discoveredinalj | Day 29

Entry tags:

ancastar,
mistletoe

Day 29 - Conclusion

I bet you thought this post would never come. You're not alone. Thanks for sticking around.

A Bodie Carol
by Ancasta
(Conclusion)

"Bodie, stop!" Cowley cried, crossing to take hold of Bodie's arm, intent on prying him loose. "You're not his executioner."

Two more agents poured into the room behind their boss, Murphy and a bloke named Samuels. They were able to accomplish was the older, smaller man had not. They tore Bodie from his intended victim, dragging him away, one on each side, while Bodie fought them with everything he had. Unfortunately, they were as well trained as he. He could not break their grasp.

"He says he's killed Ray!" Bodie shouted, twisting and bucking to get free.

Cowley stepped in front of the prisoner as if to shield him, his complexion wan beneath the overhead light, his expression so very regretful. "Aye, son. He may have done."

That stilled Bodie's struggles. "What are…what…why…?"

"We've found Ray, Bodie," Cowley said almost tenderly. "His body was spotted in the water, not far from Greenland Dock. That's what we were coming in to tell you."

"How…?" Bodie said, trying but unable to find the words. Murphy and Samuels kept hold of him. Dizzy with grief, he was almost grateful for their support. "No, that can't…"

"I'm sorry, Bodie," Cowley said, taking a step towards him.

"No!" Bodie said again. That couldn't be true. It couldn't. Because if it were, Bodie would never have the chance to make it right with him. Never apologize. Never tell him…

"I want to see him," Bodie said, eyes aimed at his feet.

"Bodie--," Cowley began.

Bodie lifted his head and directed his gaze at the Scotsman. "Take me to him now."

Cowley regarded him, stone-faced, seemingly weighing his decision with care. "All right." He looked at Murphy. "The two of you escort him. See that he doesn't get lost."

"Yes, sir," Murphy said.

Together, the three agents headed for the door. They had just reached the threshold when the man in the chair spoke one last time.

"He loved you, Bodie boy, Bodie buddy, Bodie beauty," the man said. "Loved you fine and true. He told me so. I could see it in his eyes when he whispered your name. Would have followed you through hell itself. Only you didn't want him to. So now you'll go there alone."

"Let's get out of here," Murphy muttered and, with Samuel's help, shepherded a shaky Bodie out and away.

Blinded by misery, Bodie didn't pay any attention to where the agents guided him. All he knew was they walked awhile and took an elevator down to the basement. He was almost surprised when they let go of his arms. They were standing outside the morgue.

"Bodie, mate, go in and say your goodbyes," Murphy said, compassion darkening his spaniel eyes. "I'll wait for you out here. When you're ready, I'll take you home."

Bodie nodded, then turned to enter the room. Once inside he saw his partner laid out before him like a sacrifice, cold and still on a slab, a drab green sheet covering him from his shoulders to his toes.

"Ray," Bodie whispered when the door had closed behind him. They were alone.

Bodie crossed to Ray on legs he feared were too feeble to complete the journey. He stopped at his side and looked down on the pale waxen features he knew so well. "Oh, sunshine. Look what you've gone and done."

Doyle's hair was still damp, the icy water taking away its curl. Beneath the strands, Bodie spied a new wound, just above his left ear.

That had to have been how the man had got the advantage. A blow to the head like that would have stunned Ray into insensibility. Making him as vulnerable as a newborn and leaving him in the tender care of a lunatic. What had the bastard done?

Bodie had to know.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Bodie grabbed hold of the sheet and pulled it down to Ray's waist.

"Oh, Christ."

I hurt him slow and I hurt him deep.

Ray's torso was…desecrated. That was the first word Bodie could think of. Then another one came to mind—defiled. That thing they had in interrogation had taken a blade to Ray's chest and carved into it, giving madness shape and form. Some of the marks were shallow, little more than nicks. Others were deep, ugly punctures, gouges, slices…

He had been a long time dying.

Unable to look at that any longer, at the pain his partner had been made to endure, Bodie yanked the sheet back into place. As he released the cloth, the back of his hand grazed Ray's jaw. He stopped, gazing down at his friend's deceptively peaceful face and rubbed his knuckles against Ray's cheek; the beard there prickled his skin.

Blinking away the moisture threatening to drown his eyes, Bodie took one of Ray's hands in both of his. It was cold in Bodie's grasp and rigid, not the warm, sleep softened flesh Bodie had yearned to touch these last two weeks. Ligature marks circled the wrist. Ray had been tied down while his murderer had hurt him.

"Had to, didn't he?" Bodie said quietly, having trouble pushing the words past his thickening throat. "Or you would have ripped his fucking head off."

He tried to smile at that, to share the joke with his best mate as he had so many times before. Only no smile answered his. None ever would again.

That realization made everything inside Bodie clench and ache. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow, couldn't speak. Whimpering a terrible animal sound, he closed his eyes and clasped Ray's hand tight, so very tight. Sinking to his knees beside his partner, Bodie rested his forehead rested atop their joined hands and finally let himself cry.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his apology watery and thin. "I'm so sorry, mate. I didn't know how to…wasn't brave enough, was I? Ah, Christ, Ray. I love you, you stupid son of a bitch. What do you think of that, eh? Fucking ridiculous, isn't it? Me fallin' in love with the likes of you."

Punch drunk with emotion and so tired, he thought he might fall asleep right there, kneeling beside Doyle's body like a penitent, Bodie was startled to feel a hand rest upon his shoulder. Must be Murphy, checking on him. Bodie was embarrassed to be found in such a state.

He turned, rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand. "Murph, I—" Only his fellow agent wasn't crouched behind him.

Ray's murderer was.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" the man said, grinning, before Bodie could react.

Then the man grabbed hold and kissed him, firmly on the mouth…

And Bodie bolted upright on his sofa, shaking with adrenaline, his face wet, the words, "Merry Christmas, Bodie boy" echoing through his head like a conscience working overtime.

What the hell?

Gasping as if he had just run a race, Bodie looked wildly around his flat. The sun was coming up outside, bleeding pink and orange through the clouds. Otherwise, all was as it had been before.

As it had been…

What if…?

Doyle.

Oh, please, god. Please.

Pushing drunkenly from the couch, Bodie stumbled to his phone. It took him two tries before he could dial the proper number. Doyle's number. He couldn't get his fingers to work.

It rang.

"Pick up," Bodie urged, his hand clenched in his hair, his heart threatening to pound its way through his clothes. "Come on. Damn it. Pick up."

On the fourth ring, he got his wish.

"Doyle."

"Ray!" Bodie shouted down the wire. "Ray, is that you?"

"Bodie?" his partner asked, morning-throated and obviously annoyed. "Christ, mate. 'Course it's me. It's my number, innit it?"

"Listen," Bodie said, ignoring Doyle's spleen. "You stay right there. I'm coming over. You hear me? Don't leave the house until I get there."

"It's eight o'clock in the morning, Christmas Day. Where the hell would I go?"

"Promise me, Ray."

"Have you been drinking?"

"Promise me."

"All right! Yeah, sure. Whatever. I'll stay here."

"I'm on my way."

Bodie paused only to shove his feet back into his shoes, and grab his jacket, gun and car keys before dashing out the door. The morning was chilly, but clearing. There was no wind to speak of.

The drive to Doyle's place didn't take long. Like in his dream—it had been a dream, hadn't it?—the streets were all but deserted, and Bodie had never been one to follow the posted speed limit. He made it to Chelsea in less than fifteen minutes.

Bounding up the front steps of Doyle's building, Bodie laid siege to the door buzzer. It didn't take long before he heard Doyle's voice through the speaker say, "Push." Bodie did, and dashed to the third floor, needing to see his partner, really see him, touch him maybe, not just hear his voice.

Doyle was waiting for him in the doorway, barefooted, dressed in grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt. His forehead had a new bandage taped to it, but his eyes were clear, his brow unlined. It seemed his headache had finally run its course. Bodie beamed at him. Doyle scowled in response, feet planted wide, effectively barring entrance to his flat. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Bodie insisted, unable to stop smiling. "Can't a mate visit his friend on Christmas morning?"

"Thought you needed some alone time," Doyle said, folding his arms, not giving an inch.

"I did then," Bodie said brightly, wishing they could just skip this part. "I don't now."

"Simple as that, eh?" Doyle said, unmoved by his eloquence.

"Look, Ray, what do you want me to say?" Bodie asked, reaching out to touch Doyle's arm. The flesh was warm beneath his fingertips and supple. Alive. He didn't want to let go. "I was an ass, all right? I was tired and ill-tempered, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said those things. I didn't mean them. Can you forgive me?"

Doyle looked surprised and pleased by Bodie's apology. His arms fell to his sides. "Guess so. It's Christmas, after all."

"It is," Bodie agreed, nodding.

"Well then, come on in."

Bodie walked past him and in to the foyer.

"Bodie," Doyle said as he closed the door. "Aren't those the clothes you were wearing yesterday?"

Bodie looked down at his tan trousers and black poloneck, and shrugged. "I reckon so."

"Did you sleep in them?" Doyle asked, brow wrinkled as he crossed towards Bodie.

"Guess I did."

"Why?"

Bodie looked away. What could he tell him? I had a dream where I was Scrooge, mate, and you played Tiny Tim. That would go over a treat.

"I fell asleep on my couch, Doyle," he said, wandering into the lounge. "Don't make such a big deal out of it."

Doyle followed on his heels. "Fell asleep on your couch, woke up and called me, all worked up, spouting nonsense, then rushed over here without even taking time for a shower."

Bodie turned and tried to joke his way out of it. "You got a problem with the way I smell, mate?"

Doyle was having none of it. "No. I've got a problem with you acting like a lunatic. You want to tell me what's really going on here?"

Bodie didn't know how to answer that, what lie he could tell to get Doyle off the scent. Then he remembered what Charlie had said.

But he'll know you're keeping something from him. And one day he'll leave, just as he believes you're leaving him.

Bodie had seen that future. And he wanted no part of it.

"I had a dream last night," he said, crossing away to look out Doyle's beautiful bay window. Water dripped from the roofline above, exploding on the sill like tiny bombs. Bodie counted every drop as it hit and scattered. "You went off on your own, without me, and got caught by a right nutter. I don't even know what made him choose you or why you went. He…he killed you."

"He killed me?" Doyle echoed from very close by.

"Yeah," Bodie said with a nod. "Dead and gone, mate. It was terrible. I saw your body in the morgue." His confession made, Bodie waited for Doyle's derision. He deserved it, didn't he? Big tough secret agent man, trembling over a silly little dream.

Only Doyle's ridicule never came.

Instead, a gentle hand turned Bodie and a pair of strong arms enfolded him in a warm embrace.

"You big old softie," Doyle murmured, the bridge of his nose pressed against Bodie's neck, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Bodie's back. "Nightmare got you all twisted about, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Bodie admitted, his eyes shut, his arms closed firmly around his friend.

"It's all right," Doyle assured him. "To be expected, really. We've had a rough couple of weeks. All that stress is bound to affect a man one way or another. At least you didn't do something stupid like pick a fight with a behemoth twice your size and three times as ugly."

Bodie chuckled, feeling happy as hell and like the world's biggest idiot all at the same time. "Oh, I don't know. Might not be so bad. I'm awfully beautiful. At worst, the bloke would just be big and passable attractive."

Doyle laughed, as Bodie had meant him to, and pulled back to meet Bodie's gaze. "Bodie," he said softly, his smile lingering still.

He loved you, Bodie boy, Bodie buddy, Bodie beauty. Loved you fine and true. He told me so. I could see it in his eyes when he whispered your name.

And all at once, Bodie thought he could see it too. Believed he saw a reflection of his own feelings shining in Doyle's canted green eyes.

There are people out there willing to love you, if you'd only give them the chance. But you have to dare. Be brave, be brave...

Maybe it was time for a little courage.

Taking his arms from around Doyle's shoulders, Bodie captured his partner's face between his palms.

"Bodie, what's wrong?" Doyle whispered, his hands coming up to cover Bodie's.

Bodie didn't answer at first. He looked at the battered features he knew as well as his own—the hard drawn lips, the sweeping arch of his brows, the mismatched cheekbones, the shadows beneath his eloquent wide-set eyes—and thought about what it would be like never to see them again.

He shook his head. "Nothing," he answered quietly. "Nothing is wrong."

Then he closed his eyes, leaned forward, and pressed his lips to Doyle's, the kiss innocent, yet enduring. With it, Bodie tried to express all the feelings he had been struggling with—all the want, all the need. He tried to say everything he feared he would never be able put into words, not knowing if he would ever have the opportunity to convey them in this way again.

Doyle allowed him such liberty, the tightening of his fingers on Bodie's wrist, his only noticeable reaction.

After a time, Bodie pulled away, his hands dropping to Doyle's shoulders and opened his eyes. Doyle was looking back at him, arms at his sides.

"What was that for?" Doyle asked, his voice low and soft.

"Nothing," Bodie answered with the smallest of smiles. "Everything. I'm just really glad you're here."

Doyle's gaze searched his face. Bodie wished he knew what Doyle was looking for. In the end, it didn't seem to matter. Doyle smiled.

"I knew you'd earn yourself a pressie in the end."

Bodie widened his grin. "Did you really buy me a Christmas present, Raymond?" he asked, wanting to test a theory.

"I certainly did," Doyle said smugly. "Saw it weeks ago. I know how a lad like you enjoys his toys."

Bodie knew it would ruin the surprise, but he had to ask. He really did. "Ray, you didn't buy me that robot, did you?"

Doyle's jaw dropped. "You toe-rag! How did you know?"

"Would you believe the Ghost of Christmas Present whispered in my ear?" Bodie teased.

"I'll turn you into a ghost if you're not careful," Doyle warned with mock menace. "I can't believe you sussed it out, you cheap bastard. Don't think I didn't notice you showed up empty-handed."

"Everything I have is yours," Bodie assured him with what he knew was a fatuous smile.

Doyle didn't seem to care what kind of smile it was. He responded just the same, his gaze turning tender. "Don't want everything, do I? Just you."

"Really, Ray?" Bodie asked with a touch of wonder. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, you idiot," Doyle said with his own particular mix of exasperation and affection. "Feel like I've been waiting forever for you to get a bloody wakeup call."

Smiling so widely he thought his face might split, Bodie laughed and hauled Doyle in for an enthusiastic, rib-cracking hug. Doyle hugged him right back, his hold just as fierce. "When then, God bless us everyone."

THE END

(Ho, ho, ho!)

Title: A Bodie Carol
Author: Ancasta
Slash or Gen: Slash
Archive at ProsLib/Circuit/Hatstand: Yes, please
Disclaimer: Not owned, only lovingly borrowed.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yay!!

Oh, I loved Doyle's cranky suspicion, and then his sweetness. I've the fact that Bodie *tells* him just what happened, but he does it in a way that Doyle has to take it as a joke.

I loved the kiss, the loved the way you brought all the ghosts back in the end...

Aw, heck! I loved the whole story!

Thank you, this really made up for the fact that my dog got me out of bed at 5am, on a cold morning when I was feeling flu-y and sick. I'm so much happier right now!

Ugh. Sorry about all the typos. ;-p

No worries. ;-)

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well and that your puppy decided to wake up at dawn. I'm really, really glad that you enjoyed the story. Thanks so much for taking all the time and trouble to comment on each section. That really means a lot.

Eh, it was just a head cold/migraine kind of thing, and now that the migraine part is gone, I'm feeling much better. I'm actually heading off to a hockey game right now!

BTW - 5am is well before dawn in my part of the world. We don't see the sun until around 8am right now. :-)

And commenting was no trouble at all. It was a pleasure!

Yeah. Dawn breaks right around 7:00 in my part of the world. Perhaps I was thinking more in the metaphorical sense. Yes...that's the ticket. *g*

Glad to hear you're feeling better. Have fun at the game.

Magic! No really ... just magical! I had so much fun reading it I'm sad it's over. "There are people out there willing to love you, if you'd only give them the chance. But you have to dare. Be brave, be brave ..." Lump in throat time ... this was so lovely that ... oh just skip skip skippity skip!

Oy. Your comment simultaneously fills me with glee and shame. Glee, because you seemed to enjoy the story and wow, you're a terrifically gifted author, so praise means a lot coming from you. And shame because I don't know that I've ever written to tell you what a terrifically gifted author I think you are, even though I've been rec'ing your stories to everyone I know. So, *sigh*, thank you for being so very, very kind. Your "skip skip skippity skip" made me laugh out loud with joy.

This was such fun - & somehow more tantalising for being posted in parts, although thankfully all 6 were already up before I started reading. I enjoyed it a lot, & it was fun interpretation of a classic. Probably my favourite was this:
"Thought you needed some alone time," Doyle said, folding his arms, not giving an inch.

"I did then," Bodie said brightly, wishing they could just skip this part. "I don't now."

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just skip the difficult parts...

How 'bout it! I can think of any number of things I'd rather skip than plow through.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell me so. :-)

Yay! It's up! I utterly adore this, as you know. The ghosts are perfect. Keller's disappearance is suitably creepy, Maeve is suprisingly sprightly, given her end, and I love the glimpse you've given us of Charlie. (I'm always a fan of seeing the other CI5 agents we're just given fragments of in the show.) And the final ghost is utterly chilling.

Then there's poor Bodie, hiding from his own feelings until he's forced not to. And Doyle willing and eager to take him on as he is.

And I'm so happy to see the robot back at the end. Hoorah for pressies!

Brava!

Ha! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I appreciate the kind words and all your help. I had debated about how to handle the robot. I'm so glad you pushed me into including him at the end.

(deleted comment)

Oh yay!!! Moisty eyed and smiley is what I was hoping for. :-) I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell me so.

And you carried it through, very well, all to the end! Thank you! This was lovely. I'm a sucker for "A Christmas Carol", admittedly, but I really liked the way you linked everything together, each of the ghosts feeding into the other, and into the final scene. Very nicely done! There's so much to like in this final section, too--the horror of what Bodie saw had happened to Doyle; the panic as he wakes up; the near-euphoria as he hears Doyle's voice (oh, very nice! *g*); Doyle being wary and Bodie bulling right through that *g*; the confession and Doyle's reaction; the kiss... Just, all told, a lovely Christmas present. Thank you!

In this last bit, I guess the line that got to me the most was this: "You big old softie," Doyle murmured, the bridge of his nose pressed against Bodie's neck, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Bodie's back. "Nightmare got you all twisted about, didn't it?"

::Sigh::

I tried to make everything feed one right into the other, so I'm glad you felt that connection, and that it worked for you. Thanks again for all your lovely support. I'm so glad you like that first hug. Seemed like Bodie needed a hug right around then. :-)

.. and a glorious finish. Ah, that was just lovely. You realised the anticipation of it all beautifully. Felt very much in character on both sides. Which is quite an achievement- you wrote a supernatural story and kept the world of CI5 very much intact and credible. Well done and thank you!

Oh, yay! That's so good to hear. I wanted to keep the boys in their world, even when everything went a bit nuts. I'm really glad you enjoyed the story.

I'm very glad I didn't find this until all the parts were posted – I don't deal well with suspense, and this is a real epic! Also very relieved to be rewarded with a happy ending after the mega-angst of the penultimate scene (poor old Bodie; you really put him through the wringer, didn't you? But he had to learn!). And what a lovely happy ending it is. Perfect last line, too *g*. And I really liked ghost Maeve. Thank you!

Okay. I feel like a groupie who has a brush with their idol and then walks around saying things, "He touched my jacket!" Only my comment would be, "She read my story!"

Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed the story. I'm so glad you did. I like Maeve too. And I'm not sure why. She snuck up me.

Gotta like it when that happens. ;-)

Awwww *sniffles happily* This was just beautiful. Well told and delicious, though sad in places. I was so caught up in it. So glad I didnt see any of this until it was all posted.

I wanted to take Bodie and slap him down when he shouted at Ray that he didnt want to spend Christmas with him, the nutter. So glad his nemesis (nemesi/nemesises??lol) came to haunt him and tell him in no uncertain terms how wrong he was.

Gorgeous story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'm thrilled--absolutely thrilled--you liked it. I was hoping folks might get misty-eyed. After all, poor Bodie gets put through a lot! I'm such a bitch...

Well, if this is what you post when you ARE a bitch all I can say is...MORE BITCHINESS PLEASE! LOL

HA! Be careful what you wish for. ;-)

Oooh does this mean MORE goodies????

*rubs hands together gleefully*

Oy. Give a girl a chance to recover. *g* This is the first complete story I've posted in any fandom in something like five or six years. I'm exhausted!

But very happy. :-)

In that case...I'll give you a...short while...*wiggles eyebrows*

Wow - what a fabulous story! Gripping, funny, heart-wrenching - it has it all. I really enjoyed the finesse and dexterity with which you handled the theme - so beautifully done. Thank you.

Thank you! That's very, very kind.

Oh yeay! I mean, obviously I knew it would work out... I wasn't worried, not even with Ray cold on the slab and Bodie so sad and... and...not a bit *sniffs* I did like the ending - and the robot *g* - and Doyle being so convinced that Bodie'd somehow sneaked a look or summat... And the hug. And...

Erm. To conclude: I thought this was wonderful - beautifully done, to echo above! And thank you - I'm so glad you're writing Pros for us after so long, cos this is magic - long may that last!

Thanks! I was hoping to provoke just the *teensiest* bit of worry.

Just for fun. ;-)

I'm so very, very glad you enjoyed it.

I was gutted, well and truly gutted. I kept on getting this inkling while the last ghost [whom I have to say completely creeped me out and the only other person who has ever managed to do that in their writing was Stephen King] was talking, and hoping I was wrong. Poor Ray, Poor Bodie... That scene by the bed had me in floods of tears.

I'm so glad Bodie came to his senses when he woke.

I loved it! It was full of suspense, angst and self recrimination. With a lovely ending. That kiss... aww.

Thank you so much for sharing this.
I hope to see this as the first as many Pros stories from you. *cheeky grin*. I look forward to reading more. :)*fingers crossed*

Argh! I know I replied to this, but I was having problems with my internet yesterday and then wound up losing it for 24 hours.

You wrote me such a lovely note, I wanted to make certain and say thank you. I know it's evil of me, but I'm overjoyed that you cried! I'm a crier too when it comes to books and movies and such. I figure it just means that I'm wrapped up in the story. I'm hoping that's what happened with you as well.

I hope to write other Pros stories. I'm working on a longer one right now. Your very kind remarks have done nothing but encouraged me. :-) Thank you so much for that.

That was truly wonderful !! I loved it all the way through, thank you so much for sharing :)

Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for telling me so.

My goodness - such a perfect Christmas tale! I was on the edge of me seat the whole time, and you actually had me crying in places. *has a soft spot for Charlie - thank you for putting him in, although you killed him off - wah!* Thanks for an incredible read!

I love Charlie too! I didn't want him dead, but he was the perfect Ghost of Christmas Present. I'm really, really happy you enjoyed this. Thanks for the very kind words.

Loved that. Despite it being modern, it's got a real feel of Dicken's to it - that Victorian mawkishness wonderfully counterbalanced by the horror of Christmas future. Lovely work. The scene in the morgue was completely heartbreaking. Poor Bodie. I totally understand why he hotfooted it round to Ray's afterwards. Nice one. Thank you.

Oh, I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks very much.

Wow. What an absoutely well written, well thought out and thoroughly well executed tale. Loved it to small pieces, will go back and read it again many many times. The ending is perfect, their voices so spot on – well done you and thanks so much!

MB x

I'm so, so glad you liked it. Thank you. And thank you for sending me such lovely notes with every section. That was going above and beyond the call of duty. And I loved it! :-)

Hi! Very pleased to archive the story at The Hatstand. I'm wondering, though, if you'd like me to put an e-mail address on it for feedback? Or, if you prefer, I can use the archive's address and forward any mail to you. I'll be happy to archive the story as soon as I hear from you. I can be reached at hatstander at yahoo.ca. Thanks!

Hi! I responded to this (or thought I did--I've been having internet issues the last couple of days). I would love for you to archive with my email addy. It's ancastar@comcast.net.

I've also sent you a Word doc file of the story that's been tweaked in spots. That way you don't have to be cutting and pasting parts together.

Thanks for inquiring!

It's 2:30 a.m. here. Just got home from festivities (a little the worse for wear;) and, upon checking my email, noticed one from a friend who urged me to go. read. now. So here I am, at 2:30 a.m. in the New Year and I'm so caught up in the story I can't seem to come up for air. I refuse to read any more from the screen so I'm printing the rest. The lads and company will be joining me in my bubble bath in five minutes. LOL. I'm SO glad somebody gave me a heads up for this gorgeous story and delighted that it will be archived to Hatstand and the Circuit Archive. The new Pros writers I've discovered are blowing me away. You're so very talented. Thank you so much for sharing this adventure and love story with fans. (Sorry, I don't have an LJ so I had to go with "anonymous - Signed: MaDonna)

Thanks so much!! :-) I hope you very much enjoyed your bubble bath and that the story worked out the way you had hoped it would. I'm so pleased you took the time to drop me a line (especially as LJ is not your thing). That really means a lot for a newbie writer (for any writer, I imagine!). Happy 2007.

Very good story. You've done a great job writing this and I loved it. Thanks for writing it.

Thanks so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

I downloaded it and read it all at once when the weather was miserable in January! Congratulations - a clever reworking of the original (and traditionally Christmassy) theme. Parts of it were suitably sinister and that made it true to the original Carol. And I loved that kiss.

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was my first ever completed Pros story, so I'm thrilled the response has been positive.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Day 29 - Conclusion

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Bodie Carol

Re: Bodie Carol

no subject

no subject