Necessary Evil
| The Professionals Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Necessary Evil |
| Author(s): | O Yardley |
| Date(s): | 1980s, 1995 |
| Length: | |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | The Professionals |
| External Links: | |
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"Necessary Evil" is a 142-page Professionals story written by O Yardley. It was originally published as a circuit story in the 1980s and later offered in zine format in Printed Circuits in 1995.
Summary: The story begins where Bear Necessity ends and introduces us to Doyle's family (his mother and her twin sister). Bodie & Doyle return to work with plans to inform Cowley about their relationship. Instead, they decide to wait a couple of months so that they prove to him (and themselves) that the personal relationship won't affect the professional one. Unfortunately, the first assignment is a "sleep with the girl to get info" job for Bodie. Needless to say this causes some problems. Like Bear Necessity, the story is written in the first person but from Doyle's POV. Overall, the story has a more serious tone than its predecessor.
It is a story on The 1985 Hatstand Express Top Ten Lists.
Series
It is the second part in the Bear Necessity series:
Reactions and Reviews
1985
"Bear Necessity"/"A Necessary Evil" ...gives us the possessive/macho Bodie with the possessive/sweet Doyle. It's cute, it's sweet and mushy and I ADORE it! Also like the slow sure way the relationship builds up. And oh those relatives! It's really terrific.[1]
1988
While the two guys portrayed in O. Yardley's "Bear Necessity" and "A Necessary Evil" do not really match my own personal concept of series Bodie and Doyle, they are greatly appealing, just the same." [2]
"Necessary Evil" and "Bear Necessity" are two more stories which portray alternative Bodie and Doyle characterizations, but the manipulation and head-gaming involved during their budding relationship and the slightly gone awry romance, which comes right in the end, are immensely enjoyable; and digging up Doyle's childhood teddy bear, buried in someone else's back yard, was a lovely touch.[3]
Somebody recently complained about "Bear Necessity" and "Necessary Evil", saying that the Bodie in them wasn't the way she sees Bodie. Tough. That Bodie wasn't quite "my" Bodie either, until I'd read a few pages and become so absorbed by this Bodie and his refreshing P.O.V. that it was irrelevant. This Bodie's descriptions of Doyle are a delight upon each reading. His understanding of his partner's manipulative character, his maturity and his skill at forcing Doyle to be honest — all handled with a sense of humour that I don't tire of reading. "Injured Innocents" and "Journey's End" must also be noted as stories that are rewarding, satisfying, and with no loose ends. Different P.O.V.'s, different problems dealt with, all recommended to new fans who ask where they should start with so many to choose from. Some of your more recent stories, "Old Mill..." comes immediately to mind, seem to lack the affectionate feel for Bodie and Doyle that was so clear in your earlier stories. Technically, I think the writing is as good, but a cool, cynical P.O.V. prevails. I hope that your interview touches on this point, as I wonder if you've even noticed? [4]
1992
These two novellas chart the course of B and D’s sexual relation- ship from the very start to when they decide to tell Cowley. It has been some time since I read them in depth, but I think I enjoyed the first one (told from both points of view) by a narrow margin, as it concentrates on their relationship more, the second one [Necessary Evil] including more outside details and a CI5 case.
[snipped, comments on Bear Necessity]
In part two, 'Necessary Evil', you get to meet Doyle's mother and her twin sister Kate - a great character. B and D find (very realistically) that just because they love each other it's not a case of happy-ever-after. But there are a lot of romantic, tender, and sexy scenes, and on p50 (130 pgs into the story) they have full intercourse for the first time. Bodie is sent undercover to romance a girl after only a couple of weeks as Ray's lover (both stories cover a period of 1 - 2 months), and that obviously puts a strain on them, tho' they think they can handle it. Working on another angle of the same case, Ray is captured but rescued by Bodie with the help of his indomitable aunt and mother.
The CI5 plotline doesn't detract from but rather embellishes the relationship story. It's a good balanced blend of job and
relationship. Another gem - from a very good writer. [5]
References
- ^ from The Hatstand Express #7
- ^ from The Hatstand Express #16
- ^ from The Hatstand Express #17
- ^ from The Hatstand Express #17
- ^ from Be Gentle With Us #5