Title: Crooked Teeth
Summary: In which this authoress will attempt to create as many vignette's based on one song as possible. Vignettes all based on the song Crooked Teeth by Death Cab for Cutie.
Spoilers (for this vignette): Not really sure there's any, actually. This would have probably taken place during Season 6 or 7.
Disclaimer: X-Files owned by Chris Carter and Fox. I own nothing, except my laptop.
Random Info: I don't know if I'm exactly pleased with this chapter. I was basically reading over the three things mentioned in the prompt, and one thing popped out to me: they were places you went to get away. So I present both Scully and Mulder commenting (in a sort of journal form, until the final one) on how they really can never get away from the things that haunt their lives. Scully finds that there isn't always sanctuary in the sanctuary, and Mulder enjoys green aliens on springs.
"There were churches, theme parks and malls, but there was nothing there all along."
Scully POV
I decided to go to early morning mass today. I felt like I needed to be forgiven.
I had forgotten how much it sucked to wake up early, take a shower during which you continually fall asleep against the cold tile wall, attempt to form your hair into a style, then drag yourself over to the church where everyone looks better than you, even though they probably woke up even earlier than you did.
Needless to say, I didn't remember much of the mass. Afterwards, I felt even worse than I had when I walked in.
I wonder if God thinks falling asleep to the priest's droning voice is a sin?
Mulder POV
I almost went to church today. I walked past one, looked in, even stepped inside slightly.
God should give me an award.
It had been one of the many nights that sleep evaded me, so I got up at 8 from my non-sleep and walked to the corner store to replenish my supply of sunflower seeds. I pushed the money towards the hapless teenage clerk and wandered out onto the street, following the glint of stained glass that had caught my eye.
I walked slowly up to the doors of the old church. If I really listened, I could have probably heard people singing joyfully.
But I felt trapped. And madly under-dressed.
So my sunflower seeds and I went back home.
Scully POV
I went to Disney World this week. Charlie had an extra ticket, and he persuaded me to come with his family.
It was vaguely disappointing. I guess I would have enjoyed it more if I was seven. Or if Mulder was there.
The teacup ride made me dizzy and stupid, the shoot-em-up alien ride was chaotic and completely untrue (I mean, seriously? If they're building a ride about aliens, they should have consulted my partner first. He could have helped immensely. Although little green aliens are more appealing, I guess.), and the food was overpriced and tasted like something I would have given Queequeg for his dinner.
I did, however, buy Mulder some Mickey Mouse ears.
I found some with little green aliens on springs sprouting from the ears. He'll enjoy them.
Mulder POV
Scully brought me back alien Mickey Mouse ears from her vacation, and it reminded me of when I went to Disney World once. It had just opened.
I was happy, I think. I was 11. Samantha was there.
I rode all of the rides, ate too much cotton candy, and yelled at her for taking the last French fry at dinner.
I still have her Mickey Mouse ears. They have her name sewed on in gold embroidery thread, and I've touched it so much, the thread is now, well, threadbare.
I put the alien ears beside Samantha's in my closet, and smiled at the complete feeling that grew in my chest.
Scully POV
"Mulder, for the life of me, I can't figure out why you bought that." I stared at the shirt he just bought from some kiosk in the local mall. It had a huge alien on it, with bugged out eyes and, yep, you guessed it, green skin. Below the alien, some weird font spelled out these infamous words: "The Truth is Out There."
"What, Scully? It's my personal mantra." He grinned dorkishly at me. "God made this shirt just for me."
"Wow," I snorted. "I wish God would make me my own shirt."
"What, Scully? Has God not blessed you enough this week?"
"Do you realize that you have began all of you sentences with What, Scully?" I smiled slightly.
"Do you realize that you are horrible at redirecting questions?" I scowled, and poked him as we sat on one of those horribly uncomfortable mall benches.
"It's just that , I went to mass a couple weeks ago, and I didn't really get anything from it. It felt like God had gone out to lunch or something." I fumbled with Mulder's T-shirt bag.
"What did you expect, Scully?" Mulder sounds mocking, and it angers me.
"Well, I expected something intriguing, an escape from my real life, something to show me that God was still watching out for me."
"And what did you get?" I prop my feet up on Mulder's lap, and sigh.
"I fell asleep, Mulder." He laughs, and I poke him with my shoe.
"Sorry, Scully," he apologizes. "Maybe God was showing you that you need more sleep."
"Or maybe he was telling me to stop hanging out with you because you keep me out late at night," I shot back, and as we bickered, I forgot what we had started bickering about.
I forgot that I never found my escape. That I didn't find what I was looking for.
Something inside me told me the ongoing search was worth it.
Author's Note: Again, not sure if I liked this one. But I hope you readers did!