like having that extra pocket money. I still get about three and a half hours of sleep, so it works out OK.

We had just gotten on shift. I looked around, and sighed when I saw who was sitting at her usual table near the door. Anne Simon is Old Man Carter’s best friend. She helped him with his part of the project last year. But sometimes she just parks herself at Twentieth and sits there with her laptop and barely orders anything. I swear, one day she had a single biscotti and a cup of water and she was there for my entire shift. And she used about 50 napkins. (She draws on them. Science stuff, I guess.) She’s OK, but she’s kind of a gossip. I was NOT psyched to have her there when I was still steaming about what David M. had said.

“I wonder if we’ll see you-know-who today,” said Dana.

“Who?” Sigh. I knew who.

“David M., of course.” Dana had a funny grin on her face. Oh, for pete’s SAKE.

“I do NOT want to see that guy,” I said, teeth gritted, and as quietly as I could manage so Anne wouldn’t overhear.

“Do you really think what he said was that bad? What’s wrong with getting people a little excited about more X-Files? We can definitely close those deals, eventually. Don’t you think?”

“It’s not going to make it any easier having the press up our butts about everything! Not to mention, what if it scares David D. and Gillian off? You know how prickly they can be about people just assuming they’ll do a project.”

“Will you relax? I doubt Gillian and David D. even pay attention to the TCAs.”

I sighed. Loud. Anne glanced over at me. I lowered my voice. “I just can’t believe him,” I said. “Why would he SAY that? He’s just so…so…”

“So what?” Dana asked, wiping down the counter. Dana is a great multitasker. Not to mention my rock.

“Ugh! I don’t even know!” I clenched my fists. I could see David M.’s face in my mind’s eye. That receding hairline. That smirk. Those EYEBROWS. I felt my cheeks flush.

“You know,” Dana said mildly, “for someone who can’t stand David Madden, you sure talk about him a lot.”

“Shut up, Dana,” I said, but my voice came out with less force than I intended. She grinned and went to put the rag back. “YOU brought him up!” I added, but even to my own ears I didn’t sound too convincing.

From outside, there came a faint sound of breaking glass. I looked up. An old GM EV1 had pulled up and collided with the streetlight, breaking one of the headlights. “Oh boy,” Dana muttered.

The shop door opened and David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson swept in, having a muttered argument. As usual, all heads in the place turned toward them, and also as usual, they barely noticed. “I’m SORRY!” Gillian was saying. “You can barely see that bloody pole. It’s tiny. You’re OK, right?”

“I should never have let you drive my car,” David D. grumbled. “They don’t even make EV1s anymore. I don’t know where I’m going to get a replacement headlight.”

“Just look on eBay! I’ll look for you. Someone will have one.” Gillian dismissed him with a wave of her hand. He rolled his eyes as they approached my register.

“Hey, Gary,” David D. said. He didn’t take off his sunglasses. Sometimes he wears them inside. I heard one of his pupils is bigger than the other one, which is crazy. Dana told me it was a basketball accident. Yikes.

“Hi David,” I said. “Hi, Gillian. What can I get for you guys?”

“I’ll have a large kale smoothie,” David said. “With double kale, please.”

“Double kale, you got it.” I nodded at Dana, who went off to the refrigerator. David was getting out his wallet, which was just a plastic bag with dollar bills in it that he had stuffed in his pants pocket. He started to uncrumple his money. I cleared my throat.

“Hey, so, you guys are still maybe thinking about doing the next X-Files, right?” I tried to sound super casual. I THINK I pulled it off.

“Perhaps,” Gillian said. She was speaking in her British accent. Sometimes she’s British, sometimes American. It’s called bidialectical and it’s a real thing, I swear. Gillian has a new British boyfriend so she’s been speaking British more often lately, and dressing fancier, and talking about the Queen all the time and stuff. (Her new boyfriend is SUPER into the royals.) She glanced at David D., then back at me. She has an intense gaze. I looked away first and fiddled with the cash register buttons, waiting for her to say more, but she didn’t.

“Sure,” said David. “If we have time.” David D. is more laid back than Gillian – most of the time – but he can get contrary if you come on too strong. He went vegetarian a few years ago when he was working on a book about talking farm animals. (I know. It was a good book though.) He’s not preachy about it though, which is cool. He handed me 14 dollar bills, mostly straightened out.

I glanced over at Dana, who was working on David’s smoothie. She made a face.

“How about for you, Gillian?” I asked, turning back to her.

“I’ll have a cinnamon caramel nutella whip frappuccino with COLD whole milk, please. With chocolate sprinkles and some kettle corn if you have it. And a slice of that flourless chocolate cake, and this bag of pretzels. Thanks, Gary. Oh, and could you make the drink a double shot? I have to write a whole novel by tomorrow.” I raised my eyebrows. Gillian likes to stay busy, all right. (That’s half the problem.)

“Sure thing,” I said. “I’ll bring it over to you guys.” They nodded and grabbed a table in the corner. David pulled out a battered paperback and Gillian plunked a laptop onto the table. On the other side of the cafe, Anne Simon was tapping something intently into her phone.

(No, David and Gillian are NOT going out, and never have, or if they have no one has told ME about it at least. You wouldn’t know it sometimes though by how they act around each other. Sometimes it’s like they’re married, and then they won’t talk to each other for six months. Like I said – they’re weird.)

I was breathing a little easier. They weren’t bubbling over with enthusiasm or anything, but at least they didn’t seem ticked off by what David Madden had said. That was a relief.

Speak of the devil – I had just gotten back to the counter after delivering David and Gillian’s drinks when the bells on the door sounded again. I looked up, and there he was. David Madden, Fox Entertainment president, wearing a white button-down, dark brown Cole Haans, and a smirk. He met my eyes and I felt the flush creeping up my cheeks. Damn it.

He settled at a table not far from the counter. David D. and Gillian didn’t notice him (of course), but Anne did, and I saw her reach for her phone again.

“Hey, David,” Dana called out. “The usual?” David M. smiled and pointed finger guns at her. Ugh. Who does that?

Dana prepped his regular order, which is a large coffee, black, with extra sugar. (That’s David M. in a nutshell.) She put it on the counter, then looked at me.

“What?” I said testily.

She tapped the counter in front of the mug. “Gary, come on,” she said. “Bring it to him.”

Dana is my bestie, AND my rock, but sometimes she drives me absolutely up a wall. “Why?” I asked, hoping Anne couldn’t lip-read. “What makes you think I want to talk to David M.? Now or like, ever again?”

In answer, she just turned away and started loading the dishwasher. I sighed loudly, again. I picked up the mug, made my way to David M.’s table, and set it in front of him. He looked up when he saw me, lifted his amazing eyebrows, and smiled.

“Hi,” I said.

TO BE CONTINUED*

*EXCEPT NOT REALLY

Disclaimer: This is silliness, silliness, and silliness again. No harm or offense is intended to anyone parodied (even that is a stretch for this ridiculousness) here. Please don’t punish me by not making more X-Files. (Or by suing.)

Also I have no idea how old David Madden is or whether he does NordicTrack. He does have cool eyebrows though.

#our uncertain future #fanfic #??!?!?!!!?!?!#please don't come for me fox you litigious old rascals you #mine #Anonymous

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