Recovery Epic

Sentinel Fanfiction
Title:	Recovery Epic
Author(s):	LitGal
Date(s):	2005
Length:	91,992 words
Genre:	Gen, Pre-Slash and Slash
Fandom:	The Sentinel
External Links:	Recovery - The First Cycle, Recovery - The Second Cycle, Recovery - The Third Cycle Recovery Epic on AO3 fic: sentinel: recovery epic on LiveJournal Cover by LitGal
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Recovery Epic is a Jim/Blair story by LitGal, divided into three cycles, each of them being rated differently. It was written for the fanfic100 challenge.

Summary

Recovery Epic:

• The First Cycle: Blair can no longer stay in Cascade and tries to make a new life. Gen

• The Second Cycle: Jim shows up in Phoenix on the trail of a killer, and he's not willing to give up on Blair. Gen/Pre-Slash

• The Third Cycle: The guys come home to a loft that no longer feels quite like home and a relationship that's definitely changed. Slash

Awards and Nominations

Award banner for completing the fanfic100 challenge.

• Rerun Award Nominee - After the Fact Award
• Light my Fire Nominee 2006 - Novel (Slash)
• Light my Fire Nominee 2006 - Post-TSbyBS (Slash)

Comments by the Author

You know, my hands down favorite of my own stories is Recovery Epic. There are chapters of that where I got one comment. The chapter where I got the most comments turned into a debate about whether I had fucked up Blair characterization, a debate which did lead to some excellent revision, but still. However, I still like Recovery Epic more than most of what I've written. I think sometimes LJ leads us to do the reply comparing (guilty myself) and get jealous (I've watched my corner of the Buffy fandom implode over some) and get paranoid, but we aren't writing for money or fame here, we're writing for ourselves. So, I'll go on prefering Recovery Epic over Guidelines or Cybersnoop or Hunting Mecca, and you go on writing the novel, off-the-wall stories which many people will adore.

You were one of the bright spots because you did always comment. And I love you for that. I know that the story was a little experimental, and not everyone liked the fragmented style, but I love it, and I guess that's the point. You can't always be popular, but you need to like your own stuff! If other people come along for the ride, that's the icing on the cake, and you are wonderful icing, hon. I bet no one has ever told you that before.

Realistic kink works better in a realistic story. Most of my stories are written around actual *gasp* plot. I try to have my kink be realistic because when the realism of a crime case or an adventure is put up against unrealistic kink, one or the other seems wildly out of place. So, in Recovery Epic, Blair and Jim are trying out the gay thing. Their first time in bed consists of some 'ow's and Jim refusing to do the deed because he can smell blood. A fantasy first time in the middle of them realistically trying to find their way thought a relationship would have absolutely undermined the message of the story.

Reactions and Reviews

Not your typical post TS by BS fic. Rather than focusing on Blair's depression and angst, Recovery Epic is about how he moved on and became a cop in his own right, rather than just hanging on Jim's coattails. First step: leave Cascade. It's not always an easy journey (especially once Blair gets back to Cascade and finds that it's just so easy to fall back into familiar patterns -- the same patterns that hadn't worked the first time), but it's a meaningful and believable one. The Blair at the end of this fic is stronger and happier than the Blair at the beginning and you get to see every step of his growth. Spot-on characterization of Blair and Jim are coupled with some of my favorite OCs ever; mix in a layered, interesting plot and you have a fantastic, intelligent post-series fic.

Recovery Epic is a series of episodic vignettes from Blair’s pov, charting his personal and professional progress, firstly as he struggles through the pain of making a life for himself away from Cascade and Jim, and later, on his return to the North West. It’s set after the series ends and is gen-ish for the first two thirds, then slash for the final stretch. The characterisations are pin-sharp; the author builds on canon confidently and convincingly; and grown-up Blair is a joy to read. lit_gal is also exceptionally skilled with OCs, of which I’m usually more than a bit wary. But here they’re wonderful to a man and woman, enhancing the story and the main characters without ever trying to draw the attention onto themselves.

I really like this story. I haven't been this excited about a story in a long time, and I just couldn't wait for your Jim and Blair to get together. They were so cute!

ximeria 

Summary: After Blair graduates from the academy and becomes a detective, Jim remains aloof and Simon still treats Blair like a tag-along. He decides to strike out on his own. His car breaks down in Phoenix, Arizona and, while he's waiting for the mechanic to look at it, he stops a robbery. Upon questioning him, the captain offers him a job with Phoenix PD.

He quickly becomes part of the new team, feeling more accepted than he did by many cops in Cascade. He's successful in his job, but that doesn't fill the emptiness he's felt since leaving Jim. Then, out of the blue, Jim shows up, on the trail of a serial killer from Cascade who's made his way south.

Reccer's Notes: LitGal did a great job bringing Blair's new situation to life. The original characters are interesting and believable, and you can feel the shimmering Phoenix heat she describes. She originally wrote the series for a FanFic 100 challenge, with segments of the stories written to specific prompts. Enjoy.