rec [fic]: The Splintering by pqlaertes

[justmcshane]

Rec bingo - my card is here, and this is for the fifth row, fourth column prompt: betrayal
EDIT: hey, I guess this also counts for the monthly theme too! Nice.

Title: The Splintering
Creator: pqlaertes

Rating: General

Word Count/Length/Size: 3182 words

Creator's Summary: The Doctor and Ace try to avoid the fate the Virgin New Adventures hold for them.

Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Seventh Doctor, John Constantine, The Stranger, Miss Brown, The Valeyard, Death of the Endless

Warnings/Notes: The author has said that no archive warnings apply, but somebody does get stabbed. This story is also a crossover with several other things, none of which I know entirely well at all, including: Hellblazer, the Sandman comics, and The Stranger, which was pretty much a BBV Doctor Who spinoff. I don't think you need to be familiar with any of these, really.

Reasons for reccing: Sometimes a story just grabs you. There's something about the way it's written, the careful way that the characters are presented and portrayed, the story and wording, and you know that if it's too long you're going to be up past midnight reading onwards; trying to get to the end. This, if you hadn't guessed already, is one of those stories. And thank god it's only about 3k words because, honestly, I could read this author's writing all night. 

I first found this fic on an ancient archive of Doctor Who fanfiction that I suspect was created pre-2000. That archive has long since been deleted, and when I couldn't find it again, I was very upset. Thankfully, the author has put all (or most) of their fic onto AO3, which means that one of my favorite fics of all time has been saved!

Disclaimer: I actually do like the VNAs, most of the time. They're good books, and they have fascinating plots and interesting characters, and I think I've actually read all of them at this point. But every time I go back to read them, I can't help but feel a tiny bit chagrined at the direction that they took Ace's character in. I don't think I'd ever be able to write a VNA!Ace fic, not really - she just doesn't feel quite the same. And that's probably why I can easily imagine the events of The Splintering taking place - I can see why the Doctor and Ace (and others) would want to try to avoid the future where they become bitter, cold and distrustful of each other. 
 

So, how to describe this story? It's a surreal, sad and ultimately hopeful story that combines a lot of my favorite tropes to wonderful effect. It's one of those stories that I save for a day when I'm feeling a bit disillusioned with my own writing and I need to be reminded of how brilliant fanfiction can be. The ending always fills my chest with a warm, bright emotion that I can't quite describe. Even if you don't know the crossovers in question (like me. I don't know anything about Hellblazer and I'm only tangentially aware of what The Stranger is) I do advise you to check it out - and give the author some love!

They had been driving all night, and Ace was finally beginning to feel a little better. Somewhere in Greece, the Doctor had stopped by the side of the road and bought a coarse woven blanket. She had tried to tell him not to, that they couldn't afford to stop, but she had been too weak even to speak. The blanket lay soft and warm over her lap now, and she found she could squeeze a little fold of it between her fingers if she concentrated.

The car was small and boxy and blue, it reminded her of the TARDIS. God she missed the TARDIS.

She closed her eyes and the girl was there again. "Well, you're just about ready, Ace." She said. She was small and pale and she had something of the Doctor's ancient childishness in her smile. To Ace it looked like she was sitting crosslegged on the bonnet of the car, unchilled in her black jeans and lacy tank top. Blood loss. Hallucinations.

"Why are you helping me?" in this dream, Ace could speak and move and there was no dried blood cracking and flaking on her back, sticking her to the upholstery.

"I'm not really helping, Ace. I'm just doing my job, and letting what happens happen."

"Your job?"

"Don't be stupid, Ace. We haven't got much time." The girl's hand, the color of white lace and nothingness pushed her back to the car. This time she managed to turn her head and look at the Doctor. There was a new streak of white at his temple. (That came when you died, Ace . . . but no, she didn't understand any of this) He was frowning and staring out ahead, his hands clenched on the steering wheel. There was something gone from his face, something she missed. If only he'd smile, she could feel that things were going to be alright.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/371617