Rolling Stone Feature: A Visit From Lady Eleanor
Title: Rolling Stone Feature: From Such Things, A President Is Born Part IV: A Visit From Lady Eleanor
Author: melliyna
Fandom: Generation Kill, Band of Brothers, West Wing
Pairing: Colbert/Fick, Nixon/Winters, Speirs/Lipton, Ainsley/Sam, vague one sided Evan/Nate
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I in fact, own nothing. No disrespect intended in the slightest.
Warnings/Timeline/Spoilers: Big Damn AU of Doom, which says it all.
A/N: My mental image of Ella in this story can be found here. Also, I is sorry, I is spamming comm. And finally, thank you to m_buggie always, for being a huge and awesome help with this and just in general.
When sitting down with Brad Colbert and Nate Fick there is a realisation, pulled in to sharp relief that in the giggling, gossipy innuendo about tops, bottoms and gay sex, there is an extent to which the complexity of this partnership has been missed. There is a sense indeed, that if anyone controls this relationship it is Fick, but in a playful back and forth, much like any relationship, whatever the gender of the partners, in which power dynamics, expectations and roles are not set in stone. Because Nate Fick when it comes to a final analysis from any angle is very open about his love for Brad and he wants in part, to tell that story, the story of the Brad Colbert he knows, because seeing him getting trashed through the press? That hurts. It is what, perhaps lead him to allow these interviews and when I put this question to him, the Senator grins, looks down at his hand, linked with his husbands'. "There's some truth in that, when I consider it analytically." Fick looks thoughtful, even as he contemplates the parade of scandals that have become a part of his life. "I knew, obvious the pre-conditions of my candidacy, that there was inherently going to be an unusual level of interest in my sexuality, my private life in regards to that." He looks at Colbert, for a moment, before continuing. "You can discuss it in the abstract, plot out theoretical reactions, paths and strategies but there's certainly a difference between theory and the field."
Colbert snorts, derisively. "That, Nathaniel my dear, is because of the continual underestimation of the limp dick lock-stepping tools of the conservative media and political establishment." The glance he directs at me is half challenge and half something else, that may even have a glimmer of a compliment. "Not that I want you, Scribe, to belabour under the impression that I think your entire profession is a bunch of regurgitated spawns of harpies, just a significant majority."
Looking at him again, just be sure of my uncertainty as to whether I have just been complimented or not, the question regarding specific names of the significant majority is one I put to him, being careful to keep my expression as neutral as possible under the circumstances. As a former war correspondent, with experience of war zones, soldiers and perhaps worst of all, drugged up taxi drivers, approaching Brad Colbert can still set your hackles up. His only reply is a pointed stare, before Nate Fick, who has been sitting relatively quietly all this time, looking at his husband with something between exasperation, pride and love, holds up a placating hand and admonishes, "Be nice Brad. The media, after all, has given us positive coverage too. Or at least, " Fick says, "I think, there has been balanced, fair and even handed media coverage in existence, in companion to everything else but often it gets drowned out in the public discourse, in the campaign discourse."
Then in the corner, there is a glimpse of a door being hesitantly half opened, an interruption that Colbert seems to take with relief, Nate perhaps less so, but he smiles, as he turns his head in the direction of the half open door. "Ella, it's fine to come in." I watch Brad Colbert's ' face change. "My Lady Eleanor, you may open the door, indeed." And with that, Brad Colbert is walking over to the door, opening it and gravely offers his hand to the young girl who stands there. The solemn moment lasts for a second, before they both smile at each other and Ella, says happily, "Uncle Brad, I've missed you" before he pulls her in to a hug. Fick grins, watching this. "So, Ella, you aren't too big for a hug after all." This then, is Eleanor Nixon-Winters, still a child yes, but becoming closer to an adolescent. She carries a messenger bag, which has evidence of at least a couple of non school books peeking out.
"Never to big for a hug, Uncle Nate." Nate Fick, smiles then and gives her another hug, his husbands arms twined around them both for a moment. "At least, not from you."
"What, my Lady Eleanor, your Uncle Nathaniel is making an attempt to say, is that we have pancakes in mind for someone, someone whose absence has long been noted and missed."
Brad Colbert, is to my amazement, smiling the kind of wide, broad, I'm utterly happy smile that I never though him capable of. "And, I think we have books to discuss. If that educational institution of yours hasn't worked you too hard."
"There's always time for Pratchett, oh my Lord Uncle. Especially if it's the newest one."
,
He turns to me for a moment and suddenly, perhaps more so than usual, there is a feeling of intruding on a too private moment, one that was not meant to be seen. But at the same time, it is the essence of Nate Fick, captured in a moment with his family, his husband, laughing and hugging as they plot pancakes without seeming to notice that there is another presence in the room. And eventually, Ella Nixon-Winters notices I am there, walks over and greets me, politely but curiously. She wears blue jeans, chucks, a black waistcoat over a white top and a necklace that she later tells me was a gift, "from far way." But for a scion of one of the richest and most prominent New York City and indeed, American society and political families, Eleanor Isabella Margaret is not a spoiled child or a brat. In sixth grade at Trinity School, she is wrestling with her Latin homework, something that her Uncle Nate has been helping her with. "It's nice to put the classics side of my major to use," he says with a laugh, "Besides, Brad is teaching her to play guitar, her other godparents are paying for ballet lessons and I felt that someone has to contribute to her academic pursuits. Don't you think so, Ella-Bella?"
The girl in question gives her Uncle a grin and agrees, saying that she appreciates the help. And as she helps to measure out pancake mixture with Brad Colbert I wonder, what must it be like to be this little girl, already studied by others in life by virtue of being the product of same sex parenting, now finding herself in the national spotlight by virtue of her godfathers campaign. In truth, she has remained remarkably well adjusted, perhaps because she has had little contact with the Nixon family, who largely disowned Lewis Nixon before her birth, when he decided to marry his partner in public and refused to deny reports in the society pages. Instead of vacations in the Hampton's , Ella spends time on a farm owned by close family friends (though she has certainly travelled, visiting England and Europe, among other places), helps out at home and takes the subway to school, though it is generally in the company of one of the adults in her life. These days, she can usually find a Secret Service shadow with her, another thing that has gone towards largely protecting her privacy. By and large the media has respected the boundaries the Fick/Seaborn campaign have attempted to put in place around her, but there are always those who do not, most dramatically in the case of The Lambs of God, who directed a very personal, terrifying threat against her at the age of six, when Nate Fick had first entered politics (Fick still does not comment on specific threats against either himself or his family). But there have also been other stories, cataloguing aspects of her life, her dress sense and even her possible interest in boys, girls or both.
This is another thing that the Fick campaign strongly discourages discussion on, though Fick has remarked that, "I think, when Ella shows an interest in romance, there will be those in her life who will certainly want to emphasis the Secret Service protection aspect, if it still remains." That of course, is the central question. If it still remains, beyond the end of this election. If American will make history in deciding to elect a young gay man, who is entirely unapologetic about his orientation, his family and his husband. It is a question that is both removed and present, in this apartment, now filled with the smell of pancakes cooking and a family and a beloved god-daughter. His vision, Nate Fick has said, is to begin to build an America in which every child, every person has the same chance, the same happiness that Ella Nixon-Winters has. That he says, is his creed and calling.
(Evan Wright is a feature writer with Rolling Stone, The New York Times and a contributor to 538.com, MSNBC and Meech Is Radio. He spent eighteen months on the road with the Fick/Seaborn campaign, chronicling its highs, lows and middle brow moments)
Author: melliyna
Fandom: Generation Kill, Band of Brothers, West Wing
Pairing: Colbert/Fick, Nixon/Winters, Speirs/Lipton, Ainsley/Sam, vague one sided Evan/Nate
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I in fact, own nothing. No disrespect intended in the slightest.
Warnings/Timeline/Spoilers: Big Damn AU of Doom, which says it all.
A/N: My mental image of Ella in this story can be found here. Also, I is sorry, I is spamming comm. And finally, thank you to m_buggie always, for being a huge and awesome help with this and just in general.
When sitting down with Brad Colbert and Nate Fick there is a realisation, pulled in to sharp relief that in the giggling, gossipy innuendo about tops, bottoms and gay sex, there is an extent to which the complexity of this partnership has been missed. There is a sense indeed, that if anyone controls this relationship it is Fick, but in a playful back and forth, much like any relationship, whatever the gender of the partners, in which power dynamics, expectations and roles are not set in stone. Because Nate Fick when it comes to a final analysis from any angle is very open about his love for Brad and he wants in part, to tell that story, the story of the Brad Colbert he knows, because seeing him getting trashed through the press? That hurts. It is what, perhaps lead him to allow these interviews and when I put this question to him, the Senator grins, looks down at his hand, linked with his husbands'. "There's some truth in that, when I consider it analytically." Fick looks thoughtful, even as he contemplates the parade of scandals that have become a part of his life. "I knew, obvious the pre-conditions of my candidacy, that there was inherently going to be an unusual level of interest in my sexuality, my private life in regards to that." He looks at Colbert, for a moment, before continuing. "You can discuss it in the abstract, plot out theoretical reactions, paths and strategies but there's certainly a difference between theory and the field."
Colbert snorts, derisively. "That, Nathaniel my dear, is because of the continual underestimation of the limp dick lock-stepping tools of the conservative media and political establishment." The glance he directs at me is half challenge and half something else, that may even have a glimmer of a compliment. "Not that I want you, Scribe, to belabour under the impression that I think your entire profession is a bunch of regurgitated spawns of harpies, just a significant majority."
Looking at him again, just be sure of my uncertainty as to whether I have just been complimented or not, the question regarding specific names of the significant majority is one I put to him, being careful to keep my expression as neutral as possible under the circumstances. As a former war correspondent, with experience of war zones, soldiers and perhaps worst of all, drugged up taxi drivers, approaching Brad Colbert can still set your hackles up. His only reply is a pointed stare, before Nate Fick, who has been sitting relatively quietly all this time, looking at his husband with something between exasperation, pride and love, holds up a placating hand and admonishes, "Be nice Brad. The media, after all, has given us positive coverage too. Or at least, " Fick says, "I think, there has been balanced, fair and even handed media coverage in existence, in companion to everything else but often it gets drowned out in the public discourse, in the campaign discourse."
Then in the corner, there is a glimpse of a door being hesitantly half opened, an interruption that Colbert seems to take with relief, Nate perhaps less so, but he smiles, as he turns his head in the direction of the half open door. "Ella, it's fine to come in." I watch Brad Colbert's ' face change. "My Lady Eleanor, you may open the door, indeed." And with that, Brad Colbert is walking over to the door, opening it and gravely offers his hand to the young girl who stands there. The solemn moment lasts for a second, before they both smile at each other and Ella, says happily, "Uncle Brad, I've missed you" before he pulls her in to a hug. Fick grins, watching this. "So, Ella, you aren't too big for a hug after all." This then, is Eleanor Nixon-Winters, still a child yes, but becoming closer to an adolescent. She carries a messenger bag, which has evidence of at least a couple of non school books peeking out.
"Never to big for a hug, Uncle Nate." Nate Fick, smiles then and gives her another hug, his husbands arms twined around them both for a moment. "At least, not from you."
"What, my Lady Eleanor, your Uncle Nathaniel is making an attempt to say, is that we have pancakes in mind for someone, someone whose absence has long been noted and missed."
Brad Colbert, is to my amazement, smiling the kind of wide, broad, I'm utterly happy smile that I never though him capable of. "And, I think we have books to discuss. If that educational institution of yours hasn't worked you too hard."
"There's always time for Pratchett, oh my Lord Uncle. Especially if it's the newest one."
,
He turns to me for a moment and suddenly, perhaps more so than usual, there is a feeling of intruding on a too private moment, one that was not meant to be seen. But at the same time, it is the essence of Nate Fick, captured in a moment with his family, his husband, laughing and hugging as they plot pancakes without seeming to notice that there is another presence in the room. And eventually, Ella Nixon-Winters notices I am there, walks over and greets me, politely but curiously. She wears blue jeans, chucks, a black waistcoat over a white top and a necklace that she later tells me was a gift, "from far way." But for a scion of one of the richest and most prominent New York City and indeed, American society and political families, Eleanor Isabella Margaret is not a spoiled child or a brat. In sixth grade at Trinity School, she is wrestling with her Latin homework, something that her Uncle Nate has been helping her with. "It's nice to put the classics side of my major to use," he says with a laugh, "Besides, Brad is teaching her to play guitar, her other godparents are paying for ballet lessons and I felt that someone has to contribute to her academic pursuits. Don't you think so, Ella-Bella?"
The girl in question gives her Uncle a grin and agrees, saying that she appreciates the help. And as she helps to measure out pancake mixture with Brad Colbert I wonder, what must it be like to be this little girl, already studied by others in life by virtue of being the product of same sex parenting, now finding herself in the national spotlight by virtue of her godfathers campaign. In truth, she has remained remarkably well adjusted, perhaps because she has had little contact with the Nixon family, who largely disowned Lewis Nixon before her birth, when he decided to marry his partner in public and refused to deny reports in the society pages. Instead of vacations in the Hampton's , Ella spends time on a farm owned by close family friends (though she has certainly travelled, visiting England and Europe, among other places), helps out at home and takes the subway to school, though it is generally in the company of one of the adults in her life. These days, she can usually find a Secret Service shadow with her, another thing that has gone towards largely protecting her privacy. By and large the media has respected the boundaries the Fick/Seaborn campaign have attempted to put in place around her, but there are always those who do not, most dramatically in the case of The Lambs of God, who directed a very personal, terrifying threat against her at the age of six, when Nate Fick had first entered politics (Fick still does not comment on specific threats against either himself or his family). But there have also been other stories, cataloguing aspects of her life, her dress sense and even her possible interest in boys, girls or both.
This is another thing that the Fick campaign strongly discourages discussion on, though Fick has remarked that, "I think, when Ella shows an interest in romance, there will be those in her life who will certainly want to emphasis the Secret Service protection aspect, if it still remains." That of course, is the central question. If it still remains, beyond the end of this election. If American will make history in deciding to elect a young gay man, who is entirely unapologetic about his orientation, his family and his husband. It is a question that is both removed and present, in this apartment, now filled with the smell of pancakes cooking and a family and a beloved god-daughter. His vision, Nate Fick has said, is to begin to build an America in which every child, every person has the same chance, the same happiness that Ella Nixon-Winters has. That he says, is his creed and calling.
(Evan Wright is a feature writer with Rolling Stone, The New York Times and a contributor to 538.com, MSNBC and Meech Is Radio. He spent eighteen months on the road with the Fick/Seaborn campaign, chronicling its highs, lows and middle brow moments)