From: jeri Date: 23 Aug 2002 03:20:44 -0700 Subject: [all-xf] NEW: The Wild Eyed Wonder Source: atxc TITLE: The Wild Eyed Wonder AUTHOR: jeri E-MAIL: jeri@zilmamebrika.org WEBSITE: http://www.zilmamebrika.org RATING: PG CATEGORY: V KEYWORDS: post-ep SPOILERS: The Unnatural, Per Manum ARCHIVE: Just let me know if you include this. STARTED: August 22, 2002 FINISHED: August 22, 2002 SUMMARY: Was it all one in the same? Was it all connected? **DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Chris. The words belong to David. The feelings belong to us all. DEDICATION: To my IWTB ListBabies, for getting me to write about writing, which made me write. And to my Brienie, for letting me wear my Yankee visor to Camden Yards. ^*^*^ Mulder watched silently as the older man grieved anew for a man who'd died fifty years ago. Arthur showed no signs of embarrassment as a few tears coursed down his weather-worn cheeks; he simply wiped them away and heaved a sigh, continuing to stare beyond his ceiling into the heavens where the converted hung their baseball caps for eternity. Mulder rose, knowing he should give the man some privacy, but as he headed for the door, another question arose in his curious mind. "I just have one question. Actually, I have a thousand, but I'm only gonna ask one. After all that you saw, why wouldn't you join your brother at the FBI?" Still staring upwards, Arthur softly answered, "I had to find my own way of being..." he searches for the word, "...closer." "Closer to what?" There's a pause. "The Wild Eyed Wonder." Another pause. "I've failed miserably." Mulder shook his head, ideas swirling around inside. "No you haven't, sir." He left then, Arthur's final words ringing in his ears. The man had been face to face with the inconceivable: an alien who'd become a man, simply because he had loved something of human creation. Was there hope for the future of the human race, then? If there was enough baseball played, could the colonizers become one with the colonizees? The Wild Eyed Wonder. The Truth (with, of course, a capital "t"). Was it all one in the same? Was it all connected by that crazy emotion of love? He stepped out of the building into the beautiful Saturday afternoon, and noticed Poorboy sitting on the stoop. A dollar? Who did he think he was, Ebenezer Scrooge? "Hey kid. Sorry 'bout that up there. I'll make it up to ya. Meet me at the ballfield around seven? I've got to...uh, give a batting lesson, and I need someone to work the jugs." "Sure thing, Rocky." He jumps up and runs off. Mulder thought about the last time he'd played ball. It had definitely been a while. He decided to give himself an hour for practice before he had his...student arrive. The cell phone was at his ear before he could consciously think about using it. Next thing he knew, he was listening to Scully's voice telling him to leave a message. "This is Fox Mantle calling for Miz Scully. Come on down to the ballfield tonight at eight to receive a very early or very late birthday present." He had the service mark the message as urgent, then dialed again in search of some jugs and balls to rent. He was then off to Casey's, where he settled in with a hot dog and some nachos to watch the last few innings of the Baltimore-Detroit game on the tube. He smiled as the cameramen found cute kids in the crowd, each of them with faces full of Wild Eyed Wonder. He thought about the child he and Scully were attempting to create. Next week would be second appointment for hormone therapy for Scully. He'd have to give his...donation fairly soon. The Truth and Wild Eyed Wonder...could they be achieved through conception? The answer was obvious. Of course they could. Every man and woman went through life searching for their own Truth, and when faced with the wonder of giving life, all felt the bliss of Wild Eyed Wonder. He checked his watch, and got up to go pick up the jugs and balls. Tonight, he'd get a little closer to The Wild Eyed Wonder. THE END ^*^*^ NOTES: The dialogue between Mulder and Arthur at the beginning is from The Unnatural's script. When I played field hockey, we always called the automatic ball-thrower "jugs". Yes, "jugs and balls" sounds dirty. That's not where I was going though ;) 4 out of 5 doctors say expressing your enjoyment of a fanfic to its author increases your life expectancy 23-23.8 years. The other doctor was killed by Cancerman before we could ask him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ www.zilmamebrika.org