New fic: "Unresolved"

[freya922]

SUMMARY: Dean’s in deep trouble and Sam’s ability to help is undermined by the tattered state of their relationship post-Gadreel. Sam takes desperate action: he talks to someone. A Season 9 story spanning the time between Captives and Do You Believe in Miracles? though events of earlier seasons are also mentioned. Beta'ed by the incomparable scullspeare.

Comments

[madebyme_x]

Second time around and I'm still in awe of what you achieved here!

You really delved into some of the issues raised in this season, in a refreshing way, with no finger-pointing.

Well done you! Such an enjoyable read. Take care :)

[freya922]

Thanks SO much! I really appreciate you reading it, especially twice. You are the best.

[kalliel]

This is so fabulous. <33 Some of the premises in this fic are things I'm often reluctant to engage with in fandom, so I was tentative at first--but the summary was too intriguing to pass up. And I am glad I did! You explore so much of where Sam and Dean are at by late S9 (a tremendous undertaking under any circumstances, and in any quantity) with such inspiring sensitivity, nuance, and perceptiveness. And in addition to that, you're also writing Sam struggling with the same topics, and you're able to deftly manage both the narrative as a whole and Sam's internal processes in just this totally magical way. His anxiety, frustration, fear, strength, love come across in this with shining complexity--neither oversimplified, nor convoluted and illegible. Again, magic. And Brian's positionality here is so great, and he is so great, and the relationship he builds in 50 minutes with Sam is so great, and everything about the way you've done this fic is great, basically.

Thank you SO much for this! Fantastic work.

[kalliel]

OH ALSO, I didn't read the full header, so I didn't realize this spanned all the way through 9x23, and as Sam's narrative shifted into that territory and the emotions of the fic just surged in that final part, I was totally blown away. Brava, brava. <3

[freya922]

kalliel, I can't thank you enough. What you got out of Unresolved is everything I'd hoped readers would. I don't mind saying it was pretty daunting to attempt the whole "therapy session with a Winchester" idea, and I am so pleased that you found that the story, even if it was mostly two people sitting there talking, packed a punch!

[themegalosaurus]

ARGH this was so good. Beautifully written and exactly on point with how I understand the boys' relationship. I felt so terrible for Sam at the end. He always feels so responsible for everything. I so wish they can work all this through (even without the benefit of a Brian) in season 10!

[freya922]

Thank you so much, themegalosaurus. I'm right there with you as far as Season 10 goes - I want them to find their way back to each other and understand some of this stuff about each other...! Oh, the angst.

[borgmama1of5]

Aaaaagh!

This is EVERYTHING I have wanted for Sam and Dean to understand for the last 2 years--after some episodes I have desperately wanted to sit them down on a couch and make them see what the other one is feeling...Brian has amazing insight and we really need him on the show talking to the boys!!!

And then, when there was just getting to be light at the end of the tunnel...you extinguished the light...

I am crying so hard...

[freya922]

borgmama1of5 (and I love your name), thank you so much! It is especially gratifying that the fic made you cry. (Wow, that sounds so wrong.) I know exactly what you mean about sitting the boys down on a couch and making them understand where the other is coming from. I guess that's what drove me to write this story. Brian's the stand-in for all of us who are dying to gently (or not so gently) confront a Winchester about his blindness, or denial, or unfounded lack of self worth.

[twin_feathers]

This was heartbreakingly beautiful. It fills in the missing gaps of this past season wonderfully and gives us a thourough understanding of Sam's mindset at the time. In a way it also makes the broken relationship of the brothers more bearable for me because of the way you described the complexity of their love for each other...

I don't usually leave a lot of comments (much to my own shame :-S) but I just wanted to say that this must be one of the best and truest-ringing stories I have ever read in this forum! Please keep on writing! Simply fantastic.

[freya922]

twin_feathers, your review means all the more since you don't usually leave them. Thank you so much for your kind words and support. I am so pleased that the story spoke to you, and especially that it made the broken state of the brothers' relationship more bearable. I guess that's why I wrote it - so many things that needed to be SAID.