From: eponine119@att.net (eponine119 ) Date: 17 May 1996 20:53:06 GMT Subject: NEW: Spookiest Place on Earth 1/3 This is a sequel to my story "The Happiest Place on Earth- till Mulder and Scully Got There." You don't really have to have read it, but if you want it, it's available on the archive or from me. If you're big into Disney, may I also suggest Jennifer Ethridge's "Magic Kingdom or Devil's Playground" stories. There is romance in here; however, I am trying to break it up so the X File is parts one and two, and the romance is in three, so if you hate romance you can just miss the ending. OK? Send me comments! Disclaimer: These characters belong to Chris Carter, 10-13 and Fox. Disneyland belongs to, uh, Disney, as do all of the rides named herein. The employees are not intended to resemble any actual park employees. Lyrics are from "Fantasmic" and are correct; they were penned by Ashman, Menken, someone else, and the guys who wrote "Fantasmic". Whenever Mulder refers to "Research" it is a fact I got from a book called "Mouse Tales: a Behind the Ears Look at Disneyland" and is unofficial information. Disclaimer 2: Without giving away the story, I do NOT recommend trying the activities contained herein; they are extremely dangerous and probably fatal. Fun and Games: Spot the author's cameos! identify the Remington Steele reference ! Now that the disclaimer is longer than the story.... The Spookiest Place on Earth by eponine119 April 23, 1996 Scully didn't look very happy when she came into the office, so Mulder let her sink down behind her desk and drink her coffee before he sprung the news on her. She sighed and put her mug down, but he could see she was thinking about having seconds, so he jumped in. "Something strange is going on in Anaheim, California," he said, not quite able to meet her eyes. "Anaheim," said Scully, her brows drawing together. "Why does that sound so familiar?" Mulder continued without answering her question. "There have been incidents of bizarre lights, and several people have mysteriously disappeared or experienced missing time." He rose from behind his desk and walked over to the slide projector. Scully followed him with her eyes. "We have slides?" she asked. "We have slides," he agreed, fussing with the tray. Why did he smirk as he said that? she wondered. "Mulder, why does Anaheim sound so familiar? Have we been there on a case before?" she asked. He still didn't answer her question; instead, he turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness for a dramatic moment before the first slide appeared on the screen. For a moment, Scully didn't realize what she was seeing. A rural scene, with tall grass to one side, and two young people dressed in checked shirts and denim shorts. Then she recognized the pathetic, dripping mess of a woman as herself after Mulder pushed her into the Rivers of America and flew out of her chair, going straight for Mulder's throat. "I am not going back to Disneyland!!!" she screamed at him. The lights came on. "It's an X file, Scully," he said, waving the folder in her face. "You have to go." "Where did you get that?" she demanded, thrusting her finger angrily at the image that still stained the white wall behind her. Mulder couldn't suppress his smile. "Frohike and Langly paid a tourist fifty bucks." She made an agitated sound in the back of her throat that made Mulder's heart do a strange little dance in his chest. "I'll kill them," she declared, then turned to him with fiery blue eyes. "But I'll get you first," she vowed and left the office. Mulder wasn't worried. He knew Scully didn't stay angry for long, and he'd experienced the wonder of the Magic Kingdom first hand. He smiled for a moment remembering the happy look on Scully's face when they'd entered the park that day nearly six months ago. He hadn't seen her look so content since, but he was determined to see that smile again. Then he turned and looked at the slide and couldn't contain his laughter. The next day Space Mountain, Tomorrowland. Scully looked up at the odd-shaped building before her, squinting as the sun shone into her eyes. "You're saying that little green - pardon me, grey - men have now selected this roller coaster as their prime target for abducting human subjects?" she asked skeptically. Two teenagers, overcome by gales of helpless laughter, brushed against them as they passed by. "Hard to believe, I know," Mulder admitted, tracking the teenagers with a glint in his eyes that made Scully uncomfortable. "But they have it on tape." "On tape?" Scully's eyebrows went up. "That, I'd like to see." "I thought you would," Mulder said, beaming at her as he grabbed her hand and started to drag her off down a small orange-tiled corridor, fighting the flow of traffic. The sounds of Michael Jackson's Captain EO bombarded them from one side, and blips and bleeps from the arcade came from the other. "Where are we going?" Scully called to him, trying to keep up with his fast pace. "The entrance to the ride is over there." He turned to her with the cockeyed grin she'd already seen three times today. "We're the FBI," he reminded her with a wink that brought a tiny smile to her lips. As determined as she was to hate this place and this case, she found it difficult when she saw how excited it made Mulder. They'd had a lot of rough cases lately and it had affected both of them. Maybe something this ridiculous was precisely what they needed. A burly teenage boy with a Mohawk jostled Scully and she looked up at him, gawking for a second before she moved on. Well, maybe it was what Mulder needed, she amended her thoughts, her frown returning. She was still pretty sure she could do without it. They entered a tunnel lit with eerie blue lights and followed it up to the loading dock, where the park's hosts and hostesses - never just employees - helped guests into the cars. Mulder had to raise his voice to ask one of the men about the case. "The security booth's up there," he pointed, and gave them directions on how to get there. "It's one strange tape," he told them. "You've seen it?" Scully asked. He nodded. "We've all seen it," he told her, and turned away to get back to work. "He's seen it," Scully repeated to Mulder on the way up to the security booth. "Sure," said Mulder evenly. "Why not?" Then he got it. "You're saying there's a human element involved." "Of course there's a human element involved, Mulder. How would the little grey men get on the ride if they didn't stand in line with everyone else?" Scully asked, smirking. Mulder's shoulders sagged a little. "You're mocking me," he said quietly, pulling open the door to the security booth and stepping quickly inside, as though he was anxious to leave her behind. Scully's eyes lingered on him for moment. She'd managed to do it again. Lately all of her little jokes and gibes went terribly sour, and all they did was harp at each other. She realized the security workers were staring at her. "So where's this amazing tape?" she asked, taking a last look at Mulder, who'd gone to the window to watch the people being loaded into the cars. Scully frowned as she watched it. It truly did look as though the kids vanished, she thought. They were strapped into their seats in one frame, gone in the next. "Can we run this back?" she asked, then called to Mulder, "Come have a look at this." "I've seen it," Mulder told her, still sulking. Scully bit her tongue on a harsh reply. "Wouldn't you like to see it again?" she asked in the sweetest tone she could manage. A moment later, Mulder was standing by her side and suddenly the booth seemed tiny. He wasn't actually touching her, but she could feel the heat of his body and sensed every breath he took. She worked to focus her attention on the screen. "There," she said, touching the screen. "Didn't that look like an edit to you?" "No," said Mulder flatly. The security woman agreed. "There are always people monitoring these cameras," she said. "It was like that the first time. No one's tampered with our tapes." "Then how did those kids get off the ride?" Scully demanded. "You tell me, FBI," the security woman muttered and Scully sighed. "Run it again," she said, and watched it with all of her concentration. "Were they the only kids in that car?" The security woman nodded. "Sometimes it gets slow. Hard to believe, but it's true." "These kids aren't still missing," Scully said. "No, they turned up a couple of hours later, right as rain." Scully frowned at the screen, then turned and looked up at Mulder. He was staring intensely at the frozen frame of tape. "What's that?" he asked, touching a shadow in the dark background. The security woman looked more closely. "That's the track where the People Mover used to run," she told him finally. "People Mover," Mulder murmured mournfully. Scully remembered his disappointment on their last trip when he'd discovered the sad state of Tomorrowland, which was full of closed rides. "What's underneath this building?" he asked suddenly. "Underneath?" asked Scully incredulously. "Tunnels," said the security woman. "There's a network of tunnels under the entire park. Some of them are still used for quick transport and food preparation, or storage," she explained. "How do we get down there?" he asked. "Mulder, what are you suggesting? The Phantom of Disneyland?" Scully cried, doubtful as usual. And as usual, he didn't grace her with a reply. He simply shot her a dark look as the security woman showed them the door to the stairwell that was over in the corner, as though to point out that not everyone thought his ideas were crazy. End of part one [of three] Comments to: eponine119@att.net =========================================================================== From: eponine119@att.net (eponine119 ) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: Spookiest Place on Earth 2/3 Date: 17 May 1996 20:54:04 GMT The Spookiest Place on Earth, part 2 by eponine119 eponine119@att.net "What are you hoping to find down here?" she asked as they made their way down the stairs. "A logical explanation, of course," he said, cold, walking so fast she could barely keep up. "Mulder, wait!" Scully called. He paused briefly, and she was aware of his eyes sliding down her body and coming to rest on her shoes. "Why are you dressed like that?" he asked, a twist to his mouth she hadn't seen since leaving the insanity of Comity. "I always dress like this, Mulder, or hadn't you noticed?" she shot back, shrugging her shoulders in her dark blue suit jacket, wishing he would stop looking at her high heeled pumps. "But we're at Disneyland," he argued. "In an official capacity," she returned, with a sharp look at his jeans and the forest green T-shirt that made his eyes turn a mysterious, swampy green, she noticed, conscious that she was staring at him. He looked up from her shoes and met her eyes for a second, making her jump before he turned away, muttering a word she didn't have to hear to know it was a curse. "What're you looking for down here?" she asked as they walked on. "This," Mulder said, stopping, his eyes shining. Scully frowned. "It's a basketball court," she said. He picked up an orange ball from the ground and fairly bounced in his sneakers as he began to dribble it confidently. "Wanna shoot some hoops, Scully?" he asked, grinning at her wickedly. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. "Is a hoop a very dangerous animal, Mulder?" she asked. The ball left his careful control and bounced away as he was startled by her comment. "Ha-ha," he said. "I get it, shooting, hoops. Very clever, " he said, not meaning a word of it as he retrieved the ball. "You don't play?" he asked. She shook her head. "I'm disappointed in you," he said, turning and focusing intently on the hoop on the other end of the court. Scully noticed how relaxed he looked, how right the ball seemed in his hands as he calculated the distance, never removing his eyes from the hoop. The ball swished neatly through the net. She wished he would look at her with such intensity. The longing was so strong that she caught the ball and threw it at the hoop herself. It missed by a mile, and Mulder laughed. Scully's face flamed as she turned quickly on her heel, heading back the other way. "Scully!" she heard Mulder call after her, but she kept on walking, the sound of him laughing at her echoing in her ears. She heard the smack of the ball as he abandoned it, heard him running after her, but she didn't slow or turn. "We've got a case to solve," she said. She looked up, suddenly stopping. "Where are we?" "Under the Matterhorn." "How do you know?" she demanded. "Research," Mulder said the word with a flourish. Scully rolled her eyes and followed him to an exit door, astonished to find herself standing once again out in the sunshine near Tomorrowland Terrace. Crowds flooded the sidewalk around them. Mulder put his hand lightly on her shoulder so they wouldn't become separated. "What now?" she asked, looking up at him. The cockeyed grin was back and she felt her anger at him softening. "Now we have some real fun," Mulder said, his eyes sparkling. "What about Space Mountain?" she asked. "What about it?" His arm snaked around her waist and he propelled her back toward the ride. The hordes of people parted around them like the Red Sea until two men walked up and deliberately blocked their path. Men in black suits. "Yes?" asked Mulder in a slightly goofy voice. The men's grim expressions did not change. Scully could feel Mulder's hand burning against her waist, his fingers digging softly into her flesh. She half wanted to melt against him, into his arms. Realizing her crazy thoughts, she shook her head, wondering what had come over her. It must be this place, she told herself. "Come with us," said the men in black, turning, expecting to be followed. Mulder looked at Scully, who looked right back at him. "You don't suppose they know what happened last time?" he asked her and she jerked away from him. He was faster, smirking as he held her tight against him. "No you don't," he said. She didn't see his satisfied look when she gave in and allowed him to escort her. A polyester-clad attendant was waiting for them at the entrance to Space Mountain. The two men in black vanished easily into the crowd. "Who were they?" Scully asked. "Who?" asked the attendant. Mulder gave Scully a significant look, one that came close to an I-told-you-so. "Two more kids have disappeared. Just like the others." Scully turned and gaped at the woman. "Surely they weren't the only ones riding in their car on a crowded day like today," she said. The woman merely nodded. "Actually, they were. The ride had to be closed down for a little while - there was a glitch in the system and we had to go and walk the track, just to make sure. The line went away, and Paul and Tim were the first to ride when we reopened." "Paul and Tim?" asked Mulder. "You knew them?" asked Scully. "Sure," said the ride attendant. "They work here in the park...so did the others who disappeared. Didn't you know?" She looked from Mulder to Scully with curious brown eyes. "The plot thickens," Mulder said, joking, trying to get Scully to smile. She didn't, and he vowed to work harder. "Now we're getting someplace," Scully said. "Do you know if they all worked on the same ride? All the kids who disappeared?" "'I think most of them worked here in Tomorrowland," she answered. "I know a couple of them were transferred here to Space Mountain after they closed down the Skyway and the People Mover." Scully could feel the energy rolling off Mulder and turned and looked at him. He had that look on his face, the one she recognized that made her heart skip a beat as well. "You know what's going on, don't you?" she asked him. "Shut down the ride again," Mulder told the attendant, grasping Scully's elbow. "I'll explain it to you on the way up." He pulled her along with him up the blue-lit handicapped entrance to the ride again. "She said that when there was a glitch in the system, they had to walk the track to make sure everything was all right." "So?" asked Scully. "So, before the park opens every day, the ride operators have to walk the track to make sure everything's in proper working order." Mulder said, breathless not just from the steep incline. "How do you know that?" Scully asked, stopping to look at him. He had to be making this up. "Research," he answered with a smooth look, taking her arm and starting up the hall with her again. "It would be safe to say that these kids knew every inch of this track, and the tracks of the other, closed rides nearby." He paused. "Like the People Mover," Scully said, starting to catch on, but not really seeing where he was going with this. "Exactly," he said as though he'd cracked the case. Which she supposed he had, though she still didn't understand. She followed him into the now-empty line area for the ride. The manager of Space Mountain, an older man who was not wearing the standard polyester uniform, met them with an angry look on his pinched face. But before he could speak, Mulder asked, "Can we get the lights on in here and have somebody accompany us? We're going to walk the track." "We're what?" Scully cried, stopping where she stood. "You're not afraid of heights, are you, Scully?" His voice was a silky, taunting whisper against her ear. He didn't break his stride, crossing in front of the waiting cars to start up the track. Scully scrambled after him. "Uh-" said the host who was to accompany them, blocking their path, his eyes fixed on Scully's shoes. "No way," he said. Mulder raised an eyebrow at her as she removed her shoes and tossed them aside, glaring at the attendant. "I was reading in this book about deaths here in the park," Mulder said by way of further explanation to Scully. "Most of them were caused by overzealous teens who were jumping from car to car." "What does that have to do with anything?" Scully demanded, breathing hard in her attempt to keep up with him, try to follow his logic, and most of all, not look down. "Here," said Mulder, stopping. "This is it. This opening used to be a window from the People Mover, didn't it?" He whipped his head around to consult their guide, who nodded. "Notice how the glass has been removed, and the way that the cars pass merely inches from it." "Mulder, this ride travels at speeds greater than 55 miles per hour," Scully said. "It would be impossible for those kids to have made the jump, in the dark, no less. They'd be asking to get killed." He met her eyes. "Didn't you ever do anything dangerous when you were a kid, Scully?" he asked softly, staring at her face. "I don't see what that has to do with-" she avoided answering, trying to catch her breath. It was nearly impossible with him looking at her that way. "The danger is half the fun of it," Mulder told her and she swore she could feel his closeness on her skin. She blinked, and suddenly it felt as though he were a proper distance from her again. "We're going to find those kids in this tunnel," he said, carefully maneuvering to face the opening. Then he had second thoughts and turned back to her. "Ladies first," he grinned. "Mulder, no," said Scully, but he was already pushing her in front of him. He saw her foot leave the track and hesitate halfway to the tunnel. He also saw her eyes go down. She swayed and he grabbed her, throwing his arms tightly around her suddenly trembling body and pulling her against him before she could fall into the void. "Get in there and get your friends," Mulder ordered their guide harshly, watching the young man's eyes widen when he realized Mulder knew he was in on the game. He jumped the gap with a familiarity that turned Mulder's stomach. "You OK?" Mulder's voice was gentle as he focused his attention on Scully, who was clinging to him as though she would never let go. He stroked her hair with his hand, barely daring to touch it. "I've got you," he assured her softly, "I wouldn't let you fall." Scully realized what she was doing and forced herself to draw away from the warm safety of her partner's body. "I'm all right," she told him, too ashamed to meet his eyes, but knowing if she didn't, she would look down into the abyss again. Mulder nodded, deciding not to push it. He gripped her arm firmly and walked slowly by her side back down the track. Scully broke away from him as soon as they reached the loading dock, and he had to let her go. But his eyes never left her as he explained what had been going on to the grim-faced ride manager. She retrieved her shoes and tried to put them on, but her balance was still too shaky for her to accomplish it. He watched her take a drink from the drinking fountain and then sink thankfully down to the rubber matted floor, where she slipped her shoes on and pulled her feet up under her. All he wanted to do was hold her. And not think about how she could have fallen, not think about how that would have been his fault. But the ride manager had too many questions for him to answer. Mulder's reprieve came when the guilty off-duty employees entered the passenger loading area and the ride manager went ballistic. "You all right?" Mulder asked Scully again, stretching out his hand to pull her up. "I hate this place, Mulder," she said. "I want to go home." "You wouldn't want to waste a perfectly good all-day admission ticket, would you?' Mulder joked lightly. "I want to go home NOW," Scully answered, charging up the ramp to ground level without stopping to wait for him. "I'll tell you what," Mulder said to her when they emerged into the sunny fresh air of the park again. He put his hand on her shoulder. "We've got rooms booked at the Disneyland hotel. Why don't we go over there, you can have a nap for the rest of the afternoon and we'll come back tonight and watch the parade. What do you say?" He could see her reserve breaking down; he could also see how pale and shaken she still was. "I'll do all the paperwork," he offered, knowing it would make her consent. "Deal," she agreed and together they trudged over to catch the Monorail to the hotel. Mulder was relieved. End of part two [of three] Comments to: eponine119@att.net PS Some people have expressed their curiosity about *why* there would be a basketball court under the Matterhorn. Beats me, but it isn't something I made up. Like I said, I have no idea if it exists, but it is part of Disneyland legend. =========================================================================== From: eponine119@att.net (eponine119 ) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: Spookiest Place on Earth 3/3 Date: 17 May 1996 20:55:00 GMT Part three of this story contains romance. You have been warned. Disclaimed in part one. The Spookiest Place on Earth, part three by eponine119 eponine119@att.net His relief didn't last long, however, as he spent the rest of the afternoon worrying as he slaved over the paperwork for the case. He knew Skinner would be incredibly unimpressed by the conclusion of this X-File, but that wasn't what he was worried about. He was worried that things would never grow easier between him and Scully. That no matter what he did, there would always be this underlying dis-ease and tension. He was worried that what he was planning would only make things worse. Mulder absently chewed the end of his pen and listened to his heart pound. It was nearly seven already and that meant he was going to have to go wake Scully in a moment. He bit the pen harder and his teeth broke through the plastic. Mulder quickly pulled the instrument out of his mouth, tasting bitter ink, just as the door to his room swung open. He couldn't breathe. Scully was beautiful, he thought, gaping at her. A long sundress fit snugly across her chest and waist and then flowed almost to the tips of her shoes, practical white canvas sneakers. Her hair was fluffy and her eyes shining as they met his. "Ready to go?" she asked, her voice still husky from sleep. What he really wanted to do was push the door closed behind her, lock it, and spend the rest of the evening discovering if they were as right together as he thought they would be. But he knew he couldn't do that. Romance, remember? he nudged his memory, sweep her off her feet. He took her arm and left the room with her. They didn't speak on the monorail ride back to the park, each of them staring out the window at the sun setting over the shiny cars in the massive parking lot. "Let's get out of Tomorrowland," Scully suggested when they arrived back in the park. Mulder nodded, trying to remember any of the suave things he'd thought of to say. His mind was blank, so her let her lead them through the park to Fantasyland. Her elbow nudged him gently in the ribs. "Wanna go on It's A Small World? " she asked, a wicked grin crossing her face. "God, no," Mulder groaned, memories of his last tiny boat ride running through his mind, along with the repetitive chorus of the too-happy song. "What?" he asked when he saw Scully's gaze on him. "Open your mouth," she said and the bottom dropped out of his stomach. Barely breathing, he did as she said. "Mulder, you've got ink on your tongue," she informed him, barely able to contain her laughter. "I do?" he cried, wiping his tongue on his hand. Then he froze, unable to believe what he'd just done. Quickly, he wiped his hand on his jeans, but that didn't help matters any. Scully chuckled at his panic-stricken look, threading her arm through his again. "It's OK," she murmured, "I doubt anyone else will notice." But you're the one I want to impress, he thought with a wry smile. "Want to sit down and watch the parade?" he asked. "It's too crowded here," she shook her head. "These people look like they've been waiting since five. Let's just walk." He was about to argue when she rested her head against his shoulder as they strolled along. He could smell her cinnamony shampoo and thought again how very right this felt. They passed Storybookland, and Dumbo, the Mad Tea Party and the carousel. "You don't want to go on any rides?" he asked, the lights and colors blurring together in the sunset, visions of them on carousel horses filling his mind. "And take the spot from some little kid?" Scully asked. "No." But then she had to look up at him, to make sure he wasn't saying he was bored. "Unless you want to?" He shook his head slightly, putting his arm around her bare shoulders, trying to keep from stroking her smooth, cool skin. "This is fine," he said, and they walked on. "Fantasmic?" he asked when they reached the place where Frontierland met New Orleans Square on the Rivers of America. There was a sea of people sitting on the ground, waiting for the show to start. "Sure," Scully agreed, to his surprise, and they found a place to sit on the ground directly in front of the Pirates of the Caribbean. They sat for what seemed like a long time, not talking and not touching, just listening to the sound of the jazz band playing from their raft on the river. The sun slipped beyond the horizon and before they knew it, darkness was all around them. Scully shivered and rubbed her arms, wishing she'd worn a sweater. "Cold?" Mulder asked and she shrugged. He wondered what she was thinking about, knowing somehow that her mind was back in Space Mountain. He didn't want to believe it could have been so easy to lose her. He stretched out his legs in front of him and put his arms around her. She was freezing, he noticed, pulling her into his lap. Unconsciously she snuggled closer to his warmth and he thought about how easy it would be to lower his head and touch her lips with his. Someone jostled him from behind, and someone shoved him from the right. "Ow!" Mulder cried as someone stepped on his foot. Scully slipped out of his arms as though she'd realized what was going through his mind, and the moment was gone. He looked at her, his eyes dark. "It's getting crowded," she said. He nodded, and they sat in silence. The jazz band was long gone. Then, from somewhere behind them, they heard a not very tuneful rendition of "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music. They exchanged a glance and burst into smiles. "Somebody's bored," Scully said as Mulder twisted to see the source of the song. "I wonder if they know we can hear them," he said when he spotted the three college-age girls sitting on the ground. Scully graced him with an odd smile. "This place is like being in your own little magical world, even in the middle of a thousand people," she said, catching Mulder's gaze and holding it. He knew exactly what she meant. The moment went on for too long and continued unfolding. He had to kiss her. They were both thinking it, and waiting. Then a voice called out from behind them, "Sing, Maria, Sing!" Obviously directed at the college girls, who were instantly silenced. The damage as done. This was not anyone's own private world, and the man's words served as a reminder. This was the cold, hard ground of a very public amusement park where several hundred people were waiting in close quarters for a show to begin. Scully looked away, watching a pair of ducks swimming in the river. "Do you want to stay here?" Mulder's whisper was hot next to her ear. "Where do you want to go instead?" she asked. Somewhere a little more private, he thought, but couldn't say the words. "Let's go," he said, his strong hand on her arm, pulling her up just as the first strains of music began. It only took a few moments for them to fight their way through the crowd gathered at the water's edge, and then they were free. The crowds had disappeared, all of them gathered to watch the show or the parade. "Which way?" Scully asked. Mulder thought fast. A long ride, he thought, one with some semblance of privacy. He spotted the Haunted Mansion. "This way," he said. "Mulder, no," Scully said. "Chicken," he taunted her, and they raced each other up the steps of the eerie house. There were only a few die-hard Disneyland fans with them in the elevator on the ride down, the type who knew all the words to the recording and had no qualms about reciting them. Scully grabbed Mulder's hand and suddenly he remembered how much she'd disliked this ride, saying it reminded her too much of their work. The elevator reached the bottom and lightning flashed, exposing a hanging skeleton at the top of the chamber. Then they were plunged into total darkness and Scully squeezed his hand. Hideous screams filled the room and Mulder began to have second thoughts, wondering if Scully added her voice to that of those who were screaming for fun. Hasn't she been scared enough today? he asked himself, reliving again that heart-stopping moment when her bare foot hovered over empty space. The doors slid open and Scully flashed a brave, sweet smile at him as they got into the carriage and the safety bar lowered. He longed to put his arm around her, but suddenly he was filled with doubt, unable to make a move. He watched her watch the scenery glide past, trying to read the look on her face, trying to guess her thoughts, wondering how she really felt about him. "I love this part," Scully leaned in close to whisper to him as they approached the "swinging wake" with holographic ghosts in a long hall. "Especially them." She leaned forward to get a closer look at the holographic figures spinning and swirling in a perennial waltz. "I never thought you were a romantic," Mulder whispered back and she sighed. The ride stopped, suddenly enough to cause Scully to slide into him. "Sorry," she murmured, moving quickly away, her eyes carefully fixed on the dancing ghosts. What would it be like? she wondered, trying to imagine herself in an old fashioned long dress, being held close to Mulder as he led her in a waltz...it was so far removed from her everyday existence, she couldn't quite picture it. A new recording kicked in, one advising them to stay put in their "Doom Buggies" because they would soon be on their way. "Doesn't look like we're going anywhere," Mulder began, but couldn't force himself to finish the thought. He didn't want to ruin this, and he couldn't help feeling that any action on his part would do just that. "Figures, doesn't it?" Scully said, "Something had to go wrong." They both thought back to all the things that had gone wrong on their last visit to this, the alleged Happiest Place on Earth. "What're you thinking about?" Mulder ventured to ask. "That," she answered, her eyes back on the dancing holographs. "Being held close, having a good time, dancing." He could only look at her. "With someone you love," he said, halfway a question, feeling more uncertain every moment. One corner of her mouth tugged up in a smile. "Or a good friend," she admitted wistfully, glancing at him, then back at the holograms. "Just, that feeling, like when you wake up and you know you've had a good dream, even though you can't remember it." She turned and looked at him. "You know the feeling I mean?" "I think so," he admitted, and they looked at each other for another long moment. Then, suddenly, the ride lurched back into action and one of the teenagers in a car up ahead of them screamed. The moment was once again shattered. Just in time, Mulder thought. The rest of the ride passed quickly in a haze of blue light and song. Neither of them was really paying much attention, drifting in the worlds of their own thought. Mulder noticed Scully seemed a little sad when they emerged into the cool, damp night air. >From where they stood, they could see the show out on the water. Floats with Disney's three main princesses were brightly illuminated, and the song that carried on the air was about imagination, and true love. For some reason, all Mulder could think of was all the petty, sniping little fights they'd had and how much he wanted that all to be behind them. He looked at Scully to find her watching his face carefully. He remembered what she'd said back on the ride, about wanting to be held and dance like that. He pulled her easily into his arms and spun her around. "Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly..." Scully couldn't believe they were dancing in the middle of the thoroughfare at Disneyland. She also couldn't believe how wonderful it truly felt. "Certain as the sun, rising in the east..." She felt like she should have been there her whole life. Safe and warm, finally, Finally! in Fox Mulder's arms. "What would I give to spend a day warm on the sand - dream a fantastic dream -" Mulder pulled her closer to his body, realizing the importance of dreams. And that was what this place was about, he thought, fantastic, impossible dreams made truth, if only for a little while. He looked at her and found her blue eyes gazing up at him. He had to kiss her. The notion had been in his mind all day, every day through the past few months. But this was the first time he knew she was thinking it too. "Someday my prince will come, someday we'll find true love..." His lips touched hers softly and the whole world seemed to disappear. They stopped moving around in their slow orbit, but the world seemed to spin underneath their feet. The music coming over the water crashed and they drew apart, each uncertain of the other for a moment. They broke out into grins at the same time. Mulder put his arm around Scully's waist and they started walking slowly back toward the Monorail to the hotel. "Makes sense in a twisted way that the Haunted Mansion would bring us together," Scully said. "The Spookiest Place on Earth?" Mulder asked and it sounded like a joke but she knew it wasn't. His heart was on the line here and he was scared. If she was honest with herself, she was scared too, but she really wanted to believe that everything would turn out all right. And if she'd been brainwashed into thinking so by a castle, a giant mouse and a dream, so be it. "Maybe it really is a Magic Kingdom," Scully murmured. As if to prove her point, the nightly fireworks show exploded into colored light above their heads at that very moment. XXXXX "Hey, Frohike, remember that tourist slide you paid fifty bucks for?" Langly called across the offices of the Lone Gunmen, "Yeah," replied Frohike. "Well, I just got something better." "What's that?" Frohike looked up, interested. "Video!" The end. OK, folks, what did you think? PLEASE comment, or I'll, uh, sing "It's a Small World" over and over, how's that for a threat? :D eponine119 , eponine119@att.net eponine119 eponine119@att.net "You search for the truth, you dream of a lover, They take all your youth, they take all your friends." -Metropolis [the musical]