call me holding steady

Crossovers

The Outsiders/Supernatural

Outside by baylorsr
Ponyboy knew that everyone thought it was Soda, that it had been the last straw and that he was just broken now, in some fundamental way that couldn’t be fixed. Well, he knew that’s what Darry thought, at least, and Darry was the only person whose opinion mattered in the least to Ponyboy anymore. But it wasn’t Soda. Well, at least not directly. Ponyboy takes up the hunting life. Melancholy and beautiful.

~*~

down that dirty and dusty trail

Bones

moments like these (and many in between) by torigates
Brennan used to think there were a number of ways this could happen between them. In the end, when it comes down to it, really comes down to it, there’s only one: when Brennan kissed Booth, he kissed her back. Lovely, hot first kiss between Booth and Brennan. Really gets her voice right. *happy sigh*

~*~

Battlestar Galactica

But You And I, We've Been Through That by butterflykiki
Laura and Kara watch over their people. Lovely. (finale spoilers)

~*~

you dig to make your name

Burn Notice

Life After by lyl_devil
After a plague decimates the US, Michael finds himself basically running post-apocalyptic Miami. Very cool story. Could use a good beta - there are some inexplicable typos and tense issues, but not enough to stop me from reading and enjoying.

Robin Hood of South Beach by boosette
Michael, Fi and Sam banter over the morning news, in which they figure prominently after foiling a bank heist. Highly enjoyable, sounds just like the show.

~*~

i got just one life

Life

Destination Unknown by romanticalgirl
Ficlet about Charlie and Dani in the aftermath of the finale. It happened just like this. *nods firmly*

Hand Picked by romanticalgirl
Ted didn’t believe in conspiracy theories. He didn’t believe in aliens or fake moon landings. He believed things were what they appeared to be, because it was easier that way. Charlie made it clear that things weren’t always what they seemed. Ted and Charlie, becoming friends in prison.

~*~

we are the sons of no one

Dark Angel

The Farthest Thunder That I Heard Was Nearer Than the Sky by alyse
She didn't want to fight with him, not tonight. Not even with the energy - electricity - singing through her. There were other things she wanted to do instead; vague, unformed thoughts she didn't examine too closely. But not fight, not tonight. Flight, maybe. Or fuck. Thunderstorms and racing through the street - Max and Alec and hot, hot transgenic sex, with all their baggage attached.

From A to Z II: D is for Date by nickeldime_17
A few years after "Freak Nation," Max gets an invitation to Logan and Asha's wedding. She ends up taking Alec as her date, and has an epiphany. Quiet and lovely. *dreamy sigh*

You're a War I Don't Want To Lose by ranalore
Fuck Manticore for everything but this, the adrenaline flowing and her green-eyed boy smiling at her like the most beautiful dare in the world. Sharp, smart, in character Max/Alec kissage. *hearts*

~*~

i fear rivers over flowing

Firefly

Fair in Love and War by 2ndary_author
"But I’m not the type to marry a man can’t find his way back to me. So you’d best stop sulking and decide if that’s like to be a problem." / "I would’ve, you know. I always will," Wash says, finally. / "Would’ve what?" / “Found my way back. " Wah! Wash! *sniffle* This is a lovely look at Wash and Zoe just post-War Stories.

~*~

tell him that i'm still your friend

Leverage

Catch Me If You Can by dotfic
After The Second David Job, Hardison tracks Parker down. Adorable. *glee*

The Epiphany Job by shrift
Alec tried very hard not to think about all the information that was out there, currently being denied him. All his email, television shows, new comics issues, the games, and news about expansion packs. It was going to be impossible to catch up on all his RSS feeds if they didn't get power back soon. It was enough to give him the shakes. Utterly adorable and in-character first time Hardison/Eliot. ♥

Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady by hackthis
"I wish they still made Jell-o pops," she says, holding two red popsicles over her shoulder. // When he turns around, Hardison's giving Eliot an unwrapped popsicle. "What ever happened to Jell-o pops?" Eliot says. // Hardison sighs, slurping on his popsicle. "Jell-o pops were the bomb." Parker decides to ask out Maggie (Nate's Maggie, though Parker disputes that). Hilarity ensues. Mostly Parker/Hardison/Eliot banter, which is awesome.

Friends are a lot like plants by amaresu
Adorable story in which Parker asks Hardison for some advice on how friendship works.

It's All So Clear to Me Now by fools_game
They hung out at Hardison's mostly. Eliot was paranoid and messy, and Parker wasn't set up for guests, but Hardison had his great big shiny loft and way more space than anybody could possibly need. // They watched spy movies a lot, heist and action movies, mostly for the entertainment value. The night they watched the fourth Die Hard movie, Parker laughed so hard she slid off the couch and giggled helplessly into her knees, Eliot had to excuse himself to the bathroom every twenty minutes, and Hardison got extremely drunk and swore a lot. Lovely look at the team through Parker's eyes.

when come back bring pie by liviapenn
"I'll come!" Parker repeated impatiently. "Then you'll be cooking for three...? And Hardison doesn't have to put out...? Unless you want to," she said, and Alec did not even know what that look in her eye was. "Do you want to? Is this awkward? Should I uninvite myself? I could just stay home. I have Hot Pockets." // "Oh, Jesus Christ," Eliot burst out, and so that was how everybody ended up invited to Alec's for Thanksgiving, except for Nate, who was probably gonna get all his calories for the day from a bottle of Scotch, and Sophie, who explained that it wasn't her holiday anyway. Utterly adorable Parker/Hardison/Eliot, with PIE.

~*~

every inch a new sensation

Middleman

The Bellicose Doppelganger Auter-ization by jengrrrl
Absolutely hilarious story in which Lacey is kidnapped and Wendy and the Middleman have to save her. Clever and quippy, just like the show.

It's All About the Cream Filling by monimala
"What's it like when you 'long'?" Somehow, she pictures elevator music and cartoon hearts flying through the air, but she's not about to tell him that. Incredibly sweet and yet not sappy Wendy/Middleman fic.

The Modern Courtship Conundrum by sloanesomething
Ida frowns. "Don't think I was activated yesterday, missy. I see what's happening here. You just keep in mind that you and the Middleman are professional partners – he's Batman and you're Robin, and that's the end of THAT story." // "You've clearly never read a Batman comic," Wendy mutters. Utterly adorable Wendy/Middleman fic.

The Ursine Therianthrope Divination by kaneko
After leaving the Navy, he went back to civilian life and became the kind of man he'd always admired. There was nothing complicated about it. He didn't cuss. He called women 'ma'am' and men 'sir'. Every time he bought milk instead of beer, it was a choice - but it was a simple choice. // And when he was recruited to the Middle organization, the role fitted over his new self like a glove. This story is sheer elegance in its simplicity! I mean, it's absolutely fantastic, with great MM-WW interaction, and a wonderful backstory for this Middleman. Wonderful. Highly recommended.

we're the umbrella (in a rain of fire) by _seven_crows
"So, let me get this straight: an evil government supercomputer derived partly from scraps of technology gathered from failed supervillain plots and partly from salvaged alien technology far beyond our puny human comprehension has gone crazy, created itself a body, developed a random and inexplicable fixation with the samurai bushido code, and vowed to destroy this honorless world and all its insignificant inhabitants. Does that sound about right?" // "Not only does it sound right, Dubbie, but it sounds like some of the best synopsizing I've ever heard," says the Middleman. "Frankly, I'm impressed." Five times Wendy and the Middleman saved the world. Sounds just like the show. Adorable.

~*~

the teeth of the hydra upon you

Sarah Connor Chronicles

the mermaids singing, each to each by siriaeve
Catherine Weaver reads The Little Mermaid to her daughter. Sharp look at Weaver, gets her chilly pragmatism just right.

Seven Sunday Mother-Daughter Mornings by hradzka
Sharp, chilling look at the world where Catherine Weaver has won, and Savannah is grown up.

~*~

this is the fate you've carved on me

Supernatural

Be Washed of Your Sins by azephirin
"Samuel Winchester, I baptize you in my father's name. Be washed of your sins and begin a new life." // "Amen," says Sam Lovely.

Desert Day by sinatro
Spare, sad, and lovely look at teenage Sam.

Happy Ending by chash
Ahahahahaha! Hilarious meta-fic tag for a hilariously meta episode.

I Found the Safest Place to Keep All Our Tenderness by chash
Heartbreaking, sharp coda to 4.16. Dean's never been fragile before.

I Knew That There Could Only Be One Outcome by chash
AU where Sam and Dean are conmen (well, for a living, not to pay for hunting) and Sam has a really frustrating crush on Dean and then Bela enters the picture and hilarity ensues. (Wincest)

let the walls around me burn by katriel1987
Sam will - and does - go to any lengths to save Dean. Very cool story.

a little bit of fly right down by kalquessa
For Dean's money, you don't need wings or jet engines or any of that crap to fly. All you need is some empty interstate, a successful hunt in your rear-view mirror, some Zeppelin, a brother asleep on the seat next to you, and a '67 Chevy Impala with the windows rolled down. Beautiful, achy series of vignettes about Sam and Dean and flying.

Meidung by july_july_july
Sequel to Rumspringa (previously recced), from John's POV. *sniffle* John may be a dumbass, but at least he knows he's being a dumbass.

Nowadays by celtic_cookie
Coming off nearly a year crisscrossing the southeast and Texas will leave a guy with a certain twang to his voice that makes the Stanford legacy boys look straight through him. Sam signed up for elocution classes. Sam, making himself over for Stanford, and then again during season 1. Lovely.

Riptide by minim_calibre
Mary was a hunter, until she was not. Mary, becoming a civilian. Lovely and achy.

Running with Scissors by dreamlittleyo
Dean always chooses scissors, and Sam finally figures out why. Lovely. *sighs happily* (wincest - the author rates it R, but I'd call it PG at most for some kissing)

transfixed but not transformed by i_speak_tongue
Anna visits Dean in the hospital, and brings him some small comfort. Lovely.

words for snow by wanttobeatree
"You drank demon blood," he shouts through the keyhole. "You owe me a million first showers for that shit. You owe me foot rubs. You should be out here right now baking me a fucking cake." Gorgeous, funny, bittersweet and hopeful story of Sam and Dean after they've stopped the world from ending. (wincest)

Working Man by southwindow
Lovely coda to 4.17, in which Dean and Sam exchange their stories of normality. Just what the end of the episode needed. Sigh.

Your Kiss Left Me a Bloody Mess by withdiamonds
Five times Dean kissed Sam. Utterly heartbreaking and true.

~*~

i never asked that boy to stay

Calvin & Hobbes
Theories About Nuclear Winter by hollycomb
Oh my god, this story - I got sniffly several times, because it's so true to who Calvin would grow up to be - sad and inevitable except totally not because of who he is and how he doesn't fit in school, and Susie waiting and not wanting to wait, loving him and not wanting to love him. And his efforts to make it work, all the while knowing what a fuck-up he is, are heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time. Fantastic. Highly recommended. In fact, you should go read it now. I'll wait.

"I had detention," he says, sliding across the machine and closer to her. The color of her hair is enough to convince him that the world was actually designed to make him happy after all. He can't even come up with a word for it; it's dark but warm, and it's hers so it's perfect. This has definitely never happened to him before.

"Of course you did," she says.

"You don't get it," he says. "I'm fighting the forces of evil to be with you."

She smiles so big that the roof seems to blow off, and he grabs her shoulders sort of involuntarily. She laughs.

"That's the first thing I've heard you say in two days that actually sounds like you," she says.

~*~