The X-Files and the characters in the story below belong to Chris Carter,
Fox, Ten Thirteen, etc.  I am merely borrowing them for fun and definitely
not making any money.  If they ever minded, they haven't told me, but then
they have gotten "rich" and I haven't so maybe they aren't worried.  This
is a definite PG folks.  I'd have to call it romantic in nature but not a
romance.  I finished it on December 6, 1997.  All comments can be sent to
macspooky@earthlink.net.

My thanks to G. Hill for beta reading it for me.

Spoilers: Some "Detour" and "Never Again" but mostly "Post Modern
Prometheus" which I just loved. I expect it will be nominated for an Emmy.

Summary: Thoughts of both Mulder and Scully as they go to a disco with a
"monster" to see Cher and share a dance.

I don't care who archives it where so long as my name is on it.

"Thoughts at the Disco"

       by

     Macspooky 

Scully's Thoughts at a Disco

It had been a long time since I had seen Mulder smile....really smile, the
kind that went to his eyes and lit his face.  He used to smile like that
quite a bit when I first met him, before the darkness and the pain, the
lies, my cancer.  My heart tightened in my chest when I saw it.  Dr.
Polidari had been taken away, but I knew Mulder was concerned about what
would become of the young man who everyone thought of as the great
Mutato, but who in fact was named Aaron.  Hell, I was concerned too. 
Beneath the exterior, he seemed a nice person trapped in circumstances
beyond his control.  Funny, it was Izzy Berkowitz who came up with an
idea....yeah....Izzy....who resembled nothing so much as a big dufus.  As it
turned out, he was a loveable Dufus.  Mulder was rambling on to me about
happy endings, and I in my usual fashion was telling him there wasn't
going to be one, when suddenly Izzy walked in the door.

"I've got an idea," he said.  He took them outside and made an
announcement to the townspeople.  "I read in the paper that Cher is
appearing two towns over in Smythville.  Let's all get in our cars and take
Aaron to see Cher." It was then that Mulder had smiled that beautiful
smile at me.

Now, it wasn't really Cher of course.  It was an impersonator, but Aaron
would never know that.  And the appearance was in a local rundown 70's
style disco, but Mulder informed his hesitant partner...namely me, that
Aaron would have no way of knowing that either.  And, Izzy Berkowitz the
dufus, even had the presence of mind to take Mulder's cel phone and call
ahead.  I was a little surprised he knew what a cel phone was.  Okay, so I
was being skeptical again, but that was my nature, and I had been assigned
to keep Mulder in line after all.  Maybe I did get a little carried away with
my role sometimes.....but I didn't like to see him hurt either, so sometimes
I tried to protect him.  I love him.  Don't ask me how it happened, but it did
and I do. 

As I watched Aaron and Mulder and Izzy, I realized that I had lived in the
dark for so long that the light was almost blinding.  They smiled at each
other, and I realized that I was seeing something beautiful, the best of
human nature.  Mulder and the whole small town were coming together to
show a lonely young man a good time.  He would no longer be an outcast or
a freak.  I realized that as people went to get their cars I was hearing
things about who could give him a job and where he could live.  I had a
feeling that he would be moving in with Shana Berkowitz for awhile.  The
woman was loud and obnoxious, but underneath, I was beginning to realize
there was a heart of gold.

That was how I found myself tapping my toes to a tape of Cher on a
country road leading a caravan of battered old cars to a disco.  The
townspeople took up almost the entire club.  Aaron, Mulder and I were
given a table up front.  You could see the excitement on the young man's
face, and couldn't help be moved by his delight at a magic act that
preceded the main part of the show.  I thought of that town in Florida
where all the circus people lived and thought that if Aaron ever needed a
place to live and work, perhaps we could recommend it.  I doubted he
would though.  As I glanced at my partner, I came to realize that at that
moment Mulder was believing in magic too.  I don't know why.  I couldn't
resist the temptation to reach around Aaron and take his hand.  Perhaps it
was because my favorite G man looked like such a little boy himself.  

Then the time for the main act arrived.  The impersonator was almost
better than Cher herself. I mean, you really couldn't tell the difference. 
Aaron danced without ever leaving his seat, waving his arms.  He knew all
the moves.  He must have watched John Travolta films.  He was
surprisingly graceful.  The music was a delight......considering. Then they
began to perform "Walking in Memphis." Aaron really went all out then.  As
I sat and watched, he turned to Mulder who gave him a radiant smile.  The
two of them high fived to Aaron's delight....such a simple thing, but it
brought him such pleasure....and then suddenly, "Cher" was stepping down
from the stage and holding out her hand to Aaron.  She was not at all
repulsed by him.  I wish I had a picture of the look on his face, but that
was nothing compared to the shock I felt when Mulder held out his hand to
me.  He wanted to dance.  I was so surprised I hesitated a moment, and
then suddenly I realized that it was perfect that our first dance together
should be to a song about the ghost of Elvis at Graceland.  

His arm went around me and my hand was in his, and then there we were
suddenly, just the two of us slow dancing to fast music.  He looked at me
and there was that smile again, only this time it was just for me.  I
realized something then.  At that moment, Mulder was happy, truly happy. 
He had created a good ending to the story, and he was sharing it with me. 
My heart melted and I smiled back at him.  I was happy too.  For once,
things were good, people were good.  The darkness was being overcome by
the light and I was dancing with the man I knew I truly loved.

Mulder's Thoughts at a Disco

I wasn't about to turn my back on Aaron.  I don't know why.  There was
something sweet about him, sweet and vulnerable.  Dr. Polidori was taken
away and I found myself hoping he would get the death penalty and
wondering what would happen to Aaron.  I asked Shana Berkowitz about
social workers and she made a rude noise.  The town would take care of
Aaron, she informed me in no uncertain terms and walked away.  I didn't
know if that response should please me or frighten me to death.

I went inside again and told Scully that the ending was wrong, that
Frankenstein was supposed to go in search of his bride.  She told me that
there was not going to be a happy ending here....no bride.  It was typical of
Scully...ever the skeptic.  I don't know why I love her, but you can't help
who you love.  It had just kind of happened over all the years we've been
together.  Maybe it was the compassion and the sadness with which
she said it that redeemed her and made her such a wonderful person.  I told
her I wanted to talk to the writer.  I wanted the ending of this story
rewritten. I guess most people thought I was a lunatic...hell, most people
do anyway, but apparently Izzy didn't.  Izzy had a brilliant idea for at least
some short term happiness for Aaron.

Once again Scully was a little skeptical, but as usual she followed me. 
That was how we found ourselves leading a Caravan of cars down a
country road to a disco for the purpose of taking Aaron to see Cher.  Now
Cher wasn't really Cher, but a damned good impersonator.  Izzy said that
Aaron would never know the difference though.  As we drove, we played
Cher tapes and Aaron sat in the back and tapped his feet.  Hell, I tapped
mine too.  A surreptitious glance told me my partner was also tapping
although knowing her, she'd probably rather not admit it.  It wouldn't be
acceptable for the enigmatic Dr. Scully to be caught toe tapping to the
catchy tune of tacky Cher music.

Scully and I sat on either side of Aaron in the front row of the old disco. 
Apparently Izzy and Shana had made arrangements with the management. 
He had borrowed my cel phone earlier.  Our little caravan took up almost
the entire club that night.  For a "monster" Aaron was really nice.  It was
gratifying to watch his childish delight at the silly magic act that
preceded the main show.  It wasn't even a very good magic act, but he
loved it, laughing and applauding at every trick until the rest of the
audience was applauding with him.  Scully had asked me earlier if there
was anything I didn't believe in.  Well, I didn't believe in this magic show,
but watching Aaron, I found myself believing in magic again.  Maybe there
was something about him that appealed to the little boy in me.

Then came the act we had come for.  "Cher" stepped out on stage.  "Cher"
was almost better than Cher.  Anyway, she was one hell of an
impersonator.  And, Aaron truly seemed not to know the difference.  He sat
between Scully and I.  I'm not sure how it happened, but I found myself
holding her hand behind him.  I think she took mine.  I think she was
pleased that I was getting my happy ending for once.  She had been
different since her cancer had gone into remission, more like the woman I
knew four years ago.  I found my mind opening up to all sorts of
possibilities....the wine and cheese she had brought to the hotel room in
Florida...and where that might have lead if I hadn't gone running off the
way I had.  Then there was her remark that led me to believe she might
have been willing to get naked in a sleeping bag with me.  Was it possible
that she had the same kind of fantasies about me that I had had about her
over they years?  Could I act on that possibility?  What would she be like
in bed anyway?  Most of all though, how would it feel if she rejected me?  

 Suddenly "Cher" was singing "Walking in Memphis." Now Aaron had been
moving with the music, but suddenly he went all out in his seat.  He had
those John Travolta disco moves down pat, and I could see he was having a
ball.  He turned to me and gave me a beautiful smile...yes....the "monster"
had a beautiful smile, and we high fived.  Then suddenly "Cher" was
stepping down from the stage and holding out her hand to him, inviting him
to come up and dance with her, and I realized that tonight I was seeing the
best that humanity had to offer.

Suddenly I couldn't resist any longer.  I had to feel my partner in my arms.
I was happy and I wanted to share that with someone, with her.  I always
wanted to share happiness with her, now and forever.  I got up and held out
my hand to my partner.  She hesitated for just a second as though shocked
that I would want to dance with her, and suddenly she was in my arms.  It
was ironic that after so many years together, going through so much
together, I should find  myself dancing with Scully to a song about Elvis'
ghost, ironic and fitting. 

Dana looked up at me and gave me the most radiant smile I'd ever seen, and
I felt my heart melt. Together we turned to watch Aaron dance with Cher.
As the young man came down the steps again, ecstatic at having met his
idol, I bent down and whispered to Scully.

"Next stop, Graceland."

"Only if you take me with you this time, partner," she replied.

With a twinge I remembered the time I had gone there alone and sent her
to Philadelphia where she had met that horrible man Ed Jerse.  I don't
know what had been wrong with me that time, but I had missed all the
signs of her depression and unhappiness.  My stupid remark about her
having a date had pushed her over the edge.  She had picked up a handsome
man in a bar and he had nearly killed her.  I had been so angry and jealous.

"I will, Scully," he said softly.  "I promise....."

I wanted to promise her so much more.  I started to, but then Aaron came
over to us and hugged us both.  

"You love each other like Cher loved that boy," he smiled.  "Thank you. 
Thank you for everything."

We both knew it was time to leave.  Scully looked as though she wanted to
cry but wouldn't let herself....typical Scully, always controlled.  Me, I'm a
wimp.  The tears fell....just one or two though before I pulled myself
together.  As we were walking out the door, I heard Izzy say to
Shana...."Mom, can he stay with us until we work out where he will live and
work?"

God bless the Shana Berkowitz's of this world.  She said yes, and I knew
that Aaron would always have a home.

The End