Hi - these are some of my thoughts after reading your story You Are a Rock, You Are an Island. I'm just one reader on the interweb; nothing I say is gospel and always get a second opinion! :D

Let me start by putting you at ease (I hope): I liked your writing - I thought it was poetic prose with great meter and strong images.

I liked the language and tone of Scully's thoughts; I felt the depth of what she was expressing and I liked how she didn't sound maudlin or syrupy. To me she was adult, weary and genuine. Without even mentioning "love" that's exactly the feeling I think she's describing.

I'm glad you posted and I didn't think the narrative was weird in the least.

One thing tripped me up a bit and I mention it as food for thought. When I hear the words "I am a rock, I am an island", I immediately think of isolation, loneliness and an almost petulant hurt: that's what the narrator of the Simon and Garfunkel sounds like to me. (Because the lyrics are striking I've assumed the use of them in the story is a deliberate feature.)

My interpretation of the story was of Scully using the words "rock" and "island" more in the sense that Mulder is her anchor, her place of safe habor, her constant (and I agree this is definitely how she might think of him).

Mulder and Scully do seem cut off from the rest of the world - they do seem isolated - but they still have each other and it gives them strength, even when they are apart - unlike the narrator in the Simon and Garfunkel song who keeps telling us how he is alone, how he has rejected love and the pain it causes.

Because I find the lyrics striking, to see them in the story creates a link between the story and the song (even if unintentional) that made it difficult for me to accept rock and island metaphors in a way other than that of the song, so for that reason those particular metaphors didn't work as well for me.

Granted, if I didn't know the song, my reaction would probably be different.

Not sure if my perspective will be any use to you. It would be helpful if someone else familiar with the song stepped up and commented! :-)