Title: “Pilot”
Author: Koren M.
A Gift For: topaz119
Rating: Teen
Warnings: language
Prompt used: “I love fusions, where canon is translated into a different historical era or genre” - well, it’s certainly a fusion, and definitely a different genre. (Are the 90’s considered a different historical era? Because if not, they really should be.)
Summary: He walks into the basement office expecting his new assignment to be a glorified babysitting job. He certainly isn’t expecting to get drawn into a shadow war much more sinister and desperate than the one he just left behind.
The more things change…
The more they remain the same.
(Or, the X-Files AU you never knew you needed.)

Author Notes:

This is entirely AoU (and everything else) divergent, no MCU canon need apply. ;)

So this? Was not my original plan for this exchange. And by “not my original plan” I mean I had 85-90% of the fic I was originally writing done when I sat down Monday night, but instead of finishing that, I suddenly had Natasha in my head uttering the line “I was under the impression you were sent to spy on me”.

And whoosh down the rabbit hole I went. A few hours later, I had this. Some iconic conversations and actions/reactions remained the same, while others shifted and changed dramatically. I (hope) I did what was most true to the characters and the original story. I was really excited to see how it all played out, and the possibilities for how other moments or events might happen has me almost giddy. (That said, I haven't really done something quite like this before, so that could also be the nerves talking...)

Many, many thanks to kadollan for the beta-reading (and pouring the tea about the articles of serial killers).

I’m not sure it’s “fun and light” (I’m sorry!), but I also wouldn’t by any means call it overly angsty or dark fic, and I hope you like it! :D


Agent Barton, do you know why you're here?