Love in a Faithless Country

Fanfiction
Title:	Love in a Faithless Country
Author(s):	Alex T. MacKenzie
Date(s):	1996
Length:	157k
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	The Professionals
Relationship(s):
External Links:	online at the Circuit Archive
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Love in a Faithless Country is a Professionals slash story written by Alex T. MacKenzie and originally published in Close Quarters. it was nominated for The Professionals Novella Huggy Award in 1996. The story was reviewed at the crack van in 2005 and then later reviewed at the ci5hq in Jan 2010.

Summary from the publisher: "Bodie and Doyle have casual sex now and then; one of them wants much more, but is thwarted at every turn. Set against the backdrop of a high-level assassination plot, this is a story about desire, truth, and the price of denial.)"

Author's notes:

"Possibly my favorite story so far, all in all, is "Love In A Faithless Country" - it has more angst than I normally write and a fairly complex emotional plot together with a fairly complex op plot, and that combo was a lot of fun. It took me a long, long time to get going on it - I got the idea at Escapade '95 and brainstormed it with some help from various members of the Local Gang plus some vital help from Lezlie and Katharine and Pam, and I even wrote down one snippet of dialogue there, but then it went into a drawer and stayed there for ten months or so before the urge to work on it returned. My fave scene in there is the Bodie-in-the-rain one, where he breaks down and cries. I wasn't sure I could actually get Bodie to cry there, if I could write a scene that would make it believable, and I wound up feeling very happy with it....."

The author later explained that writing the story was actually not that simple. In 1997 she posted a glimpse into the creative process that some writers go through:

"[I started the story] the Escapade video room, with 20 or so people around me watching Starsky & Hutch vids in the dark. I jotted down most of the dialogue for the most crucial scene.... by the flickering light of the TV screen, on the back of my Amtrak ticket envelope.......I shoved it into a drawer for months and months. Every once in a while I would pull it out and look at it. Nothing clicked. It did not want to be written. I couldn't write it. I didn't know how. It didn't even have a working title (other than "the Rachel story", and her name got changed in the end anyway). I hated the story. But every once in a while I'd mention it to someone who'd been at the Escapade brainstorming, and they'd say, "Oh, yeah, that would be a cool story", and I'd think, "Yeah, it would be great if I could write it", and then I'd get all excited about it and try to work on it and then nothing at all would happen and I'd go shove it back in the drawer again.

Turned out that the problem was so simple I felt like thumping myself over the head with a mallet when I realized what it was. It wasn't the story idea itself, which I loved, it was the stupid background plot. The B/D part of it, the relationship stuff, the emotional stuff, all the interactions and backstabbing and revelations were things I wanted to write, but the stupid idiotic thing holding me up was the case that B/D were working on throughout. I'd made it a drugs case. It stopped me cold every time. I knew nothing about it, had no interest in researching it, couldn't make myself believe in the bad guys involved, could care less about the whole thing. But B and D had to be working on a tense, involved case during this story. One day I started reading a book about close protection/bodyguarding work which had a lot of good info about dealing with assassins, and suddenly it all became clear: ditch the drug op!

Make it an assassination attempt! The minute I did that, the story began to move and flow and take shape."

Reactions and Reviews

A very long and interesting story about love and partnership and fear. My favorite story by this writer. Ray and Bodie are having a sort-of-relationship, until something happens and they end it. When they get together again, it is one of my favorite moments. I love this fic not only because of the love and the suffering, but also because there's action, and missions and normal life.

I don't really see Bodie as this insensitive, especially when it concerns Ray, yet the story still works for me. I suppose because people can hide things from themselves and do whatever it takes to steer clear of a situation that threatens. Bodie's reasons for being that way being explained also helps to make the situation more acceptable. And maybe you can run, but you can't hide as Bodie finds out for himself as Ray does everything he can, all with the best intentions, to get Bodie to see the light. So even though Bodie is portrayed a bit more callous than I see him, and Ray is portrayed a bit more needy, this is still a story I can lose myself in time and time again, reveling in the angst of it all. And I do so love stories that make their friendship the glue that holds them together, being more inportant than the attraction or even the success of the partnership, being the reason for the attaction and the success of the partnership.

Incidentally I've tried to read it just yesterday and although it seems to be quite well written I couldn't follow it through to the end because this concept of having to kiss to prove it's really love and not "only" sex is so typically female, in my opinion, that it borders on silly. If I want Harlequin I know where to buy it. Also I really, really can't stand bottom!Bodie.

...the question in this fic was not - as far as I've come reading - whether they were well and truly gay, but whether it was *lurrrve* or just fucking. Which is not really relevant for the gay-question, as you can have love without sex and sex without love being hetero or gay. And I so hate this female pre-occupation with sex as an expression of love. And that there shall not be any sex *without* love. So, while more romantic souls than me may well enjoy this fic, I certainly couldn't.

Even though neither man was portrayed exactly the way I see them, I still can enjoy the story.

I've always felt that kissing, under certain circumstances, could be more intimate than the sex so I can see where this scenario makes sense. And it's not like it's the first time it's been used in a story. Actually, it's quite common.

I didn't say that it makes no sense within the confines of that story, it's just that the eternal question "does he really lurrrve me or does he just want to fuck me?" is not one I'm interested in. And especially not if it's executed so unsubtly as in this fic.

Um, now this is what I see as a typical female resonse. From what I've been told, in a gay relationship bottom isn't the same as passive, so why would I not like one or the other of them on bottom? Why would it bother me? I'd figure if it felt good, they'd both want to give it a try.

And I would have nothing whatsoever against the guys switching every now and then - although in most established relationships people tend to develop favourite positions etc. - but the fic explicitly starts with a statement from Doyle's POV remarking that it was he who fucked Bodie and not vice versa. So, as far as I'm concerned, the author had written herself into a corner right from the start.

"Love In A Faithless Country" is a novella by Alex T. Mackenzie. Here, Bodie and Doyle have casual sex from time to time, which suits Bodie just fine; but Doyle is in love and wants more than just sex - which scares Bodie witless. Resignedly, Doyle realises he has to look elsewhere, and eventually starts dating Sara, even though he knows that his feelings for her will never reach the depths of those he still has for his partner. But Bodie has other ideas. Although not prepared to give Doyle the commitment he needs, neither is he ready to let someone else have him . . . and Sara, like most women, finds Bodie irresistible... If you like emotional angst, you'll love this.

I'm not sure if I liked this fic or not. I enjoyed the ending when they finally got together but I didn't enjoy the characterisation of Bodie. He can across as too insensitive to me. I'd like to think that he would be more honest about his feelings.

When I got to the end, I was like, huh, well, okay, it wasn't a "bad" story, but I felt so unfulfilled. Like something big was missing. It's not the writing, but maybe it's because I wasn't crazy about Bodie. I have trouble when I don't like a character in a story. Hmmm... Could be what you said. I don't dislike it, but... I'm very ambivalent about this one.

Oddly, I did really like this story first time round, which I think is because at the time I hadn't seen any episodes. Once I did, I realized that the Bodie in the story isn't the Bodie of the series. Not for me, anyway. So, while I find the story well written, inevitably it goes wrong because Bodie isn't Bodie. Truthfully, Doyle is completely Doyle, either.

I liked this one. I didn't experience Bodie as insensitive but rather insecure and not ready yet to risk being hurt in such a relationship as Doyle had in mind. And I loved the ending, with Doyle denying the promises of everlasting love Bodie demanded of him. After reading it the first time I was so impressed I sent the author an e-mail to tell her how much I liked it.

I enjoyed the fic, but Doyle felt a little bit off to me--his neediness got a little wearing. Obviously he's looking for something more lasting than Bodie is, but expecting to find it so quickly, and pursuing it so doggedly, seemed odd to me. (Not that I don't think Doyle is often stubborn in his pursuit of things...but he let Ann drive away, didn't he?) It was a good read, but I don't plan on bookmarking it, if that makes sense.

This fic was well written but I just couldn't get past the characterisation of Bodie, it was so far from how I see him that I don't think I will ever re-read it. That being said, I absolutely love some of the other stories from this author, and a lot of them are high on my favourites list.

I have several of her stories in zine form and enjoy rereading them. That this story didn't work for me takes away nothing from her as a writer. I don't expect a good writer to hit me every single time. Even my all time favourite HG has a few that didn't thrill me. Alexandra has plenty of stories to enjoy rereading.

Seems like most people weren't satisfied with Bodie, but for me it was the lovesick Doyle I couldn't get over. It was simply too out of character for me. Over all, it wasn't bad, but as a few people have already said, I won't be bookmarking this one for a later reread. However, I'm totally willing to give a try to some other fics by the same author :)

It's not my favourite Alexandra story, and I do think Doyle comes across as too needy. Maybe it's the style - I don't like too much telling in my stories & she does it a lot here. Maybe it's just OTT writing; "Perhaps Bodie had been right all along. He didn't know the first thing about love, couldn't succeed in finding the right person. Or perhaps he was simply cursed somehow, doomed to be rejected at every turn no matter what he did, with no rhyme nor reason.". This doesn't sound like Doyle to me. Bodie was better, but still a bit off.

Hmm, for once I seem to like a story more than some others do! *g* (I usually get the feeling it's the other way round) .... so that sets me to wondering why I like it. Well as several people have pointed out, and moth2fic has expressed so well, it's very well constructed; the ep-action elements work beautifully and everything fits in so well. Though I have a couple of niggles ... if you're going to give an organisation a Spanish name because it's from an overwhelmingly Spanish-speaking country, you might check that both words you pick actually exist - in Spanish or any other language. Writers often go to great lengths to check their details, so why not check a word? I confess I find this annoying, and it throws me out of a story - though it didn't stop me from enjoying the whole fic.

The other thing that threw me right out fr a moment was Doyle's ridiculously exaggerated respect for Thatcher - I thought that really was OOC for him, especially as he's often shown to be distinctly disinclined to kowtow to authority and possibly even to have (some) leftie leanings from time to time! Besides, everyone called her Maggie! Even people who approved of her!

But overall I still liked it. I don't really feel this B and D are quite as OOC as some people do ... I think this Doyle is pretty tough, actually, rather than excessively romantic, in the way he accepts that he's not going to get what he wants and sets out to cope as best he can - and refuses to promise Bodie something that can't be promised, no matter how much they both want him to. Bodie's once-bitten-twice-shy thing is a bit stretched here, perhaps, but quite a tenable position for him on the whole - not so far from the possible range of character for him as to be impossible to relate to.

IMHO, the plot is fine and the problem IS in the writing, particularly the pace of it. Like others, I find Doyle too needy, but I think Alexandra is just being bit abrupt about it, too upfront and explicit.

This fic could have been a lot more satisfying and less open to the criticisms voiced here by a writer who took longer to let the characters understand their feelings, and the readers too. For instance, we are introduced to Bodie's feelings with this stark thought And that's all it's ever going to be, he mentally added. Because I sure as hell couldn't handle falling for you, not in a million years.

Doyle falling for Bodie, Doyle falling for Sarah, Doyle telling Bodie some home truths before thumping him, Bodie's revelation about his mother (although we did have liberal hints about mothers), it's all too fast, hence we are unconvinced.

But I think the elements were there - for instance I am quite convinced that a man who was abandoned by his mother could have difficulties in relationships with women and with loving relationships. Not quite sure how you get there from canon, but Doyle's "You don't really like women, do you?" was rather striking.

Alexandra's writing is Romantic (a quality I very much appreciate in Pros fandom), she paints in oils with rich, deep shades rather than delicate translucent watercolours.

Her lads ooze sexual attractiveness - it is completely obvious that they should fall for each other, and everyone should love them. They are witty and intelligent (I do love Bodie moving in on Sarah at the Bodleian!), capable of friendship and love. Just the way I like them, in fact.

I find if there is a story where the characterisation is wrong (for me), then this same characterisation might run through the rest of the author's fics, and so they become stories I rarely revisit. Of course not every story by an author may please, but the authors I tend to bookmark seem to share my vision of how B & D act. This still doesn't mean I love every story of theirs, but the thing that I might not like is the subject or setting, rather than to wonder who these strange men are calling themselves B & D.

As I was reading this, I was thinking that this was true for me also, but then it occurred to me that there are various characterizations that aren't exactly true to my vision of the lads, but for some reason I still love the stories. This happens often in AU. Larton is one example -- not the lads, but yet enough of the lads...and what isn't the lads is still really appealing to me. Or Kate MacLean or Angelfish or Helen Raven. None of these portrayals is always and exactly my vision of the lads, and yet their vision is both riveting and convincing enough that I can go with it.

So I wonder if some of it has to do with more than accuracy of capturing canon (which is, I'm willing to admit, subjective). Maybe it's some knack for creating characters that are appealing in their own right? Like, it's not Doyle and Bodie, but I still really like (or at least am interested in) these guys whoever they are?

So then the problem with works like LiaFC is...these characters don't ring true and they aren't appealing enough in their original aspects?

You see, for me Larton is the lads - I still recognise those characters as B & D, the B & D I love on the screen. Their reactions, personalities, quirks, traits - all this is there (for me) so I can quite happily read them as authors and horse trainers and painters and anything as long as I see them as the lads. This is oh-so important to me when reading AU - they still have to be recognisably my vision of the lads. If they are I can quite happily read them as anything! If they aren't then it could be almost a transcripted ep and I'd still put it down.

It's interesting though that you can still read stories without it being entirely your vision of the lads. I understand what you say about creating characters that are appealing in their own right, but if I am here for B & D, then I just don't waste time with anything else. If I want characters that are appealing in their own right I would pull a book from the shelf. I'm trying to think how I read other fan fic, whether it matters how well I know the canon etc... and I still think even if I am only vaguely aware of the film / story (seen once, say) that the fic has to still be my vision of whoever it is. Subjective I know!

I agree that the characters in LiaFC don't ring true and aren't appealing enough - also down below your comment mentions the dialogue, and I think that is a major part of why I cannot read this fic. The story itself is interesting, but I cannot ever imagine B & D saying half of what they say in this fic!

That's an interesting point about one's taste changing the longer you're in the fandom. Initially I was so critical I enjoyed almost nothing -- and all I wanted to read were case-based CI5 stories. I couldn't wrap my mind around the notion of AU. (What was the POINT?!)

But then something happened. I relaxed a little, I guess. And I began to consider the validity of fan fic as its own artform. And I began to enjoy a lot more stories -- including AU (in fact, some AU stories are now my very favorites).

As far as "Love in a Faithless Country"...I love the story idea. It's one of my favorites -- one of the lads is in love with the other who, for whatever reason, doesn't reciprocate (or doesn't realize he does). And it's a nice long story -- and a CI5 case-based story. My problem is with execution and characterization.

For me, it's not Bodie that rings false as much as Doyle. Doyle is just...fingernails on a blackboard. All that thinking and moping about his feelings. As others have said, it's just too needy and emo for blokes a) in this profession, b) as the character appears in canon... [excerpt from story snipped]

The writing is mostly competent but uninspired. As someone else pointed out, there's a lot of telling rather than showing, a lot of exposition, a lot of thinky bits.

This was a beautifully crafted and written story. I love the way the ‘episode’a nd the romantic problems were so effortlessly interwoven, the way everything was solved but not tritely and the way the case and the romance echoed each other in many ways - the uncertainties, the periods of boredom, the sudden epiphanies, the twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a story. However, as a Pros story I wasn’t quite convinced. Neither Bodie nor Doyle seemed quite in keeping with my Bodie and Doyle. Bodie was too aloof and afraid of contact, and Doyle was too intense and romantic. ‘My’ Doyle and Bodie are not as opposite, not as extreme, not, for that matter, as introspective. I liked the way they almost didn’t resolve the stiuation and I liked the ending but wasn’t at all certain the lads would have reacted this way. Sometimes I feel a writer has a story to tell and has hung it on a fandom in order to get it to an audience; this was one of those times, and whilst I enjoyed it - a lot - I think that, for me, is its greatest flaw.