To Love That Well

Fanfiction
Title:	To Love That Well
Author(s):	PFL
Date(s):	1999, 2004
Length:	69K, 12,350 words
Genre(s):	slash, Bodie/Dr Robert Kingsford
Fandom(s):	The Professionals, Always and Everyone
Relationship(s):
External Links:	*Story Link on The Hatstand *Story Link on The Circuit Archive *PFL at An Archive Of Our Own *PFL on The Circuit Archive *PFL on The Automated Hatstand *PFL on The Hatstand *PFL on LiveJournal
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"To Love That Well" is a The Professionals, Always and Everyone crossover story by PFL. This story was originally published in the zine Roses and Lavender 3 by Allamagoosa Press in October, 1999. It was posted to The Circuit Archive on October 8, 2004. It was also posted to The Hatstand. This story is classified as deathfic and relates to older lads (the actors as older characters).

This story crosses the character of Bodie from The Professionals with Dr Robert Kingsford from Always and Everyone. Dr Kingsford was portrayed by Martin Shaw, who played Ray Doyle in The Professionals. Ray Doyle does not appear in this story.

Reviews/Reactions

A wonderfully structured and detailed story by an author whose narratives I invariably enjoy. I've never seen the Brit series Always and Everyone, but the story's easy to follow due to the author's care in establishing the A&E world. Robert Kingsford, played by Martin Shaw, comes across nicely as a character I learn to care about in the space of the story due to the mingling of flashbacks and present-time sequences that give me knowledge about and insights into him.

This is a Bodie/Kingsford story, projecting Bodie into the future. There's no Doyle in this story or universe--he never existed here--but Bodie is in CI5, having reached the position of Co-Controller. The story is in Kingsford's pov as he unexpectedly meets Bodie again after years of separation when Bodie is brought to the hospital after an accident

The story is a sad one and if it were Bodie/Doyle, well, I wouldn't like it! But because I'm less emotionally invested in these two particular characters being together, I can read and appreciate the fine writing and feel the sorrow in their situation and Kingsford's pain and wallow in the whole thing. The writing's bloody fine, well-controlled emotionally and textually, and I'm thankful it's not B/D so my wussness doesn't interfere with the pleasure of reading it.

A mercenary in Africa, Bodie meets a young doctor, Robert Kingsford. They meet again, in a hospital, 30 years later. In this universe Bodie's in CI5, Doyle doesn't exist. A perfect first-time/re-encounter story, my favorite x-over.

Also noteworthy is the second of PFL's stories, To Love that Well", which is a crossover with A&E that hits me where it hurts the most in the heart. It's sad, as only the author of "I Will Lay Down My Heart" can do sad. And that's generally too sad for me! This story drew me in despite myself, however, because the writing is good, yes, but mostly because the emotions are pure crystal. They're dazzling and sweet and irresistible. I've never seen Martin Shaw's new hospital drama, but that didn't matter in reading this story. Robert Kingsford came alive for me through PFL's relaxed introduction to his world of the resus unit. She's an author who is willing to take her time to lay the groundwork for the story exactly enough to clue in the newcomer, and yet not - I think - too much for the person familiar with the show. Threaded through the narrative present are flashbacks detailing Robert's youthful relationship with a mercenary soldier named Bodie, who unexpectedly arrives as a patient in the unit. The unresolved feelings between them surge up, sparking the waves of memories, each of which heightens the emotional impact as their present-time relationship in middle age sparks again in heated ways that neither of them can - or eventually want to - ignore.