Story 238: "Telephones" by cucumberspy

[wendelah1]

This is probably one of those stories that got recced everywhere back in the day. It's so good I wish I'd written it. Cucumberspy has a lovely, spare style, plus an ear for dialogue and an eye for detail. Season nine, AU, thank God.

There are warnings on the author's header. Heed them.

Summary: She thinks there's nothing anyone can take from her now.

Read Telephones.

SPOILERS IN THE COMMENT THREADS.

Comments

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

This is SO sad. Although firefish's comment has me wondering if I misunderstood anything, still. Jeez.

I'll be interested to read if others interpret the story differently. I thought the small memories (?) of William interspersed were very emotional, once I got to the end and figured out what had happened. I wonder what the telephones mean. They're pivotal to the story, but I wonder about the significance.

[wendelah1]

I think your interpretation is mostly right. See comment above.

Yes, this is the saddest XF fanfic story I've ever read. Nothing else comes close for me. Not stories where Scully dies or Mulder dies or even the Gunmen's onscreen death, though that comes close. I think it's because as horrifying as it is, this is a logical place for The X-Files to end. It ties everything together, and forces us to give another look at what Bill Mulder did in sacrificing his daughter to buy them time to try to save the rest of humanity. "We've all had to give up someone."

[tri-sbr.livejournal.com]

Yes, very sad. I'm glad it wasn't longer.

I think the telephones, in addition to referring to the fact that Scully has been trying to bring herself to call Mulder to tell him about William (as was mentioned), also could serve to remind us that, for the rest of the world, life is going on and people are oblivious to the danger they have just been saved from. (I'm thinking of the beginning where the older woman is waiting to use the payphone because her granddaughter is running late. A mundane worry to contrast with what Scully is going through and with the danger the world has narrowly avoided.) I do wonder who is calling Mulder's telephone at the end.

[wendelah1]

Yes. I think the contrast at the beginning with the woman who is in a hurry to call her granddaughter, oblivious to the sacrifice that's been made to save them both is particularly poignant. During the series, there are so many scenes between Mulder and Scully that take place on the phone, too, as well as scenes where a missed phone call is pivotal. Occasionally phone calls bring us news from faraway, both good and bad, but just as often they're an annoyance.

The phone call at the end could be anyone but since no one knows where Mulder is in hiding, it's most likely a salesperson or someone taking a survey: another example of how life goes on around us in the midst of our personal tragedies.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Yeah, a good point about the telephones. They could also imply missed connections and miscommunications--she leaves her cellphone on the bus, she can't follow through with the phonecall at the payphone. This one last connection that she has to get right.

[wendelah1]

Missing the bus for much the same reason she can't make the phone call. Even once she's arrived, she can't say the words out loud.