Cause for Concern

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Bodie/Doyle Fanfiction
Title: Cause for Concern
Author(s): Stuartsky
Date(s): 1981
Length: 21,759 words
Genre: slash
Fandom: The Professionals
External Links: online, also on the ProsLib CD

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Cause for Concern is a 45-page slash Professionals circuit story by Stuartsky.

It is one of the earliest Bodie/Doyle stories.

It was later published in print in Uncharted Waters #5 (1992) and Dyad #20 (2000). The story was online for many years with the following dedication at the bottom:

"IN MEMORIAM A.L. died 1982. With thanks to P.D. for inventing the Doyle Family."

Summary

"Doyle and Bodie are sharing everything, even their women; they're too close. Cowley decides to intervene -- and his plan involves the return of Ann Holly, Doyle's former fiancee."

The Earliest Bodie/Doyle Stories

Summaries

Author's summary:

"Bodie and Doyle are sharing everything, even their women; they're too close. Cowley decides to intervene - and his plan involves the return of Ann Holly, Doyle's former fiancee."[1]

"Cowley and Dr. Ross manipulate Bodie and Doyle in an effort to avert potential tragedy by interfering in their relationship and after many machinations, they end up right back where they started."[2]

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

Cause for Concern by Android is a clever look at Bodie and Doyle's partnership through the eyes of Dr Kate Ross and Cowley. It starts with her psychological evaluation of the pair of them and her recommendations to Cowley for their continued well being both as individuals and as partners. Cowley attempts to 'help' the direction in which he would like them to travel, and at first it looks as his and Dr Ross' machinations might work, but Bodie and Doyle have always been known to be both bloody minded and contradictory, so... A fun piece of writing.[3]

This story includes a number of memos from Dr. Ross to Cowley. She convinces C that the lads are heading the way of Mathieson and King did. She predicts that they have so much unresolved sexual tension between them that they will become careless and get themselves killed. C reteams them. Doyle seems to be ok with that but Bodie is not; he misses D and his mental state is deteriorating. C brings Ann Holly back; D gets engaged to her. Both B and D's family are opposed to the marriage. C goes to Shusai for advice; he tells C to do nothing. AH catches D with Bodie and 2 girls (who were actually helping D move flats). She becomes angry and D tells her he has slept with all 3 just to aggravate her, though it's not true. She walks out. The lads end up in bed together and decide to take things to their logical conclusion. They begin a committed relationship.[4]

1985

... interesting construction, with the interphasing of CIS memorandums and a strong story development.[5]

1986

I like the different way this was set out. [6]

1992

A word about "Cause for Concern." Those of you on the B/D "circuit" may have seen this before, in its original form. When I stopped to think about it in detail I realised that the story must be about eleven years old, 'little Davie Doyle' now being a strapping youth of fourteen. Nevertheless, I think it stands the test of time surprisingly well and is probably due a wider circulation. This version has been slightly revised by the author. [7]

2005

I've always liked stories where you see the lads' relationship through others' eyes. In this one you see them not just from Cowley's pov but also Kate Ross' (I know, not a lot of fans seem to like her but I do,) and Ann Holly's. That Miss Holly also gets her comeuppance doesn't hurt, either. Now there's a character to dislike! The writer has also managed to add two OFCs that won't set off your MarySue alert; at least, they didn't mine. Doyle's family is also well-drawn. That Bodie and Doyle belong together is unquestionable. But I like how the author works in what could happen if they didn't manage to get together, what it would do to one or both of them if happenstance or, in this case, outside interference were to separate them. Though the course of true love doesn't always run smoothly, it pushes all my buttons when it's presented as inevitable.[8]

This starts from a different POV than most B/D stories: Kate Ross's psych evaluations of their relationship. While this isn't strictly a third-person POV story -- much of it takes place from Doyle's and Bodie's POVs -- it's still a fun look at how they look to other people, and how their relationship just gets stronger the more that gets thrown at it. It's also a nice nod to Cowley's canonical touching base with his senior staff to talk about his agents, keeping up with their progress in different areas.[9]

I've always liked stories where you see the lads' relationship through others' eyes. In this one you see them not just from Cowley's pov but also Kate Ross' (I know, not a lot of fans seem to like her but I do,) and Ann Holly's. That Miss Holly also gets her come-uppance doesn't hurt, either. Now there's a character to dislike! The writer has also managed to add two OFCs that won't set off your MarySue alert; at least, they didn't mine. Doyle's family is also well-drawn. That Bodie and Doyle belong together is unquestionable. But I like how the author works in what could happen if they didn't manage to get together, what it would do to one or both of them if happenstance or, in this case, outside interference were to separate them. Though the course of true love doesn't always run smoothly, it pushes all my buttons when it's presented as inevitable.[10]

2010

Cause for Concern by Android is a clever look at Bodie and Doyle's partnership through the eyes of Dr Kate Ross and Cowley. It starts with her psychological evaluation of the pair of them and her recommendations to Cowley for their continued well being both as individuals and as partners. Cowley attempts to 'help' the direction in which he would like them to travel, and at first it looks as his and Dr Ross' machinations might work, but Bodie and Doyle have always been known to be both bloody minded and contradictory, so... A fun piece of writing. Note, this is longer available on line, but available on the Proslib CD, where the author's name is listed as 'Sue Stuart' [11]

References

  1. ^ alicambs Professional Recs, Archived version
  2. ^ Pros Online Library List summary by Dagger.
  3. ^ alicambs Professional Recs, Archived version
  4. ^ from Metabolick at The Hatstand
  5. ^ in 1985 from The Hatstand Express #6, from a fan who listed it as her number seven out of ten favorite Pros story
  6. ^ from The Hatstand Express #8
  7. ^ from the editorial in Uncharted Waters #5 where the story was reprinted
  8. ^ a rec by Gilda Elise at Crack Van, posted March 2005
  9. ^ Fic Recs, The Professionals, by Arduinna, 2005
  10. ^ March 2005 rec at Crack Van
  11. ^ from Professional Recs (March 19th, 2010)