Story 253: "Lucky" by Peggy Sue

[wendelah1]

Hi, everyone. Does anyone still want to read and discuss fanfic?

I found this story from a new recs community on Tumblr: MSR Archive. It's not an archive in the traditional sense but each entry does have a picture, the author's summary and a short excerpt, as well as the link. It's the only story they've posted so far that I haven't read, but it

Comments

[mosinging1986]

(I have no idea why this post showed up on my Friends List and when I first tried to comment it said I wasn't a member of the comm and I had to re-join. Weirdness.)

Anyway, I loved this story so much. (Of COURSE they named the turtle "Whale"!)

The older I get and the more of other people's children I see and spend time with, the sadder the whole William-arc is to me. I couldn't stand the writers even introducing this ridiculous storyline in the first place. But once they did, the way they ended it was beyond inexcusable. There are so many eps of these later seasons that I have not even had the strength to watch again because they were so awful in that regard.

But since they did introduce it, I wish they had at least dealt with it all. Even if it was as gut wrenching as this, that would have been believable.

Even though we know from the start these are all dreams, we linger on the sweet moments because... we know that's how it should have been

[wendelah1]

That's strange. You've been commenting all along. I didn't remove you. Anyway, welcome back.

I'm glad you liked the story. It's a fine line between acknowledging the sorrow and loss inherent in the aftermath of "William," and wallowing in it. The happy dreams balanced the sober awakening.

I don't see an opening for changing the status quo in this fic. It's nearly impossible for me to imagine a scenario that would make it better for all parties. The only fanfic that I've read that didn't use the brutal murder of William's parents as a plot device to reunite him with M&S is "Machines of Freedom." I know I've said this before but frankly, I would rather not read fic that inflicts that kind of trauma on a child. I'd rather read Happy Family AU than that. Or better yet, a fanfic like Kel's "The Beginner's Guide to Tightrope Walking" that goes AU after the ending of season eight and fixed one of the bigger plot-holes of the series--the chip in Scully's neck.

[mosinging1986]

Yeah, LJ's weird sometimes.

It's nearly impossible for me to imagine a scenario that would make it better for all parties.

Oh, absolutely. Of all the "writing yourself into a corner" plots I've ever seen in life, this one has to be one of the worse. WHAT were you thinking, people?!

[bachlava]

I definitely still want to read and discuss fanfic. That said, you know I think the William arc just never happened. ;)

[wendelah1]

Cool! How do you feel about the cancer arc?

[bachlava]

Love it! I mean, it's *very* hard to watch, but in all the right ways. For me, some of the arcs that fit that description seem like fairly organic expressions of the Syndicate's horribleness and the price that Mulder and Scully (and others) face for trying to take them on. Other ones I'd put in that category are Mulder's essentially incurable trauma over Samantha and the salt that CSM likes to rub in the wounds and the Emily arc (which I know you hate). But for reasons that I can't fully articulate, for me personally the Mulder abduction arc and the William arc just feel like gratuitous character torture. That's a wholly subjective impression, mind you: there's no inherent reason why the arcs that do work for me are any less cruel. But for whatever reason, that's where the limit comes up for me personally. EMDV - everyone's mileage does vary.

[wendelah1]

That's true. I was curious because the next fic on my list is a story set during the cancer arc. It's not just about Mulder and Scully; there's a little back-story for the secondary characters: Bill Scully, Mrs. Scully, even Father McCue. I've been avoiding a rewatch of those episodes because the topic hits a little too close to home, but I feel ready now.

[rainatlas]

Ahh, I'm so glad you're back. I haven't been in the right head space lately for fanfic, so it was nice to take a break, but I was beginning to worry that my nomination broke the book club

[estella_c]

I thoroughly agree with this post (which I suppose is taking the easy way out). "Lucky" is a tragic story with a happy core, which is what touches the heart. The fantasies of what might have been are both a gift and, perhaps, a curse. It reminds me of the Khyber duo in which the captured and drugged agents somehow dually create a magical, romantic existence. (Names? Forget it. I think one was called "Where I End and You Begin." The story was made of dreams.)

Scully will never give up William. She considers that a blessing. I love how she keeps her wedding ring on the same chain as her cross.

I approve of changing canon when a writer so wishes. So I love stories about William. Penumbra's "Fathoms Five" is an excellent example, though William is almost used as a compensation to Scully for a dreadful personal fate. It is a monumental achievement in our fandom world.

I am not fond of the cancer arc, but I'm reject no good fiction just for of its subject.

[estella_c]

Forgive typo in final line.

[wendelah1]

Thank you for giving the story a chance.

Although I'm glad to think Scully hasn't given in to feelings of hopeless despair, I think it's unlikely they would see William again--just as it's unlikely that they could do anything to stop colonization.

These are very incompetent alien overlords. What are they waiting for again? I never understood the myth-arc.

[wendelah1]

The daydreams were lovely little slices of family life that were sweet without being saccharine (which is the primary reason I usually avoid kidfic.)

I agree with both of your statements. I have many reasons for avoiding kidfic but syrupy sweet versions of Mulder, Scully and their progeny head the list. On the one hand, I get why people want to write them and read them--they're an antidote to the horror that was inflicted on the characters we love so much. But an entire novella about Mulder and Scully going to Lamaze class or adopting orphaned children? What does that have to do with The X-Files? Maybe if the fanfics had been funny or witty or had a version of Mulder and Scully I could recognize...

But this story manages to navigate the rocky shoals of babyfic quite successfully. It neither avoids the painful reality of canon nor wallows in it. This is rare.

Yes, certainly the best way to keep your targeted-by-cultists, possibly alien-powered child safe is to foist him off onto two people who have absolutely no idea what they

[snarkybando]

It might just be the stage of life I'm in (late 20s and ambivalent about kids myself), but I just can't do anything that involves the William arc. I just put myself in her place too easily, and it's too personally painful to read.

It's the same reason why I avoid almost all of RivkaT's output, no matter how well-written or interesting, because the subject matter is just so devastating to me.

[wendelah1]

Fortunately, there's a lot of XF fanfic out there, so there's something for everyone. You can avoid all William- related posts pretty easily here, and RivkaT, too.

Still writing!

[ext_3021822]

Just wanted to let you know that we have an XF fanfic writer's group on Facebook if anyone would like to join. There are still a few of us writers out there.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/779354792141178/

As far as William stories, I've written a few though I'm not usually into baby or childfic. I hate the way that his storyline played out on the show and have written a/u stories about it. I'm definitely going to check out Lucky.

Re: Still writing!

[wendelah1]

Let us know what you think if you read "Lucky."

Thanks for letting us know about the Facebook group. I must decline. By joining it, I'd either have to create another Facebook--not exactly easy in these days of internet sites insisting on people identifying themselves online, or out my Facebook as belonging to a fanfic writer. I'm still trying to keep my fandom and IRL identities separated.

Re: Still writing!

[ext_3021822]

I LOVED Lucky and passed it along to all my Phile friends, FB and otherwise. I was just about in tears at the end; I have four kids and eight grandkids and can't imagine the pain of giving up a child like that.

I understand about identity. I made the decision to use my real name when I started publishing fanfic, but Chris Carter never called me to write XF3. Well, there's still time.

Re: Still writing!

[wendelah1]

I'm so glad! I'm getting ready to put up the next post, if my hands cooperate.