X-Files’ Collector’s Edition: Creepy and Cozy Cabins
Cabins: the final destination of many, many fic tropes. For our intrepid heroes, cabins are a great setting for either great understandings of relationship-kind, or a temporary haven from their chaotic and bloodthirsty world. I like to keep an eclectic assortment of such fics and mix them all together like a crazy salad.
Loose chronological order below~!
aka Jake’s (Gossamer) 14-Day Quarantine (Gossamer)
““Mulder?“ My name rasps from Scully’s throat.
Ignoring the nurses’ scowls, I return to her bedside.
She clears her throat, takes a shallow breath. “I’d’ve…preferred Bigfoot."
Me, too, Scully. Me, too.””
Post Darkness Falls Scully is not out of the woods, and is devastated at news of the ranger’s death. She slips back and forth between recovery and coma while Mulder tries to bolster hers, his, and Maggie’s spirits.
the_eternal_optimist’s Unheard Of
““The men barged right in, broke the lock on the door. I pulled my gun, told them I was FBI. They were on me before I could even move, Scully.” She winced. “A few of them had baseball bats. One of them had a—a rope, or something heavy like that. I lost my gun before I could even fire it. I think I took a bat to the back of the head.” He sighed heavily. “When I came to, I was like you found me—clothes gone, hands tied.”
“And they just stashed you there under the stairs?” she asked in horror.
He grimaced. “They, uh, they actually dragged me out to the tree line,” he stammered, suddenly sounding very small. “Threw me closer to the forest. Then they, uh, they took that rope to my back. Said something about beating the devil out of me. I think I passed out when it got too painful.””
Beginning in Chapter 3, Scully finds Mulder in the woods– beaten to a pulp and covered in mud. She cleans him up in a nearby cabin; but his violent marauders return, not deterred by the protections of an enchanted house.
““A sudden flash of light momentarily blinded her and she dropped to a defensive crouch.
<Silly. That’s Mulder’s flashlight – he burst through the back door at the same time that you… .>
And then the crushing pain in her skull, the brief moment of terror and surprise, and blankness… .””
S2-3 Mulder and Scully wake with amnesia in a cabin. With Scully’s barely-there memories, she becomes a believer while Mulder scoffs at her “tall tales.” Skinner, flummoxed with their disappearance, arrives too late for true answers.
@discordantwords‘s (Ao3) Somewhere North of Fiji
““Behind her, she heard the slosh of water and a furtive sound, a strange squelching that she couldn’t place. She glanced back at the water, saw nothing, then looked over at Mulder. He had the phone to his ear and did not seem aware of anything amiss.
She became aware of a strong odor, the stench of rotting fish.
"Mul-” something grabbed her from behind, needle sharp teeth sinking into her ankle. She tipped backwards, and the last thing she saw was Mulder’s startled face, staring on as something small and gray rushed straight for him.””
S4 Mulder and Scully are half-drowned, half-mauled by the Fiji Mermaid who just. Won’t. Die. No matter how many bullets are blasted in its gut.
@sarie-fairy‘s (Ao3) Skamania County
““I’m okay. I landed on something soft, sort of.”
It was then she managed to roll over, move from where she had fallen as Mulder began to descend. As she did, a sharp pain tore at her torso, and her head throbbed.
It was pliable, yielded as she shoved away.
“I’m coming down there, Scully,” he soothed.
Post The Unnatural– Scully– while fumbling around the snowy woods with Mulder hunting for Sasquatch– finds a dark hole, a dead man in a zip-up suit, and a serious injury to her side (in that order.) Mulder is left to half-panic, half-haul her to a cabin and stitch an emergency suture.
Love this fic! Classic pull-together of humor balanced with knife’s edge danger, and softened with tender care. (Also, found @mondfuchs‘s art through this!)
““Good. Good. Okay. Just scratches then.”
“Well not…I mean it probably only cut the epidermis. You don’t see any fat do you?”
“No I don’t see anything like that. Just a…a whole lotta red.””
Mulder and Scully escape a dire bear; but she is more seriously injured than he’d thought. What ensues is amazing banter to keep their minds off of their serious worries as the two clean Scully’s wounds and cheekily address their mutual unspoken interests.
This is an amazing fic. Only dialogue– but it’s so well-written that you can tell exactly when each character picks up an object or what the other person is doing simply by how they SPEAK WORDS. Great stuff.
@suitablyaggrieved‘s (Ao3)
““Looks like they left in a hurry, their things are still here and there’s smoke here. It’s warm. They haven’t been gone long.” Scully stands up and dusts herself off. Mulder stands nearby, looking down at the topographical map he had with him.
“Two cabins near here, so where did they go?” Mulder hands the map over to Scully and scours the area for clues.””
Mulder and Scully question an eerie park ranger for directions. Their sixth senses tingle in fear over the snarling children behind him in the cabin.
““Mulder, are you sure that this is the right way?” Scully asked, removing her hood and wiping her brow from the rain. She looked up at him, her mood indifferent.
“Of course,” he said, not at all sure, and worried that he was leading them down a dangerous excursion.””
Mulder and Scully are lost in the woods due to his bad directions. And, because their lives aren’t hard enough, they hear an animal howl.
@scully-loves-ruthie‘s “One time he made a bad joke about pms”
““Thump, Thump, Wack! The pounding on the door growing more intense with each hurtle the beast’s body delivers. Mulder’s back is pressed firmly against the other side of the door, his dress shoes digging for stability in the burnt orange motel carpet. Scully splayed against him her arms shoving into the door while adding her body weight against his to stop the impending break in. Their foreheads touch as each breath shimmies out of their lips arduous, biting back panic.””
Mulder is just happy to battle werewolves with his gf, Scully. Sometimes it comes out in awkward jokes (that I love, fyi.)
““That was a sigh for the ages. Penny for your thoughts.”
“I’m not sure they’re worth that.”
“I adjusted for inflation. Humor me.”
“The world was wide enough, Scully.”
“For us and the Jersey Devil.””
Years and locations may change, but Mulder’s curiosity and empathy never abates for the cruelties of the universe and its victims. Gf Scully listening skills and logic never changes, either.
@lotsoforangesoutside/lotzzoforanesoutside‘s (Ao3)
Conversation in the Very Very Late at Night -FOURTEEN-
““Ah, don’t tell me you didn’t know how I felt about you, Scully.” He murmurs softly. “I’ve been in love with my best friend for a long time, and I’ve never done that before.”
“Because your best friends were always guys?” She speculates, suddenly thinking about the Lone Gunmen.
“No, because I’ve never had a best friend.” His eyes tell her that he is being sincere. “So I didn’t know the etiquette on being in love with a best friend.””
A rainy, cozy cabin is the perfect time for Mulder and Scully to reflect on their past best friends and current relationship.
““Mulder takes her to a cabin owned by his uncle. He speaks of Cousin Barry and Cousin Ira, the shenanigans in their youth, the movies they watched together, and the visits to the amusement parks.
Listening to him about his childhood with Ira and Barry, one would think he’s got the best childhood a boy could ever dream of.””
On-the-run Mulder and Scully take a break at his cousin’s cabin. His girl-cooties banter is the cherry on top of their ooey-gooey good times that they have soaking in this speck of normalcy.
@wexleresque/hllsteeth‘s Fictober 2021 - Chapter 17
““The news does not come as a surprise to either of them given the winter storm that rages outside, howling and covering everything in ice. It feels like the little cabin might topple over when a particularly strong wind hits it.
“At least we still have power.” Mulder says, looking up at the single bulb in the ceiling that bathes them in a yellow light. They dust off a chess board that looks like it’s been sitting long-abandoned in the corner, settling in for a long night of waiting. They’re seasoned experts at being exiled together, a concept that is oxymoronic as it is true.””
Mulder and Scully are snowed-in; but he creates a cheery evening with roasted marshmallows and cheesy fireside stories.
truthwebothknow1′s My December
““Please tell me you are going to knock me out for this.“ Scully was shaking her head; his heart lurched painfully, feeling the bite of metal scoring his ribs. He pulled his best-beaten spaniel look that he’d thought worthy of an Oscar. To his horror, a single tear slid like a dewdrop down her face. It was then he noticed the blood at the edge of her hair for the first time. He was gasping now. Suddenly he felt like every, meal he’d ever consumed were fighting on mass for an exodus up and out,of biblical proportions.””
S7? Mulder is victim to a horrific car accident, with barbed wire embedded in his flesh in crucial spots that necessitate immediate removal– without meds– by Scully and Skinner. Santa makes it all better, but not until he’s had his fill of hurtfic.
““She didn’t answer for a moment, and then gave a solemn nod. "Yeah. I guess… I feel like the walls are closing in.” His stomach roiled and clenched when she crossed her arms over her chest as though seeking protection. He had to lean forward to catch her next words, she spoke them so softly. “Like I’m going nowhere.”
He knew the feeling well. …
That a similar weight would burden the woman standing before him became suddenly unacceptable. …She started when he swung his feet off the desk and planted them on the floor. “Then let’s blow this pop stand,” he exclaimed. “Let’s go somewhere.””
Pre-Requiem Scully has a nosebleed. Mulder convinces her to do a roadtrip through America to keep her mind off the impending results. They visit old haunts, new places, find a dead baby, visit a children’s hospital, and enjoy a few days in a treehouse cabin.
@ ATTHS_TWICE‘s (Ao3, Alt. Ao3, FFN) Creature Comforts
““Scully?” Mulder called, interrupting her thoughts.
Knocking twice, he opened the bathroom door as she opened her eyes and looked at him, the candle on the counter flickering. He grinned and she sighed with a small smile. “You good?”
She hummed in response, closing her eyes briefly and sighing.””
On-the-run Mulder rents a cabin; and Scully is delighted to have a real bath and watch a movie with him.
mmeadowlarkk’s Merry and Bright
““A few more months here and there and we can… think of something.” He catches himself sounding like he’s making a promise. They have stayed loyal to focusing on the present.
If not one day at a time they take it one week at a time, and if they feel safe enough, two weeks at a time. Like this cabin, somewhere in Duluth, Minnesota, they’ve been here for a week but decided to stay for another one. The town isn’t that far and they’re still isolated enough that no one has driven by or looked their way.
“Did you make more coffee?” she asks like she didn’t neglect her first one. Half of it, anyway.””
On-the-run Mulder notices Scully’s new quirks and patterns while sidestepping her tepid hesitancies against decorating their rented cabin for Christmas.
@aimmyarrowshigh.com‘s (Ao3) 047. Canada
“The cabin is so far off the grid that the grid might as well by a figment of their imaginations.”
Mulder and Scully bunk out in a cabin… but not for good reasons.
The Lake House - Chapter 2
"“Mulder,” Scully said after a moment of smearing a bit more of the strawberry jam on the newly acquired bit of toast, “can I—talk to you?”
Mulder smiled to himself. One of the main reasons for this trip was to give Scully the opportunity to talk about what she was feeling—something she’d already indicated that she desired to discuss with him at some point.””
Mulder and Scully are married and expecting a child. More importantly, they are shaken from the events of Irresistible, and rent a cabin getaway to recover.
The Lake House - Chapter 3
““This is the best baked potato I’ve had in years,” Mulder offered. “I’m serious. I don’t know why we’re ordering out as much as we do.”
Scully laughed to herself.
“Because we don’t usually have a whole afternoon to dedicate to preparing dinner,” Scully responded.
Mulder hummed his agreement. “I’ve been thinking about that,” he said.””
The vacation continues; but this time Mulder wants to talk.
LuvTheBeez’s (mulderscreek) Snow (Goss)
““Scully paused for a moment at the entrance to the living room, watching as her husband carefully crumpled pieces of newspaper into intricate shapes. Some of the pieces were rolled carefully into long, tight wands, some barely crumpled, all arranged with exquisite care under the equally carefully-arranged pieces of wood. Scully could practically feel the concentration coming off him in waves.
"Mulder, it never really occurred to me before, and I certainly admire the skill with which you construct that masterpiece you’ve got going there, but I seem to recall a bit of a phobia you used to have about fire.” She placed his mug down on the mantle. “How have you gone from fear to Master Fire Builder?”
“It’s all about control, Scully.” Mulder paused for a moment as he twisted the life out of another geometrically perfect square of newspaper. “This is our house. This fireplace is a perfect little contained area, inside our house, where one can have a controlled fire that *stays* in control. If I build the fire, I have control over it. I am its master. I *am* Fire Boy.”"
S5 Mulder and Scully and baby’s last minute Christmas shopping is derailed by a grocery store stickup. Her contractions pick up as the body count rises; and soon the two are trying to quietly maintain equilibrium while they’re marched into a getaway car and driven into the mountains, hoping against hope that Skinner somehow bugged the vehicle.
This is a beloved favorite of mine– the dialogue, the synchrony, the mature banter and next-level “vibes” they have as a team between these two is unparalleled… and all the little details are important throughout, necessitating an almost immediate reread. GREAT stuff!!
RebeccaRusnak/Anonymous ‘s (mulderscreek) Small Blessings
““She shook her head in understanding. Normal wasn’t something they did that often these days. In fact, she hadn’t felt normal in years. Mulder had probably been living in the Twilight Zone even longer.
They fell silent for a second, each contemplating. He broke it first. “If you leave, I’m going to go, too.”
She nodded slowly, not agreeing but acknowledging.””
FTF Scully and Mulder (huddled in their snocat) fantasize about the lives they could live if they left the FBI. She also doesn’t allow him to dodge a compliment.
Namarie/namarie24’s (mulderscreek) All I Will Remember (Goss)
““Mulder shifts in his seat, and says, "It just seems like a huge coincidence to me that Krycek appears and convinces us all that there’s still something to be found in Bellefleur. And then someone breaks into the hospital records where Scully was admitted, and then leaves this warning for me to find as soon as Scully and I go back to work."
Skinner’s expression flickers at the mention of Krycek, but he waits for Mulder to finish speaking before he replies. "Not that I don’t think he’s capable of manipulation and breaking into confidential records,” he says, “but if Krycek is responsible for it, why would he bother leaving you a warning? Why not just let things unfold?”
I give Mulder a significant look, and he shrugs. “That is the question, sir.””
Post Requiem Mulder and Scully wake in a vast forest, alone. She relays her pregnancy news as the two pick their way back to civilization (with the unexpected help from the owner of a cabin they squatted in.) After they’re picked up by Skinner, Krycek decides to claim credit for freeing them; and leaves them with a cryptic warning about future threats on her and the baby’s life.
Karen Rasch’s By the Wind Grieved (Gossamer 1, 2)
““So you see, Mulder, even if I were to spend the holidays with my family, the chances of us having a old-fashioned Christmas are next to nil,” she said, leaning towards him across the table. “I mean…I would love a big old tree, a fire burning in the fireplace, carolers at the front door. But that just isn’t who we are, not who we’ve been for a long time.”
“Do you miss them, though?” he asked quietly, sitting forward in his seat now as well. "Your family, I mean.“
"I do,” she confessed. "Part of me misses not being able to see everybody. But you know…given our track record, it’s probably for the best.“ "What do you mean?”
“You’ve read the files,” she said wryly. "You know the kinds of things that happen to you and me this time of year. All in all, I’d say we’re safer here than we would be anywhere else.””
S8 Mulder is returned in the late stages of Scully’s pregnancy with complete amnesia. After an attempt on his life, Skinner spirits the two of them (and interchanging guards) up to a cabin to winter until the assassins can be caught. The two grow closer as Christmas approaches, doing homey little crafts and bonding over the files; but Scully regrets not filling in all the blanks when Krycek shows up to hold them hostage until his backup arrives. The baby, of course, decides now is the perfect time to arrive.
@slippinmickeys‘s (Ao3, Gossamer) Three Part Harmony (8/?)
““I suppose one of us should go check it out,” Mulder sighed. He was run through with exhaustion and worn raw with nerves, but he leaned over Scully to open the glove compartment where they’d stashed the three guns. He grabbed the Glock, the closest one to hand, when Scully put a hand on his arm.
“Let me,” she said. “I’ve at least gotten a bit of rest today.””
On-the-run Mulder and Scully are now being incessantly tracked after saving Will from the same fate as his dead parents. A kindly waitress gives them brief respite in her secluded cabin while the two catch their breath and decide on their next steps.
Defnotmeyo’s (WBM, Alt. WBM) Choke Points
““And so there is Walter Skinner.
He’s blown people’s heads off in close quarters. Children, even. And when he dug himself from the swampy, stinking mass of Vietnam, and set to work repairing his head, after he met Sharon and decided she needed something better, something more than himself, he got down to the business of it. He set out for more. And so SSG Skinner, on his way to becoming a Gunny, became LT Skinner. The lowest of the low, yet more than that because he had his good conduct ribbon and people knew he’d been in the dirt. While the other Officers held the shrimp fork with ease, Walter tugged his collar and counted tongs.
And when, in the battlefield, the other LTs turned and evaded answering the big questions, LT Skinner stepped up and called the shots, sentenced people to life and death, his soldiers knew. He wasn’t some Academy rat.
Walter has always been a Mustang. And he knows another when he sees one.””
My Struggle II/III Skinner reminisces on his impressions of early Scully and their subsequent friendship. He continues to be impressed as she whips everyone into shape– dumping her ragtag group of misfits in one vehicle, snapping Einstein into place, and gunning it to find William in hopes of a cure.
Wow, this was long! You guys are troopers if you made it through (or even a quarter of the way.) Hope you all–
