From: HAPCOOL@aol.com Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 22:15:18 EST Subject: Fanfic submission Source: direct Title: The Fourth Vision Author: Sagan Fox E-Mail: HAPCOOL@aol.com Rating: PG Category: Vignette Spoilers: Anasazi, The Blessing Way Keywords: Summary: It was the fourth vision that made Mulder decide to live. Archive: Wherever. Just tell me first and give me the link. Disclaimer: In my dreams... Feedback: Pleasepleaseplease respond! This is the first fanfic I've written that I thought was good enough to archive! (evil grin) Be forewarned...all flames will be printed and used to paper the bottom of a birdcage... I'm at HAPCOOL@aol.com Author Notes: Many thanks to my beta readers Lisa (my mom), Marlena (my e-buddy and co-conspirator), and Amber (my cynical appendage) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Fourth Vision~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He floated on a bed of branches through the eternal black void of the space between life and death. Those who traversed this bridge before floated like ether around him, in and out of is field of vision. His body fought to stay functional while his spirit fought to decide to go forward or to go back. To go forward would be to leave this world behind, to let himself die, to rest, to discover the ultimate Truth. To go back would be to fight, to keep searching, to feel pain and anger and fear, to live. His recently deceased father told him to go back, that his sister was not here, that he must fight the darkness. His trusted friend said that the truth he sought was to given to him if he were to go forward, but that there was no justice, without which the truth doesn't matter. The unnamed, unremembered test subjects cried out for justice, but his tired body cried out for rest. One more figure came to him, stepping out of the ethereal smoke to the bed on which he lay. Mulder turned his head slightly toward the figure, unable to recognize the face he stared into, that of a well built bald man in a Navy captain's uniform. The only thing Mulder found faintly familiar were his piercing blue eyes. "Capitan William Scully Sr., reporting for duty. I've been told not to call you Fox. You aren't the only one who seeks the truth, Mr. Mulder," said the man as he stepped closer to Mulder. "Dana needs to see it as much as you do. She is as involved in this as you are, and like you, she doesn't give up very easily. If you go forward you will find the truth you seek, but she won't. My Dana may be as stubborn as her old man, but she won't be able to find her truth if her tools are taken away. The only way she will get her tools back is if she gets you back. If you don't return to her, the work you both have done will be destroyed. You will never be able to share the truth with her. The only way you will find the justice you both seek is if you search for it together. I know how strongly you feel about her. She feels the same for you." He stepped back and saluted Mulder before fading back into the shadows. Mulder came to his decision. "They're right, " he thought, "I have to go back. Truth is nothing without justice. I can't let it die with me. I have to go back to Scully. It's all worthless if I can't find it with her. Take me back. I WANT TO GO BACK!" He suddenly saw light surrounding him, and felt warmth flow through his body. The light condensed, and became a fire next to him. He could see the walls of a small hand-made dwelling, and the old men around him. He could feel the branches covering his body, and smell the incense and smoke filling the room. The old man, Albert Hosteen, was pressing a wet towel to his forehead. Strength slowly returned to his body, and he swallowed to clear his parched throat. "Water...please...", he rasped. One of the men brought a cup to his lips, and he drank as much as he could swallow, coughing. Albert Hosteen hovered over him. "Rest now. Your body needs rest." "Do you have any sunflower seeds?" asked Mulder weakly. He began to feel an overwhelming desire to sleep, and slipped into a different, comforting darkness.