You aren't that late. I'm just getting to replying to people's comments myself.
First, I think the second part is totally unnecessary as part of this fic, and that is the best written of the three. To me it's like Tesla was trying out doing away with (some) transitions, and in the second part is were this just works.
In Part Two, Tesla uses a very effective framing device by telling the story partly in the courtroom, as Mulder gives his testimony, partly in real time as the events he describes are actually unfolding.
I noticed a couple of choppy passages this time through in Part Three, but partly that is because it is told from both Mulder's and Scully's points of view, which brings me to your assertion that Part Two isn't necessary. It is. Let me try to convince you. Structurally, the story comes apart without it. Part One is all from Scully's pov, A Thief's Diet is all from Mulder's, Part Three alternates between them. Without Mulder's pov on the failed, (aborted?) romance, you don't have the whole picture. Plus, sadly, I believe Mulder's depression and PTSD is what finally allows Scully to feel strong enough to show vulnerability and acknowledge her feelings to him. She comes to him out of need, and feels ashamed. But Mulder loves her and needs her, too, she just can't see it.
Besides the need for Mulder pov, worsened Mulder PTSD due to having Janey die in his arms, and showing him obsessing about loving Scully, I think Tesla also wants time to have elapsed between Parts One and Three. She puts them together, breaks them apart and then puts them back together again. I think she shows us three partnerships, in the three sections: Marti and Donald, who Scully sees as a parody of her and Mulder, Janey and Hal, who is in love with his partner, but never gets to tell her before she's murdered, and our very own Moose and Squirrel.
I think the story would feel incomplete without Part Two. I think its structure minimizes the Mulder introspective whining, while also providing further reason for him to be losing it.
As I said in the thread above this to antfarmponies, I saw no signs of hero worship in this story, not on Scully's part, anyway. If you want to point out the relevant scenes to me, we can go from there.
Like brooklynmili, I loved the last scene. It feels inevitable and right and I'm totally convinced by it. But if it didn't work for you and estella_c, it didn't.
Re: Better late than never, right?
First, I think the second part is totally unnecessary as part of this fic, and that is the best written of the three. To me it's like Tesla was trying out doing away with (some) transitions, and in the second part is were this just works.
In Part Two, Tesla uses a very effective framing device by telling the story partly in the courtroom, as Mulder gives his testimony, partly in real time as the events he describes are actually unfolding.
I noticed a couple of choppy passages this time through in Part Three, but partly that is because it is told from both Mulder's and Scully's points of view, which brings me to your assertion that Part Two isn't necessary. It is. Let me try to convince you. Structurally, the story comes apart without it. Part One is all from Scully's pov, A Thief's Diet is all from Mulder's, Part Three alternates between them. Without Mulder's pov on the failed, (aborted?) romance, you don't have the whole picture. Plus, sadly, I believe Mulder's depression and PTSD is what finally allows Scully to feel strong enough to show vulnerability and acknowledge her feelings to him. She comes to him out of need, and feels ashamed. But Mulder loves her and needs her, too, she just can't see it.
Besides the need for Mulder pov, worsened Mulder PTSD due to having Janey die in his arms, and showing him obsessing about loving Scully, I think Tesla also wants time to have elapsed between Parts One and Three. She puts them together, breaks them apart and then puts them back together again. I think she shows us three partnerships, in the three sections: Marti and Donald, who Scully sees as a parody of her and Mulder, Janey and Hal, who is in love with his partner, but never gets to tell her before she's murdered, and our very own Moose and Squirrel.
I think the story would feel incomplete without Part Two. I think its structure minimizes the Mulder introspective whining, while also providing further reason for him to be losing it.
As I said in the thread above this to
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