Fic, Hope, White Cortina, by DorsetGirl

[dorsetgirl]

Title:    Hope

Author: DorsetGirl

Fandom: Life on Mars

Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters or their universe. BBC/Kudos do. I’m not making any money out of this.

Rating:  White Cortina

Pairings: Sam/Gene

Word Count:  1187

Summary: To have and to hold.

A/N: This is part of the Survival series. It is rather less angsty than recent chapters, and takes

Comments

[severinne]

Just as I was starting to wonder when you'd be continuing this wonderful series - clearly you read my mind :)

After the traumatic last couple installments, this is such a lovely, sweet thing to read, even though it still has its darker moments - I really feel for Gene when he's caught by Bloomfield and his team, and glad he got his way in the end. Especially given how much Sam needs him *sniff* This line, though:

Gene leaned over and placed his hands carefully on either side of Sam’s face before gliding them softly down his body, re-stating his presence and his claim.

Oh, god. So beautiful. Can't tell you how much I love that image (more than I should, no doubt).

Brilliant, as usual. Thank you.

[dorsetgirl]

a lovely, sweet thing to read

Thank you; that is pretty much the mood I was going for, so I'm glad that came over. Strangely enough, although this was a much lighter piece, I had all sorts of problems in making it flow. I think I wasn't clear how far in Gene's head I was going, or whether we were just observing, but once I relaxed a bit and let him run things it went a bit better.

Thank you for a lovely comment.

[duckyone]

DG, this was beautiful. I love this Gene. He's still the same abrasive bully he needs to be in his public life but he can be soft to make Sam feel safe.

I loved this chapter. Thank you.

[dorsetgirl]

Thank you very much, Ducky. I loved writing Gene for some reason, and there's simply never any temptation to make him softer in any circumstances except with Sam. He's developed that swaggering confidence over so many years that it's always there at command, and he needs every ounce of it to be able to look after Sam the way he needs to.

I'm very glad you're still enjoying this, and I'm still amazed at how much has come about as a result of your four simple words ("this one little chapter"). Thank you so much for that prompt; without it, Fighting to Survive would almost certainly have remained a one-off.

[norfolkdumpling]

Another fantastic chapter. Like duckyone I also love this Gene so much. The way you write him in this series breaks my heart just a little for his situation. In fact, I know that Sam is the one with all the physical and PTSD issues, but it's Gene I feel most sorry for in all this. He is magnificent, and I love you just a little bit for continuing to write him ♥

[dorsetgirl]

I commented to someone recently - can't remember who! - that in fact it's probably Gene that I'm putting through the h/c, not Sam. Sam certainly has got major problems, but in many ways Gene is having emotionally the more difficult time. He has so many conflicting issues and calls on his time and emotions to manage. But I see him as a very strong individual, as long as he has a strong foundation, and Sam - comatose or not - is that foundation.

[nepthys_uk]

Oh. Oh.
I love the way you've shown us Gene behaving entirely in character but with a softer side that he keeps entirely hidden.

Gene sometimes thought that if there was any downside to life with Sam it was just this - learning to feel again.

Yes - just wonderful *sniff*.

And the last couple of paragraphs bring home the fact that for all Sam, in his fragile and broken state, needs Gene, Gene needs Sam, too.

[dorsetgirl]

Aww, you just know that he has that softer side; it's there in the way he talks to Mrs Raimes, and to the Beauvoir Lady's mum. He totally identifies with how they're feeling. I'm very pleased that he came over as being in character.

Gene sometimes thought that if there was any downside to life with Sam it was just this - learning to feel again.

I actually reckon that's canon - not necessarily in a slashy sense *g*, but it is there in the show, definitely. I think in some ways Gene needs Sam ever more than Sam needs Gene!

[clonesgirl]

This was great. I loved the way you showed Gene's despair at Sam's behaviour since they went and moved him to a public ward and how he went about getting Sam moved back to a private room. That was pure Gene. I could just see him doing that. And the end was the same - totally in character for Gene. I loved the ending as there is so much hope there and that's really what it's all about. Gene loves Sam and Sam will get better.

[dorsetgirl]

Thank you; I'm glad it all seemed in character for you - the most interesting story in the world doesn't count if the characters aren't themselves.

Gene loves Sam and Sam will get better

Oh yes, definitely. However, I sort of think the ending of this one is quite sad, because Gene thinks it will all just unroll naturally from now on, and he has no idea quite how long things are going to take from this point and what setbacks there are going to be. Still, we'll let him sleep for now...