Stockholm Syndrome (Tearing Down the House)

Fanfiction
Title:	Stockholm Syndrome
Author(s):	Synecdochic
Date(s):	15 March 2006
Length:
Genre(s):	fanfiction
Fandom(s):	Stargate Atlantis
Relationship(s):
External Links:	online here
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Stockholm Syndrome (Tearing Down the House) is a Stargate Atlantis story by mousewitch.

It was written for the Left Behind Challenge.

Pairings: McKay/Sheppard, McKay/OMC, then McKay/Sheppard again

Posting Timing

Some fans discussing recs at The Cutting Board commented on this story and how it was posted at roughly the same time as Freedom's Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose, something they felt reduced the attention "Stockholm Syndrome" should have received.

One conversation: cupidsbow: "Really? Not recced? I'm so surprised by that, as it's fantastic. I get so little time online, so I hadn't realised it hadn't been recced all over the place. I would have thought it would be a real jumping off point for discussion too."

wickedwords: "it was bad timing for her. the story that ate fandom was posted around the same time, and people were so busy processing that and having conversations around that, that (IMO) less new fiction got picked up and spread around."

cupidsbow: "Yes, "Freedom" has been a bit of a monster in terms of monopolising fannish headspace, hasn't it? Still, aren't we lucky to have such diversity in this fandom that a story as good as "Stockholm" can exist side-by-side with it?"

wickedwords: "That sort of thing always happens, and while it's a bitch for those of us that posted something around the same time, it is a function of life. You never know who else is going to be posting, and you never know what stories are going to take off, and which ones are going to be the answer to the category "Story most underappreciated by the universe, in my opinion" if you fill out the year-end wrap-up meme. Plus it's not like she was underappreciated. She may not have gathered a lot of recs as everyone was doing meta at the time, but she did get 3 pages of comments. I'd count anything of mine that got that many to be a huge, roaring success."

katydidmischief: "Nope, it was by sheer happenstance that I'd read it and I thought everyone was going to talk about it, but no one did. wickedwords is right, it did come out around the time as the other and it got lost in the deluge."

Recs and Reviews: Excerpts Posted at Story's LiveJournal Site

The story garnered 167 comments.

This is a lovely story, and Rodney's pain and fear was very real here. I really liked the part where he was dissecting every interaction he had with people he trusted, trying to make sense of why they left him because it seems like such a logical thing to do in such a situation. And I loved your portrayal of Sheppard here as well,in the hands of a writer who isn't careful in how every character is portrayed, Sheppard could of come off as unlikeable, but I felt just as much for him in the end. Also, I'm a huge fan of your OC characters, I just reread Down to You, and I could see why Rodney trusted Jonah and he came off as very sympathetic as well. Excellent story, this is a keeper:)

EEEEEE! *muffles self* Mmmphh! Oh my God, that was horribly tense and amazing; I kept getting this awful, tight panicky feeling in my chest every time I thought Rodney might stay forever. That was just masterful. Wow.

Oh, so sad. I - Oh. Your writing is amazing and beautiful. The story just seems to flow down the page and pool, paused for a moment, above the third section's starting point, and then it somehow speeds up and wham! hits you at the knees with Rodney, in Atlantis, feeling like a prisoner and, oh god. Then it's all panicky unhappiness and confusion swirling around 'til that final shock - which, thank you, if you hadn't ended it on a hopeful note I may have experienced a fatal error and needed a frakking reboot or something. No mas trauma, por favor. I'm too emotional for this today, dammit. It's so pretty but it hurts. *hugs you and cries on your shoulder*

Wonderful story - I was caught from the moment I started; you had me right there with poor Rodney. Ronon's part was inspired. I could definitely see the man being able to irritate a body into talking when they didn't want to: the way he watches so intently, without a word, would be very trying for even the most stubborn person.