Templum Bellonae

Atlantis

Words (or at least, my words) can’t express how perfect this story is. Making John Sheppard believable as a virgin is no easy task, but this fic succeeds in doing just that.

Lost in Waiting by Lacey McBain

The creativity of fanfic writers constantly amazes me.

1969, New York, Spike and Dru see something brand new.

No slash (or even het) this time, but a well-written story with Spike in it is always of the good.

“No, no, no,” she whispered in delight. “There will be dancing on the moon. They will spin and jump and dance in the night.” She sighed and pouted. “But I only get to dance on the earth.”

Nothing New Under The Sun by Two Ladies of Quality

Good Duo backstory is hard to come by. This is the best I’ve read so far, and it’s pretty amazing. It’s not at all how I pictured it, but the story makes so much sense and has such emotional resonance that by the time finished it, I was completely convinced. And completely hooked.

This is the story of Duo, Solo, and the L2 plague, which is used so often to create Duo-angst but rarely explored in any depth. I love Duo’s narrative voice in this fic, especially the way he juxtaposes the story of his first weeks on the colony with the account of the early progress of the plague. Lovely, lovely writing.

That night is my last pure night; the first soft whisper of a greater shadow that hangs over the landscape of my life. The last time the rain really belonged to me.

I never met Mary Lenox. The history-books say she was twenty-three, that she was admitted to Wellspring Hospital on May 15, AC 186 and died two days later of respiratory complications. As I figure it, that was seven days after Solo warned me out of the rain.

Her death passed without comment; she was only the first faceless pebble in the landslide to come.

I hesitated for a long time before adding this story to my Top Ten list, not because the fic itself isn’t good enough to justify it, but because I had a sort of unofficial rule that only novel-length fiction would be added to the list. In fact, I still do, but Twilight deserves to be the exception.

Twilight by One Person

Zechs and Treize during Zechs’s officer training. Treize is nineteen; Zechs is fourteen.

Closer by Ponderosa

Angst. Janine and Ray learn Egon’s secret. Peter has his own secret. Winston knows everything. Fifteen years is a long time to wait.

I would like this story a lot better if no one cried in it, but Janine, Ray, and Winston are so great that I can let it slide.

Fifteen Years by eridahl

First of four stories set during Peter, Egon and Ray’s college days.

2. Catalyst
3. Adaptations
4. Impact

Love at first sight.

Spontaneous Combustion by Lethe

Voyager.

Set before, during and after The Killing Game. Bobby and Brigitte’s story. Hasn’t been updated in some time, but what’s there is still worth reading.

The Memory of You by Maryann Hopson

The Charioteer

Backstory, set near the beginning of Ralph and Alec’s relationship. The tone fits perfectly with that of the novel, although the sex is considerably more graphic. It’s interesting to get someone else’s perspective on Ralph, as well. Very, very nicely written story.

our sole defense against the season by Penknife

Professor Xavier sits behind the desk, giving John the hairy eyeball the second he comes in the door. John sticks his hands in his pockets and stares back, but there’s no way to out-eyeball the Professor. No way. It’s like trying to outstare a statue. Of a cat.

Overture by Wax Jism

Toad/m.

Okay, I could have sworn I recommended this ages ago. Very, very good. Sorry, ‘good’ seems to be the best I can do in terms of description today. Oh, there’s stuff about Toad’s tongue that you won’t want to miss.

There’s DVD-style commentary by the author, too.

Kissable Fanatic, Unhinged Minim Artists by Basingstoke

Very good, very sweet. Very believable. Makes me remember why I love Frannie so much.

It Was a Very Good Year by Shayheyred

Saul needs Wolfe and Archie to help him with a problem.

To Archie Goodwin, this may be the most important story about Saul Panzer, although Archie’s never heard it.

Parhelion captures Archie’s voice perfectly, and the Saul POV scenes are great, too.

Apparently Express is something of a sequel.

Liars by Parhelion

It’s canon that Horatio arrived on Justinian and met Archie before Simpson returned. I’m not sure if Archie’s background here contradicts canon or just fanon, but I’m not sure that I care, either.

ETA: All Anais’s fanfic is offline for the forseeable future.

Full Fathom Five by nais

Saul tells us how Archie and Wolfe first met.

The boarding house was easy enough to find. I knew what it would be like without stepping a foot inside. Cramped, airless rooms, a shared bath on each floor, and 13 bad meals a week.

Aesthetics by Jennifer Lon

A Christmas Carol, with Archie as Scrooge, which I didn’t expect, but it works. I expected it to be Wolfe, of course, but having it be Archie is interesting, and explores an aspect of Archie’s character that is frequently ignored.

After Midnight by Jennifer Lon

Archie goes home to help out his family. Nice Archie voice.

Really it was my own fault. I should have known to stay out of the central time zone. Failing that, I should have made arrangements to keep my itinerary out of the hands of my family.

Too Many Goodwins by Nancy

Nancy’s version of how Archie met Wolfe. I really do love her Archie.

I took a yellow chair near Panzer. Wolfe regarded me, not happily.

“How old are you, Mr. Goodwin?”

I cocked a glance at Panzer, who had got me into this, but he was no help. “Look, Panzer asked me to come here, so here I am when I should be sleeping. And right away you start with personal questions. Do I ask you how much you weigh?”

Lost Boys by Nancy

“I want you to stay.”

Zechs has a visitor, pre-GW.

Visitations by Kest

Troy/The Iliad

From beginning to end.

Turning by Widget

Scott at the mansion, past and present.

Home Maintenance by Penknife