Fandom: The Sentinel
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Author on LJ: n/a
Author on Website: n/a
Why this must be read: 

Moving from an "observer" to a full detective isn't as easy as it sounds, something Blair and Jim discover in this story. The partners are assigned to help Narcotics set up a raid; Blair's academic background and unique take on life stand him in good stead as he starts to realize things are not adding up.  Both Blair and Jim struggle with the changes in their partnership as they try to fit all the pieces together in time.

( the path to becoming a cop )

Clarity

Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Gil/Nick
Author on LJ: knightmusic
Author Website: stories can be found on the Fingerprints Archive
Why this must be read: This is the third in a series of the stories. The first two are Incidental and Perfect, but you can enjoy this story without reading those first. "Sins of the Father" has a bit of everything: solidly written cases with some good twists, some sweet moments between Nick and Gil, and one of the better-written child witnesses I've read in a long time.

Link to story: Sins of the Father

Fandom: INVISIBLE MAN
Pairing: Fawkes/Hobbes
Author Website: Story found on AdultFanfiction.Net
Why this must be read:

Because sometimes you just need hot sex and lots of it. Fawkes and Hobbes take a little unauthorized R&R while looking for Bigfoot, and things get out of hand.

Air Mattress

Fandom: INVISIBLE MAN
Pairing: Fawkes/Hobbes
Author on LJ: basingstoke
Author Website: Land of Basingstoke
Why this must be read:

Basingstoke gets the slightly flip, competitive relationship between Fawkes and Hobbes perfect here as they find something -- or someone -- to do on a stakeout.

'I, Robert Hobbes, owe my partner, Darien Fawkes, one (1) blow job.' Sign it." He handed over the receipt.

Freight Train

Fandom: BLAKES 7
Pairing: none (Avon-Cally gen)
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown
Why this must be read:

You may have noticed that Avon and Cally get teamed up a lot. Why? Karma. It's like hot and cold, light and dark, yin and yang, vanilla and chocolate. Basically, if you're going to be a misanthropic cynic with a penchant for fiddling with computers quietly, you will get teamed with the raging idealist with an action kick. See? It's that contrast thing. And, as Spinal Tap said on the subject of textual contrast, "Being in a tall-girls school would make us look very short, while being in an all-girls school would make us look very... male". Fortunately, Avon learned early on to put on some platform shoes and make the most of it, because, let's face it, it's hard to make him look butch in the company of the women of Blake's 7, when he's a code monkey and Cally's, like, a professional terrorist. (Of course, they're also paired up a lot because she's the only person he's never quite managed to start a knock-down, dragged-out argument with, making them the least likely to stuff up a mission together for stupid reasons. This being Blake's 7, of course, things usually go to hell anyway.)

This story shows the most unlikely - and uniquely - functional team that Blake's 7 ever produced in action. It's not lush like The Quibell Abduction, nor extravagently dark and grim like much B7 fiction, but spare and focused, with efficient prose and a knack for combining gritty violence and gentle character piece seamlessly. In "Open Season", we hit the ground running, with Avon and Cally already long past the action-packed heist and dramatic showdown, and just trying to survive, injured and running out of ammunition, as the bounty-hunting vultures close in for the kill - it's Butch and Sundance, not robbing the train, but reaching the end of the line while on the run in South America. It's also a neat, self-contained metaphor for the relationship between Avon and Cally - two people, damaged and tired, becoming unlikely allies while trying to survive in a desolate, cold, and dangerous environment.

( Serried snowflakes and the oncoming dark strained Cally's eyes. )

Fandom: X-Men Movieverse
Pairing: Logan/Rogue, Scott/Jean, Mystique/Pyro
Author on LJ: tinhutlady
Author Website: tinhutlady
Why this must be read:

This is a re-telling of X2. The plotting is far better and everyone acts ten times smarter than they do in the movie. For example, the mutants actually expect and prepare for an invasion of the mansion. The ending’s quite different as well. This is a terrific action/adventure novel, and a real ensemble piece as well. You are sure to find a favorite character nicely represented. The author also adds several characters who didn’t appear in the movie – Hank, Remy, Sam, and Carol Danvers. There are OCs, but none of them are (gag) love interests.

“Cyclops!” Bobby shouted.

“He only sees or hears what I want him to. That makes me leader now.” Stryker grinned.

“What’s your name, mutant?” asked Miller as he and the four other soldiers entered the cell.

“My name?” Bobby suddenly remembered just who he was and what he could do and he began to stand. “My name is Iceman and I’ll be damned if I let you get away with this.”

… White crystals began to form everywhere and the men closest to Bobby shrieked in pain as they were enveloped in them ... Where the cell once stood was a huge block of ice, with five men trapped in it ... They were all frozen solid. Stryker moved forward and tapped on the stiff surface. He could just make out Miller’s agonized features.

Link updated: Loose Threads

Fandom: X-Men Movieverse
Pairing: Logan-Ororo friendship, Scott/Jean
Author on LJ: Don’t know
Author Website: RocketJ
Why this must be read:

A cute Logan-Ororo friendship story. While Scott and Jean spend Valentine’s Day in a romantic B&B, Logan and Ororo sit on the roof of the mansion commiserating with each other. The characterizations are funny as heck. I shall endeavor to remember this story as I suffer through the Halle Berry Vehicle formerly known as X3.

He poured more whiskey into her glass and watched amazed as she swallowed it in one gulp, grimacing as it burned its way down. She held it out to him.

“More!” she commanded. He hesitated and she shoved the glass closer. He poured; she downed this one the same way and then shoved another piece of chocolate in her mouth.

“You wanna watch it, ‘Ro. If you get zits from all that chocolate you’ll never get a man,” he said in a lame attempt at comedy.

Jim Beam is My Valentine

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Frodo/Sam
Author on LJ: billthepony
Author Website: Bill the Pony @ West of the Moon
Why this must be read: This series has been one of the mainstays of my hobbit-reading career; I got sucked in despite my usual wariness of WIPS (and it is now finished) not just because the earlier chapters generally worked well as standalones but because they were just too good to resist. The series is a very long and winding exploration of Sam's life in the Shire from the time he is a wee toddler getting rescued from a mud puddle by Frodo to the moment he is caught 'trimming the verge' as their quest begins. It must be one of this fandom's finest examples of excruciatingly drawn-out UST, and whilst the long lead-up is sprinkled with delicious scenes of voyeurism, jealousy, masturbation, daydreaming, hurt/comfort and all-around pining, it is the sensuality found in everyday hobbity domesticity that particularly pleases me. Sam is the main narrator and tells his own tale with a self-effacing charm that is both endearing and frustrating, and when his would-be suitor Jolly Cotton interjects occasionally with his own point of view, a welcome spin on the Frodo/Sam dynamic is introduced. From skinnydipping and cherrypicking to pub brawls and duels of honour, this saga has all the romance, drama and fun you could ask for and should keep you up reading all night.

( excerpt )

The Making of Samwise