The night before Monday

I read through the neXt files today. Here are some recs:

• Forbidden Mourning by MeridyM. Post-colonization, haunting and beautifully told in the third-person, mostly focusing on John Doggett. There's a lot going on here in a short amount of space and quite a bit of action gets covered in a very little amount of time.
  
• North by DM. This would have to be among the best post-The Truth stories I've read. Mulder and Scully sound like Mulder and Scully, and they aren't chasing after William or falling all over themselves. They are two people dealing with life after - well, after the X-Files - and this is beautifully written.
  
• Respite by Vivian. This one isn't as heavy as the others - in fact, comparatively, it's downright light-hearted. But I loved the Mulder and Scully characterization here and the quiet attention and care Mulder has for Scully. This is a story that shows so much and tells us very little.
  
• Things to Pack When You're Dead by Martha. Five 155-word stories concerning the Lone Gun Men. Bittersweet and funny at the same time, yet a touching memorial to this eccentric trio; all of them stay in character the entire time. A quick but revealing read.
  
• The Right to Remain Silent by Suture. This is different. MSR, but not MSR. This story is not what you expect for Mulder and Scully, given "The Truth" - this is a different version of "happily ever after" and probably not one that is popular these days. But it's beautifully written and crafted. It's almost beliveable, you can almost see it happening and it hurts just as much to read - almost like a punch to the stomach - this is one of the few fics that has done this to me in a long time.