Well, it's time for me to hand off control of the Helicarrier, I hope you enjoyed your journey. Before I leave, one last rec.

Fandom: THE AVENGERS
Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Clint Barton, Loki/Sif, Phil Coulson/Natasha Romanoff
Length: 60168
Author on LJ:taraljc
Author Website: AO3

Why this must be read:I started with my favorite pairing, so I'll end with them too. Darcy gets kidnapped by Loki, who mistakes her for Jane. Somehow they become BFFs. After the first kidnapping (there are several), Clint gets assigned to be Darcy's bodyguard. They fall in love. A fun romp that makes me crave more fics with Darcy and Loki as BFFs.

Simple, Not Easy

Fandom: Fringe
Pairing:   Redverse Lincoln Lee/Alt!Livia
Length:  976
Author on LJ: seriousfic
Author Website: I don't know. She owns up to being "fuckyeahmelancholy" on tumblr; other than that, check her tags at LJ.
Why this must be read: Remember that declaration of love during the childbirth scene in Bloodline? Lincoln decides he has to "man-up" and go talk to Liv about what he said. This is the best missing scene for that episode I can imagine. The dialogue is so good, the banter so funny and the characterizations so spot on that I can't figure out why I didn't rec this already.

Read In place of friends and relationships, you have sarcasm and a gun.

Fandom: Fringe
Pairing: Olivia/Peter
Length: 1115
Author on LJ: tilden13
Author Website: probably, but none that they've linked us to.
Why this must be read: It's a perfect little vignette, full of imagery and lyricism, set after "The Day We Died." I think the author's summary describes it better than I ever could: A proper story; an enchantment waiting to be broken; a cookie. Olivia wakes up.

Read Madeline

Fandom: Fringe
Characters/Pairing: Astrid, Olivia, Peter and Walter in the periphery; Olivia/Peter
Length: just over 1,000 words
Author on LJ: lyssie
Author Website: http://lyssie.the-family-archives.com/ana/
Why this must be read: This was written for the "Rewriting History" comment ficathon at fictorium, for the prompt "Fringe-Astrid was dosed with Cortexiphan." If that's not enough to grab you, the summary should: "Astrid is ~magic~, and saves the universe." My only complaint about this story is that it isn't long enough. I want someone to write an entire season set in this AU.

Read The Air There Breaks.

Fandom: Fringe
Pairing: alt!lincoln and alt!livia (so, basically it's straight up red-verse)
Length: short short
Author on LJ: brin_bailey
Author Website: This is a fandom journal so check her tags.
Why this must be read: Okay, so this is babyfic but it's a canon baby, and Alt!Lincoln/Alt!livia are my favorite doomed ship and I want the Red!verse back, damn it. There is also a pretty banner by Monanotlisa to gaze at and adore. My only complaint about this adorable story is that it's much too short. Please, brin_bailey, please write more in this alternative universe AU. Please.

Read grown like the quickening hues.

Fandom: SKIP BEAT!
Pairing: sort of Kyoko/Ren
Length: one-shot at 4,659 words
Author on LJ: anenko
Author Website: iwrotethat
Why this must be read: This fic is a remarkable testament to Kyoko's perspective on her friends, co-workers, and that most reviled of subjects: romantic love. Anenko's Kyoko is perfectly in character, and her interactions with Moko steal the show. Poor Kyoko, to think with such cruelty about love, but to enjoy it being done well on film--as long as it's being portrayed by someone else. [Set after Dark Moon.]

The Work of Chemists

This is my last rec for Skip Beat! I've enjoyed driving the anime/manga crack van this month, and loved hearing feedback from everyone who commented on my recs. I'm glad I could share my favorite Skip fanfics, and maybe helped create one or two new fans! Best wishes to next month's driver. C:

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: None
Length: approx 1200 words
Author on LJ: mollycate
Author Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1139460/Mary-Catherine-Marshall
Why this must be read:

My last rec for the month is short, sweet and humorous. Folks think Illya is entirely unreadable, but Napoleon has learned how to do just that...

Reading the Russian

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 2837 words
Author on LJ: snycock
Author Website: author on Artifact Storage Room 3
Why this must be read:

Many stories take scenes from the series and use them to show the relationship moving forward. This one takes a new look at that trope and adds another layer. Psychgirl takes pages from from the 1972 Army Rangers Field Procedures Manual: Section 45 - Rules of Engagement to illustrate the progression of the relationship between Jim and Blair.

You’d think, with these various rules being spelled out at the beginning of each story section (Level 1: The subject responds to and complies with verbal commands. Close combat techniques do not apply.) that the story was going to be in Jim’s pov. Guess again. This is a look at how Blair sees their relationship.

We go from the first time Jim calls Blair “Chief” to when he rescues him from the serial killer, Lash, on through to when Blair accepts a badge and becomes Jim’s official partner. Blair has learned to know the man he originally started just wanting to study, seen his strength, loyalty, trust issues and Jim bringing Blair back to life in the fountain and it takes him awhile to realize that Jim has difficulty saying how he feels. They finally become lovers and there’s this delightful exchange:

“Well, not we - you. You have rules.” Jim gave him a mock aggrieved look and he laughed out loud. “Oh, yeah, you do. Serious rules.”

“What, like don’t flush the toilet after ten?”

“No, like how you show affection. Rules of endearment. It took me a while, but I think I’ve got them figured out now.”

This story was originally in my LJ fanzine, warriors_6 and I still love it. It’s clever, touching and the insight into the characters is right on target.


Rules of Endearment

That wraps up my tour of duty. I hope you've enjoyed the stories. For my last rec, I leave you with a hackthis AU that still fills me with glee.

Fandom: GENERATION KILL
Pairing: Brad Colbert/Nate Fick
Length: 25,054
Author on LJ: hackthis
Author Website: LJ
Why this must be read:

In this AU, Nate attends a Corps' recruitment event at which Brad speaks. And boy, does Brad make an impression. You know, the kind of impression that ends in bed and promises not to join the Marine Corps and ten years later, in Brad walking into Nate's community college class (English 203: The Fraternity of Men). And it is a thing of beauty. The whole platoon is here, following Brad around as they do, and hackthis captures them perfectly, Ray and Poke, especially. A fun, sexy, hilarious good time.

Nate blinks at the list and then back at the doorway. There have to be millions of Brad Colberts in the world. What's the likelihood of this Brad Colbert being that Brad Colbert?

And then the Brad in the doorway smiles. "Hello, Professor Fick," he says lightly.

The Road Not Taken

Fandom: Fringe
Pairing: Olivia/Astrid (noir!Olivia/Esther)
Length: 2200
Author on LJ: hibernate
Author Website: http://archiveofourown.org/users/hibernate
Why this must be read: If you are a fan of the 2x20 Brown Betty AU, if you love femslash, if you love film noir, you are in for a treat. The banter is perfect, the characters sound like they walked off the set and onto the page. I love this fic.

Read "Like Dancing (or How Esther Figglesworth Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Her Job)" at LJ or at AO3

This is my last regular fic rec. If I can do it fast before I lose my posting privilege, I'll post a cross-over and a vid; otherwise, I hope you enjoyed the ride.

Fandom: Fringe/The X-Files
Characters/Pairing: Mulder/Scully but this is genfic
Length: short story
Author on LJ: amalnahurriyeh
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read: This story has the best title. I would have used this title but she got to it first. It's a crackfic crossover set after "Machines of Freedom," her epic fix for everything that went wrong with The X-Files mytharc. But don't worry about that. She tells you what you need to know to follow "the action" at the beginning of the fic. Mostly this is just an excuse for Mulder to be a smart ass, for Drummy to be his straight man, for Olivia and Charlie to arrest Mulder and for Scully to bail him out. I feel like this story was practically written to my specifications.

Read The Old X Designation

I've greatly enjoyed driving the crack-van this month, but it's time to hand it over for October. Thank you for reading!

Fandom: THE X FILES
Pairing: Mulder, Scully
Length: 232k
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Wintersong
Why this must be read: I'm not sure I even know what to say about Wintersong and her stories. The first in a trilogy (each is a standalone, the final a WIP but is entirely readable, with a fabulous 'final' line) and, well.

I adore this story because of the beauty of the landscapes, both outer and inner, as well as the personal journey between our Heroes. Wintersong puts a really subtle spin on Mulder and Scully, and a great sense of physicality. I hope you enjoy this work as much as I do.

( A wee teaser... )




The Lost

Vidder: thuviaptarth
Musical artist: Natacha Atlas, "Etheric Messages"
Pairing: none
Vidder on LJ: thuviaptarth
Vidder's website: let me get back to you on that.  http://www.thuviaptarth.net/
Why this vid kicks ass: "Etheric Messages" is an ode to Olivia Dunham. For such a small fandom, there are a lot of great vids but this is one of the very best. The link is to her post on Dreamwidth but it was originally posted at Festivids 2010.

Watch: Etheric Messages

Okay. Now I'm done. I never get everything I plan to post actually posted so I'll be back with more recs when my turn comes around again. In the meantime, happy reading and (I hope) happy writing and vidding.

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 8338 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: on AO3

Why this must be read:

Because I’m a sucker for a Jim Ellison that is damaged and trying to cope. In this story, set post TSbyBS, Blair has not become a cop and while partnered with a young female detective, Jim is gravely wounded. He suffers a knife wound to the throat and thinks he’s dying when it happens, wishing it was Blair who would be with him in his final moments instead of his new partner. He’s never told Blair how he feels and believes he’ll die without being able to.

( Read more )
Lexicon

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 4048 words
Author on LJ: [Bad username or site: “janedavitt” @ livejournal.com]
Author Website: http://www.janedavitt.com/
Why this must be read:

Because Blair baking a cake for Jim’s birthday is as fun as it sounds. Not for Blair, for the reader. Blair doesn’t take the easy way out by picking up a cake mix. He buys all the ingredients for a scratch cake, though he’s never baked one before. Despite using the interenet for research, however, Blair’s baking skills are not as high as his skills in the guide department. He starts thinking that when Jim told him he needed new socks for his birthday, he should have listened to him.

Jim gets home to find more than a lopsided cake waiting for him and he ends up saying it’s his best birthday ever.


Crumb of Comfort

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 1196 words
Author on LJ: [Bad username or site: “copracat” @ livejournal.com]
Author Website: on AO3olinkto
Why this must be read:

Because the idea of one of my favorite moves serving as a catalyst to get Jim and Blair together is irresistible. Vera is one of my favorite writers of old in The Sentinel fandom. She writes short, biting little pieces of fic that perfectly capture the characters from a quirky angle. I recced her “Dick Planet, Boy Detective” the last time I drove the van for The Sentinel, and decided it would be fun to find another of her unsung stories to rec this time.

Like the other story mentioned above, this one was written quite awhile ago, but it holds up beautifully. Blair’s pov all the way through, it starts off as the movie credits roll and Blair starts discussing the philosophy behind it with Jim. They’re on the couch in the loft and get from talking about Tom Cruise’s acting merits (or not) to kissing in record time.

Along the way they touch on Blair’s missing having a father, Jim’s military service, Naomi’s pacifism and John Wayne. The writing is light and sweet and poignant and warm with love. The Jim and Blair in it seem fresh and young and the story feels like it’s set early in the series and their relationship.


A Few Good Men

Fandom: SHERLOCK
Pairing: John Watson & Sherlock Holmes
Length: 5117 words
Author on LJ:impulsereader
Author Website: AO3
Why this must be read:

Ever since Sherlock jumped off the roof of Barts John has been harassed by fakes who text and email him claiming to be Sherlock returned from the grave. He tries everything to discourage them - rude responses, changing his number, abandoning his email all together, even turning their numbers over to the police as stalkers. But there is one who persists in sending him odd, conversational messages at odd times, and every now and then the cryptic *another one down.* John begins to think of the mysterious correspondent as his nutter. When the messages suddenly stop John misses his nutter.... and worries about him too.

The nutter is the real Sherlock, of course. Because of the necessary deception of faking his own death he has sworn not to lie to John again, which sometimes results in rather extreme measures.

"I Prefer to Text" is funny, dramatic, melancholy, touching, and very much John and Sherlock. Enjoy.

( Try it out... )

I Prefer to Text

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length:140K
Author on LJ: unknown
AuthorWebsite:on AO3
Why this must be read:

This is the first story in Dasha’s wonderful “Dorset County” series. After living in the city of Cascade for years, the Jim Ellison, Sentinel, starts to have multiple health issues and his best friend and guide, Blair Sandburg decides that the only solution is to move away from the city with all its modern problems. As Dasha’s summary states: The trouble with happily ever after is that life keeps happening even when the fairy tale is over.

This story is long and plotty and very, very satisfying. Jim and Blair have been together for over ten years and Blair has been a cop for seven. They pull up stakes and move to Dorset County where they become sheriff and deputy in a small town. They buy a house... with two bedrooms and only one bathroom, and when Blair remarks on this, two guys sharing a bathroom, you realize what you might not have been sure of before this: they aren’t lovers. Blair loves Jim and Jim knows but Blair has never acted on his feelings. He had to keep at arms length from Jim when he was working on his dissertation and now feels it would ruin what they have. And more than anything, Blair wants Jim in his life, whole and healthy. He’s entirely committed to Jim, who knows this and has mixed feelings since he feels this is the second time he’s caused Blair to overturn his life.

There are no bombs or serial killers in Dorset County. They get calls like Andy and Barney of Mayberry: a snake in an old lady’s basement, various other non-serious crimes. But when a child goes missing, and they think finding her will be easy, Jim’s senses don’t help him solve the case in record time. Blair has misgivings about whether he’s really going to be able to help Jim.

The reader gets the feeling that Jim would be willing to take their relationship to the next level, but Blair is too much in his own head, concerned and fearful that Jim’s health won’t improve, despite both their efforts. Finally, however, the find their way to each other.

He kisses me. His mouth is softer than I expected. Gentle, careful, slow. I have been in a desert forever, and here is water.

The story is beautifully written, deep and full of life and meaning and love. It reminds me of even older fanfiction, the way it takes its time and portrays two mature men gradually realizing the depths of their feelings for each other. There are more stories in the series, posted on the 852 Archive as well. All of them are just as wonderful
I Still Believe

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 28K
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: http://www.852prospect.org
Why this must be read:

Because only Anna S. can make a story about Jim and Blair buying curtains more than just a piece of domestic fluff. She has a brilliant way with words. Consider:

Jim gave proof by exhibiting by a burst of lingual artistry on Blair's chest that made Blair tilt his face to the ceiling and groan. He might have been Stevie Wonder singing with sightless bliss.

They stayed this way for a while, Jim allowing himself to be slowed down even further, to a taffy-pull of rhythm that moved them from head to feet.

The voices ring true in this story, you’ll smile, you’ll laugh, you’ll get hot under the collar. All over curtains.

Curtains

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Length: 12K
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: http://www.trickster.org/kass/
Why this must be read:

When Jim Ellison dreams, it’s hot. This story lives in Jim’s head, moving through little slices of his life with Blair. Every night, Jim has sexual dreams he can’t explain. He’s tied up, being touched, confused. Each dream is a little different and goes a little further and he gradually realizes who it is he’s dreaming about.

In the morning, he’s faced with Blair. ”His voice seems to cling to the inside of Jim's ears. Sandburg's making coffee, swift efficient motions, and Jim has to tear his eyes away from his hands. The kitchen is permeated with the thick smells of coffee and Sandburg's shampoo. Hands, voice, scent-Sandburg's all around him, like he was in the very beginning when he first moved into the loft, before Jim could control the sense-input of having another person in his space.”

I like Jim’s slow realization of what he wants via the dream. When “The Sentinel” depicted things taking place in a dream or alternate reality, it always used a blue theme, filming the world to look like it was other-worldly and at an angle, and the reader can see Jim’s dreams that way. Jim isn’t a man given to great introspection, so it’s an excellent device to get him to see that he wants Blair. The story has that other-worldly feel and sense of anticipation and is just as good now as when I read it when first posted.

In the Blue Light