Fandom: LIFE ON MARS
Pairing: Sam/Gene
Length: approx 7400 words
Author on LJ: lozenger8
Author Website: Link to the memories at Life in 1973 community or Fic list at Loz‘s journal
Why this must be read: This is an AU fic where Gene has gone to the future, there is lots of role reversal, parallels and tie-ins to what Sam experienced in 1973 and it is great fun to spot all the references and familiar moments. But the best thing about this story is how Loz captures the essence of Sam and Gene, puts them in a new situation, and keeps them as the Sam and Gene we know. It is great seeing how Sam and Gene relate to one another in 2006, how this has shifted their dynamic, and the gradual build up to something more between them. There is spot on dialogue and banter, a good case to get immersed in, and fascinating, funny and moving moments where we see how Gene is learning to cope with 2006.

( Excerpt )


It's About to be Writ Again

Fandom: DOCTOR WHO
Pairing: Five/????
Length: 3290
Author on LJ: jjpor
Author Website: Profile at Teaspoon
Why this must be read:

Remember a certain green robot from Five's era, how he was shown once then barely seen again until his last episode, Planet of Fire? Maybe there was a reason for that.

JJPOR shows us a possible reason why, and it is so heartbreakingly beautiful, showing that even after regenerating, the Doctor is still hurting. I absolutely love it and I hope you love it too.

And All is Dross That is Not Helena

If you enjoy the story, please don't forget to leave a comment and tell the author how you liked it! ♥

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (NEW)
Pairing: Felix Gaeta, Tom Zarek
Length: About 3500 words
Author on LJ: lls_mutant
Author Website: archived here
Why this must be read:

This is a story about ideas, and it's as smart and complicated as the characters it's about. The action takes place as series of conversations between Gaeta and Tom Zarek that give us insight into who they are and are becoming. Zarek is a character who was never given a lot of depth in canon, but here he's portrayed as a "rascal" who still never lost his spark of idealism. Gaeta, of course, is the tragic fallen idealist of the series, and this story gives an added understanding and sympathy to some of the more misguided decisions he made, from lying on the stand to the mutiny. Mournful and thought-provoking.

"I look at you, and I see myself."

Gaeta shakes his head. "I don't."

The Rascal King

Fandom: BONES
Pairing: Booth/Brennan
Length: Short fic
Author on LJ: _missmargaret_
Author Website: Unknown
Why this must be read:

Okay so this is another one where you have to ask, 'cause _missmargaret_ wrote it? Really, _missmargaret_ is another one of those authors that I would recommend reading as a matter of course. As for this story, it is just a perfect and fun moment between Booth and Brennan that soooo could have happened right after Fire in the Ice. The characterizations are "spot on" and it serves as a nice little tag to episode.

Go. Read. Enjoy. *grin*

Link: And You’ve Never Met Anyone Who’s as Everything as I am Sometimes

Fandom: FOREVER KNIGHT/STARGATE ATLANTIS
Pairing: gen, Nick Knight, Kate Heightmeyer
Length: 674 words
Author on LJ: falcon_horus 
Author Website: Falcon Horus at fanfiction.net
Why this must be read: One of the pleasures of Forever Knight fanfiction is how creatively the authors will expand on topics and characters  that were only lightly touched upon on in the series. All it takes is one appearance and they are forever cemented into the FK universe. The story of Nick Knight's mortal sister, Fleur, is no exception. The potency of this story lies in its short length. It's fleeting and over before you know it, just like Nick's chance encounter with Kate Heightmeyer, who is the spitting image of his baby sister. The painful loss of Nick's mortal family almost 800 years prior is a private memory. He guards it from everyone, even from those closest to him. Seeing Kate, happy, vibrant and youthful is enough for Nick to open himself up and share his memories with Natalie. That's the gift of Kate Heightmeyer to Nick Knight and she didn't even know it.

( Excerpt )

Memories by Falcon Horus (fic is in the comments section)

Fandom: BANDOM (Panic! at the Disco)
Pairing: Ryan/Brendon/Spencer/Jon, Ryan/Pete
Length: 24, 000 words
Author on LJ: addictedkitten
Author Website: Addicted
Why this must be read:

Firstly, because it's GSF, and that's a big part of Bandom. Secondly, it's by addictedkitten, who was by far one of the best authors in bandom, although she hasn't written anything new in a while. It's quirky and funny and the characterisations are excellent. Also, it's really long and detailed. And it's tour fic, which is awesome. Although, it's um, less tour and more gratuitous porn. But really freakin' hot gratuitous porn. You will probably want to be alone when you read it.



That's What He Said

Title: Closure
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/John
Author on LJ: 51stcenturyfox
Author Website: Fic Tag
Why this must be read:

This is the story of John Hart and the untold story of how he had found Gray. It's also the story of Jack and John and what happened after Gray. Beautiful, poignant, sad and hopeful at the same time.


Excerpt: It's nearing the end of the third day, at sundown, when Jack realises he hadn't been seeing things. He ducks into a doorway and when his tail passes he steps out and grips him by the shoulder.

"You've really lost your touch," Jack tells him.

"I knew you were there."

"What? I blend," Jack retorts.

"Yeah, you and that coat."

"You certainly can't talk."

"Guess not," John Hart concedes, tipping a grin. “I don’t exactly wear camouflage. Not anymore. Though uniforms... I tend to like a bit of uniform. A sliver of ceremony. A touch of tradition, a-"

"I thought you were planning to be here tomorrow."


Closure

Title: Det[god]ails
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Ianto, Jack (Ianto/Ianto, Ianto/Jack)
Author on LJ: amand_r
Author Website: Fic Tag
Why this must be read:

Because Torchwood is a rare fandom where even the crack isn't all that cracky. This lovely little story is the perfect example of how something harmless can, in Torchwood, take on meanings that are darker and at the same time, funnier, than they otherwise would.


Excerpt: Ianto had been running on about three hours of sleep, and so when he had walked into himself in the Hub, he wasn't as surprised as, in retrospect, he should have been.

His other self was pretty much him, except that instead of the same rumpled suit that Ianto hadn't had a chance to change in forty-eight hours, he was wearing denims and a t shirt for a band that Ianto secretly liked but didn't dare mention to anyone. And his other self, while looking about his age, was a little thinner, a little grayer.

And he was decaling the Torchwood logo on one of the clear Plexiglas walls of the old conference room. His brow was drawn in concentration, and he ran the plastic comb over the vinyl of the decal with quick zwip sounds. A post carrier bag was slung across one shoulder, and Ianto could see decal sheets and rolls of larger labels sticking haphazardly from it.

He felt for his gun, and then realised that it was back at his desk. He had to remember to stay armed, even in the Hub (or Christ, especially in the Hub), no matter what Gwen said to Mickey about disarming when they were in house. He set the files he was carrying on the closest surface, and instead looked about for anything that could be used as a weapon.

The closest thing was an umbrella. It would have to do, because he'd just kicked a rubbish bin, and the metal clanged loudly.

"Oh hullo," the other Ianto, who Ianto had told himself to think of as Ianto II, said, spinning and making a cringing face. "This is inconvenient." He stared off into space as if trying to remember something before shaking his head. "Don't shoot…" He stared at Ianto's hands. "The umbrella?"

Det[god]ails