TITLE: Announcement of a Heart Breaking, 1/? AUTHOR: Meghan O'Connor EMAIL: gyrfalcon@yahoo.com FEEDBACK: Please! The more I get, the more you get! RATING: PG-13 DISCLAIMER: The LGM, Krycek, and anyone else you recognize are 1013's. However, Rachel Ann MacGregor is all mine. SPOILERS: The X-Files, all up to the last season finale, and the LGM series. CATEGORY: Post-Colonization, LGM/other, Krycek/Other SYNOPSIS: Langly announces something, and someone makes a decision. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Society is rebuilding after Colonization. All our favorites and a bunch of NPC's have ended up at an abandoned resort by a lake. It makes for a good place to rebuild a pocket of society. If I don't write Mary Sues, then I can at least have a promised land. Ok, maybe not that great. Argh, just read! This is Rachel's other alternate timeline, the Dancer series. She sat on the bed, staring at the half-empty closet. Mostly black jeans and t-shirts, a couple sweaters, a jacket, a black outfit for security detail, and a couple pairs of boots. She was tempted to think it was her lack of a wardrobe that made Langly ignore her appearance, but almost everybody here dressed like that. And the one time from before when he'd seen her in a suit, he hadn't said anything then, either. For a brief irrational moment, she wished she'd bought the green dress that she'd seen so long ago in a store window. She hadn't had the courage then, claiming that she had nowhere to wear it. Well, she certainly didn't now. Not like there was much to choose from anyway. In the end, her usual black pants and top won out. She scrubbed her face and headed for the hall. Rachel regretted her severe clothing choice as she saw most people headed towards the hall were wearing bright colors. A teenaged girl passing her sneered at her choice of clothing and sniped. "You'd think somebody died instead of getting engaged. Nice lack of color." Rachel frowned at the stuck-up brat in front of her. "Who's getting married?" The girl laughed derisively. "Well, you must not be such good friends anymore if you don't know that. Beth's making the announcement in a few minutes." Her heart stuttered. "Beth? And Langly?" "Yeah, Beth and the blonde dork, for some reason. Duh." She sneered again and ran off towards the main hall. Rachel was still frozen to the spot. Langly was getting married. Her vision began to narrow and it was hard to take a breath. She felt as if ice were creeping up her legs and encasing her in a cold, crackling block. At the same time, her heart seemed to have a searing hot blade being driven through it. Somehow, her feet began to move. They didn't stop until she realized she was standing on her own porch. For lack of anything else to do, she sat heavily on the bench. She sat there, hands in her lap, staring sightlessly out at the inky night. Several hours later, she rose and slipped noiselessly inside. She lay on her bed, still dressed, and stared at the ceiling. It was another hour before her eyes closed in fitful sleep. The sunlight that poured in her bedroom window kept her from sleeping the day away. She dreaded the thought that today was Friday, the one night of the week when they played music. Krycek would ask her to dance, she would decline, she'd sit near Langly for a while, then go back to her cabin alone. How pathetic, she thought. I'll simply stop going. That'll take care of all of it. Krycek, the music, Langly… The realization that Langly would be with someone else from now on made her breath hitch. Suddenly, she was wracked with choking sobs. She had lost forever, lost due to her own cowardice, lost everything that could have been… Rachel only stopped crying when her throat was too dry to make another sound. Quickly, she rose and washed up, then headed out. Maybe the building team would have some simple, mind-numbing physical work she could forget herself in. Everyone was talking about the engagement. They had decided tonight would be a celebration as well as music night. Apparently, several women had some simple dresses they were wearing. A small part of her was glad that she wasn't the only one with non-essential clothing. Fine then, she thought, let it not be said that she wasn't happy for her best friend. She could dress up too and smile and laugh and… pretend. She drove the nails into the boards with deadly force as she made a decision. She took a deep breath and ran the brush through her hair one last time. Byers and Frohike would be by any minute to pick her up. Thank god for that pair of sandals I snagged, she thought. This dress would have looked really stupid with boots. She glanced in the mirror, still surprised by the person reflected there. Normally, Rachel wore dark clothes, jeans and a t-shirt, boots, and had her hair up in a French braid. She realized the guys had never seen her like this. From the day she came to fix their fridge until tonight, they had only seen her in casual stuff. But tonight… The dress fell over her shoulders lightly on the thin straps. The neckline draped softly across her cleavage, and the bodice hugged her curves with princess seams. The material suddenly flared out at the waist, and draped around her just above the knee. A half-twist swirled the material and left a flash of pale skin. The silky rayon fabric was an emerald green, which only made her eyes look even greener. Her hair fell below her shoulders in a thick mass of rusty colored ringlets. Since it had always been braided, she knew that no one had any idea how long and curly it really was. Properly washed and brushed out, it shone like antique copper with a burnished sheen. The sandals were strappy, low-heeled, and black, making her legs look even longer. She gasped when the pounding came on the door. "Come on, Rae! Let's go, we don't wanna miss a minute of Langly's fun!" She smiled sardonically as she heard Byers' voice take an admonishing tone to Frohike's shouting. All chatter died away when she opened the door to her friends. Byers' eyes were wide and Frohike gave a long wolf whistle. "Holy crap." Byers was still stunned. "My sentiments exactly." He seemed to shake his head to wake up, then extended his arm. "You look magnificent, Rachel." She shrugged on a jacket against the cooling air and took his arm, linking her other with Frohike's. "Why, thank you, kind sir." She'd kept her jacket on through dinner, blaming it on a slight chill. Byers was quite concerned, but kept quiet. He knew that Rachel was trying to have a good time for Langly's sake. He'd have to kick him later for the comment that she looked "really nice". She looked far better than that, she was stunning. Why hadn't they ever noticed that their best friend was also a beautiful woman? Beth had also dressed up, but her dress was cotton and not as elegant. He knew that Rachel was keeping her coat on so as not to show up the hostess, as it were. She didn't participate too much in the conversation and joking. To be continued…. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TITLE: Announcement of a Heart Breaking, 2/2 AUTHOR: Meghan O'Connor EMAIL: gyrfalcon@yahoo.com FEEDBACK: Please! The more I get, the more you get! RATING: PG-13 DISCLAIMER: The LGM, Krycek, and anyone else you recognize are 1013's. However, Rachel Ann MacGregor is all mine. The song "Helplessly, Hopelessly" is by Jessica Andrews, and I am eternally grateful for country music that isn't the "my dog left me and my truck is gone" crap. SPOILERS: The X-Files, all up to the last season finale, and the LGM series. CATEGORY: Post-Colonization, LGM/other, Krycek/Other SYNOPSIS: Why is it that a new beginning can seem like the end of the world? AUTHOR'S NOTE: Society is rebuilding after Colonization. All our favorites and a bunch of NPC's have ended up at an abandoned resort by a lake. This is Rachel's other alternate timeline, the Dancer series. Rachel's phrase is Russian for "I will dance with you." If you can see it, it's "ß âîëÿ òàíöåâàòü ñ òû." The v is said like you are pronouncing the letter V, and the last word is said like "tea", but as if you are swallowing the eee back into your throat. So, "Yah vohl-YAH than-steh-VAHTS vuh tea" is correct. She sat with her jacket on the whole time. All through the meal, through the dessert, and through Langly's and Beth's wedding announcement. She was simply waiting for an escape before the all- too-nice Beth asked her to be a bridesmaid. Rachel didn't think she could handle that. She was stirring her second cup of coffee when she became aware of a hush falling over the table. Glancing up, she froze. Krycek was heading deliberately for their table. Most of the women had their eye on him as he crossed the floor. His hair was neat and slicked back, gleaming darkly above his eyes. A black t-shirt was tight across his chest under the black blazer he wore. The black slacks actually had a sharp crease in them, and rested easily on his black loafers. He looked… deadly. He came to a stop right in front of her. Rachel was acutely aware of the way the gunmen and the Mulders were staring at him. She was at the end of a table, so he faced her outturned chair. After a moment, he held out his right and spoke firmly. "Will you dance with me, krasavitsa?" She glanced over at Langly, who was smiling at her. Beth's hand lay possessively over his on the table, and he turned his palm up to hold her. Mulder was frowning, but Byers had an encouraging look on his face. She looked back at Krycek, who still had his hand out to her. Suddenly, she lay her hand in his and stood up. Krycek merely smiled as she spoke in the little bit of Russian old Mr. Lomonov had taught her. "Da, Lyosha. Ya volya tanstevats v ti." She took off the jacket and left it on the chair, ignoring a wolf whistle from across the room. Even Mulder muttered something about a wow factor until she heard the smack from Scully's hand on his leg. Krycek led her around the edge of the table and out to the dance floor. Plenty of other people admired the beautiful couple in black and green. To her surprise, a country song started up. Strangely, it was almost a ballad. She wouldn't have known it was country if she hadn't recognized the singer. I can stand with the weight of the world On my shoulders I can fight with the toughest of the tough I can laugh in the face Of all my insecurities Anytime, anywhere, anything I'm strong enough But when you're holding me like this I'm carelessly lost in your touch I'm completely defenseless Baby, it's almost too much I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly Falling in love So let consequence do what it will to us I don't care Let the stars stand as witness to it all Say the word and tonight I will follow you anywhere I just can't pretend anymore I'm too sturdy to fall But when you're holding me like this I'm carelessly lost in your touch I'm completely defenseless Baby, it's almost too much I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly Falling in love I am not afraid I am not afraid 'Cause when you're holding me like this I'm carelessly lost in your touch I'm completely defenseless Baby, it's almost too much I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly Falling... (Helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly falling) I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly Falling in love