Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Nick Stokes/Greg Sanders
Author on LJ: wistful_fever
Author Website: N/A
Why this must be read:

Another post-Grave Danger fic, this one starting somewhere in the beginning of season five and running until Nick gets discharged from the hospital. It's really very beautiful, that's the main thing that attracted me to this story. It's probably also the best post-GD Nick/Greg story written. Nick's misgivings and paranoia end his relationship with Greg until the events in Grave Danger and some advice from Papa Grissom force him to re-evaluate his priorities. This one has not a happy, but rather a hopeful, ending, which I like and I think fits well with the episode. There can't be a happy ending for Nick, at least not right away, not after everything that's happened, both in Grave Danger and earlier in the fic.

wistful_fever's Nick isn't destroyed by the events of GD. Don't get me wrong, he's in pain, both physical and emotional, but he's able to talk and laugh at the same time. The experience changes him, but the Nicky we see in the hospital is still the Nicky we knew the day before. The effect is that the author manages to avoid falling into the angsty melodramatic trap of many post-GD fics. I love Nick's relationship with Mrs. Stokes here. She's a real momma who loves her son, but thinks she knows what's best for him.

This is wistful_fever's only CSI story, and it's a shame. She has a real grasp of the characters, something that's lacking in a lot of CSI fanfic. Her one foray into our fandom was an extremely successful one, so I guess she stopped while she was ahead.

( Grissom's advice )

Three Steps Away

Fandom: STAR TREK VOY
Pairing: Janeway/Chakotay
Author on LJ: none
Author Website: EJ's Voyager Stories
Why this must be read:

I can't believe this story hasn't been recc'd here before, because it's widely viewed as *the* best VOY fic of all time, narrowly edging out the "Talking Stick/Circle" series by Macedon and Peg Robinson. There was a period when everyone and her sister were writing "Voyager Returns Home" stories; this fic left them all in the dust and was hailed as an instant classic. This story has got everything: romance, intrigue, plot twists, guest appearances from practically everyone you've ever heard of in the Trek universe. Long and satisfying, it will make you wish the Voyager series had indeed wrapped up this way.

Revisionist History

Fandom: NOIR
Pairing: Mireille/Kirika
Author on LJ: glazzal
Author’s Website: FF.net profile
Why this must be read:

Mireille and Kirika, post-series. Having set aside Noir, the two of them try to figure out a life for themselves, and how best to relate to one another. Lovely language, and a mingled sense of both the bittersweet and the mundane realities of “normal” life.

"Mireiyu."

Mireille put the cup to her lips. "Hmm?"

"I really do like the park. But that is because you're there with me."

Mireille narrowed her eyes, but not before she could hide the surprise widening her pupils. "Well. I...."

She stood, turned. "I...."

"Let's go, Kirika."

They proceeded to the park in silence, passing the river on the way. Mireille glanced over. They kept pace comfortably with each other; they always did. If only everything else were this effortless.

She started. Her footsteps faltered. Kirika had approached in her distraction and slipped warm fingers into her palm.

At Home in the World

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Author on LJ: fromthesabary and runpunkrun
Author Website: Punk's site
Why this must be read:

Because I recced Sabine last night, I figured I should continue the trend and give you another by her, this time co-written by Punk, who's equally wonderful. This is a really weird little piece, in a wonderful way. Put it this way: most of it reads like a fever dream, with all the strangeness that entails. But there are also some wonderful moments between poor Danny and Casey, and the Jeremy-Natalie-Dana bits are perfect. So if you like your SportsNight stories weird and wonderful, this is a good one for ya.

Player Piano

FANDOM: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: cousinnat
Author Website: not known

Why this must be read:

The devil is in the detail, they say, and the details in Nataliya's stories are precise and perfect. It's impossible to read her descriptions without being there yourself. Add to that impeccable characterisation, especially where Illya is concerned, and you have a winner.

In 'Refuge', Illya waits in a snowbound mountain lodge for Napoleon to turn up. Waiting with him is a Frenchman, whose partner is making his way with Napoleon through the blizzard, and two Swiss agents, from whose point of view the story is told.

There is almost no dialogue in this short one-shot, and none of what we hear is between Napoleon and Illya. Nataliya doesn't need it. What we get instead is a beautiful look at the interaction between them, and the trust Napoleon has in Illya, and we learn with the Swiss agents just what it is that makes this relationship so special.

The story is listed on File40's slash page, but it could just as well be gen. It works on every level.

( Excerpt )

Refuge

Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Nick Stokes/Greg Sanders
Author on LJ: geekwriter143
Author Website: Indulgence
Why this must be read:

This story's from Mrs. Stokes' perspective. While Nick's in the hospital, she goes to his apartment to get some of his things and runs into his roommate, Greg. She soon learns that not only shares his home, but also his bed. Honestly, how many more shocks can one woman stand over a twenty-four hour period? What I like best about this story is watching Mrs. Stokes realize that Nick's his own person, and he has another family in Las Vegas made from his co-workers.

She's shocked when the whole LV Crime Lab shows up at the hospital to make sure Nicky's ok. And it's not Nick, it's always Nicky, another way that she realizes Nick's part of something special. Mrs. Stokes is very sympathetic here. She's a grieving, terrified mother that wants what's best for her son, and feels useless when she can't provide it.

( Nicky )

Stop Whispering

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: andariell
Author Website: The Insomniac's Playground
Why this must be read: There's something about the concept of betting that appeals to me - and Clark making outrageous bets with Pete seems to lead to a lot of interesting stories, two of which I'm rec'cing today. The excerpt will give you the basic premise, but I have to say what always gets me about this story is the pure sensuality of it, and with Tom Welling's beautiful features it's not a stretch to picture the results of the transformation Lex helps Clark with. This story isn't about the humour (which is perfectly in character) or even about the sex (which is everything we want for the boys), and it's not a story that feminizes Clark, although he's certainly getting in touch with his feminine side here. It's really about process and discovery, about seeing things in a different way, about taking a chance. It's amazingly sensuous - there's just no other word to describe it.

( Excerpt from Forum )

Read the story: Forum

Don't forget to feedback the author if you enjoyed the fic!

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: aelita
Author Website: Insanity Lair
Why this must be read: This story's just fun from beginning to end, although it has moments when it drifts into slightly deeper territory. Clark's lost another bet, and best buddy Pete takes off to let Clark deal with the consequences ... namely ending up in a Metropolis jail in a rather questionable outfit. Lex comes to bail Clark out and the exchange between them is priceless. And since I own my issues, I'll say that I love this story particularly for Clark's inner monologue on the benefits of skirts: "They are the best invention since space shuttles. He is going to have this skirt bronzed, he's sure Lex knows someone who can do that, and fuck anyone who doesn't understand." You've got to admire a man who knows what he likes. *G*

( Excerpt from Jailbird )

Read the story: Jailbird

Don't forget to feedback the author!

Fandom: ANGEL
Pairing: None.
Author on LJ: voleuse
Author Website: A Work in Progress
Why this must be read:

Lorne has always had a special place in my fandom heart. And I stand in both awe and revulsion at his exit in Not Fade Away. I still don't know what to make of it (I don't even know if I love or hate it) and have found criminally little fic that tackles what may have happened to him next and how he felt about...well, everything.

There also seems to be a hint of a continuity bridge between Spin The Bottle and Not Fade Away in this fic that's fascinating to contemplate. In the end, "Signifying Nothing" doesn't offer answers as much as leaves you with more questions. I love that and I hope you will too.

~~~

"Lorne had liked Lindsey, back in the days of Caritas. Sure, Lindsey had been errand boy for evil, but that boy could sing."

Signifying Nothing

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ: mickeym
Author Website: Kim’s Passions
Why this must be read:

Quickenings as an aphrodisiac are a very well known plot-point in Highlander-verse. Most of them affect Duncan, though, so when Methos is the one with his pants on fire? One pays attention.

( Read more... )

Electrified

Fandom: BUFFY
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: quinara
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

Past Slayers are always fun to read about: who were the women that battled darkness before Buffy & Co?

Summary: The final account of the Watcher Secundus Pollius Paulus, in the year 48 AD, describing the events that lead to his Slayer’s premature death.

( Read more... )

Propugnatrix Pollia

Fandom: ANGEL
Pairing: None. Wesley and Illyria.
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Seems to be shut down but here is fanfic.net profile.
Why this must be read:

This is one of both the funniest and angst-ridden fics I've read. The author's homepage seems to have gone offline but I managed to find a copy of this story on fanfiction.net and oh boy am I glad I did. Wesley and Illyria in an LA supermarket - does it get much better than that?

Illyria is one of my favorite Angel characters and I deeply mourn the fact that the show's untimely cancellation stalled the possible character development of this ex-God Of The Primordium. Illyria's also one of the most difficult character voices in fic and I think many good authors avoid writing her for that reason. "Lost In The Supermarket" has one of the top five best Illyria voices I've ever had the pleasure to read.

~

( 'Can it be?' She asks him. 'Can oscrats have really survived so much time?' )

Lost in the Supermarket

For October we need a driver in the Oz fandom!

For November and beyond, we will need drivers in Alias, Blakes7, Firefly, LotRiPS, PotC, Pop Slash, Professionals, Queer as Folk, Sports Night, Star Trek, and The O.C.

Sign up here to help out!

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: Sam/Jack, AU!Sam/Jack (and a hint of Daniel/Katep)
Author on LJ: daygloparker
Author Website: asyousleep.net
Why this must be read:

A 'Moebius' coda showing, to quote Tahlia, "three timelines that exist, but don't, but sort of do". Which pretty much reflects the confusion most people feel about the entirety of that two-parter, it seems. Who knows what's real, and what's not? All I know is, I'd be happy if it turned out that it all happened like this.

( excerpt )

And All Shall Be Well

Fandom: LOST
Pairing: Charlie/Claire
Author on LJ: literarylemming
Author Website: Lost Fanfic Archive
Why this must be read:

This is possibly my favourite Lost fic ever. It's dark, and angsty, and twistier than than a barrelful of snakes. It's also been Jossed to hell, but you can't have everything. Read it anyway, as long as you don't mind that the R rating is because of the violence and character death, rather the porn. In this, Claire has come back from the Others, but without her baby. Unfortunately, she may have brought something else with her as well. Spoilers up to Hearts and Minds.

Charlie did all he could -- talked to her, sat with her, held her to his chest and told her she was Claire, in case she'd forgotten, and he missed her. Charlie missed her. He'd come back from the dead, did she see? He'd come back from the dead for her. "Please, Claire, look at me."

"Why?"

He never answered the question, because when a man comes back from the dead for you, you shouldn't have to ask him why.

One Man Left Awake

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Author on LJ: Cleavage and Lollies
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

If Hermione/Snape fulfills classic schoolgirl discipline fantasies, Hermione/Sirius taps into something just as primordial - the good girls always fall for reckless bad boys. However in "Sleepwalking" Sirius is more than an incredibly attractive forbidden object of Hermione's growing passion. Set during or just before OotP, he's also fraying and straining against his imposed exile to Grimmauld Place. I love this very in-character depiction of Hermione as both freakishly determined and clever - while most teenaged girls would swoon, giggle, and probably panic when presented with the depth of emotional issues someone as broken as Sirius would inevitably present, Hermione not only finds a plausible way to spend some time alone with him, but also holds her own as tensions, both sexual and otherwise begin to rise in the Order's close quarters. Excellent peak into Hermione's fantasy life and a wonderful bit of wish-fulfillment.

Sleepwalking

Fandom: LotRiPS
Pairing: Dom/Billy
Author on lj: hyacinth_sky747
Author website: None
Why this must be read:

This fic flows like poetry-- It's lyrical in the sense that every word has its place, but it never feels labored. Dom loves Billy. It's simple and it's complicated, but above all, it's honest.

I used to think I'd find you, that you'd come across me quite suddenly while I trolled amongst the waves off Venice Beach. My loneliness, my want for you, seemed to scream out of me like an ambulance siren too high pitched for any ears but yours. All the way in the sun-drenched warmth of Mexico or on the cloudy shores of Scotland you would hear it. Come to rescue me. I don't want to be the kind of person that needs rescuing. Except if it was you.

The Main Thing

Fandom: STARSKY & HUTCH
Pairing: Starsky/Hutch
Author on LJ: charlottefrost (story updates), ekwins2004
Author Website: Me and Thee Archive (complete works), SH Slash Archive (Zine Format)
Why this must be read:

It almost seems like cheating to rec one of Charlotte's stories, since they always feel like such an obvious choice to me. Her collection is one that I never get tired of rereading, and this (originally published in her zine, "Heart and Soul 4") is one of my favorites from the batch. It's got several elements of SH fiction that I love to see -- an exploration of the inexplicable, near-psychic bond of our boys, a girlfriend who wises up to the Way Things Are much sooner than the guys do, and tons of hurt/comfort. If you've ever read anything by Charlotte, you preeeetty much know how it's going to end, but the fun is all in the journey ;)


The Heart Knows