rec: the stardust trail leading back to you, by queenofhearts

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Yesterday we lost a member of the Doctor Who family: the lovely Elisabeth Sladen, who portrayed Sarah Jane Smith, one of the most popular characters in the history of the Whoniverse. In light of this sad event, I tried to think of what kind of fic I myself would want to read today, and came up with the choice below. It's one of the first fics I ever read on Teaspoon, and it's still an all-time favorite of mine. It brings me comfort today, and I hope it does the same for you:

Story: The Stardust Trail Leading Back to You
Author: queenofhearts
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1499
Author's Summary: The night sky exploded with diamonds; a sea of white hot sparks that hung in the air for a split second, motionless.
Characters/Pairings: Sarah Jane Smith, Eighth Doctor, Maria Jackson, Luke Smith, Clyde Langer
Warnings: None

Recced because: The Eighth Doctor happens across Sarah Jane, who is watching fireworks with Maria, Luke and Clyde. (Although the teens appear in the fic, no knowledge of Sarah Jane Adventures is needed -- I hadn't seen the show when I first read this.) The writing is descriptive and lyrical, weaving the scene and then immersing us in it until we're carried along with the characters, enjoying their reunion. But what really sets this fic apart is the ending, as the author steps back and leaves the scene to the Doctor and Sarah, and to them alone. All we know is that whatever happened, it made the Doctor happy. We're left to invent the details, but rather than being frustrating, the ambiguity makes it a perfect little moment, residing forever within our imaginations.

( A sample )

rec: she was always, by primsong

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow I'll resume reccing the fics I originally planned to rec this week, but before I do, I have one quick "bonus" rec that seems particularly appropriate to share right now -- a short (144-word) poem about Sarah Jane:

Story: She Was Always
Author: Primsong
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 144
Author's Summary: The Doctor does not often lend himself to poetry, but then, there isn't often someone quite this special.
Characters/Pairings: Sarah Jane Smith, the Doctor
Warnings: Might make you cry.

Recced because: Primsong is one of those talented authors who can write good fanfic and good poetry. I've always thought this poem was gorgeous, but now with the loss of Lis Sladen, it's become especially poignant.