Desperate Measures (X-Files story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Desperate Measures
Author(s):	Alelou
Date(s):	2000
Length:
Genre:
Fandom:	X-Files
External Links:	online here
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Desperate Measures is an X-Files story by Alelou.

Reactions and Reviews

First off, if you don’t remember much about the mytharc episodes of the 6th season, this fic may not pack as much of an emotional punch for you. Mulder finds out that Scully has not forgiven him for the events of One Son, and sets about trying to mend their relationship.

I love Alelou’s fics, and this may be my favorite. You should know that my love of authors who like to emphasize what a total selfish asshole Mulder is belies my die-hard shipper preferences in X-Files fic. I think fans like to romanticize him, and in my reading of this story, he is mostly just a whiny, overly-emotional, self-centered bastard. The emotional journey reminds me a lot of coloredink’s ‘Lacuna’, in that it depicts a relationship where one person is chronically emotionally abusive to their partner, and both people are trapped in the relationship by a deep bond that they can’t shake no matter how fucked up things get between them.

The last line makes me suspect that the author intended the ending to be romantic, but I found it poignant and painful, much the same way I perceive the canonical Mulder/Scully relationship. Of course, you can also read this as a bit of angst rounded out with love and fluff, but why go for the happy interpretation when you can be dour and pessimistic, amirite? Rating: PG