time may change me (but you can't trace time)

[lozenger8]

Title: time may change me (but you can't trace time)
Fandom: Life on Mars
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4,350 words.
Notes: Sam/Gene, set 1989. Title from ‘Changes’ by David Bowie. The fifteenth and final full-length part in the Changes Series (link takes you to the previous parts.)
Summary: "There you are," Sam says, warm and quiet

Comments

[chamekke]

I love this chapter so very much. It's so natural and perfect and RIGHT. Sam's tears at Gene's bedside, which moved me in a way I can't begin to describe. His decision to resign from the force, which is absolutely appropriate for Sam 2.0 even though it still hurts slightly even to think about it. Gene's very crafty sacrifice 'solution', the fact he worked it out with Ruth, the way that Sam is simultaneously excited and alarmed by the prospect of travelling the world. And how, when Gene says he doesn't love him, Sam doesn't believe a single word of it... and a few beats later, Gene's saying, "Sam, I'm yours now." He's so *transparent* in his mendacity, the Gene Genie <333

And, oh, the visuals. Stubble!Sam and sprawling!Sam, Gene pressing a kiss to his head. The verbal and physical sauciness of Sam, his relentless snarking, now that he's finally confident of where he stands. That it's Sam who leans in for that kiss, and Gene who's acquiescing.

Not to mention the many other lovely touches. So many that it's hard to know where to begin or end. "Kid gloves" and "You're always there to prop me up" and the gorgeous perfection of "It makes Gene's stomach drop, that Sam could believe something he's not even positive about himself."

*hugs story tightly*

P.S. Australia ♥ ♥ ♥

P.P.S. If you ever do a DVD commentary on this story, I'd love to hear your thoughts behind Sam 1.0's conscious vs. unconscious motivations around approaching Sam 2.0 ... because as Gene says, "Sam had always been a manipulative bastard, but not like this. This was cruel." (Or maybe just very, very clever in some weirdly intuitive way Sam was himself wholly unaware of.)

[lozenger8]

Saaaaaam. I love Sam 2.0 so much. When he was all, "fuck that noise" to Gene saying he'd loved Sam 1.0, but not him? That whole section came to me when I was walking to work, and I had such a huge grin, because his confidence was lovely. When I got to my desk, I had to grab some paper, write it down, and secret it away, hah!

P.S. ;) Had to.

P.P.S. Hmmm. I prefer to let people decide for themselves.