Title: A Step Backwards
Pairing: Jim, Blair, Naomi (gen)
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: LRHBalzer at Wolfspups Den
Why this must be read:

Blair trades places with his two-year old self.  Though the premise may sound corny the author does an amazing job of making it work.  It is well written story with an intriguing plot and on the spot characterization.  No, baby Blair does not turn in to some super, amazing prodigy child.  He is just a confused toddler who wants to go home to his mama.  He does retain his natural curiosity and it is easy to see glimpses of the man Blair will be. 

The plot?  During the middle of a case Jim wakes up to find a toddler in Blair's bed, but no Blair.  Blair wakes up at a 1971 outdoor musical festival where he finds Naomi reporting her two year old son as missing.   Interwoven throughout the past and present are clues that will eventually tie together cases from both realities.

The Nash Bridges crew shows up in both the past and present in supporting roles.  No previous knowledge of them is necessary.  This story is actually part of a larger series, though it does stand on its own.  Primary Focus starts the series, and the Nash Bridges crew start their appearance in the fourth story.

( A picture is worth )

A Step Backwards

The story is hosted on a site that has highly annoying ads so I have linked by way of the Way Back Machine.  The original link is here and the original site is here.. 

Title: Pegasus B: The Pilot
Pairing: Daniel/Rodney, pre-lots of others
Author on LJ: troyswann
Author Website: Outside the Box
Why this must be read:

It's the story that launched a thousand AUs!

Back in the dark depths of winter, troyswann came up with a curious idea. What if Daniel had never joined the Stargate program, Charlie hadn't killed himself, and Daniel and Jack both wound up on Atlantis? She wrote a story that took the place of "Rising", and it's fascinating to watch how both the character dynamics and the events change because of the inclusion of these two characters. It's got romance, tension, action, adventure, thinky bits, humor - in other words, it's everything you could ever want in a story.

There's another great thing Salieri did with this story, however. Once she was finished, she said to the fandom community at large, "Go forth! Write sequels! Play with this! Take it in any direction that you want!" And people did. Where many fanfic writers get very upset if someone sequels their work in a way that doesn't quite mesh with their "vision", Salieri has been nothing but encouraging of other people's work expanding on the foundation she's built.

What are you waiting for? Go - sink yourself into this great story. (As a bonus, after the end of the Pilot there's a couple of snippets - think of them as "Preview for next week on Pegasus B!") If you like it, you can check out the Pegasus B Story Guide to find more.

http://salieri.bonuspoints.net/Pegasusb/pilot.html

Title: Detours: Perdition Redux by Shan
Pairing: None. Characters: John Crichton and Malcolm Reynolds
Author on LJ: no
Author website: not known

Why this must be read: If you know me, you know I feel that there aren't nearly enough Firefly/Farscape crossovers to go around. The last multiverse ficathon helped that somewhat, but still, more are needed. So of course, I'm reccing a Farscape/Firefly crossover.

Detours: Perdition Redux is a very fun and appropriate to both fandoms. Knowledge of both isn't necessary, but helpful for some inside jokes. In this story, Shan throws Captain Malcolm Reynolds and John Crichton together in the Firefly 'Verse as they battle against one of the big-bads of that said 'Verse. Afterward, John finally gets in some of that human male bonding he's been looking for so much (no, no slash to be had here. Sorry).

Till recently, this was one of the few crossovers of these two 'Verses. Even now, it's an oldie-but a goodie that is enjoyable to revisit.

Detours: Perdition Revisited by Shan

Title: Arnaud You Don't! by Gil Hale
Author Website: The Browsery
Why this must be read:

"Paranoid!" Blair said happily, bouncing up just as Jim was drawing breath to bellow for silence. "I knew I'd seen you somewhere before. You were the paranoid at my therapy encounter group."

The short, possible-Fed, possible-lunatic was looking at Sandburg. "Hey, that's right kid. I remember you too. Don't tell me... Panic attacks, right?"

"Right," Blair said. He turned to Jim. "We were the most normal there, so we generally got together for coffee. There were some truly weird disorders."

"The guy with the kitchen utensil phobia," the paranoid-lunatic-Fed said reminiscently.

"And the one whose wife sent him because he couldn't have sex if there was a teddy bear in the room," Blair added.

"Now that's not a common problem," paranoid's partner said, getting interested.

Arnaud You Don't!

Fandom: DCU
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: [Unknown site tag]slipstream_chan
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

Tim Drake (Robin III) is the most Batman-like of all the Robins.  He decided that a Robin was needed, and then he remade himself as a Robin.  He doesn't know how to forgive himself, or how to give up.  This caused a bit of a problem when he was (in essence) blackmailed into giving up his job as Robin. 

Shiva Woosan is perhaps the world's deadliest assassin.  She trained Tim in fighting because she thought he had promise.  She likes him because he killed her once.  (By accident, and then resuscitated her.)  She would like to see him fulfil his potential.  As a killer.

Bernard Dowd is Tim's rather too fabulous school mate.  He's a little confused about what's going on.

Contabescence

Slipstream hasn't written much, so be sure to let her know what you think of this.

Title: All the Wrong Places by aces
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: wishfulaces
Author Website: author's page on FF.net
Why this must be read:

( Excerpt )

All the Wrong Places

Title: Healing by Hope
Pairing: N/A
Author on LJ: angstslashhope
Author Website: Cerin Amroth or hopeful_fiction
Why this must be read: No reason is given for Mal's grim entanglement in the War of the Ring or for the Tams' presence in the Houses of Healing and none is really needed in this dreamy and evocative piece that finds the parallels and contrasts between these two groups of reluctant heroes.

( excerpt )

Healing

Title: Welcome to the Dark Side by Zahra
Pairing: N/A
Author on LJ: hackthis
Author Website: Dysfunctional
Why this must be read: It's unrated, but I'll give this random and very funny crackfic an R for Eminem's pottymouth. “A wizard, a rap star and a multi-billionaire with political aspirations and questionable ethics walk into a bar.” Viggo's pub becomes the scene of bitching, mayhem, accidental Avada Cadavelry and Death Eater corporate recruitment as Marshall and Draco bicker, Lex waves a wand and Viggo loses a regular customer.

( excerpt )

Welcome to the Darkside

Fandom: INVISIBLE MAN
Pairing: None
Author Website: Tayla's Fanfiction
Why this must be read:

Most slash fandoms tackle the gay-at-work issue one of two ways: everyone is completely fine with it, or the main characters are getting the crap beaten out of them on a regular basis over it. Tayla takes things in a quieter direction.

"How do you know?"

"Huh?" Bobby looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"How do you know you don't know any gay people. It's not like they carry signs." Darien grinned as a group of young men danced by carrying a sign that said 'We're here, We're Queer, Get used to it!' "Well not on any other day but today, that is."

It's Not Like They Carry Signs

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

Darien has fun with some of the cooling properties of quicksilver and a whole lotta chocolate sauce. Nuff said.

New Treat

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: None (Gen)
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Loebel-Clark Home Page
Why this must be read:

I hesitated between "Early Days Affair" and this one and eventually decided for the rabbits! (but don't be shy, read both; you won't regret it). I chose to favour the fancy over the more serious stuff (though there is the same sharp wit in both) because it's not so easy to blend humour with action, suspense and mystery and there are not so many examples of the sort in MFU fanfiction.

For this is a real action/adventure story, with all the required ingredients (danger, thrill, surprises, villains), faithful to the show's spirit (two innocents, a convincing characterization, a brisk pace and the expected banters between competitive partners), quite reminding of the third season light tone without the silliness. Add a big dose of SF and a pungent, show off, rather obnoxious original character and you'll have the recipe of "The Welsh Rabbit Affair" for your greatest pleasure.

As the author writes: "When bunnies start popping up in strange places around U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters, where else could Napoleon and Illya expect to find themselves but on the other side of the looking glass?"

So, jump with them through the looking glass and have fun.

The Welsh Rabbit Affair

Title: Flamebird by Mary
Pairing: none.
Author on LJ: monkeycrackmary
Author Website: Ink Stigmata
Why this must be read: Mary has a tendency to come up with ideas that don't work at all. And then making them work so effortlessly that it seems obvious, if a little crack-addled. This is one of those.

This is the story of a world where the men who pick up youngsters and train them to fight crime are Jedi. And sometimes, some boys just don't fit that mould.

( I haven't recced fic about Jason, I'm sorry, there's just been so many fic, but for those unfamiliar, Jason is the second Robin, who met an inglorious end. Batman discovered him when he tried to steal the Batmobile's tires, and he was the Robin who Batman didn't seem to be able to wall himself off from. Jason loved fighting, and loved being Robin. See the overview, or the ship manifesto for more details)

Flamebird

Fandom: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Pairing: Elizbeth Swann Turner/Will Turner, Jack Sparrow/Elizabeth Swann Turner
Author on LJ: fabu
Author Website: Cultural Infidelites
Why this must be read:

I wish I could quote from this, but whatever I chose would mean I could not choose another phrase. And so I will let you read this vignette for yourself, let you have the ring of Proverbs in your head and your heart, let Elizabeth emerge from this. This may well be the best Elizabeth-story I've read yet.

Proverbs

---

Feedback has no proverbs attached to it -- write one.