Fic: I've Done Made the Devil a Deal chapter 7 (Rachel-centric, PG-13)

[veleda_k]

Title: I've Done Made the Devil a Deal
Chapter title: But My Dark Side's True (5x11: Shot Through the Heart)
Fandom: White Collar
Wordcount: ~1400 (this chapter)
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Rachel Turner, Neal, Peter, Hagen
Pairing(s): Rachel/Neal
Contains: Canonical character deaths
Notes: The fic will eventually have spoilers through 6x01. Even

Comments

[sapphire2309]

I have been waiting for this and yes!!! Ooh, everything's spiraling out of control. This is absolutely brilliant. Love how you show that she detects the edge to Neal's words even earlier in the fic/ep. And I absolutely love how she's the one conning Neal but Neal's interfering with her life. She'd totally think that! And how she allowed the love because Neal was useful. Oh, Rachel.

Loved this so much!!!

[veleda_k]

Thank you! Rachel's been shifting, but here is where she realizes she's shifting, and it's not a pleasant realization.

[pipilj]

I like how Rachel ends up falling in her own trap and her plans seem to gradually unravel. Love that she is still confident she will get her way.

[veleda_k]

Thank you! It will take a lot more than this for Rachel to consider herself down for the count. (But of course all that's coming.)

[aragarna]

Love it!
Love how Rachel sees Rebecca as someone else, and yet lives her feelings through her.
And the underlying psychopath... chilling.

[veleda_k]

Thank you! Yes, the line between Rachel and Rebecca is an interesting one. I wish I had done more with it in this fic, but it's there somewhat.

[lov_pb]

"but she's been playing nice up til now." Nice? Terrifying ....

[veleda_k]

Terrifying is definitely an apt word for Rachel Thanks for commenting!

[freetraveller15]

Brilliant chapter. The ground is shifting so fast under Rachel's feet; and I completely agree with aragarna's comment on how Rachel is now living vicariously through Rebecca. It would be almost reassuring to see she has some humanity left and she genuinely still cares for Neal despite knowing he was working with the FBI to trap her, but she still comes across as a psychopath when she thinks,
He doesn't know what he's talking about. Rachel doesn't hate herself or her life. Neal's as great a fool about her as he is about everything else. Rachel's life was fine until he started interfering.

The confrontation scene between her and Neal when he cuffs her is among my favourite in series 5, and I like very much your interpretation of it.