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Title: Raleigh Summary: A visit to Raleigh, NC. Comments: I wrote this last Summer (after Season 8) when we knew Mulder would be leaving, but we weren't expecting him to be gone THAT FAST! Thanks: To mimic117 for liking my stuff enough to put up with me.
July 2001 North Carolina. Home to Haitian refugees, giant fungi, and tobacco beetles. On to US 1 South. Heading to Raleigh. Raleigh. Where you almost lost him so soon after your father. Where you thought you had left him forever. Closing your eyes to the memories, the rhythm of the road lulling you to sleep. Opening them to the sun low in the sky, him pulling up to the motel ("we're here"). Checking in, setting up the crib, bathing and feeding your son, putting him down for the night. Out into the suite, last half-hour of "Millionaire" for you, then channel surfing for him while you fall asleep hoping for a dreamless night. The baby waking you. Him stumbling to the crib and bringing the boy back ("there, there") then slipping back beside you, back into sleep. You following soon after. Waking to running water, giggling baby. Showering, packing, checking out. Driving down Capital Boulevard, over I-440 ("the beltline"), past the sign to St. Augustine's College ("where the delaney sisters started having their say"), bearing left at the sign to Blount ("blunt") Street, riding between the magenta -flowered crape myrtles lining the road, down the off-ramp to Peace Street. Under the railroad tracks, on up to St. Mary's Street. Waiting in the car at Fallon's Florist, back down Peace, past Peace College ("guess that's why it's called Peace Street") and then a right onto Blount. Going one-way past the Governor's Mansion and Moore Square, then around the corner into City Market, finding a space next to Big Ed's ("real southern food"). Coffee and juice and biscuits for both. Egg and toast and blackstrap molasses for you, eggs and bacon and grits swimming in butter for him (grinning, "spent three months here"). Back to the car. Turning left onto Person Street, passing Moore Square again but in the other direction. Right onto Oakwood Avenue, left into Oakwood Cemetery, following the too-familiar paths. Big shady trees, fresh mown grass, warm Summer breeze. So different from the gray, bare day you said good-bye. Standing back from the headstone. Watching him place the flowers in the vase. Saying a prayer, memories flashing by of the first time you and he came here. For his mother. His big hand guiding the tiny one, touching the names ("grandma", "grandpa", "aunt samantha"). Hand to your mouth, choking back a sob as you remember picturing yourself doing the same thing one day, only adding the name 'daddy'. Him looking up and seeing it's time to go. Into the office, approving the new stone. His name no longer on it because he wants to be by your side forever. Back into the car, back out to Person, right towards Peace Street and the ancient Krispy Kreme on the corner. Stopping for a box, then on the road again, merging back onto Blount, past historic Mordicai ("mordikee"), and on to Capital (laughing, "capitaaal"), heading out of town. Passing the miles of strip malls and fast food places you slept through the night before, watching what seems like five miles worth of car dealerships go by ("Chevy and Honda and Toyota, oh my!") before finally passing into the countryside. Leaving death behind. In Raleigh. North on US 1, back onto 85, across the Virginia line. Heading towards home. And life. end Author's Notes: Hope y'all liked the virtual tour of my hometown. I buried the Mulders in Oakwood Cemetery in downtown Raleigh because of the headstone. The cemetery on the way in from the airport doesn't allow headstones (can't mow over them!). I have noooo idea why CC buried Mulder here, but it's nice to get your city mentioned on the show. I wrote this last Summer when we knew Mulder would be leaving but we weren't expecting him to be going THAT FAST! Krispy Kreme seems to be all the rage these days, but there's been one in Raleigh for close to 50 years, so they're just another donut to me. Crape myrtles are southern trees that bloom most of the Summer. They're all over the older parts of town. -->
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