Story 34: "The Unfinished Universe" by Revely

[wendelah1]

This week's selection is The Unfinished Universe by Revely.

Classification: S/MSR/ This story wasn't AU when I started it,but now it is.
Spoilers: Through Badlaa
Feedback: revely_c@yahoo.com, or Revely@my-deja.com
A Note about the Timeline: This story contains spoilers for the first ten episodes of Season 8, but assumes that those episodes took place over the course of Scully's pregnancy (instead of just two or three months.) It also assumes that 'Requiem' took place in September, not May. Since this does not include spoilers for "Per Manum," it *really* doesn't include spoilers. Meaning, in this universe, the flashbacks from PM never happened.

Thanks to lightlack for the nomination.

As always, let the author know what you think; let us know what you think; and please, give us your suggestions for next time.

Comments

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

While I might claim not to be fond of babyfic, I *am* really fond of this story. I read it for the first time before I saw season eight, so I was quite willing to believe that it was the authorized, "real" version of what happened. I still am, come to that.

It's well-observed and not sentimental. This Scully is neither a perfect mother nor a bad mother, but quite simply Scully with a baby and a fierce maternal love. It is fascinating to watch Mulder getting to know her all over again, and the baby as well. It's a small scale voyage of discovery, but a voyage nonetheless, with the cross-country trip providing the perfect parallel.

Mulder waits until the door of the bathroom sucks shut before nudging the baby-carrier on her seat with his toe. The motion jerks the baby out of his daze, and he blinks solemnly.

"So what's your story?" Mulder asks. "Or can't you remember either?"

The recapitulation of Scully's season eight cases is also very nicely done. It solves the problem of season eight--the lack of Mulder making for boring viewing--by in a way inserting his perspective ex post facto into the cases. I loved this bit:

He is very interested in bats in general, he says, and man-bats in particular. This file seems to intrigue him more than the slug case, and he reads it from front to back several times before questioning her as they shoot down the highway passing 18-wheelers and school buses.

And:

"Oh God, Mulder," she says, wiping her eyes, "I can't tell youhow long I've been waiting to hear you make that joke."

Beyond case files, the story recapitulates a lot of the time they spent apart, their back story, how the trip allows them to reflect on what has happened between them.

This piece of observation is just sweet:

The boy toys with his ear and makes desperate sooming noises, like she's the only oasis in the desert of his life. This is startlingly true, he realizes. He feels the same way.

It's interesting that the author has Scully breastfeeding. Is this true in the series? Because I only remember a bottle, and as much as I want to believe, somehow I see her as someone who would choose the bottle.

Very nice story, although I find myself wondering where they stashed the baby in the final scene.

[dictatorcari]

I find myself wondering where they stashed the baby in the final scene.

I thought of that, too. :)

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Because the baby was so nicely handled throughout all of the story, it annoyed me that he disappeared conveniently just in time for the oh-so-romantic sex scene...

[wendelah1]

But she has been staying there on and off with the baby- there is a baby tub in Mulder's bathroom and baby stuff all over the place. She obviously has to have somewhere set up for the baby to sleep. Scully does not seem like the family bed sort of person. (Not that there is anything wrong with the family bed.) I didn't give this a second thought. I don't think that Will(iam) was born when this story was conceived so I don't think that she knew whether or not Scully was breastfeeding. Often people do both breast and bottle, especially if they know they are going to go back to work and have daycare. It can be hard to get a breast-only baby to take a bottle. Anyone with a medical education should know the benefit to the baby to breastfeed. That doesn't mean that 1013 does, of course. . .this is a very odd discussion to be having here.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

But she has been staying there on and off with the baby- there is a baby tub in Mulder's bathroom and baby stuff all over the place. She obviously has to have somewhere set up for the baby to sleep.

Oh, I wasn't questioning that. Just that there's no mention of the baby being put down to sleep, or anything along those lines. William is so present in the whole of the story that this sudden absence seems a bit jarring to me.

I don't think that Will(iam) was born when this story was conceived so I don't think that she knew whether or not Scully was breastfeeding.

Oh, I forgot about that. Good point. Even though Scully is a doctor, I somehow can't see her choosing to breastfeed. But as you point out, this is an odd discussion to have here...