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A Jericho Fan Fiction Archive
Great Ending! I really enjoyed reading it.
I could just picture how cute Lindee looked in her pumpkin costumes with her 'round cheeks and bright eyes'. I just love how Jake has a soft spot for her. He really does seem taken with her. I thought your Stanley was great - right in character. I just loved his interaction with LIndee , how she reminded Stanley and Mimi of Bonnie and how Stanley recognized some of Lindee's expressions as Mimi's.
I liked how you portrayed Stanley's and Jake's friendship and was glad to see that they seem just as close as ever. The story about Crazy Harold's Bridge really had me laughing. Johnston pretending he was Harold, carrying a lantern to scare Jake in order to teach him a lesson was right in character I thought. Even the part Eric played in the story - telling Johnston about Stanley and Jake's plans - was very much in character.
I really liked your idea of telling us about Heather's world through her TV interview. I can definitely see Heather stepping into her role in Cheyenne but at the same time feeling uncomfortable with the recognition and the extra protection Jake thought she needed. What I found interesting was the contrast in Heather's utilitarian apartment in Cheyenne and her homey apartment in Jericho. These things made me think that while Heather doing what she thought she needed to do there she wasn't truly happy. I really enjoyed how Heather and Jake cooked together and how they opened up with each other about themselves. . I really respected Jake for recognizing Heather's need to accomplish what she set out to do in Cheyenne and for putting her needs above his own by not acting on his impulse to tell her how he really felt before he left her apartment after dinner.
I really liked all the interaction between Jake and Heather at Bailey's and later at Crazy Harold's Bridge. I was glad that Jake won at darts and how he made the stakes negotiable this year. The scene at Crazy Harold's Bridge was so romantic. I just loved how Jake was able to show Heather all of Jericho at one time. Also, the story about Heather and her cat was very telling about how she actually felt about her life in Cheyenne. Although there was a part of me that wished that Heather would just stay in Jericho I did think you ended it perfectly. I do believe, however, that Jake will be making a lot of trips to Cheyenne as well as Heather coming home more often.
Great story! Thanks for posting it.
Excellent! I was looking forward to reading the third part of this story, and was so pleased to see it posted. I really enjoyed reading it!
I loved this glimpse into the future, with the reminiscing about the past that came up as well. So much changes between each year, yet some things stay the same. As usual, you do such a good job of weaving all this information together in a few scenes, between a few characters.
I love Stanley, and was so impressed with the way you captured him in these scenes. He's his usual self in some ways, joking and enjoying the time he has with his friends and family, but he also seems to have grown, and carried his memories of the bad times with him as well, though he may not readily talk about those. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but he does seem a bit older and wiser. He made me laugh, and I so loved his interactions with his daughter. Lindee, as well, is adorable and I love how she reminds everyone of Bonnie.
I laughed so much over the story about Jake and Stanley and the McElvoy sisters at Crazy Harold's bridge. It just seemed like something that would happen with each of these characters - that Eric would pass the message along to Johnston, that Johnston would take the opportunity for this practical joke, and that Stanley would see the amusement in it. Poor Jake - but his reaction is priceless, and so in character.
Being introduced to the present day Heather on tv was interesting - even a little surreal at first, as I imagine it was for Jake and Stanley. I thought it was so interesting, the choices you made with her here, becoming the 'face of resistance' and dealing with the responsibilities that accompany her new status. On the one hand, it's completely like her to take this on, and on the other hand, it seems like a completely strange and surreal life for her to step into. I think you did a great job capturing that, a sort of ambivalence Heather feels, and that she is both great at her job and completely out of place in Colombus at the same time.
Jake's reaction to her was very interesting too, as was his growth over the year since we saw him last. You also captured a great sort of inner conflict with him as well - he's realized he's comfortable being where he is, and living where he wants to be, in a place that is home, yet he also feels the restlessness of someone who wants something more. I was as surprised as he was to see Heather come back, even though I would have imagined she would because the story is about the tradition between the two of them.
I loved all the interaction between Jake and Heather. You capture these two so well, in every scenario you put them in. I was glad Jake got to win at darts this year, and change up the tradition a bit. The return to Harold's bridge was great, and you really did keep me in suspense until the end as to whether or not they would finally stop holding back all those things they've been thinking about while they thought no one was looking. I was glad to see them finally take that step. And the ending was perfect!
Great work, Sandra, and thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Penny! it was fun to go ahead in the storyline presented to us on the show and put my own spin on what I would like to see happen. That, of course, resulted in Jake and Emily being far, far away from one another. ;)
So this was my very first time writing Stanley. I was hoping that I was getting him right. When I write, I try to imagine the scenario playing out in my head. I'm guessing most writers do this. Anyhow, if I can't picture it happening, then I know I'm not on the right track. For some reason, I could picture Stanley sneaking his baby into Bailey's when Mimi wasn't looking. I mean, any guy who pipes up and says, "This isn't Red Dawn!" is a different kind of guy. I heart Stanley, but I have to admit that I was intimidated at writing him. I think that sometimes he is portrayed as clownish, but there is so much more to Stanley than that. I'm glad I was able to convey his multi-faceted nature.
Jake and Stanley's remembrances of the night at Crazy Harold's Bridge were fun to write because the two were coming from such polar opposite vantage points.
Glad you liked the introduction to present-day Heather. I have to admit that the interview was a bit of a cheat. I needed a way to fill in the gaps of what happened in the last year, and I thought it would be an interesting way to tackle that. As I mentioned to Marzee, I don't think the face of the resistance is the role that Heather would seek out, but like much that happened to her on the show, she sort of fell into her situation. Being the trooper that she is, she's going to do whatever needs to be done, even, as it turns out, at her own expense.
I have to admit that I looked at this part as being my "And now Jake's grown up" chapter. He was getting there in part 2, but this part solidified that in my mind. Of course, Heather had to come back to this Jake, the Jake who would be willing to admit his feelings, the Jake who would be willing to move forward with her.
Thank you again for your comments!
Lovely conclusion, Sandra.
I appreciate this story for the fact that it is Heather who makes her way out into the world, and who becomes the famous one. It's twist I haven't read before and it is refreshing. Still though, my romantic emotional leanings just want to yell that there has to be somebody else who can do all that political crap -- that or they can find a way for Heather to do what's absolutely essential from Jericho. Maybe Jake can become a frequent commuter to Columbus? Heather needs more than 90 minutes of teaching a week to keep her human, to keep her whole.
As for the rest... Lindee sounds adorable in her pumpkin costume .... loved 'hearing' Heather's interview with Larry King .... laughed at Heather disguised as a nun. I'm glad that Jake finally won a darts match, and especially happy about the terms that were eventually negotiated.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your comments, Marzee. I hadn't really thought about it, but I don't recall a story where Heather went out in the world and became a national figure, either. Hmmm. She's certainly not a character that would pursue fame, but I guess in this story, her choices led her down the road of recognition.
I can't tell you how I agonized over how to end the story. Like you, the romantic side of me wanted to have Heather just toss everything aside and move back to Jericho. I just couldn't make myself write it, though. It didn't seem realistic, given their circumstances, i.e. they are finally admitting their feelings and willing to explore where it takes them. Heather moving back to Jericho to be with him seems premature, though in my mind, that is what would eventually happen. Likewise, in my mind, Jake is inextricably tied to Jericho; I can't imagine him living in Columbus, though certainly, I can see him visiting frequently.
And yeah, Jake had to finally win at darts. He was due bragging rights and everything that goes along with it.
Heehee...and I'm glad you could tell that was Larry King. I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that . I should've known that I could count on you to, though.
Thanks again!