In The Midnight Hour

Fanfiction
Title:	In The Midnight Hour
Author(s):	Melissa N
Date(s):	1997
Length:	7053 words
Genre(s):	Het, Smut
Fandom(s):	Generation X
Relationship(s):
External Links:	In the Midnight Hour at Fonts of Wisdom (via Wayback, Dec 29/03)
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In The Midnight Hour was Melissa's first posting to the ACFF newsgroup, and proved to be a highly successful first attempt, tying for the 1998 CBFFA for Best Mature/Adult fic and being archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. It has a continuation, "Midnight II - In the Light of Day" and both stories were reviewed by Dex in his IMHO column, as well as being recommended elsewhere.

Summary

Set at the Massachusetts Academy during the Generation X era, the first story sets the scene of a passionate encounter between Sean Cassidy and Emma Frost one night while the students are away. It is revealed to be "only a dream" shared by the two teachers without the other's knowledge; but in the continuation, In The Light of Day, Jubilation Lee's suspicions reveal that a psychic rapport has been established between the two. Sean, in a relationship with Moira MacTaggart and distrustful of telepathy, reacts badly to the news and Emma has to employ drastic methods to bring him to reason.

Awards

1998 CBFFAs - Best Mature - tied with Devil's Due by Laersyn.

Reactions and Reviews

In The Midnight Hour and In The Light Of Day are the only erotic Emma Frost stories which I really find the characterizations consistent. Emma and Sean are wonderfully portrayed, with their physical reactions nicely dovetailed to their personalities. The relationship is nicely played up, with all of the pain and indecision of any relationship carefully represented here. The two cleaving together is quite a...er, wrenching scene. Hits those glandular triggers with breath-taking accuracy. While most erotica is usually cliqued to the point of ridiculousness, Melissa N has very skillfully used the true roots of erotic fiction to paint a scene of seduction and passion, rather than focus in on sweaty details. The only jarring note was the impromptu massage, which fails to mesh with the overall tone. This is one series where I think the second piece detracts from the first. In the Light of Day shows the same skill and ability as the first story, but destroys the impact of the original ending and ends the speculation and the charming wonder of what happens. Still, it as well crafted, and if their [sic] must be a sequel, it does well to convincingly continue the relationship along. Emma is well written, with some interesting quirks not yet shown in the comic or other fics. The most recommended Sean/Emma pairing, in my opinion.