Story 237: "Sixty Degrees of Separation" by denynothing1

[wendelah1]

Finally. She posts.

Hey now. I've been busy. With what? Yuletide, xf_santa, reccing for The X-Files at crack_van (and updating the fandom overview). And now, I have a new community with tree to celebrate Dana Scully's 50th birthday: scully_fest. Go check it out.

So. I've been looking everywhere for this story. As it turned out, the author wrote under a different name back in the day, changed it at Gossamer, then changed it again--as one does--on LiveJournal. Fortunately, she archived it at AO3, where I ran into it accidentally looking for something else entirely.

Ahem. I am supposed to be telling you why you should read this. Well, it's a funny, character-driven fic set between "Triangle" and "Dreamland". Mulder and Scully deal with the fallout from his bedside confession of love. He's caught between two realities and two women: the woman from his fantasy world in 1939 and his partner, Dana Scully. Her character voices are perfect--wherever Mulder's imagination takes him.

Read Sixty Degrees of Separation. You can easily leave feedback for the author at AO3.

If you're interested, this Chronicle X Author's interview can also be found at Fialka's Candybox.

Comments

[tri-sbr.livejournal.com]

I had read this before, but this time was even better. This was excellent! funny and fun and also touching. And yes, good voices for both characters. I just went and found as much of her other stuff as I could because somehow I didn't have any of it...reading now.

[wendelah1]

Her fic is at Gossamer, just under an unfamiliar name to me. It was fortuitous find this story at AO3. I had honestly assumed she'd taken down her fic.

This is my favorite of hers.

[(Anonymous)]

Ooh. I loved this. First, thank you to introducing me to this author. I am not new to XF but I am new to fanfic and I'm always looking for more great authors and stories.

I feel like Mulder having to experience these dream sequences in order to come to his realization about Scully is a very Mulder-esque thing. Both character voices are excellent and the dream world was such a fantastic follow up to the world we were introduced to in "Triangle". Mulder's dream-world Scully was spot-on.

I think my favorite bit was Mulder's recount of the previous night's phone conversation with Scully where we only see one side of the conversation. I love it when writers give us just enough content and then trust us to fill in the blanks.

I loved the author's interview, too. Can't wait to read the rest of her work!

[wendelah1]

Welcome to the book club. Thanks for commenting to let us know you read and liked the story. Yes, the dreams seemed very "Mulder-esque" to me, too. I like AUs and fix-it fics but I also like reading stories that enlarge and enrich the canon rather than contradict it.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Who wrote this? I mean, what is the other name? Or aren't we allowed to know. Because I remember liking it and liking the writer back in the distant past. God, this fandom has taken up an enormous part of my adulthood.

It is clever and very Scullyesque (you must have loved it, W) and I'm a sucker for dream sequences. I liked the WWII bits, as a think Skinner is deserving of love. It did bother me slightly how very apologetic Mulder was in his Scully-love and how touchy Scully was, but I think relationship talk must be the hardest thing in the world to do. And quite frankly I don't think Mulder's "I love you" in bed was worth taking so seriously, as 1) he was drugged; 2) of course he loves Scully, and she knows it, but love can also be translated as "you're my best buddy; you've got my back; you always come through for me," etc. But fans got all excited and why not? Carter was such a sadistic tease. So I'm sure this filled a need and did it quite well. And it remains perky, inventive, and fun.

[wendelah1]

There is a big hint in the post. The link to her Author's interview at Chronicle X tells you her old X-Phile name.

I didn't see Mulder apologize even once to Scully in this story--for any of his stupid antics during that episode. His behavior toward her betrays his usual sense of entitlement. It's Mulder being Mulder all the way!

I do think Mulder loves Scully, but let's face it: he's exhausting. To work with, to be with--on any level. She's been staying overtime trying to resurrect his precious files from the ruins of the office fire and he can't even say thank you to her. He's still standing there giving her a hard time for not paying enough attention to him. For not doing it his way.

Sounds exactly like Mulder to me.

Then he has to talk her into heading to Dreamland with him. Because they're not in enough hot water already.

Back at his desk, while checking if Frohike had gotten any more information on the SS squadron assigned to board the Queen Anne, he was met with a message from his Area 51 contact. He sighed and considered whether he could get Scully to go with him.... He winced. Bad choice of words.

Run, Scully, run away now.

My favorite part of the story is where he remembers Scully's part of the phone conversation with him:

"How are you feeling, Mulder?"

"Can you describe the pain?"

"How many pills have you taken today?"

"You can take two more tonight. What have you eaten?"

"Ketchup is not a vegetable, Mulder."

"Turkey jerky? No, I can't say that I have. Are you sleepy at all?"

"I don't remember any lullabies."

"Umm -- reading yesterday's paper and watching television -- I caught the last part of Casablanca."

"I would have chosen... I don't know, Mulder. Who do you think I would have chosen?"

"OK, I guess I'd have to say she made the right choice in Casablanca -- and the wrong choice in Paris."

"Because saying... making commitments... a commitment... is a very serious thing. I... I think you should try to get some more sleep, Mulder."

Et cetera.

This is so perfect! A lesser writer would have given us Mulder's bits too but this is so much better. We can deduce his half from hers.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I think relationship talk between these characters in particular must be incredibly hard. They're both very reserved in their expressions of emotion and it must be hard to get the balance right.

[badforthefish.livejournal.com]

I haven't had the time to read this one yet, but I am going to try and make some time for it. This is the same author who wrote the very cute Stakeout Through the Heart I loved the silly banter and easy flippancy of this piece which gradually turns into something more serious about where they stand in their relationship.

So yeah I am really looking forward to read this one.

[wendelah1]

Yes, she did write "Stakeout Through the Heart." I like her writing very much, too.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm the same newbie from above and I just had to come back and comment because I read "Stakeout Through the Heart" and loved that one as well!

But that's when I got myself in trouble. I read "Fire Sale", a lengthy work in progress that was a collaboration between this author and Haphazard Method, and while it was very clearly marked as a WIP, I read it anyway and now I just NEED to have the conclusion! This was a very well written piece with a juicy x-file that connects to Arthur Dales and the past of the X-Files division as well as some delicious Mulder and Scully characterization. I would still recommend reading it despite the unfinished conclusion. It's too bad the authors got that far and couldn't complete it. As far as I can tell, it's been 12 or so years since an update so I'm probably wasting my energy even hoping for information, let alone an ending. Does anyone know anything?

[wendelah1]

I don't know anything about "Fire Sale" and I never read WIPs anymore by anyone, not even by Syntax6. Did you try the email address on the story wherever you read it?

I think after 12 years it is safe to assume this one's not getting done.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I haven't read Fire Sale either, but you can leave a comment at AO3 that gets emailed to the author, so you could try asking after the story that way.

It might get finished one day! Sometimes writers come back after a long time.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Triangle is not a favourite episode of mine, but this story used it very well. I liked the extension of the episode and more 1939 Scully! I would watch a show just about her.

[wendelah1]

"Triangle" isn't a huge favorite of mine either. I think it's overrated. But this story is so good that it made me think seriously about giving it another look. I don't think I can give a fanfic a better recommendation than that.

[hooves.livejournal.com]

I wish I had more to say about this piece, but it was fun and amusing. I loved the Get Smart reference (I feel severe delight when anyone references that series), and the lighthearted tone that was just barely shadowed with the expected angst.

I didn't think his "I love you" was such a big deal except for the fact that he said it. For once. Love can mean a lot of things but I do think it's meaningful that Mulder took the time to try to put words to the feeling, regardless of the drugs or what kind of love he felt at the time for Scully. ;)

I also personally find the episode Triangle to be pretty interesting; it's one of those episodes where you're like, "Well, how should we proceed with this? A figment of his imagination? Reality?" It doesn't quite line up with what is presented in "The Field Where I Died" but Mulder's memory is so good I find it hard to imagine he'd even hallucinate something incorrect.

Anyway, this was a fun take on things. Made me smile at work: a feat, let me tell you.