Love Lies Bleeding by Shoshanna

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Online at:

The Circuit Archive: http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/8/lovelies.html
The Hatstand:http://www.thisland.ca/professionals/bleeding.html

Very short introduction: if you've read this story, please share your thoughts on it with a comment below.



A very hard-edged, gritty story which involves Bodie, Doyle and a third agent. Originally I was going to say that one of the main reasons why the story appeals to me is because I loved the author's portrayal of Bodie: morally ambiguous and in the context of good vs. bad or black cowboy hat vs. white cowboy hat, he'd definitely be wearing grey or stripey; but thinking again I realise that view is rubbish and in this story at least there's very little room for ambiguity in Bodie's actions i.e. he'd willingly ignore any moral or legal code in order to protect his partner. An interesting question for me here is, if the situation they find themselves in was reversed, how would Doyle react? Which of his ideals would triumph?

Comments

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ye gods, I have to go and re-read this one, after that review! I shall return!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Ah, I like this one. Dark and disquieting, but so bloody well written. It has the plot and pace of an episode and a structure that flashes back and forth a bit, which just increases the reader's curiosity. And Bodie. That's it, isn't it? Anything to protect his partner.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

We had a conversation about this one at ZCon. I agree, it's a very unsettling read... the moral ambiguity of Bodie, and what Doyle will do when he finds out how far Bodie will go...

Well written, though, and I haul it out every so often when I feel like something dark.

[birggitt.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember this story too well! When I first read it, I was so sucked into it, I couldn't stop reading.
It's really good written, and yes, I love when characters are a little off in morals. What I mean is: moral is just a set of rules, but rules could, and often are, insufficient. You need to take your own decisions and accept whatever consequence come up.
Bodie, here, is ready to do whatever it takes to protect his partner. Whatever.
Because, in his book, this is higher than any other thing: duty or work, or laws.
And I love him for this.
And I want to believe Doyle would do the same think if the situation was reversed. Actually, I'm sure he would do the same.
I completely trust my boys to do the really right thing =D

[ancastar.livejournal.com]

Not quite the way I envision the lads, but yeah--gotta love a Bodie who will jump to the dark side for his partner.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Somebody needs to send me more details and heavy-duty spoilers privately so I can decide on this one, because I love me some killer Bodie out to protect Ray. I don't want to blow the entire story for others who are willing to take the plunge.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Very thrilling and – surprising!
Does anybody know if there exists some kind of sequel?
I really would like to know if Doyle would stay with Bodie – I don’t think so!
I sometimes considered what could be an occasion to separate Bodie and Doyle – this could be one!

[blkandwhtcat.livejournal.com]

I think it was a very interesting, but totally unbelievable and OOC, view of Bodie. Which makes it an interesting read, but not something that I see as a real B/D story.

[intheyear2004.livejournal.com]

Hey, I was on the verge of asking for this on ProsFinder, as I couldn't remember the title or the author. I even wasn't quite sure if it wasn't really an ep.

I love this fic and from my viewpoint it's absolutely in character. I would expect Bodie to be able to do such a thing - although I don't see Ray reciprocating. It's just not in his make-up.

Anyway, I'm glad to have found this fic again, so thanks for the rec!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I think it *is* in Bodie's character - and that's not a criticism but is one of the things I love about him: the potential for ruthlessness and violence, the icy exterior which conceals so many possibilities for all kinds of extremes, and yet, yet, he is capable of loving Doyle above all else. And if the situation was reversed? I don't know about Doyle. I think he'd be really conflicted between the two 'right' things in his life: doing the right thing according to the everyday legalistic and philosophical norms of society i.e. not shooting someone in cold blood (especially a colleague) and doing the right thing according to the emotional norms of most people, but particularly Doyle, that you do your utmost to protect the interests of the one you love.

[intheyear2004.livejournal.com]

I, too, have no difficulty with Bodie being ruthless and violent, and mostly don't like fics that try to make him 'better'. I don't think the lads were half as interesting, if they were perfect saints.

As for why I don't see Ray shoot anyone in cold blood... can't reason, it's something I feel in my guts. I don't think he would feel it could ever be the 'right' thing to kill someone who's in your custody, but you care for less in order to save someone you love. Otoh, I have no doubt that he would die for Bodie, if necessary.