xf_book_club | Story 254: "This Her Fever" by Aloysia Virgata

I reread this last month when I noticed

aloysiavirgata had been archiving her fanfic at AO3. I liked it a lot. "This Her Fever" is a connected series of fill-ins set during Gethesemane/Redux, which I enjoyed best for the sympathetic portrayals of the secondary characters: Bill Scully Jr., Maggie Scully and Father McCue.

I think this fic is both noromo and shipper friendly. Members who prefer their fanfic minus the sexy bits can read it as long as they skip past chapter 17 and not lose anything essential since the plot remains faithful to canon. Other readers can now skip right to chapter 17...

Rated R | 26,126 words | Archived 09-07-06
Spoilers: Detour (and Gethsemane and Redux, adds Wendelah)
Keywords: Mulder/Scully romance.
Summary: It is, she thinks, a fitting coda to her life that Mulder and Father McCue should cross paths in this room, both trying to offer her salvation.

Read This Her Fever at AO3 or as a text file at Gossamer.

It seems appropriate to post this Scully-centric fanfic rec on Dana Scully's 51st birthday.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You had me at "sympathetic portrayal of secondary characters", yay!

I am halfway through and will come back and comment properly when I'm finished, but so far I am enjoying this a lot. I really like the depth of ideas and the seriousness (is this the word I mean? Respect, maybe) with which the "less important" characters are treated. Fanfic writers (and 1013 writers as well) often minimize the involvement of other characters to keep plot moving, but I like reading about them.

Okay, finished and really enjoyed.

I'd actually suggest that chapter 17 is important to the story, and anyone who wants to skip it should at least read the last few paragraphs of that chapter, because it's not quite what it seems. And as an aside, contains what is one of my least favorite writing tropes actually done well - I was surprised and found it funny.

I was also surprised by Father McCue's back story, as well as surprised about how much I enjoyed reading about this very minor character. I also loved Maggie's point of view on Melissa's death and her thoughts about her two daughters. I think I have told the book club before my many feelings about no-one (visibly in the show) grieving for Melissa.

I've heard criticism before that Aloysia's writing is too descriptive for some people - there are times in the story where I stopped and "noticed" the writing which I imagine could break up the flow of the story if you're not completely digging it. But I enjoy pretty writing so it doesn't seem like a concern for me. And I liked reading about these characters so much, the little details that ring true for me.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed Chapter 17 as a pleasant diversion but I still think it's superfluous to the overall story. What does it add, really? We already know Scully is interested in Mulder "that way" since she made a move on him. I think her readers like her sexy scenes and I presume she enjoys writing them, so she threw one in. As she explains in the author's note, she wanted to stay true to canon, so she made it a dream. The only thing I dislike about it is that it ratchets up Scully's discomfort another notch. I thought she was already humiliated enough after Mulder rejected her--which is the other thing I'm not crazy about in this, or any story. I don't enjoy fics that embarrass my favorite characters. I mean, come one. They didn't even get to have the sex!

But I agree it was a well-done story. I like Aloysia's style in this fic.

I wanted to talk about the story's structure but now I need to look it over again before I do.

You don't think what happens in chapter seventeen changes the feeling of chapter eighteen/the end of the story? I think there's a bittersweet feeling to it that wouldn't be there if chapter seventeen was played straight.

I thought the author's note at the end stated that she felt it was wrong for the story (I didn't read any other notes, if there were any). I'd agree with that.

Ah, thinking critically about fic is not my strong suit: the only thing I can think of to comment on the structure is that it is using background characters to illustrate the stories of the main characters. Would be interested to read everyone's thoughts.

I really loved Fr. McCue's back story as well. The canon character is such an example, IMO, of "no small roles" -- he doesn't show up often or have many lines, but it's clear that he has a long, deep connection with the family, especially Margaret. The history that Aloysia envisions between them strikes me as really plausible for their generation's experience of Cold War Catholic America. (Yes, there are many women in my family of whom canon!Maggie reminds me, and Aloysia's version strikes me as very canon-compatible).

"I believe, based on my PET scan results, that it would be best if I were in a state of grace."
I don't know if any fan writer has ever come up with a line I find truer to Scully during the cancer arc. If one sentence could ever encapsulate a character...

That state of grace line is a great one. I can hear it in her voice. On a lighter note, I also liked:

"What do you think about laryngitis?" Mulder asks.

"I'm generally opposed."

Which reminded me a little in rhythm of: "How do you like your coffee?" "Unadulterated."

Story 254: "This Her Fever" by Aloysia Virgata

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