"I Have Never Been To Boston", by wyndgyrl (Rating: PG-13)

[zulu.livejournal.com]

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Pairing: Dawn/Faith
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author's Website: Wyndgyrl Fan Fiction
Why this must be read:

Last time, I recced a long, charactery darkfic; in the interest of contrast, today's rec is still long and charactery, but far lighter in tone.

Often, what draws me to a fic is the writing. Call me a grammar whore, but technical brilliance and carefully chosen details are way up there on my list of reasons to love a story. That's not the case with "I Have Never Been To Boston". Wyndgyrl's writing is certainly proficient, and she has a talent for first person POV, but it's actually the idea behind this story that makes it so eminently reccable.

In season five, a group of monks altered Buffy's memories in order to make her protect the Key to Hell at any price--by making Dawn her sister. The fake-memory love was supposed to stop Buffy from killing Dawn before she was used to open the portal between dimensions. But what often isn't touched on is the fact that Buffy wasn't the only Slayer at that point. What if Dawn needed another protector...and, therefore, other fake memories of a relationship, a love, that would endure beyond all cost?

That is the set up to "I Have Never Been To Boston", and its sequels "I Choose To Believe" and "The Box". (Though the first story is a one-parter and can stand alone, I think you'll be drawn in to the entire series). Dawn travels to Boston to prove to herself that her fake memories are nothing more than the monks' make-believe...and she finds a truth she never suspected.


I Have Never Been To Boston
I Choose To Believe
The Box

Comments

[steverogerson.livejournal.com]

You should rec that on ffslashrecs as well.

[zulu.livejournal.com]

Cool, I'll check that out.