Weekly Recs 5/12/12
It's been a while, folks, but I've been hoarding stories in the meantime.
Completed Stories:
(Mostly newly-completed stories, plus some old ones if I haven't read them before;)
"Unwanted" by
xylodemon
[M, Kate/Ari, set during 1x23 "Reveille", ~1,800 words]
Quote: The gunshot cracks the silence like a whip. "Women should never get involved in politics. It is a waste of beauty."
KEW note: This is terrible and yet I can see it fitting into the episode. The author writes coercion and confusion very well.
"and worst of all you never call" by roslindi
[K+, Tony, Ziva, ~550 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva are best friends mostly because they are both terrible people.
KEW note: This story is a rare bird: a dark friendship fic.
"Lost Everything" by
nakeisha
[K+, Ray, set post 9x13 "A Desperate Man", 500 words]
Summary: Ray knows what he's lost and knows what the future holds for him.
KEW note: I thought it would be nearly impossible for me to feel sorry for Ray after "A Desperate Man," but this author made me feel it.
"Believe" by Aerial 312 ( aerial312)
[T, Tony/Ziva, McGee, Abby, set during 9x18 "The Tell", ~1,000 words]
Quote: McGee yawned and rubbed his eyes as he trudged down the hall. Abby had been a chatty mood, still going on and on about believing in things you couldn't quantify, so it took longer to extract himself from the lab than he'd have liked.
KEW note: A nice "behind the scenes" take on this scene.
"I'm Still Here" by superashy8
[K, Tony/Ziva, speculation for end of season 9, ~650 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva talk about the future.
KEW note: This works; it's sweet but not too sweet.
"MVP" by shywr1ter
[K+, Tony, set post 9x21 "Rekindled", ~5,000 words]
Summary: March 27, 1992. Baltimore. After the fire.
KEW note: This is a nice postep for the flashback scene in "Rekindled."
"Small Joys" by Hagar ( hagar_972)
[NCIS/NCIS:LA, Tony/Ziva, McGee, Sam, Callen/OFC, sequel to "Silent and Grey", ~35,000 words]
Summary: Terrorists plotting to kidnap an R&D engineer on a classified project are trouble enough. Having extra hands on deck should be helpful, but between Gibbs's and Callen's history and Team Gibbs's previous experience with Yael Dunski, things don't quite work out that way.
KEW note: This is a very well written story, but a word of caution: a lot of the subplots went over my head, even though I've read "Silent and Grey."
"Mostly Harmless" by Pandora Jones ( pandorajones/ pandoras_fic)
[T, Tony/Ziva, set post 9x13 "A Desperate Man", fanfiction.net link, ~2,000 words]
Summary: After Ray's departure, Tony and Ziva spend some time.
"Slippery Slope" by LovelyLivy
[M, Tony/Ziva, ~1,700 words]
Summary: Ziva stayed, and suddenly although everything isn't clear and lain out, his chest is lighter, and at least some right is in the world.
KEW note: A shower scene, with a funny ending.
"Reality" by alexandraspecter
[T, Gibbs, ~1,600 words]
Summary: And, of course, Gibbs is the last man standing.
"Distraction" by JustTellHer
[T, Tony/Ziva, set post 9x23 "Up in Smoke", ~1,600 words]
Summary: A dress like that should surely be illegal, because he can't stop staring, and he's pretty sure she's causing permanent damage to his heart rate.
"That Dress" by Aerial312 ( aerial312)
[T, Tony/Ziva, set during 9x23 "Up in Smoke", fanfiction.net link, ~750 words]
Summary: Tony appreciates Ziva's black dress after the sting, when they are alone in the squad room.
KEW note: I like how the author points out Tony's growing maturity.
Works in Progress:
(Stories in this section will be carried over week to week as long as I continue to follow them or until they are completed or abandoned. Recent updates will be noted.)
"Out of the Basement" by HidingLight *NEW
[M, Gibbs/Tony]
Summary: Gibbs helps Tony get out of a funk on St. Patrick's Day.
KEW note: Very well written with a smattering of plot. Chapters 1-5 posted.
"Treading Water" by Mechabeira *NEW
[T, Tony/Ziva]
Summary: "You can still swim, can't you? You're going to have to tow her in, DiNozzo. We aren't going to let her just tread water."
KEW note: I think it's safe to say that stories where one of the team is disable really aren't my favorite, but this one is well written and worth a look. Chapters 1-12 posted.
"Mishpokhe" by madame.alexandra *NEW
[T, Gibbs/Jenny]
Summary: Jenny Shepard thought a 'Dear John' letter in Paris would put a clean cut end to their affair; however, neither she nor Leroy Jethro Gibbs could sever their ties in the wake of this unexpected, and unplanned, circumstances.
KEW note: I really like that this story can be considered kind of an AU sequel to the "Probie Days," "Paris Nights," and "Russian Twilight" trilogy. I also like that the author takes canon into consideration as much as she possibly can given the circumstances of the story. Because of it, her characters are believable. Chapters 1-9 posted.
"McWhyNot" by findinghero *UPDATED
[M, Tony/McGee/OFC, Tony/McGee]
Summary: Tim is tired of being in love with Abby, so he goes to Tony for help in getting over her. Tony's solution is not what either of them expects. Along the journey, Tim finds his place with the team.
KEW note: Chapter 16 added. I can't get enough of this story. It's complicated and believable.
Completed Stories:
(Mostly newly-completed stories, plus some old ones if I haven't read them before;)
"Unwanted" by
xylodemon
[M, Kate/Ari, set during 1x23 "Reveille", ~1,800 words]
Quote: The gunshot cracks the silence like a whip. "Women should never get involved in politics. It is a waste of beauty."
KEW note: This is terrible and yet I can see it fitting into the episode. The author writes coercion and confusion very well.
"and worst of all you never call" by roslindi
[K+, Tony, Ziva, ~550 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva are best friends mostly because they are both terrible people.
KEW note: This story is a rare bird: a dark friendship fic.
"Lost Everything" by
nakeisha
[K+, Ray, set post 9x13 "A Desperate Man", 500 words]
Summary: Ray knows what he's lost and knows what the future holds for him.
KEW note: I thought it would be nearly impossible for me to feel sorry for Ray after "A Desperate Man," but this author made me feel it.
"Believe" by Aerial 312 ( aerial312)
[T, Tony/Ziva, McGee, Abby, set during 9x18 "The Tell", ~1,000 words]
Quote: McGee yawned and rubbed his eyes as he trudged down the hall. Abby had been a chatty mood, still going on and on about believing in things you couldn't quantify, so it took longer to extract himself from the lab than he'd have liked.
KEW note: A nice "behind the scenes" take on this scene.
"I'm Still Here" by superashy8
[K, Tony/Ziva, speculation for end of season 9, ~650 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva talk about the future.
KEW note: This works; it's sweet but not too sweet.
"MVP" by shywr1ter
[K+, Tony, set post 9x21 "Rekindled", ~5,000 words]
Summary: March 27, 1992. Baltimore. After the fire.
KEW note: This is a nice postep for the flashback scene in "Rekindled."
"Small Joys" by Hagar ( hagar_972)
[NCIS/NCIS:LA, Tony/Ziva, McGee, Sam, Callen/OFC, sequel to "Silent and Grey", ~35,000 words]
Summary: Terrorists plotting to kidnap an R&D engineer on a classified project are trouble enough. Having extra hands on deck should be helpful, but between Gibbs's and Callen's history and Team Gibbs's previous experience with Yael Dunski, things don't quite work out that way.
KEW note: This is a very well written story, but a word of caution: a lot of the subplots went over my head, even though I've read "Silent and Grey."
"Mostly Harmless" by Pandora Jones ( pandorajones/ pandoras_fic)
[T, Tony/Ziva, set post 9x13 "A Desperate Man", fanfiction.net link, ~2,000 words]
Summary: After Ray's departure, Tony and Ziva spend some time.
"Slippery Slope" by LovelyLivy
[M, Tony/Ziva, ~1,700 words]
Summary: Ziva stayed, and suddenly although everything isn't clear and lain out, his chest is lighter, and at least some right is in the world.
KEW note: A shower scene, with a funny ending.
"Reality" by alexandraspecter
[T, Gibbs, ~1,600 words]
Summary: And, of course, Gibbs is the last man standing.
"Distraction" by JustTellHer
[T, Tony/Ziva, set post 9x23 "Up in Smoke", ~1,600 words]
Summary: A dress like that should surely be illegal, because he can't stop staring, and he's pretty sure she's causing permanent damage to his heart rate.
"That Dress" by Aerial312 ( aerial312)
[T, Tony/Ziva, set during 9x23 "Up in Smoke", fanfiction.net link, ~750 words]
Summary: Tony appreciates Ziva's black dress after the sting, when they are alone in the squad room.
KEW note: I like how the author points out Tony's growing maturity.
Works in Progress:
(Stories in this section will be carried over week to week as long as I continue to follow them or until they are completed or abandoned. Recent updates will be noted.)
"Out of the Basement" by HidingLight *NEW
[M, Gibbs/Tony]
Summary: Gibbs helps Tony get out of a funk on St. Patrick's Day.
KEW note: Very well written with a smattering of plot. Chapters 1-5 posted.
"Treading Water" by Mechabeira *NEW
[T, Tony/Ziva]
Summary: "You can still swim, can't you? You're going to have to tow her in, DiNozzo. We aren't going to let her just tread water."
KEW note: I think it's safe to say that stories where one of the team is disable really aren't my favorite, but this one is well written and worth a look. Chapters 1-12 posted.
"Mishpokhe" by madame.alexandra *NEW
[T, Gibbs/Jenny]
Summary: Jenny Shepard thought a 'Dear John' letter in Paris would put a clean cut end to their affair; however, neither she nor Leroy Jethro Gibbs could sever their ties in the wake of this unexpected, and unplanned, circumstances.
KEW note: I really like that this story can be considered kind of an AU sequel to the "Probie Days," "Paris Nights," and "Russian Twilight" trilogy. I also like that the author takes canon into consideration as much as she possibly can given the circumstances of the story. Because of it, her characters are believable. Chapters 1-9 posted.
"McWhyNot" by findinghero *UPDATED
[M, Tony/McGee/OFC, Tony/McGee]
Summary: Tim is tired of being in love with Abby, so he goes to Tony for help in getting over her. Tony's solution is not what either of them expects. Along the journey, Tim finds his place with the team.
KEW note: Chapter 16 added. I can't get enough of this story. It's complicated and believable.