multi-fandom fic recs

Push the Pedal Down, by wesleysgirl, is a tightly-plotted and nicely-characterized BtVS/Supernatural crossover, in which Xander and the Winchesters deal with a haunted playground.  The interactions between Sam, Dean, and Xander are particularly well handled.  (gen; BtVS/SPN)

People and Things, by karaokegal, is a Torchwood/House crossover that can perhaps be best summed up as follows:  What Who House did on his summer vacation.  There is actual plot; that tagline just entertains me.  It's a fun story, and both House and Captain Jack are their usual inimitable selves.  I would never have come up with this pairing, but it works.  (slash; House/Jack Harkness)

Rough Heals, by voleuse, is recommended everywhere, and with good reason.  This is Dawn in the FF-'verse -- a Dawn who never died, never grew old -- and it's every bit the tragedy it ought to be.  Beautiful and melancholy.  (gen; BtVS/Firefly)

Game Theory, by halcyon_shift, is a five-part Highlander/Numb3rs crossover.  I've been waiting to read one of these for a while, and this one gets bonus points for mentioning Matthew McCormick.  Well-plotted, well-written, and nicely characterized.  (gen; HL/Numb3rs; link is to the first part.)

The White Lights and the Blue, by giddygeek is a Hot Fuzz fic, with a surprise crossover at the end.  The relationship between Nick and Danny is nicely done here, and the mystery is light-hearted and fun.  (slash; Nick/Danny)

When Sam Met Sam (and Dean), by elayna88, is a Supernatural/Reaper crossover that is fairly well summed up by the title.  If you haven't watched Reaper yet, give it a try.  It's pretty entertaining - as is this story.  (gen)

...featured rec:

Life in Little Canada, by laytoncolt, is absolutely fucking hilarious.  It's a Stephanie Plum/SGA fusion-fic (yes, you read that correctly), and it's got the same special twist of lunacy as do the books -- but with an SGA flavoured twist.  Read it, if only to see Kavanaugh as Vinnie, and Rodney in the Stephanie Plum role.  (slash; John/Rodney)


My name is Rodney McKay, and I grew up in Little Canada. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking there's no such place. I promise you, it exists. I would not have made this place up. It's in Minnesota, just a little town by Minneapolis that you'd miss if you blinked.

The residents of Little Canada have so valiantly hung onto their heritage that they have become far more concerned with being Canadian than actual Canadians. The Canadian flag hung proudly at least at one house out of three, and little girls sold maple syrup on street corners instead of lemonade. The façade is all so complete that I had actually believed I was living in Canada until the age of six, when I learned that those crazy and mysterious Americans my father was always ranting about actually included myself.

The homes are well kempt and everyone always smiles and says thank you and offers to feed your cats when you're away. They love the idea of the nice guy Canadian stereotype, but the truth is they probably only want to feed your cats so they can go through your things when you're not around. They catch tourists off their guard, smiling bright and wide as they overcharge the unsuspecting morons under the guise of keeping their prices at the true Canada rate.

...because somehow, I've accumulated a backlog of them.

First up is havocthecat's Bad Choice of Majors, because it made my day.  Seriously, this fic rules.  It's Xander and Willow in the Pegasus Galaxy just... being Xander and Willow.  The voices are *awesome* in this; it made me want to go and watch all the early seasons of BtVS all over again.  (Stargate: Atlantis/BtVS; gen)

***

"I told you not to major in archaeology," said the man. He rolled onto his side, pushed himself up, and went over to the Wraith. Bracing one foot on its side, he grabbed the axe haft and started tugging it out of the Wraith. "How many times have I shown you Raiders of the Lost Ark?"

"Xander!" The woman's eyes were wide. "That's fiction! Besides, we weren't on a dig for the Ark of the Covenant. For your information, Giles told me that he thought that temple was the site of some very ancient Goddess-worshippers--"

"Goddess-worshippers with freaky alien artifacts that transported us to a freaky alien planet," said the man, staring at the axe. "Great. Now my birthday present from Buffy is covered in alien blood."

***

Highly Classified and Very Hush Hush, by glitterati, is another SGA crossover,  (and why in the name of all that's holy am I getting into this fandom?  it's sucking me in, dammit.), this time with NCIS, in which Gibbs and his team have to deal with some misplaced Atlantis personnel.   Gibbs' reactions to Sheppard are made of win, as is the ending.  There's also a sequel -- Strictly on a Need to Know Basis -- that rocks just as much.  (sga/ncis)

***

Sheppard shrugs, helping himself to a free chair in the room and making himself comfortable, feet kicked up on the table. He’s loose in the shoulders and unconcerned, and Gibbs thinks that if he had to call this guy his CO, he might die a little on the inside.

***

Flamebyrd's Of Ancient Languages and Ancient Inventions is a Highlander/SGA crossover.  Methos and his dual reactions to everything are hilarious, as is the way he interacts with the Atlantis team, and his reason for bringing a sword to the Pegasus Galaxy.  (sga/highlander)

***

Methos had to admit that after spending all that time hanging around Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, Defender of Honour and Chivalry and Hero of the Highlands, he found Dr. Rodney McKay rather refreshing.

***

Darkly Dreaming, by 1001cranes, is a Dexter/Hannibal Lecter crossover that is both creepy and elegant, and remarkably in-character.  More a crossover of the books from which the series/films were spawned than anything else, but of course Hannibal would be interested in Dexter.  (hannibal/dexter)

***

Ulterior Motives, by astolat, crosses Smallville and Batman Begins.  The relationship between Clark and Lex is beautifully done, as is the reason that Batman gets involved in Metropolis' affairs.  astolat writes great fic -- I highly recommend checking out the rest of her work.

***

Finally, This Ain't a Scene, it's a Goddamned Arms Race, by hackthis, is a Burn Notice/Alias crossover.  Not only that, but it's Michael Westen/Julian Sark slash-fic that is perfectly in character.  There are *no words* to describe just how much I love this fic.  No words.  (burn notice/alias; slash)

Plus? There's sort of a sequel/tie in:  18 and 5 1/2 Lessons They Don't Teach You in Spy School.  Anyone who's watched Burn Notice knows that Michael Westen has a very distinctive 'voice' -- and this fic does it perfectly.

I've been in a Highlander mood lately, and so you all get to reap the benefits thereof.

Emergence, by killa, is a lovely Duncan/Methos piece set post-Messenger.  Like almost everything she's written in the Highlander fandom, it's brilliantly characterized and beautifully written.  There's a wonderful moment on trust, and on that moment under the bridge in Methos (you all know which one).  Plus? The slash is very, very hot.  (Duncan/Methos, slash)

He'd known since leaving Tibet what he meant to do; he'd made the necessary decisions weeks ago, in the quiet of a late summer afternoon at the roof of the world as he'd wandered the monastery gardens. He'd found no easy answers there in the two months since he'd left Paris, no earth-shattering revelations regarding the question of who and what he had become, or was becoming. That was no surprise, of course. He'd never found answers to the big questions of life in any divine strike of inspiration. Answers, when they came, were usually hard-won and ambiguous at best.
***

The Fourth Horseman, by Ishafel, is an intriguing, complex, and brilliant character-piece on Methos and the Horsemen.  I don't rec much Horsemen-fic, because so much of it is overblown angst, melodrama, and Methos-torture, but when it's done right, it's *good*.  Good Horsemen-fic makes it clear that there were layers to the Methos-Kronos dynamic that went far beyond pain and nihilism.  This story does that, and does it with a grace and brevity that surprised me.  (gen)

It's a common misconception that Methos was an unwilling conscript to the Horsemen, that he was somehow less at fault in what they did-or at least in their formation-than his brothers. In fact it was Methos who chose them, who banded them together and who gave them a purpose, a name. They were killers already but it was Methos who made them a legend.

***

I'm a sucker for Methos and Connor together, especially when Connor doesn't know who Methos is right away.  Get Well Soon, by Teresa C., is set just after Archangel.  Told mostly through Joe's perspective, the take on Methos and Connor is fascinating, especially as, since Connor has come looking for his missing kinsman, the meeting takes place without Duncan's potentially tempering influence.  The characterizations are brilliant, there's a unique k'Immie, and the story fits neatly into the gap in canon.  It also answers (albeit obliquely) the question: 'Where the hell was Methos during the Ahriman mess?'  (gen)

***
Two more lovely Connor-and-Methos stories are Rimau's Matchmaker and The Hunt, which are companion-pieces to one another.  Again, Duncan is missing -- but this time he's been kidnapped by crazed cultists.  The real joy in these stories (one of which is told from Connor's POV, the other from Methos') is the dance between the two of them.  Plus, watching Connor mistake 'Adam Pierson'  for a new Immortal is truly a joy.  (slash; Duncan/Methos)

***

Everyone and their cousin has rec'd Cate's Ignifer series.  Now it's my turn.  I'll admit, I avoided reading it for a while -- it's heavy on Quickening mythology, which is not usually my thing -- but once I started it, the Methos characterization sucked me in.  The story itself kept me there.  Yes, it's got a lot of Quickening mythology in it -- but it's done well, even brilliantly.  The story also has a fascinating collection of original characters, a fantastic Amanda appearance, a wonderfully malicious k'Immie, resolves relationship issues between Joe, Mac, and Methos, and all within a beautifully-detailed atmosphere.  I can't recommend it enough.  Really.  (slash; Duncan/Methos)

***

Sugar Daddy, by Tray, is a Methos/OMC fic, which normally I wouldn't approach with a barge pole.  But it was rec'd by someone I trust (can't remember whom at the moment) so I gave it a chance.  And I was glad I did.  'Adam Pierson' finds himself with a rich 'older' lover, and the complications that ensue range from romantic to comic to tragic, all written with a deft touch that keeps the story from getting bogged down in its own emotional weight.  The characterizations also get a thumbs-up from yours truly. (slash; Methos/OMC)

***

And Then Some, by Loch Ness, is a long, plotty AU that switches back and forth between Duncan and Methos' first meeting in the middle of WWII and their reunion in series-era Seacouver.  Nazis, crazed Immortals, reluctant attraction, complications with the Watchers, and a Methos who wasn't playing 'Adam' when he met Duncan all combine to make this a unique and enjoyable read.  There's some non-con, but not between Duncan and Methos, and it is a part of the story/plot, so it didn't bother me as much as it usually does. (slash; Duncan/Methos)

***

MacGeorge's Highlander fic is all brilliant, and I've rec'd her work before.  Somehow, I missed Playground.  It's bystander-fic, but with a dark twist.  It manages to etch out the difference between Mac and Methos in only a few sentences, which is always worth reading.  (gen)

***

Easy, by laura j. valentine, is a short Endgame-centric piece on Methos, retrieving Mac's sword from the Sanctuary.  Written from the point-of-view of one of the Watchers he retrieved it from, this story is concise, chilling, and beautiful all at once. (gen)

***

You all know of my fannish love for Rhiannon Shaw and all her works.  Doppelganger and Storm Crow are two brilliant Highlander/X-Files crossovers in which Alex Krycek and the conspiracy run into Matthew McCormick, the Immortal FBI agent from Manhunt.  I really can't say more without spoiling them; however, these are two of the best crossovers I've read in some time -- and I read a lot of crossovers.  (slash; Krycek/Matthew)

***

And another of Rhiannon's fics to finish things off -- It'll Never Work.  Best summarized thus:  The problem with waking Methos up at three in the morning is that he'll still be awake and thinking an hour later.  Includes Amanda, Connor, and a brilliant twisty plot.  Go.  Read.  Now.  (gen)

***

As always, please let me know if any of these links are broken -- and let the author(s) know how much you enjoyed their work!  Feedback is fandom's version of royalties, people!  

Waylaid, by killa, is a brilliantly written historical slash piece.  The two main characters, Connor MacLeod and Matthew McCormick, were peripheral to the series, (especially Matthew, who appeared in only one episode), but killa does a fantastic job with them.  (Connor MacLeod/Matthew McCormick, slash)

****

Biting Dust, by Nynaeve, is a short conversation between Methos and Connor MacLeod.  Again, the characterizations are brilliant.  (gen; Connor, Methos)

****

A Miracle Every Day, by Aristide, is Duncan/Methos slash, and it's brilliant.  The characterizations are particularly lovely in this one.  This is the sort of fic that got me into the Highlander fandom in the first place. (D/M slash)


***


Wotan's Day, by filenotch, is a Highlander/X-Files crossover.  The author's summary is as follows:  "The year is 2023. Methos, the oldest of the Immortals in Highlander, has been living as a corporate lawyer in Denver. Alexander Krycek, the double-dealing ratboy of the X-Files, has been living there as an art dealer, running a gallery in Aurora, Colorado. They are lovers, but they each know nothing about the other's past. All Hell is about to break loose."

The word to best describe this fic?  Unexpected.  The author does not shy away from the darker aspects of the characters, and still manages to draw pictures of them that ring perfectly true.  Plus?  Plot.  Lots and lots and lots of it.  This fic made me incredibly happy.  (Methos/Krycek slash)

****

I'm not really a big fan of het fic, but Close Your Eyes and Think of England, by monimala, is sheer brilliance.  Plus?  It's hot.  (Casino Royale/Veronica Mars; James Bond/Veronica Mars)

****

Good Deeds, by sayin, is a Good Omens/Supernatural crossover that made me laugh like a mad thing.  The ending, in particular, is sheer genius.  (SPN/GO, gen)

****

This Deathly Hallows Parody by naill_renfro is absolutely wonderful crack.  Go read it, particularly if book 7 disappointed you as much as it did me.  (HP, gen)

****

Muse, by Mary Borsellino, is a character study of Azrael from the movie Dogma.  The only thing I really had to say once I'd finished it was 'holy jesus fuck'.  Chilling, and brilliantly written.  (gen, Dogma)

****

The Game, by Insanity Inside, is Discworld gen-fic; a game of Thud between two characters who never lose.  (gen; Granny Weatherwax, Lord Vetinari)

****

Outward Bound, by Hth, is an Angel/Stargate: Atlantis crossover, and it's genius.  Gunn, after the alley, far from home and finding a peace of sorts.  (AtS/SGA; Gunn/Ronon, slash)

...in honour of the Deathly Hallows release.  Anything with DH spoilers will be marked as such.

First up is If You've A Ready Mind, by Maya.  I adore this story!  It's a long and incredibly well-written/plotted/characterized AU in which Draco Malfoy is sorted into Ravenclaw, rather than Slytherin.  The best thing about this fic is that Maya doesn't immediately assume that Harry and Draco would become friends; in fact, the switch does little to affect their relationship, at least at first.  This fic goes through the first six books and changes them, while leaving every character very recognizable as themselves.  I particularly like Maya's Draco, who is a great deal more like his cousin Sirius than either he or Harry Potter recognizes; she also does a fantastic job of aging her characters as the story progresses.  (Harry/Draco, slash)

***
It all happened because Draco was a little distracted that day. Things had not been going well. Father had been very cutting about Draco's plan to smuggle a racing broom into Hogwarts, Crabbe had sat on his lunch on the train and Harry Potter had turned out to be a rude, insufferable gitface. It was not how Draco had pictured his first day.

It also happened because Draco had a tendency to babble when he was nervous.

So he sat in complete blackness, a stupid threadbare hat covering his eyes and its stupid voice ringing in his ears, and started to talk.

"Malfoy - that'll be Slytherin, then..."

"Yes, please," Draco said. "Or Ravenclaw, you know, that wouldn't be bad either. Not Hufflepuff though, because otherwise I shall instantly transfer to Durmstrang."

"Ravenclaw." The Hat paused. "Interesting. Haven't heard a Malfoy ask for another house for decades."

"Er," Draco said. "Actually, on second thoughts, scratch that, Slytherin, please. Just Slytherin, no also-rans, no second guessing. Slytherin!"

"Perhaps it's time for a little diversity. RAVENCLAW!"

"I changed my mind," Draco hissed, and then felt hands tugging at the hat brim. "Just a minute!" he said indignantly to the old woman in green. "I need to get something cleared up, this incompetent piece of haberdashery has entirely misunderstood me-"

"Mr Malfoy, it is time to join your new house!"

Draco blinked in the light, glared and held onto the hat. All the people at a table decked in blue were clapping, this could not be happening. He glared at them and the clapping faltered, at which point Professor McGorgon glared at him.

"Mr Malfoy!"

Draco got off the stool with extreme reluctance. "My father will hear about this," he informed her, and stomped to the stupid table in stupid blue.

***

Summer Colours, by ariafic, is a wonderful Marauders slice-of-life fic; just four boys, doing what boys do best.  (gen)
***
“I think,” Peter announces, and falls silent, as though expecting someone to deny this claim.

No one seems inclined to bother. The four boys are sitting beneath their favourite tree down by the lake, and are too exhausted by their last few exams and the sudden heat wave to muster up enough energy to do much of anything, let alone argue. James is lying flat on his face in the cool grass, though from the agitated way one of his hands is tearing at it, he isn’t grateful for the respite from the unrelenting heat of the day. Sirius is lying on his back next to James, staring absently at the branches above their heads. Remus is reading.

Sometimes, when none of the boys want to waste their breath talking about that one tree down by the lake, you know, it is referred to as Moony’s Reading Tree.
***

Also by ariafic is Veil, a short, humourous Harry Potter/Discworld crossover, featuring Sirius and DEATH behind the veil.  It should have been fixed this easily.  (Sirius/Remus-ish)

***

Fires of Bone, by ignipes, is one of the most stunningly beautiful fanfics I've ever read.  I'd put this one up there with The Shadow of his Wings and Adorn the Sky.  I can't describe it; just go read it.  (Sirius/Remus)

***

Parrot, by penknife, is a Harry Potter/Pirates of the Caribbean fusion-fic that I absolutely adored.   This is another one that I can't quite explain -- you'll just have to trust me when I tell you of its brilliance.  (gen)

***

Finally, With Sword and Head Held High by ushmushmeifa is the only good Harry Potter/Highlander crossover I have ever found.  Ever.  It's getting included here because I wanted to find a readable crossover of this nature for so long, and now I have; ha!  (This story gets bonus points because the two Immortals in it are Connor and Methos.  Which rocks.)  (gen)

Here are some of the more esoteric crossovers I've come across and enjoyed recently.

First up is butterflykiki's Long Way Around, a wonderfully done Highlander/Dr. Who crossover.  The dialogue is perfect -- long live the snark -- and Methos is particularly well written.  Also, bonus points for the ending, which manages to be not only touching and hopeful, but in-character and well thought out.  (gen; Highlander/Dr. Who)

"The face is different, the voice is different, but you're still the Doctor. And you still owe me a drink."

****

Amand-r's Up in the Valley, Down on the Mountain has been rec'd over and over again, and with good reason.  I've been avoiding it for years, because frankly, the idea of a Highlander/Chronicles of Narnia crossover didn't appeal.  I finally read it -- and I'm glad I did.  This fic is beautiful.  Writing, ideas, characterizations -- she even gets Aslan right, and that's damn near impossible.  Go and read this fic.  You'll be glad you did.  (gen; Highlander/Narnia)

Methos knew he was no longer on the property of the estate he and Mac had rented; he knew every inch of that land. He cast strange looks to the sky, which was a lovely shade of blue, and the grass that grew wild and tall about his feet.

****

You Only Live Forever, by MacGeorge, is a Highlander/James Bond crossover.  This is one of the few Highlander recs on this page for a story that does not feature Methos in any way.  Instead, this is all Duncan -- and MacGeorge does a fantastic job of writing him.  I particularly enjoyed the exchanges between Duncan and Bond.  Both are such alpha males, and MacGeorge writes them both beautifully.   This is a plot-filled, action-filled story, and I highly recommend it.  (het; Highlander/James Bond - Duncan/Tessa, Tessa/other)

Bond had read MacLeod's file. It was all a little too pat, too neat. An orphan with an eclectic European education, no living relatives, no significant ties to any place or time or people. The man was too good at too many things -- martial arts of all kinds, covert operations, multiple languages, social awareness and flexibility that helped him blend into virtually any situation. He had amassed skills rarely seen in an agent with twice his experience. And there was an arrogant certainty and self-possession about the man that Bond found grating. His instincts were trying to tell him something about Duncan MacLeod, he just had not figured out what - yet.

****

pentapus has written three lovely Highlander/Stargate: Atlantis crossover snippets.  The characterization of Methos is absolutely spot on; word perfect in every way.  Go and read them - and pester her to write more of them!  (one) (two) (three)  (gen; Highlander/SGA)

"And with Wraith regenerative abilities and a similar," Rodney hestiated, finishing awkwardly, "use of energy -- which is ridiculous because if this is true? There should be a race of near immortal humanoids running around and possibly eating people or sucking the life out of them or something equally, I don't know, conspicuous."

"Wow," said Pierson from linguistics, sitting across from the scientists with the rest of the language team, translations spread out around them, "that sounds dreadful."

****

Spin the Bottle, by amberleewriter, is a Highlander/Holby City crossover, though you don't need to know anything about Holby City to understand and enjoy this fic.  amberleewriter has a particularly deft touch with the relationship between Methos and Joe, and that is primarily what this story is about.  (gen; Highlander/Holby City.  Methos, Joe)

Any misgivings Joe had were outweighed by curiosity. He took the bottle and placed it on its side in the center of the table. He could read some of the stickers now. One said, "Used Car Salesman." Another said, "Lawyer." Still another read, "Computer Programmer."

****

Death Takes a Roman Holiday, by Nestra, is a Buffy/Angel/Highlander crossover that deals with Buffy's first encounter with The Immortal.  This fic is beautifully done.  The characterizations are strong, the writing is good -- all in all, this one's a keeper.  (gen/het - BtVS/AtS/Highlander - Buffy/Methos)

When she'd moved to Italy, Buffy had expected a lot of things to be different. And she was okay with that. She wanted different. She was learning Italian by watching dubbed reruns of Sex and the City. She'd started to enjoy drinking soda without ice. The vamps in Italy used all sorts of new moves, none of the kung fu stuff the Sunnydale vamps had been so fond of. And she really, really didn't miss the drama that came from dating guys who weren't human.

So overall, she wasn't pleased that the undead guy was hitting on her. Even if his accent was really sexy.

****

There is No Seven, by Tesla, is one of the best fics I've come across recently.  A Buffy/Angel/X-Files crossover, it goes AU from Mulder's abduction in the woods.  Instead of being taken by aliens, he is instead taken by Wolfram & Hart, at which point he is turned into a vampire by Drusilla.  He goes to L.A. in search of her, and runs into Spike instead.  Meanwhile, Scully and a handcuffed and unhappy Alex Krycek are on their way to L.A. as well, to talk to a certain vampire detective about the spell that restored his soul...  Well-plotted, well-characterized and well-written, this is a thoroughly enjoyable story.   Spike and Alex Krycek are particularly well done.  (gen - XF/BtVS/AtS)

"I wouldn't torture her, either," Mulder said, "but you tortured Angel." He took the cigarette out of Spike's slack hand, and took a drag.  Jeeze, it was true. Cigarette smoking was an evil habit.

"Oh, that was just a bit of fun to make him give me something back.  Besides," and here Spike grew gloomy again, "Dru'd like being tortured. Odd girl." He glanced up at the television. "Hey! Where's Man U?"

Mulder sighed, and hit the recall button on the remote. Spike was too old and too violent to argue with.

****

Jennifer Oksana's Zombies Are a Girl's Best Friend is an absolutely hilarious Angel/Arrested Development crossover, in which Lilah and Lindsey are old school friends and Lilah's return from the dead causes some... issues in the Bluth household.  The entire cast of Arrested Development is perfectly written, and Lilah is wonderfully enjoyable.  (gen - AtS/Arrested Development)

Lindsay's best friend was a high-powered corporate attorney named Lilah Morgan. They'd become best friends in college, when Lindsay had caught Lilah adding a special ingredient (LSD) to the punch at the Delta Delta Zeta sorority mixer. Lindsay had broken out her stock of Percocet for the cause, and the resulting party had cemented their friendship forever when Lilah and Lindsay's archrival Dana Robertson had been caught doing a striptease for several university trustees...without any of the punch.

A beautiful friendship born that night had lasted well over a decade, through late-night drunken experimentation, marriages, scandals, and both Lilah and Lindsay trying and failing to date Johnny Depp's publicist. Unfortunately, it had ended the year before when Lilah had apparently died in a freak beheading accident involving an axe, her two-timing British boyfriend, and a great deal of happenings that reminded Gob never to use actual axes when cutting people in half.

****

Enigmatic Absurdities by eponine is a House/Angel/Buffy crossover in which Angel is struck by a car and ends up in House's 'tender care'.  House, for his part, is fascinated by a conscious, coherent patient with no pulse or heartbeat.  This one is brilliant.  Everyone is in character, the story is well-written, and House and Angel in particular are letter-perfect.  (gen - House/Angel/Buffy - post Chosen, NFA)

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to stating the obvious," House said as he got to his feet and began pacing. "As I'm sure you're all aware, a great many of our cases are abnormal. That's why they get assigned to us instead of being diagnosed at, say, the clinic. Generally what we see goes a bit beyond the average flu and food poisoning cases. We end up with the more challenging cases, rare diseases or uncommon presentations of more ordinary pathogens. This case, however, is a little further up the ladder of unusual than even we're accustomed to. I'd even go as far as to label the man's symptoms as impossible, if it weren't for the fact that he is actually suffering from them."

****

Minimal Grounds for Disaster, by Raven, is a Harry Potter/Discworld crossover in which Remus ends up on the Disc, is arrested by the Watch, and meets Sgt. Angua, as well as some very strange wizards.  This is wonderfully done, and very funny.  (gen; HP/Discworld)

They brought him by way of Treacle Mine Road, past Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler ("Sausages! Inna bun!") and into the Watch House. They tried to place him before Commander Vimes, but hit an insurmountable obstacle in the fact there was no Commander Vimes for him to be placed before, unless they wanted to place him before the commander being placed before the Patrician, which would only have been possible had the Oblong Office been inside the Watch House.*

- - - - - -
* Or had Remus, Vimes or Vetinari (or some combination of the three) been capable of being in two places at once. Which, to clarify, they weren't, although in the case of Vetinari, Leonard of Quirm was working on it.

Never in a million years would I have thought of crossing Supernatural with American Gods, but the following two stories did just that, and did it beautifully.  (If you haven't read American Gods, go and buy it.  Neil Gaiman is brilliant.)

***

The first story is iseult_variante's The Gods Might Offer Gifts.  Dean, Sam, Czernobog, and the three Zoryas.  This is a gorgeous, lyrical story that very much captures the spirit of the book.  (gen, Supernatural/American Gods)

(America is a bad land for gods. They take root well enough, but grow stunted or crooked, pale distortions on the glass of distant immigrant memory.

America is a bad land for gods; it is a cruel land for heroes. When people have forgotten the divine, they like to live in ignorance of the other things that lurk in the dark closets of the mind. Those who would guard the door are unpleasant reminders – in their hearts, when sheep look at the dogs that guard the flock, they see too much of the wolf for comfort.)

****

Dust in the Wind, by lyra_wing, is another incredible story; this one I don't really have words for.  The concept alone - yeah.  Just go read it.  You'll be glad you did.  (gen, Supernatural/American Gods)

(They remember things they've never seen. They remember the hammer strikes of the first railroad – the precursor to Route 66, drawing together the high-collar east and the dusty wild west. They remember the first time Ford's engine roared to life. They remember the paving of the first highway, the invention of the drive-through, the first time an electric guitar sang and wailed. Everything that makes them who they are, makes America what it is. They know it all like they know their own names.)

****

The wonderful dreya_uberwald has written an untitled Harry Potter/Discworld crossover that is not only brilliantly funny, but gives Dumbledore a happier ending than JKR did.  Plus, Ridcully.  (gen, Harry Potter/Discworld)

(“Azrael?” said Dumbledore’s spirit with a small smile.

AN ASPECT OF AZRAEL, YES. IF I RECALL WE’VE MET BEFORE.

“Well, Fawkes does tend to die quite a lot.”

INDEED.)

****

Conversations, by priya, is a House/West Wing crossover that captures both House and Bartlett brilliantly.  The dialogue is particularly enjoyable, as is the tete-a-tete between Wilson and Leo.  (hints of slash; House/West Wing)

("So," House said, eyeing the patient. "What's wrong with your leg?"

President Bartlet sized him up just as coldly. "What's wrong with yours?"

"Liberals give me awful cramps," he said. "Like Buffy with vampires, but only in the movie.")

****

In the Shadow of Two Canes is a sort-of crossover between House and The West Wing.  It's also beautifully conceived and executed.  They both wish the other one was real. (gen, House, West Wing)

Mirror, Mirror, by houses, is a Harry Potter/BtVS crossover written for the '20 minutes with Andrew' challenge.  It's short, amusing, and great fun -- because Andrew would drive Snape nuts.  (gen, humour - Snape, Andrew, Neville)

(“You must desist. You must go home.” Snape’s eyelid was beginning to twitch. Whoever this boy was, he was ten times worse than Longbottom. At least Longbottom shut up occasionally.)

***

The Dark Side, by astolat (I rec a lot of astolat's work, and with good reason) is a Stargate: Atlantis/Star Wars fusion fic.  At first, I thought the premise a dubious one -- and then I read the story.  It works.  It works beautifully.  The characters stay true to themselves, and astolat fits them seamlessly into the Star Wars universe.  I could rave about this fic for pages, but shall instead say only:  Go.  Read it now.  (slash - McKay/Sheppard)

("You're not a very good Jedi, are you?" the Sith Lord said.

"Oh, excuse me, I am an excellent Jedi," Rodney said.)

***

Rotational Invariance, by idyll,is an Angel/Stargate: Atlantis crossover featuring Sheppard and his cousin Fred from Texas.  This is a well-written story with some truly beautiful use of language; I also enjoyed seeing Fred from a new perspective.  She often gets short shrift in fanfiction, or is so badly written as to lose everything that made her character so attractive in the first place.  With this story, idyll does Fred justice.  (gen; Fred, Sheppard, ensemble)

(Before John pulls away another car pulls up in front of the house. Three guys climb out, bickering with the ease and familiarity of people who've known each other for years, through many things large and small, and John watches Fred slide seamlessly into their midst as they walk--four abreast--up the walkway to her house.)

***

Constants, by Rhiannon Shaw, is the best Firefly/Highlander crossover I've read yet, and I've read several.  This is one of those rare stories that makes absolute, certain sense to me; I can believe that this is the way things were.  (gen; Amanda)

(There are Companions who know how to kill, thanks to her, and how to live, thanks to her, and how to endure when they'd rather die, and how to die if they must not live... all thanks to her.  They never speak her name outside the chapter-houses, even amongst themselves.  They never speak of where they learned such skill with a blade, or such timing with explosives, or the fine art of knowing silence...

Her name has always been Amanda, and no Companion would ever betray her.)

***

The Made-Up Things, by fire_and_a_rose, is an exquisite Harry Potter/Narnia crossover.  To describe it would ruin it; the author's summary is below.  (gen; Susan, Lily, Petunia)

(Once upon a time, there were four children, whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.  And then all that was left was Susan, who had two daughters.  One was named Petunia, and one was named Lily.)

***

My Space Adventure, by skoosie, is a brilliant Stargate: Atlantis/Scrubs fusion fic.  Everyone is perfectly in character, and the whole story has the 'feel' of a particularly good Scrubs episode - right down to J.D.'s unrequited crush on Dr. Cox.  (slash; Cox/JD UST)

(There are two things on Atlantis that I'm not allowed to touch...

One: I’m not allowed anywhere near Dr. McKay with my ‘holistic hippie herbal hoo-hah that’s even less of a science than botany, if that’s even possible;’ and two: I’m not allowed to even look in the direction of anything that resembles a weapon, since guns + JD = missing fingers for everyone. Thank the sweet baby Jesus for surgical re-attachments. Turk always has my back.)

***

Eight Crazy Pilots Serenity Didn't Keep, by tassosss, is a story along the lines of the 'Five Things' challenges; all parts but the last one are crossovers.  This story is well-written and enjoyable; some of the lines in it are laugh-out-loud funny.  (gen; Firefly, Farscape, SGA, SG1, Star Wars, BSG)

(Jayne found Han Solo in a bar looking for a mechanic to help him fix his ship. He’d given up by the time he landed himself at Jayne’s table – the only one left with a chair empty at this hour – poured himself a drink and said, “I hate this mudball.” Jayne figured he’d hit the guy up for a few drinks only to learn that that’s what his new friend was up to and being broke was his whole problem with finding a mechanic in the first place. They bonded over not being able to pay their tab and being too drunk to not get in a fight about it.)

***

Remember -- everyone loves feedback, so if you enjoy a story, let the author know.

(If there are any broken links, let me know)

I know it's been a while since I posted.  I'm bad.  I know this.   RL has been more swamp-like than usual lately, and has been sucking me in with a vengeance.

Still, I have tons of new recs for you all. 

'Cause that's how I roll.

Yeah.

I'm going to have to post them in multiples, just because I don't have the uninterrupted time to sit down and write them all at once.  So today, I will start with:


good omens crossover recs. 

And All the Kingdoms Thereof, by afrai, is a short Good Omens/Smallville crossover piece that is just brilliant.  The idea behind this story is funny and original, and the writing itself is sharp, eloquent, and well done.  (gen - Lionel, Hastur, Ligur)

(I jus' offered the Earth and all the kingdoms thereof," Hastur babbled.  "I never said anything about here!  I dunt know what happened!")

***

Angel of Death, also by afrai, (she rules) is a Good Omens/Highlander crossover that's just as good as the previous story.  I personally like it even better, but then, Methos is my favourite. (implied slash - Methos/Aziraphale, Crowley)

("Why didn't you just keep your mouth shut?" said Crowley much later.  "You were on a field of rotting corpses.  How bad could he be?

"But that's it," said Aziraphale.   "They couldn't help being a bit iffy, poor souls.  It wasn't their fault.  Their hearts were pure -- well, fairly pure," he amended.  "His odour was simple obstinate lack of hygiene.  And anyway, he was evil.  His stench was the stench of evil -- it's not funny!")

***

I've rec'd daegar's fic before, and will repeat my claim that she writes the best Good Omens fic in existence.  Arrangements of the Carribean is proof.  Go.  Read it now.  (gen -- Jack Sparrow, Aziraphale, Crowley)

(" . . . impersonating a cleric of the Church of England . . . "

Captain Jack Sparrow gave a little laugh.

"Oh, yeah."

"You shouldn't have done that, you know.")

***

But For the Grace, by amberdiceless, is a Good Omens/Hellblazer fic that starts out as comedy and develops a beautifully melancholy twist.  The end is particularly inspired.  (slash, Crowley/Aziraphale, John Constantine)

("Well, you see what happens when you go drinking with strangers," Aziraphael said, mildly reproving, but he patted the demon's shoulder comfortingly as he passed by on his way to fetch the teapot.

"I do that all the time," Crowley protested weakly. "How was I supposed to know he was number one on Hell's Most Wanted list? The drawing they sent 'round looks nothing like him!")

***


On a Blessed Plane, by memlu, is a Good Omens/Snakes on a Plane crossover.  Stop looking at me like that.  Go read the story.  I promise it's worth it.  (gen - Crowley, Aziraphale, and a lot of motherfuckin' snakes)

("--had it with these snakes!" a rather intimidating fellow to the fore shouted. There was a faint click and then a flash of silver as he brandished a gun, and Aziraphale said, "Oh, dear."

"This is much better than the in-flight movie," said Crowley, with deep satisfaction.)

***

This Untitled Good Omens/Sandman crossover by odditycollector is brilliant and beautiful and very much more a Sandman piece than a Good Omens one.  I can practically see this in comic form as I read it.  (implied slash -- Crowley/Aziraphale, Desire)

(There are enough people in London with pale skin and black hair and good cheekbones, but Aziraphale’s more unnerved by the cut of the clothes and the practised, arrogant stance. No sunglasses, but the eyes that return his stare are a gold that could pass for honey instead of yellow.

Aziraphale crosses his arms and looks at the sky. “I had thought your kind deals in humans,” he says. “In creatures that can dream and want.”)

***

no, i haven't forgotten you...

Daemons Luminati, by Kalima, is one of the most interesting Buffy AU's I have ever read.  It's redemption-fic, but with a twist -- and without a soul in sight.  I'm a fan of Evil!Spike.  I especially love fic that explores just how far he can go without becoming an Angel-clone.  This is that fic.  (B/S - het)

Emerging, by eliade, (livejournal) is post NFA fic.  It's also Spike/Xander, which I read but rarely rec, as it's too damned hard to find believable fic in this pairing.  This story is believable.  It's sad and beautiful and hopeful by degrees, and it almost managed to resign me to Spike's soul.  (Spike/Xander, slash)

Since I'm reccing post-NFA fic, here's another.  Nevertime, by anaross, (livejournal) is another beautiful story in which Angel finds the sort of bitter peace he can accept, and Spike just finds peace.  (Buffy/Spike, Angel(us)/Spike)

Senterprise-D, by inlovewithnight is one of the best Firefly crossovers out there.  This is total crackfic -- but it's the good kind.  (gen - Firefly/Star Trek: TNG crossover)

Kristen Murphy's Storms in the Desert is Firefly/Highlander fic.  It's a brief intersection of lives - River and Methos and Simon - and one of the best done crossovers I've read in ages.  The characterizations are phenomenal, and I'm terribly sad that this author has no more Highlander fic posted.  (gen - Highlander/Firefly crossover)

Just a few recs today....

First up is Tryfanstone's Postcards.  This is a Highlander/X2 crossover on some serious crack.  But it's good crack.  I won't give a summary here, as that would completely spoil it.   Just the first line --  'Duncan MacLeod spilled his popcorn.' 

Go.  Read it.  (Put your drink down first.)  (gen -- Methos, Duncan, Joe, others)

Next is Shaggydogstail's Teenage Kicks, in which Sirius has an unrequited crush on Stubby Boardman.  This is already rec'd in several places, but I couldn't resist adding it here.  Well-written, and very cute without being nauseating, this story made me remember what it was like to be a teenager myself.  The ending made me grin.  (slash implied)

Finally, Christwise has posted Better Left Unheard, a series of shorts on the Marauders' thoughts at various times in their lives.  This is a beautifully-written, powerful piece.  Go and read it.  Tell her you like it.  (WARNING -- CHARACTER DEATH.  slash implied)

Because I'm in the mood for the classics...

Many, many years ago in the X-Files fandom, there was a slash challenge in which the two main characters were to go curtain shopping together.  Needless to say, this led to many disgustingly fluffy, horribly schmoopy fics that could easily have triggered the vomit reflex of a seasoned bulimic.

Curtains, by Sylvia, is not one of them. 

It's dark, it's funny, and it takes the challenge and twists it perfectly for the fandom.  This is one of my absolute favorite X-Files fics.  (M/K - vague slash)

***
Alex Krycek gave the corpse crumpled in front of him a solid kick to the groin, but the offender was past caring. A pity, that, because the predicament the geezer had gotten him into certainly called for an emphatic demonstration of displeasure. Alex had done this a dozen times and had grown used to people doing the decent thing, dying a drawn-out and horrible death quietly and without fuss. Who the hell had arteries practically on top of their windpipe? And besides, hadn't anybody told the guy that old men were supposed to have crusted-over arteries through which blood cells squeezed by turning sideways and sucking their stomach in, nicely complemented by feeble, fluttery hearts with little or no spraying power?

Not this one – no, he had to be special. Not only had he been some kind of mutant, but he'd sprayed like a fucking fountain, entirely missing the handy plastic sheet laid out on the floor for his convenience and instead decorating the tasseled velvet monstrosities framing the window with irregular splatters of ruby on aged ivory. Fat spatters clustered at chest-level on the left-hand curtain, thinning out picturesquely where they swerved to the right, crossing over to the companion drapery where they were nicely complemented by a fine spray of blood that Alex would have sworn was impossible to achieve by means of a common hunting knife.
***

Nolo Contendere, by Chris, is Highlander fic, a D/M first time that includes a competitive Amanda, an intelligent Duncan, and a manipulative, predatory Methos who ends up winning a great deal more than he thought he would.  This fic is worth mentioning simply for the ending, which is one of the most beautifully done in fandom.  (D/M slash)

Two crossovers, an AU, and an interlude...

Kyra Cullinan's The Soul of Wit is an Askewniverse/Buffy crossover.  Oz and Silent Bob.  Need I say more? (gen)

Then there's Nestra's lovely fic The Waiting Room, a Buffy/Sandman crossover set at the end of BtVS' Season One.  Beautiful writing, beautiful characterizations, and I love the interplay between Death and the early, hopeful version of Buffy. (gen)

***
"So...if I'm dead, what am I doing here? Shouldn't someone be judging me? Oh, god, I'm not going to hell, am I? I've slayed a lot of vampires. That's got to count for something."

"Relax," Death says. "Have a cookie."

Buffy looks to her left, and there on the end table is a plate of chocolate chip cookies, freshly-baked. She breaks one open, and the scent of melted chocolate and sugar wafts up. "I'm definitely going to miss cookies. Does Heaven have cookies?"
***

Hellblazer: Hogwarts, by Camwyn, is one of the most brilliant crossovers ever written.  I know that there have been a billion badly-written HP-crossover fics, but I kid you not when I tell you that this one is perfect.  PERFECT!!!  I cannot rave about it enough.  Nor should you read this story in public, or while eating or drinking.  The story, obviously, is a Hellblazer/Harry Potter crossover (the comic books, not the horrific travesty of a movie we were subjected to).  You should read it.  Now. (gen)

There is an addendum to this fic that you should read once you've finished -- John's List:  Things I Am Not Allowed To Do Any More At Hogwarts.  When you've finished reading that list, you should go and read THIS ONE, which was, as I understand it, the basis for John's List.

***

Finally, Alkari's lovely story, Independence, could almost be considered a missing scene from Harry Potter, though it takes place before the books start.  The story contains the reading of Alphard Black's will, and the characterizations and interplay between the Black family are both perfectly done, and not to be missed.  (gen)

 

That's all for now.  More later, when I have slept....