Fandom: GENERATION KILL
Pairing: Brad Colbert/Nate Fick
Length: 5826
Author on LJ: hackthis
Author Website: LJ
Why this must be read:

hackthis is fantastic at writing a broken Brad and here we see that in spades. Brad returns home from the Royal Marines and wants, so much, but he just can't put himself out there. It's a great portrait of Brad and all his insecurities, even as he's - on the surface - the badass we know and love. And it's an insightful look at Nate, too, who doesn't take any of Brad's shit.

He's tried to tell Nate that he's coming back to the states. He's tried to say that if Nate wants… maybe he could…maybe they could.

He never quite gets the words out.

Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt

Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Castiel/Sam
Length: about 48,000 words
Author on LJ: stangerine88
Author Website: Fanfic.net and her LJ
Why this must be read:

Author's Summary: Centuries into the future, the world has ended. Neither Heaven or Hell have come out victorious as the last human soul is wiped from the war-savaged Earth. In a fit of desperate rebellion, Castiel goes back to the start, back to November 2nd, 2005 to prove once and for all that people make their own destinies. Only fate's a fickle bitch when you try to pull one over on her and Castiel finds himself in a time in which Sam Winchester is a far cry from the hardened hunter of his memory.

There are so many positives for this fic that it's hard to pic a favorite reason to rec it. The author has some amazing, amazing, amazing storytelling skills with her intricate weaving of Season 1 and 2 events intertwined with a Castiel who has the knowledge of Season 3, 4, 5, and beyond. It was such a pleasure to see how events might have played out written in such a seamless and free-flowing way. So many little details were included like Meg, the old house in Lawrence, and Ava, and all of them twisted in such a way that the make absolute sense in the new canon.

Her characterizations are amazingly deep and tie in so well the new way in which she's telling the Supernatural canon. She's got everyone voices and thought patterns down so well. And it was amazing to see the story told from two very distinct story points; they included Castiel and Sam and Cas' knowledge of things to come and Sam trying so hard to do what's right with the knowledge he has. Then there's John and Dean trying to trace Sam's and Cas' path with all the confusion that angel teleportation would create, yet with all the doggedness and determination that is included in the Winchester genes.

Those are just two of the fine examples of the treasures this wonderful fic include. I could go on for pages about the lovely introduction to Cas/Sam this fic made for me, the haunting and bittersweet ending so inherent to SPN fandom, or the deep emotion the reader will start to feel for a Cas haunted by what could be, a Sam who has an innocence lost in later Seasons, and a Dean who doesn't really know what's going on but will stop at nothing to find and save his brother from perceived evil. But I'll stop here and just say go read this!

I Have Stood Here Once Before