For Queen lenina20, a reunion fic

[hollycomb]

Title: Thieves
Rating: PG
Characters: Kate, Ben, Sawyer/Juliet
Summary: Kate returns to the Island, and some things have changed.
Disclaimer: I can't seem to write Lost fic that isn't depressing. Also, I don't own the show.
Author's Note: For Queen lenina20 with many apologies for being a day late, but this ended up being longer than I planned, and

Comments

[elliotsmelliot]

Welcome back.

This was amazing. Simply amazing. I love the whole dark scenario you've constructed of this series of disappointments. Again, like your Keamy/Gault story this was full of such rich details, like Kate being so pissed about Sawyer’s hair cut. The story flowed so well and it contains some of the best characterizations I've ever seen, and such sharp dialogue and description. There were so many great phrases that just nailed the characters. Here are a few of my favourites.

Juliet and Ben are fighting in some parallel universe.

Kate's voice is a shipwreck

Has Mr. Ford become especially charming, now that he's the last man on earth?

"I didn't kill her," he says in a rush. "I'm sorry."

The last one almost killed me because you built up the museum visit, I thought I was there in the room and would soon be shattered with Penny's blood.

[hollycomb]

Thank you! I'm glad to be back. Sometimes I need a little fandom vacation, but now I have a lot of catching up to do. I have quite a few ideas based on the recent prompts, though, including one for yours. :)

And thanks so much for the comments. I'm always obsessed with getting characterizations right, so that's great to hear. I'd like to think that Ben-on-the-show would come to the point of killing Penny and something would stop him, but who knows.

[elliotsmelliot]

I have quite a few ideas based on the recent prompts, though, including one for yours. :)

Music to my ears!

[hollycomb]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I was afraid it was too depressing, but I'm thrilled that you appreciated the depressing aspects! This was my first time writing Kate and Sawyer. I'm very new to the fandom in general and always nervous about staying true to the characters, so your comments are really appreciated, believe me!

Now writing Ben, for some reason, comes to me very easily -- should I be worried that evil characters usually do?! ;)

I would love it if you friended me, and I'll friend you as well.

[luna481516]

This is rather extraordinary. Depressing to be sure, but I never thought the Lost people would get happy endings.
Kate enjoys his irritation, though this, too, betrays an intimacy that is long gone between he and Kate.

"James," Juliet says, looking up at him, and the use of his real name rips Kate in half. She feels him feeling sorry for her, and it's like a fire going out, last embers doused. He sighs.
The realization that feeling is no longer there was painted so well here.

The odd alliance of Ben and Kate works so well as the driving force of the story.
He was referring to their children, their borrowed bits of salvation. They took what they could get from people who didn't know any better but to love them. Of course, her stolen son is still alive. Amazing parallel.

[hollycomb]

Thank you so much for reading, and for the comments. It's funny, because when I first had this idea it was more of a "Sawyer and Juliet are together, let's see how Kate and Ben react!" kind of thing, and then it occurred to me that they both had "borrowed" children, so the story completely morphed. Thanks again.

[alemyrddin]

This is just great. I think this is the first fic of yours I've ever read - though I have memmed at least a couple of others in my "to-read" list - and I'm really impressed.

You built an extremely interesting scenario with a great characterization.
I loved how Ben's despise for Kate became apparent in some of his thoughts (like Kate being able to "smell" their connection), and how Kate became upset over Sawyer's hair because it was just pointing out that he wasn't the same man anymore.

I also loved that he didn't kill Penny, and that Ben thinks at it as "the greatest surprise of his life".
Great job! :)

[hollycomb]

Thank you so much for reading, and for the comments. I definitely see Ben walking away from not killing Penny without really learning anything about himself or the value of human life -- he's still surprised and confused about it, apologizing to Alex. Thanks again. :)

[jenthegypsy]

I seem always to be thankful to LFA voting day to guide me to some astounding fic that I somehow managed to miss on the first go round - this fic right here is the one for me this time.

Excellent - remarkable throughout, and it doesn't hurt that Sawyer sends fickle Kate packing. I've always liked the idea of he and Juliet together.

p.s. Thanks for not killing Penny!

[hollycomb]

Thank you so much for reading, and for the comments. I love Sawyer and Juliet together, too -- the scene in the finale with the rum and the shirtlessness was pretty much perfect.

And I just couldn't kill Penny, both because she and Desmond are the innocent heart of the show for me, and because I want to think of Ben as more complex than that sort of eye-for-an-eye justice.