The End destroyed The Work in a permanent way. There was real and monumental loss, which is how it should have been portrayed, for more than just thirty seconds at the end of S5.

Yes, absolutely. I was thinking about this in relation to "Fight the Future," which isn't a bad movie when compared IWTB, but it doesn't address in a meaningful way what happened at the end of season five. Mulder and Scully seem way too blasé--or something--about the loss of the X-Files down there in Texas.

Edited to say this: the more we discuss this story, the more I see the how well the mood of the story matches up both with "The End" and the end of season five. The sex scene still depresses the hell of of me, and maybe it's meant to, but the raw emotion behind it still works. I think Scully here is in shock, she's self-medicating to numb the pain, as is Mulder. They aren't thinking clearly, they don't want to think at all. There is a capitulation to the moment which isn't characteristic of either of them, but which seems possible, if not probable, given enough stress and I think the fire is just the tipping point.

I still want a longer story.

I think Scully in "Iolokus" is in a very different psychological state of mind. I don't know how to explain it or define it but she is.