ext_27052 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
caz963.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crack_van2006-03-23 10:17 pm
caz963.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2006-03-23 10:17 pm
Entry tags:
Transfigured Night With a Strange Communion, by Marguerite (no rating given, but probably PG)
Fandom: THE WEST WING
Characters: Ensemble
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: Marguerite's Gray Area
Why this must be read:
I was rummaging through loads of fic trying to think of what to recommend next - when I started to think about which authors I enjoyed reading and which ones I hadn't mentioned yet... when I remembered Marguerite. Hers was among some of the first West Wing Fanfic I ever read, so naturally it stands out for that reason - but it stands out for other reasons as well. The story I've chosen, after much deliberation (because it's all so good!) is one set right at the end of Season 2, as a post-ep to "18th & Potomac", the episode in which Mrs Landingham is killed in a car accident.
So it's angsty, but amongst the sadness is humour - the way the show used to be - bringing the funny in the unlikliest of places, yet it still seems to fit.
This is "the gang" of old - the extended family they used to be, if you like. The characterisation and dialogue are perfect, and the scene with the cookies is ... well, just pass the Kleenex!
"One of the many important things I learned from Mrs. Landingham was never to
let anything of value be wasted. Here we have eight of the most beautiful
oatmeal-raisin cookies on the face of the earth, and they are the last of their
kind. I simply cannot accept that Mrs. Landingham can go to her final resting
place with eight perfectly good cookies going to rack and ruin."
"This is like communion," C.J. muttered to Toby, who poked her in the ribs and
pointed to the President.
"I heard you, young lady, and you'll be doing Hail Marys for that one." He
smiled to himself as he opened the jar and sniffed. "Look, C.J., I'm inhaling.
Call in the media."
"We'll be seeing plenty of them, Mr. President," Leo said gently. "What do you
say we make it just us for tonight?"
"Well spoken, my friend. Here." Bartlet offered the open jar to Leo, then to
Toby and C.J. "Charlie, Sam, take one. Donna," and his voice was soft when he
said her name. "And Josh, if you behave." He took the last one for himself. "To
Mrs. Landingham," he said, blue eyes shimmering with tears. "And God bless."
"God bless," seven voices chimed in. As the others took careful bites of their
cookies, Charlie turned his over and over in his hands as if memorizing its
texture.
"What is it?" asked Leo.
"It's...when I eat this, it'll be gone. Like her." He started to put the cookie
in his pocket, but Bartlet stopped him.
"You get crumbs in that suit jacket, you'll be the recipient of an ass-kicking
from the great beyond. Just eat it. And the first person - and by that I mean
Josh - who asks, 'got milk?' will be tossed into the rose garden and eaten by
aphids."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Josh said, affecting a wounded expression. "Besides,
this isn't the time."
"This is exactly the time," Bartlet countered. "I'm going to need all of you,
because while Mrs. Landingham is indeed with God - and probably telling Him not
to slurp His coffee - our world is a lesser place because she's no longer in it.
So I need your humor, Josh. Maybe not first thing in the morning, but I need it.
I need Toby's plainspoken common sense, C.J.'s quick wit, Charlie's devotion,
Donna's intuition. Sam - I'd be lost without your words. Well, maybe not lost,
but slowed down a little." He turned to Leo. "And I need you with me, my
stronger and smarter brother, making me a better man against my will."
Josh saw a fierce gleam of pride in Leo's eyes, quickly subdued but present
nonetheless. He felt Donna's muscles relax against his palm, heard Sam's
grateful sigh. C.J. wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she'd been holding
since the meeting in Leo's office.
And Toby smiled.
"That was lovely, Mr. President," Donna whispered. Her voice was thick with
sorrow and she leaned against Josh's hand a little. "Thank you."
So, wthout further ado - Transfigured Night With a Strange Communion
Characters: Ensemble
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: Marguerite's Gray Area
Why this must be read:
I was rummaging through loads of fic trying to think of what to recommend next - when I started to think about which authors I enjoyed reading and which ones I hadn't mentioned yet... when I remembered Marguerite. Hers was among some of the first West Wing Fanfic I ever read, so naturally it stands out for that reason - but it stands out for other reasons as well. The story I've chosen, after much deliberation (because it's all so good!) is one set right at the end of Season 2, as a post-ep to "18th & Potomac", the episode in which Mrs Landingham is killed in a car accident.
So it's angsty, but amongst the sadness is humour - the way the show used to be - bringing the funny in the unlikliest of places, yet it still seems to fit.
This is "the gang" of old - the extended family they used to be, if you like. The characterisation and dialogue are perfect, and the scene with the cookies is ... well, just pass the Kleenex!
"One of the many important things I learned from Mrs. Landingham was never to
let anything of value be wasted. Here we have eight of the most beautiful
oatmeal-raisin cookies on the face of the earth, and they are the last of their
kind. I simply cannot accept that Mrs. Landingham can go to her final resting
place with eight perfectly good cookies going to rack and ruin."
"This is like communion," C.J. muttered to Toby, who poked her in the ribs and
pointed to the President.
"I heard you, young lady, and you'll be doing Hail Marys for that one." He
smiled to himself as he opened the jar and sniffed. "Look, C.J., I'm inhaling.
Call in the media."
"We'll be seeing plenty of them, Mr. President," Leo said gently. "What do you
say we make it just us for tonight?"
"Well spoken, my friend. Here." Bartlet offered the open jar to Leo, then to
Toby and C.J. "Charlie, Sam, take one. Donna," and his voice was soft when he
said her name. "And Josh, if you behave." He took the last one for himself. "To
Mrs. Landingham," he said, blue eyes shimmering with tears. "And God bless."
"God bless," seven voices chimed in. As the others took careful bites of their
cookies, Charlie turned his over and over in his hands as if memorizing its
texture.
"What is it?" asked Leo.
"It's...when I eat this, it'll be gone. Like her." He started to put the cookie
in his pocket, but Bartlet stopped him.
"You get crumbs in that suit jacket, you'll be the recipient of an ass-kicking
from the great beyond. Just eat it. And the first person - and by that I mean
Josh - who asks, 'got milk?' will be tossed into the rose garden and eaten by
aphids."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Josh said, affecting a wounded expression. "Besides,
this isn't the time."
"This is exactly the time," Bartlet countered. "I'm going to need all of you,
because while Mrs. Landingham is indeed with God - and probably telling Him not
to slurp His coffee - our world is a lesser place because she's no longer in it.
So I need your humor, Josh. Maybe not first thing in the morning, but I need it.
I need Toby's plainspoken common sense, C.J.'s quick wit, Charlie's devotion,
Donna's intuition. Sam - I'd be lost without your words. Well, maybe not lost,
but slowed down a little." He turned to Leo. "And I need you with me, my
stronger and smarter brother, making me a better man against my will."
Josh saw a fierce gleam of pride in Leo's eyes, quickly subdued but present
nonetheless. He felt Donna's muscles relax against his palm, heard Sam's
grateful sigh. C.J. wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she'd been holding
since the meeting in Leo's office.
And Toby smiled.
"That was lovely, Mr. President," Donna whispered. Her voice was thick with
sorrow and she leaned against Josh's hand a little. "Thank you."
So, wthout further ado - Transfigured Night With a Strange Communion
Transfigured Night With a Strange Communion
(Anonymous) 2010-04-10 03:27 am (UTC)(link)Re: Transfigured Night With a Strange Communion