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Dear AUex Writer 2018
AUex is here!!!!!! I wanted AUex before it ever existed, and am so delighted that it has returned this year. I adore canon divergence so much, you have no idea. (But you will by the time you get to the end of this letter!) I did a lot of describing the awesomeness about each character and AU idea, and hope you're truly inspired by them. I hope you have a lot of fun writing for me. :)
I love characters who are strong, characters who have quiet depth, characters with an active inner life, characters who think and feel… You'll probably see this in the characters I requested. :)
I once made up a 101 favorite tropes list (in no particular order), so feel free to make use of those if any of them get your muse going and work with a requested AU: https://doranwen.dreamwidth.org/240453.html
Besides those tropes, here are my general likes:
deep platonic friendship, romantic friendship, asexual romance, found families, apocalyptic fic, hurt/comfort, nonsexual physical touch (including cuddling), self-sacrifice, characters being vulnerable, character redemption, survival fic, positive treatment of religion, characters dealing with trauma, trust building, missing scenes, canon divergence AU (especially fix-it fic)
DNWs: sex or sexual feelings, supernatural/fantasy beings (elves, vampires, werewolves, gnomes, zombies, etc.), aliens other than Superman, unrequested deathfic, horror, calling an adult "baby" or "darling", mpreg, crackfic, gore (mild violence is OK, just not as graphic as a surgery documentary), uncensored profanity, first/second person fic
Don't worry if someone's written that particular idea before. My first real fandom was one where people used to write a dozen versions of the same TV ep, and I loved reading them all. There are never too many versions of the same story, in my opinion. Too few of these AUs have been written, and I want to see more of even the ones that have!
I don't go into a lot of my thoughts on each of these fandoms and characters, but I've requested all of them in other exchanges unless I stated otherwise below, so if you want more info on the way I look at them, just filter my posts by the "fanfic exchange letter" tag to see other letters that have the same fandoms.
I haven't requested any crossover ships (they didn't even occur to me to nominate!) or tags, but with the exception of Gold Diggers, you are totally welcome to cross any of my requested fandoms with any of the others, or with the following:
1-800-Missing (S1 only, not the S2-S3 of Missing)
C-16: FBI
Push (2009)
Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
Gold Diggers (1995)
Requested chars/ships:
Beth Easton
Jody Salerno
Group: Beth Easton & Jody Salerno
I love these two girls so much; I don't care whether you write them as regular friendship or romantic friendship, I just love the bond they have. Whether you focus on one or the other or on the friendship between the two, they'll still have each other. A lot of these AUs combine very well together - feel free to mix several into one very AU fic, if it appeals to your muse! :D
Gold Diggers: Beth joins Jody in living at the cave
Why, I leave it to you. Does her mom die somehow and she doesn't want to go live in a foster home? Something else? This presumes the boat crash never happens, because Beth isn't trying to drive the boat herself.
Gold Diggers: Ray abuses Jody as well as her mom
The film keeps things nicely toned down for the children watching. All you see is Jody's mother's face bruised. In all likelihood, Ray wouldn't have stopped at hitting Lynette, but would have targeted Jody too, when he could. Or what if that wasn't the only kind of abuse? It happens all too frequently and Jody would be a likely target. :/
Gold Diggers: Ray actually dies from Jody's attack
Does Jody have to go hide out in Bear Mountain to make sure that she's not charged with murder? What other implications of this might there be?
Gold Diggers: The boat doesn't crash so Beth gets back safely
When does Beth return with the news that Ray survived? (Or combine with the above AU) Do they start questioning Beth about where Jody is? How do their meetings go?
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
Oh, here's a wild one. What if civilization collapses and they have to go live in the cave? (Or wherever.) I'd love to see these two relying on each other in that situation. :)
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
X-Men (Movieverse)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Logan (OT) & Rogue (OT)
Group: Logan (OT)/Rogue (OT)
I love these two, and the bond they have in the films. I'm also enjoy making it deeper when Rogue is a little older - right now she's not ready for a mature relationship and I think Logan knows that. But she won't be young forever… I've only seen the first three films, so you can make up anything that's not explained in those. (Really, anything that isn't in the first two, lol.)
X-Men (OT): Rogue and Logan don't run into anyone when they first meet
I always have wondered what their story would've been like had neither the X-Men nor the Brotherhood gotten a hold of them first off. Would they have developed a bond with each other? Run into other mutants and worked with them in any way?
X-Men (OT): X3 Never Happened
Give me ALL the aftermath of X2 and none of the ignoring of it that X3 did, lol. I'd love to see Logan sticking around, teaching Rogue everything he knows so she could defend herself in case they're ever attacked again. Maybe you can think of a good story coming out of the X2 stuff.
X-Men (Movieverse)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Rogue (OT)/Scott Summers (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT) & Ororo Munroe (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT) & Rogue (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT)/Ororo Munroe (OT)
Scott Summers (OT)
I absolutely love Scott, and this request shows it. I think he works well with either Rogue or Ororo, though I enjoy him alone also! He and Rogue have in common that they both have visible aspects to their mutations that they can never shake - and cannot control. He and Ororo have a bond borne out of knowing each other for years - and even possibly having similar backgrounds. Since I've never seen any films other than X1, X2, and X3, you can make up their backstories all you like. (Just keep the alien Shi'ar stuff out of it - I like my X-Men as realistic as possible beyond the powers bit.)
X-Men (OT): Jean stays dead after X2 and the Phoenix never appears
What would X3 have looked like without the Phoenix interfering? Scott and Professor X would be alive, for one…
X-Men (OT): Professor X and Scott survive X3
These two dying are the biggest reason I don't care for X3. Find a way for them not to die, and I'll enjoy the story a ton!
X-Men (OT): Scott was never involved with Jean romantically
Set this anywhere in the first three films (as long as Scott doesn't die in X3), and I'd love to see what would have happened. Is Logan in a relationship with Jean, then? Is Scott in love with Ororo? Or do you fast forward a few years and show a relationship developing between him and Rogue? However you do it, changing this one thing would change dynamics a ton!
X-Men (OT): X3 Never Happened
Oh, I would love to see the aftermath of X2 with Scott - all the angst. Does Ororo's friendship with him help him find solace after Jean's death, or is it in a friendship with a fellow "outcast" named Rogue, who perhaps even feels guilty for Jean's death because she tried to fly the plane and crashed it? So many possibilities here…
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
I love apocalyptic/survival AUs so much - and the idea of Scott with Ororo or Rogue or just being Xavier's right-hand man in helping protect the children in a world that's fallen apart, it just melts my heart. :)
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
Alphas (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Lee & Bill & Nina & Rachel & Gary & Cameron & Kat (Alphas)
Group: Nina Theroux & Rachel Pirzad
Group: Nina Theroux & Rachel Pirzad & Lee Rosen
Nina Theroux
Rachel Pirzad
This show was so awesome (and so short!) and has so much potential for taking the storyline different directions, so it's perfect for this exchange! I fell in love with Rachel as soon as I saw her reaction to her dad's comments in the pilot, and I fell in love with Nina at the end of Anger Management. Lee grew on me over the course of the show, and I just love seeing the whole team interact, how supportive they are of each other, and their different talents and contributions to everything.
Alphas: Alphaville never happened
Alphaville really set the stage for a lot of things. For one, Stanton Parish might not've found Skylar otherwise. Also, it really changed Rachel's powers for the better. So, what if Rachel's still stuck with being overwhelmed by her senses (particularly with regards to physical affection), and Parish doesn't have Skylar to make mini-photostims for him? What might the rest of the show have looked like? Keep in mind that that was where Rosen had the first inkling that someone close to them was feeding Parish info - would it have taken them longer to put the pieces together regarding Dani? Would Parish have succeeded with the voltaic bomb plan?
Alphas: Dani survives the bomb
Injuries I'm fine with - I'd just like to see what it would look like to have her alive, either in terms of how they go after Parish, and/or in terms of the internal bonds of the team.
Alphas: Rachel doesn't call Bill during Scipio's torture
Go with either a plotty "this is what happens differently" or deal with the emotional fallout of a Rachel who's thrown herself completely behind Rosen (or both!). I'm guessing it might be harder to make up with John…
Alphas: Rachel never dates John
For some reason, Rachel's relationship with John has always grated on me just a little. Maybe it's that it feels a little artificial, too contrived? Or maybe it's that I liked the S1 backstory better where Rachel's never had a real boyfriend or even really dated. (As one writer put it for another show, they gave us "multiple choice options" for her backstory.) In some ways it feels like they took S1 Rachel and made her a bit OOC for S2. The jump is just too extreme, too much too soon to feel right, and her relationship with John is a major part of that. Given that the show does a good deal with her and him in various episodes, I'd love to see those scenes the way they would've been without him as her SO. Who's there instead? Do we get to see more team bonding with her and other team members? (And John is not one of the team members, I feel like. He's a liaison of sorts, but he's not one of the Alphas.)
Alphas: Stanton Parish's photostim plan succeeds
OK, so I've been writing a series of this very AU, pretty much. But I would very much love to read someone else's take on this! The "end of the world" is really what it would be, but I want to see it with my beloved Alphas. Apocalyptic fic with Alphas, what can be better?
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
Parish's plan isn't the only way the world could end for them all. I love apocalyptic AUs, so have fun with it!
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
Canon divergence is my thing - and while I gave some specific canon divergence AU ideas above, I'd happily read anything for this fandom that alters the way things went. Want to rewrite the club scene a little differently? (Feel free to bend my DNW about sex a bit - it would be hard to do much with that scene otherwise.) Want to send Dani to Building Seven instead of undercover? Or something else I haven't thought of? Go for it!
ALL: For Want of a Nail AU
You could use this with Parish's plan - either another way it unravels, or how it succeeds - or maybe you can think of something else! This show has long arcs and complicated things happening, and a simple change here and there would make big differences down the road.
The Pretender (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Jarod & Miss Parker (The Pretender)
Group: Jarod/Miss Parker (The Pretender)
Jarod (The Pretender)
Miss Parker (the Pretender)
No matter which AU you go with, either Jarod or Miss Parker would be a great character to focus on, and both together is always lovely, of course. These two are really an OTP for me here, because I think they're the only ones who really understand each other. (Mind you, they get things wrong some, but I think they still understand each other better than anyone else.) So if written as friends, I'd prefer not to see either of them involved in a relationship with someone else.
Pretender: Angelo is Miss Parker's brother instead of Lyle
With all of the Centre's manipulation of genetics and hiding the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the truth. Given the revelation that Miss Parker's bio-father is not Mr. Parker, perhaps Lyle was actually his son. You can very nicely combine this one with the following AU.
Pretender: Sydney is Miss Parker's biological father
Mr. Raines is as bad or worse as a bio-father as Mr. Parker is. Sydney, on the other hand, is a much more palatable option, and would go a long ways towards establishing the sort of relationships they should have anyway.
Pretender: Catherine was not killed after Ethan was born
Did she have to escape the Centre? Could she take Miss Parker with her or did she have to leave her there in ignorance of the truth? Or did she return later, miraculously alive after a supposed suicide attempt?
Pretender: Faith lives
Since Faith was Miss Parker's adopted sister, they would have seen a lot of her growing up. How would Faith's presence have affected the dynamics between Jarod and Miss Parker later?
Pretender: Jarod catches up to his mom on Carthis
What would they have said to each other? What would Miss Parker have done?
Pretender: Jarod is rescued by Catherine
What would his life have looked like? Would Catherine have had to flee the Centre with Miss Parker too?
Pretender: Miss Parker was never sent away to boarding school
Instead of being sent away, what if Miss Parker had grown up with Jarod? Would they have tried to have a romantic relationship with him locked up doing SIMs?
Pretender: Miss Parker helps Jarod escape
A continuation of the above AU, I think as she grew older and realized he was locked up, I think she would have found a way to free him. It would have gone a long ways towards breaking "Daddy's" hold on her, realizing he was responsible for keeping her friend a virtual slave.
Pretender: Raines dies from the oxygen tank explosion
Mr. Parker's manipulations were pretty bad in and of themselves, but if Raines hadn't been in the picture, things might have been different in so many ways…
Pretender: The last of the serum isn't lost so Angelo gets it
What would Angelo have become, restored back to normal ability to communicate? Would he still have his empathic gifts? Would he still be living in the Centre (helping Jarod stay ahead of the search team) or would he have escaped too?
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
This show needs canon divergence so badly. There are so many ways that things could have worked out better for Jarod and Miss Parker, or for others around them (and thereby affecting the two of them) - so have fun with it!
Rizzoli & Isles
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles (R&I TV)
Jane Rizzoli (R&I TV)
I really love Jane's character, and I love the bond these two have. Both of them learn so much from each other over the course of the show, and support each other through so many things. While I can see why most fans ship Jane and Maura as a couple, I headcanon Jane as asexual (she just hasn't figured it out yet), though the bond between them does verge on a romantic friendship and I love seeing fics that take it there. They're fairly comfortable with casual physical contact, and I love seeing fics where that's part of supporting each other.
One big area the show was noticeably lacking in was actually dealing with all the trauma the characters suffered. The most they would show (even after escaping from being kidnapped) was a little joking around on the couch, and the next episode they were back to normal. It was absolutely ridiculous! If an actual human being had went through all of what they went through, there would be some major PTSD going on there! I really wish they'd dealt with that more. Feel free to throw appropriate amounts of that into one of these AUs if it works for you.
R&I TV: Frost doesn't die
Whether you want to have him surviving the car crash or just rewrite some of the later non-homicide bits with Frost included without even explaining why he's alive, I'd love to see more of him. I enjoyed Lee Thompson Young's acting so much and it was such a tragedy…
R&I TV: Jane and Maura have their first meeting when younger
I love alt-beginnings AUs so much, and these two are no exception. Were they children? teens? Did they immediately hit it off, or was there friction at first?
R&I TV: Jane's miscarriage never happens
I'd like Tasha to make it, but there were several other ways you could alter the story to make it so Jane didn't have to lose the baby. I loved the implications of her pregnancy and how it would change the dynamics of things.
R&I TV: Lydia abandons her baby completely
What if Lydia really was such a flake that she dumped the baby on the Rizzolis and took off without another look back? Who would adopt TJ? How would his presence affect things?
R&I TV: Not everyone lives through the parking garage collapse
Whether Frost dies earlier than he does on the show, or Tommy doesn't make it (please don't kill off baby TJ, that's just too much for me here), there's lots of room for tragedy and angst with this one.
AU: The post-Hoyt birthday party never happens (Rizzoli & Isles TV)
Show me a more realistic end to that day, please! When you've just been held hostage by your worst nightmare, seen your best friend tasered and threatened (and who knows what else, you're welcome to play with how far he got)… are you really going to come home and be all "sure, I want my My Pretty Pony birthday party now, thanks Mom"? Yeah, right!
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
I love apocalyptic AUs, and seeing Jane and Maura trying to survive in a world that's collapsed around them sounds like a fantastic story to me!
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
There are so many places in this show to make things turn out differently. As long as Jane and Maura live and don't hate each other, I'm OK with killing off some other characters (with appropriate levels of grieving), giving them more trauma, hurting them physically, etc., or just changing the direction the show took in some area.
Smallville
Requested chars/ships:
Relationship: Clark Kent & Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
Relationship: Clark Kent/Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
These are an OTP for me, I think. I've only seen up to partway into the 4th season and was so disgusted with the way the show was going (and I could not stand Erica Durance's character for anything!) that I quit watching and had to quit really being involved in the fandom. This is the only exchange I've dared ask for just plain Smallville, because I honestly don't want to see anything from past S3. (I have read very little about the rest of the show that I actually liked.) I chose the AUs I did for that purpose. :)
As far as other characters go, as long as they appeared in the first three seasons, great! I prefer Clark to be the only alien around (no holdovers from his planet or weird stuff like that), and the magic stuff that appeared in S4 was not my cup of tea. Feel free to "fix" the cave Jor-El to explain/make him more reasonable, since clearly the programming has gotten a little confused…
SV: Body swap without black kryptonite
This is just sheer fun. I've read all of one story where Clark and Chloe end up swapping bodies (and Chloe discovers Clark's secret in the process because when you can get from point A to point B in milliseconds and crumble a sink by just holding onto it, you know something's up). It was hilarious and I wish there were more takes on a situation like that. So I'd love to see what you come up with! Would prefer Clark not end up switching bodies with someone else, especially someone like Lionel.
SV: Chloe and Pete remember what happened during Rush
That memory blank was the biggest copout ever. Chloe learned Clark's secret (and thought it was "so cool") and he clearly wanted to make out with Chloe when under the influence of Red K, so that's going to raise a bunch of things that need to be dealt with. Tons of potential for Chlarkiness (and some interesting convos along the way). I'd love it if she didn't lie to Clark and tell him she didn't remember anything, too.
SV: Chloe becomes Lois and Lois never comes to Smallville
This is the Chlois theory, as it used to be called. Basically, find a way for Chloe to become the Lois that she always was meant to be - really, all she needs to do is change her hair color and name. Why does she have to do this? Does she tell Clark about it, or does he figure out? Future fic is great here as long as you ignore the canonical events of later seasons.
SV: Chloe brings Clark home at the beginning of S3
What would Chloe say or do that would get Clark to come home with her? Get the ring off him in a moment of weakness? Does she discover his secret? I am uncommonly fond of Exile AUs.
SV: Clark & Chloe don't quit dating after S1
Did anyone else want to scream ARGH! when she played the friends card? Here's your chance to remedy that. Let's see what 2x1 would've looked like with a Clark who was still dating Chloe. Would he eventually learn to trust her enough to tell her his secret?
SV: Clark does not mumble Lana's name during Fever
What he actually does is up to you, though I'd love it if he actually remembered something of what Chloe was saying. Or maybe he stumbles across the paper she read it from later?
SV: Clark is too late to save Lana from the tornado
Here's my angsty AU. Whether he recovers her body or not, I'd love to see a fic where Lana doesn't make it, and Clark's despondency about that. Chloe, of course, will be at his side trying to comfort him (and bonus points if you throw in the "Clark & Chloe don't quit dating after S1" AU as well). Maybe his secret comes out in Clark's frustration of why he feels he should've been able to, or maybe he just wakes up to the fact that he's got Chloe there for him.
SV: Clark tells Chloe his secret before S4
I've already thrown this one as an optional prompt for a few of the other AUs, but I'd love to see how it might work! If Chloe could show Clark that he wouldn't end up on the Wall of Weird, you'd think that Clark would eventually realize that Chloe would react totally different to how Pete did, and be ready and willing to protect his secret.
SV: Clark's mom doesn't lose the baby in S2
I'd love to see Clark with a baby sister. I thought that explosion-killed-the-baby thing was the worst thing, because that would've added such interesting dynamics to things. What do you wanna bet that Chloe actually melts a bit getting to interact with a baby - and it totally surprises Clark?
SV: Gabe doesn't survive the explosion at the end of S3
Another angsty one! If Gabe doesn't survive the explosion, what happens to Chloe? I'd love to see her end up with the Kents somehow.
SV: Lana moves with her aunt to Metropolis
Hee, this would be such the best thing - get Lana out of there and let it just be Clark and Chloe from there on out. No more Lana distraction!
SV: Lionel dies sometime during the first three seasons
How does it happen? Does Clark somehow break and realize he's got to get rid of Lionel or everyone will not be safe? Does Lionel die at the end of S1? Either way, I'd love to see how that makes things safer for the people Clark loves.
SV: Ryan doesn't have a brain tumor so he lives
I hated that tumor plotline. They create this awesome little brother-type character—and then they get rid of him because he figures out Clark's secret. I'd love to see him be perfectly healthy and come to live with the Kents. Having someone around who knows Clark's secret - and can read minds - can only be a good thing. Does he figure out what Lionel or Lex are up to? Or does he figure out that Chloe's in love with Clark and be the catalyst to get the two of them together? (Or if you're combining with the "they never quit dating" one, does he help Clark realize that she's safe to tell his secret to?)
SV: S4 onward never happened
This is sort of my perennial AU of all AUs. Throw out the whole show after the end of S3 and rewrite it your way! Whether you stick with a short "this is the way things are" or get more involved, I'd love to see a Smallville without Lois, magic, aliens that aren't Clark, relationship between Clark and Lana, etc. Give me a deepening relationship between Clark and Chloe and you've made my day, whether they are just stronger friends or more.
ALL: Main character goes back in time to the body of their younger self and changes what happened
I think this might be more interesting with Clark than with Chloe - mostly because of how slow Clark is to mature - and of course you'd have to find a way out of using the canonical events in S4 onwards, but just make up something! Or throw both Clark and Chloe back in their old bodies. They'd fix a lot of the major mistakes that happened in the first three seasons, and oh boy, were there a few mistakes…
Women's Murder Club (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Lindsay Boxer (WMC TV)
Group: Lindsay Boxer & Cindy Thomas (WMC TV)
I love tough characters with soft centers, and Lindsay is a classic example. I also love the interactions between these two. I see a bit of hero worship—and maybe a crush of sorts—on Cindy's side, and annoyance that turns to fondness and respect on Lindsay's. What you do with that is up to you. I requested the friendship tag but I'm OK with making it deeper. It's hard to know where that line is sometimes, especially when you're just focusing on the connection between them.
I love Claire's motherliness, particularly with Lindsay, and I can see her totally mothering Cindy. Jill is less of an interest for me so you need not include her, or can just keep her focused on case stuff or being general friends. As for the guys in the women's lives, unless necessary for the specific AU you're writing, I'd prefer they have minor or no roles in the fic, with the exception of Ed.
WMC TV: Cindy is injured while being a decoy
I loved Cindy's role in the decoy bit, and would love to see Lindsay's reaction to her being injured as one (not killed, please!).
WMC TV: Lindsay stays with Cindy in the hospital instead of Jill
This is a great opportunity to deepen the friendship between the two of them…
WMC TV: Lindsay's pregnancy test is positive
I'd love to see what happens here. Does she tell Tom or does he find out on his own? What does Cindy do?
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
Diverge the show in some direction I haven't thought of! :D
Happy writing! :D
I love characters who are strong, characters who have quiet depth, characters with an active inner life, characters who think and feel… You'll probably see this in the characters I requested. :)
I once made up a 101 favorite tropes list (in no particular order), so feel free to make use of those if any of them get your muse going and work with a requested AU: https://doranwen.dreamwidth.org/240453.html
Besides those tropes, here are my general likes:
deep platonic friendship, romantic friendship, asexual romance, found families, apocalyptic fic, hurt/comfort, nonsexual physical touch (including cuddling), self-sacrifice, characters being vulnerable, character redemption, survival fic, positive treatment of religion, characters dealing with trauma, trust building, missing scenes, canon divergence AU (especially fix-it fic)
DNWs: sex or sexual feelings, supernatural/fantasy beings (elves, vampires, werewolves, gnomes, zombies, etc.), aliens other than Superman, unrequested deathfic, horror, calling an adult "baby" or "darling", mpreg, crackfic, gore (mild violence is OK, just not as graphic as a surgery documentary), uncensored profanity, first/second person fic
Don't worry if someone's written that particular idea before. My first real fandom was one where people used to write a dozen versions of the same TV ep, and I loved reading them all. There are never too many versions of the same story, in my opinion. Too few of these AUs have been written, and I want to see more of even the ones that have!
I don't go into a lot of my thoughts on each of these fandoms and characters, but I've requested all of them in other exchanges unless I stated otherwise below, so if you want more info on the way I look at them, just filter my posts by the "fanfic exchange letter" tag to see other letters that have the same fandoms.
I haven't requested any crossover ships (they didn't even occur to me to nominate!) or tags, but with the exception of Gold Diggers, you are totally welcome to cross any of my requested fandoms with any of the others, or with the following:
1-800-Missing (S1 only, not the S2-S3 of Missing)
C-16: FBI
Push (2009)
Sue Thomas F.B.Eye
Worldweavers - Alma Alexander
And now to the requests (in the order of which I found them in the tagset):
Gold Diggers (1995)
Requested chars/ships:
Beth Easton
Jody Salerno
Group: Beth Easton & Jody Salerno
I love these two girls so much; I don't care whether you write them as regular friendship or romantic friendship, I just love the bond they have. Whether you focus on one or the other or on the friendship between the two, they'll still have each other. A lot of these AUs combine very well together - feel free to mix several into one very AU fic, if it appeals to your muse! :D
Gold Diggers: Beth joins Jody in living at the cave
Why, I leave it to you. Does her mom die somehow and she doesn't want to go live in a foster home? Something else? This presumes the boat crash never happens, because Beth isn't trying to drive the boat herself.
Gold Diggers: Ray abuses Jody as well as her mom
The film keeps things nicely toned down for the children watching. All you see is Jody's mother's face bruised. In all likelihood, Ray wouldn't have stopped at hitting Lynette, but would have targeted Jody too, when he could. Or what if that wasn't the only kind of abuse? It happens all too frequently and Jody would be a likely target. :/
Gold Diggers: Ray actually dies from Jody's attack
Does Jody have to go hide out in Bear Mountain to make sure that she's not charged with murder? What other implications of this might there be?
Gold Diggers: The boat doesn't crash so Beth gets back safely
When does Beth return with the news that Ray survived? (Or combine with the above AU) Do they start questioning Beth about where Jody is? How do their meetings go?
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
Oh, here's a wild one. What if civilization collapses and they have to go live in the cave? (Or wherever.) I'd love to see these two relying on each other in that situation. :)
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
X-Men (Movieverse)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Logan (OT) & Rogue (OT)
Group: Logan (OT)/Rogue (OT)
I love these two, and the bond they have in the films. I'm also enjoy making it deeper when Rogue is a little older - right now she's not ready for a mature relationship and I think Logan knows that. But she won't be young forever… I've only seen the first three films, so you can make up anything that's not explained in those. (Really, anything that isn't in the first two, lol.)
X-Men (OT): Rogue and Logan don't run into anyone when they first meet
I always have wondered what their story would've been like had neither the X-Men nor the Brotherhood gotten a hold of them first off. Would they have developed a bond with each other? Run into other mutants and worked with them in any way?
X-Men (OT): X3 Never Happened
Give me ALL the aftermath of X2 and none of the ignoring of it that X3 did, lol. I'd love to see Logan sticking around, teaching Rogue everything he knows so she could defend herself in case they're ever attacked again. Maybe you can think of a good story coming out of the X2 stuff.
X-Men (Movieverse)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Rogue (OT)/Scott Summers (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT) & Ororo Munroe (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT) & Rogue (OT)
Group: Scott Summers (OT)/Ororo Munroe (OT)
Scott Summers (OT)
I absolutely love Scott, and this request shows it. I think he works well with either Rogue or Ororo, though I enjoy him alone also! He and Rogue have in common that they both have visible aspects to their mutations that they can never shake - and cannot control. He and Ororo have a bond borne out of knowing each other for years - and even possibly having similar backgrounds. Since I've never seen any films other than X1, X2, and X3, you can make up their backstories all you like. (Just keep the alien Shi'ar stuff out of it - I like my X-Men as realistic as possible beyond the powers bit.)
X-Men (OT): Jean stays dead after X2 and the Phoenix never appears
What would X3 have looked like without the Phoenix interfering? Scott and Professor X would be alive, for one…
X-Men (OT): Professor X and Scott survive X3
These two dying are the biggest reason I don't care for X3. Find a way for them not to die, and I'll enjoy the story a ton!
X-Men (OT): Scott was never involved with Jean romantically
Set this anywhere in the first three films (as long as Scott doesn't die in X3), and I'd love to see what would have happened. Is Logan in a relationship with Jean, then? Is Scott in love with Ororo? Or do you fast forward a few years and show a relationship developing between him and Rogue? However you do it, changing this one thing would change dynamics a ton!
X-Men (OT): X3 Never Happened
Oh, I would love to see the aftermath of X2 with Scott - all the angst. Does Ororo's friendship with him help him find solace after Jean's death, or is it in a friendship with a fellow "outcast" named Rogue, who perhaps even feels guilty for Jean's death because she tried to fly the plane and crashed it? So many possibilities here…
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
I love apocalyptic/survival AUs so much - and the idea of Scott with Ororo or Rogue or just being Xavier's right-hand man in helping protect the children in a world that's fallen apart, it just melts my heart. :)
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
Alphas (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Lee & Bill & Nina & Rachel & Gary & Cameron & Kat (Alphas)
Group: Nina Theroux & Rachel Pirzad
Group: Nina Theroux & Rachel Pirzad & Lee Rosen
Nina Theroux
Rachel Pirzad
This show was so awesome (and so short!) and has so much potential for taking the storyline different directions, so it's perfect for this exchange! I fell in love with Rachel as soon as I saw her reaction to her dad's comments in the pilot, and I fell in love with Nina at the end of Anger Management. Lee grew on me over the course of the show, and I just love seeing the whole team interact, how supportive they are of each other, and their different talents and contributions to everything.
Alphas: Alphaville never happened
Alphaville really set the stage for a lot of things. For one, Stanton Parish might not've found Skylar otherwise. Also, it really changed Rachel's powers for the better. So, what if Rachel's still stuck with being overwhelmed by her senses (particularly with regards to physical affection), and Parish doesn't have Skylar to make mini-photostims for him? What might the rest of the show have looked like? Keep in mind that that was where Rosen had the first inkling that someone close to them was feeding Parish info - would it have taken them longer to put the pieces together regarding Dani? Would Parish have succeeded with the voltaic bomb plan?
Alphas: Dani survives the bomb
Injuries I'm fine with - I'd just like to see what it would look like to have her alive, either in terms of how they go after Parish, and/or in terms of the internal bonds of the team.
Alphas: Rachel doesn't call Bill during Scipio's torture
Go with either a plotty "this is what happens differently" or deal with the emotional fallout of a Rachel who's thrown herself completely behind Rosen (or both!). I'm guessing it might be harder to make up with John…
Alphas: Rachel never dates John
For some reason, Rachel's relationship with John has always grated on me just a little. Maybe it's that it feels a little artificial, too contrived? Or maybe it's that I liked the S1 backstory better where Rachel's never had a real boyfriend or even really dated. (As one writer put it for another show, they gave us "multiple choice options" for her backstory.) In some ways it feels like they took S1 Rachel and made her a bit OOC for S2. The jump is just too extreme, too much too soon to feel right, and her relationship with John is a major part of that. Given that the show does a good deal with her and him in various episodes, I'd love to see those scenes the way they would've been without him as her SO. Who's there instead? Do we get to see more team bonding with her and other team members? (And John is not one of the team members, I feel like. He's a liaison of sorts, but he's not one of the Alphas.)
Alphas: Stanton Parish's photostim plan succeeds
OK, so I've been writing a series of this very AU, pretty much. But I would very much love to read someone else's take on this! The "end of the world" is really what it would be, but I want to see it with my beloved Alphas. Apocalyptic fic with Alphas, what can be better?
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
Parish's plan isn't the only way the world could end for them all. I love apocalyptic AUs, so have fun with it!
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
Canon divergence is my thing - and while I gave some specific canon divergence AU ideas above, I'd happily read anything for this fandom that alters the way things went. Want to rewrite the club scene a little differently? (Feel free to bend my DNW about sex a bit - it would be hard to do much with that scene otherwise.) Want to send Dani to Building Seven instead of undercover? Or something else I haven't thought of? Go for it!
ALL: For Want of a Nail AU
You could use this with Parish's plan - either another way it unravels, or how it succeeds - or maybe you can think of something else! This show has long arcs and complicated things happening, and a simple change here and there would make big differences down the road.
The Pretender (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Jarod & Miss Parker (The Pretender)
Group: Jarod/Miss Parker (The Pretender)
Jarod (The Pretender)
Miss Parker (the Pretender)
No matter which AU you go with, either Jarod or Miss Parker would be a great character to focus on, and both together is always lovely, of course. These two are really an OTP for me here, because I think they're the only ones who really understand each other. (Mind you, they get things wrong some, but I think they still understand each other better than anyone else.) So if written as friends, I'd prefer not to see either of them involved in a relationship with someone else.
Pretender: Angelo is Miss Parker's brother instead of Lyle
With all of the Centre's manipulation of genetics and hiding the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the truth. Given the revelation that Miss Parker's bio-father is not Mr. Parker, perhaps Lyle was actually his son. You can very nicely combine this one with the following AU.
Pretender: Sydney is Miss Parker's biological father
Mr. Raines is as bad or worse as a bio-father as Mr. Parker is. Sydney, on the other hand, is a much more palatable option, and would go a long ways towards establishing the sort of relationships they should have anyway.
Pretender: Catherine was not killed after Ethan was born
Did she have to escape the Centre? Could she take Miss Parker with her or did she have to leave her there in ignorance of the truth? Or did she return later, miraculously alive after a supposed suicide attempt?
Pretender: Faith lives
Since Faith was Miss Parker's adopted sister, they would have seen a lot of her growing up. How would Faith's presence have affected the dynamics between Jarod and Miss Parker later?
Pretender: Jarod catches up to his mom on Carthis
What would they have said to each other? What would Miss Parker have done?
Pretender: Jarod is rescued by Catherine
What would his life have looked like? Would Catherine have had to flee the Centre with Miss Parker too?
Pretender: Miss Parker was never sent away to boarding school
Instead of being sent away, what if Miss Parker had grown up with Jarod? Would they have tried to have a romantic relationship with him locked up doing SIMs?
Pretender: Miss Parker helps Jarod escape
A continuation of the above AU, I think as she grew older and realized he was locked up, I think she would have found a way to free him. It would have gone a long ways towards breaking "Daddy's" hold on her, realizing he was responsible for keeping her friend a virtual slave.
Pretender: Raines dies from the oxygen tank explosion
Mr. Parker's manipulations were pretty bad in and of themselves, but if Raines hadn't been in the picture, things might have been different in so many ways…
Pretender: The last of the serum isn't lost so Angelo gets it
What would Angelo have become, restored back to normal ability to communicate? Would he still have his empathic gifts? Would he still be living in the Centre (helping Jarod stay ahead of the search team) or would he have escaped too?
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
This show needs canon divergence so badly. There are so many ways that things could have worked out better for Jarod and Miss Parker, or for others around them (and thereby affecting the two of them) - so have fun with it!
Rizzoli & Isles
Requested chars/ships:
Group: Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles (R&I TV)
Jane Rizzoli (R&I TV)
I really love Jane's character, and I love the bond these two have. Both of them learn so much from each other over the course of the show, and support each other through so many things. While I can see why most fans ship Jane and Maura as a couple, I headcanon Jane as asexual (she just hasn't figured it out yet), though the bond between them does verge on a romantic friendship and I love seeing fics that take it there. They're fairly comfortable with casual physical contact, and I love seeing fics where that's part of supporting each other.
One big area the show was noticeably lacking in was actually dealing with all the trauma the characters suffered. The most they would show (even after escaping from being kidnapped) was a little joking around on the couch, and the next episode they were back to normal. It was absolutely ridiculous! If an actual human being had went through all of what they went through, there would be some major PTSD going on there! I really wish they'd dealt with that more. Feel free to throw appropriate amounts of that into one of these AUs if it works for you.
R&I TV: Frost doesn't die
Whether you want to have him surviving the car crash or just rewrite some of the later non-homicide bits with Frost included without even explaining why he's alive, I'd love to see more of him. I enjoyed Lee Thompson Young's acting so much and it was such a tragedy…
R&I TV: Jane and Maura have their first meeting when younger
I love alt-beginnings AUs so much, and these two are no exception. Were they children? teens? Did they immediately hit it off, or was there friction at first?
R&I TV: Jane's miscarriage never happens
I'd like Tasha to make it, but there were several other ways you could alter the story to make it so Jane didn't have to lose the baby. I loved the implications of her pregnancy and how it would change the dynamics of things.
R&I TV: Lydia abandons her baby completely
What if Lydia really was such a flake that she dumped the baby on the Rizzolis and took off without another look back? Who would adopt TJ? How would his presence affect things?
R&I TV: Not everyone lives through the parking garage collapse
Whether Frost dies earlier than he does on the show, or Tommy doesn't make it (please don't kill off baby TJ, that's just too much for me here), there's lots of room for tragedy and angst with this one.
AU: The post-Hoyt birthday party never happens (Rizzoli & Isles TV)
Show me a more realistic end to that day, please! When you've just been held hostage by your worst nightmare, seen your best friend tasered and threatened (and who knows what else, you're welcome to play with how far he got)… are you really going to come home and be all "sure, I want my My Pretty Pony birthday party now, thanks Mom"? Yeah, right!
ALL: Apocalypse/Survival
I love apocalyptic AUs, and seeing Jane and Maura trying to survive in a world that's collapsed around them sounds like a fantastic story to me!
All: Post-Apocalypse
Of course, the survival after the apocalypse has happened is just as interesting. :D
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
There are so many places in this show to make things turn out differently. As long as Jane and Maura live and don't hate each other, I'm OK with killing off some other characters (with appropriate levels of grieving), giving them more trauma, hurting them physically, etc., or just changing the direction the show took in some area.
Smallville
Requested chars/ships:
Relationship: Clark Kent & Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
Relationship: Clark Kent/Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
These are an OTP for me, I think. I've only seen up to partway into the 4th season and was so disgusted with the way the show was going (and I could not stand Erica Durance's character for anything!) that I quit watching and had to quit really being involved in the fandom. This is the only exchange I've dared ask for just plain Smallville, because I honestly don't want to see anything from past S3. (I have read very little about the rest of the show that I actually liked.) I chose the AUs I did for that purpose. :)
As far as other characters go, as long as they appeared in the first three seasons, great! I prefer Clark to be the only alien around (no holdovers from his planet or weird stuff like that), and the magic stuff that appeared in S4 was not my cup of tea. Feel free to "fix" the cave Jor-El to explain/make him more reasonable, since clearly the programming has gotten a little confused…
SV: Body swap without black kryptonite
This is just sheer fun. I've read all of one story where Clark and Chloe end up swapping bodies (and Chloe discovers Clark's secret in the process because when you can get from point A to point B in milliseconds and crumble a sink by just holding onto it, you know something's up). It was hilarious and I wish there were more takes on a situation like that. So I'd love to see what you come up with! Would prefer Clark not end up switching bodies with someone else, especially someone like Lionel.
SV: Chloe and Pete remember what happened during Rush
That memory blank was the biggest copout ever. Chloe learned Clark's secret (and thought it was "so cool") and he clearly wanted to make out with Chloe when under the influence of Red K, so that's going to raise a bunch of things that need to be dealt with. Tons of potential for Chlarkiness (and some interesting convos along the way). I'd love it if she didn't lie to Clark and tell him she didn't remember anything, too.
SV: Chloe becomes Lois and Lois never comes to Smallville
This is the Chlois theory, as it used to be called. Basically, find a way for Chloe to become the Lois that she always was meant to be - really, all she needs to do is change her hair color and name. Why does she have to do this? Does she tell Clark about it, or does he figure out? Future fic is great here as long as you ignore the canonical events of later seasons.
SV: Chloe brings Clark home at the beginning of S3
What would Chloe say or do that would get Clark to come home with her? Get the ring off him in a moment of weakness? Does she discover his secret? I am uncommonly fond of Exile AUs.
SV: Clark & Chloe don't quit dating after S1
Did anyone else want to scream ARGH! when she played the friends card? Here's your chance to remedy that. Let's see what 2x1 would've looked like with a Clark who was still dating Chloe. Would he eventually learn to trust her enough to tell her his secret?
SV: Clark does not mumble Lana's name during Fever
What he actually does is up to you, though I'd love it if he actually remembered something of what Chloe was saying. Or maybe he stumbles across the paper she read it from later?
SV: Clark is too late to save Lana from the tornado
Here's my angsty AU. Whether he recovers her body or not, I'd love to see a fic where Lana doesn't make it, and Clark's despondency about that. Chloe, of course, will be at his side trying to comfort him (and bonus points if you throw in the "Clark & Chloe don't quit dating after S1" AU as well). Maybe his secret comes out in Clark's frustration of why he feels he should've been able to, or maybe he just wakes up to the fact that he's got Chloe there for him.
SV: Clark tells Chloe his secret before S4
I've already thrown this one as an optional prompt for a few of the other AUs, but I'd love to see how it might work! If Chloe could show Clark that he wouldn't end up on the Wall of Weird, you'd think that Clark would eventually realize that Chloe would react totally different to how Pete did, and be ready and willing to protect his secret.
SV: Clark's mom doesn't lose the baby in S2
I'd love to see Clark with a baby sister. I thought that explosion-killed-the-baby thing was the worst thing, because that would've added such interesting dynamics to things. What do you wanna bet that Chloe actually melts a bit getting to interact with a baby - and it totally surprises Clark?
SV: Gabe doesn't survive the explosion at the end of S3
Another angsty one! If Gabe doesn't survive the explosion, what happens to Chloe? I'd love to see her end up with the Kents somehow.
SV: Lana moves with her aunt to Metropolis
Hee, this would be such the best thing - get Lana out of there and let it just be Clark and Chloe from there on out. No more Lana distraction!
SV: Lionel dies sometime during the first three seasons
How does it happen? Does Clark somehow break and realize he's got to get rid of Lionel or everyone will not be safe? Does Lionel die at the end of S1? Either way, I'd love to see how that makes things safer for the people Clark loves.
SV: Ryan doesn't have a brain tumor so he lives
I hated that tumor plotline. They create this awesome little brother-type character—and then they get rid of him because he figures out Clark's secret. I'd love to see him be perfectly healthy and come to live with the Kents. Having someone around who knows Clark's secret - and can read minds - can only be a good thing. Does he figure out what Lionel or Lex are up to? Or does he figure out that Chloe's in love with Clark and be the catalyst to get the two of them together? (Or if you're combining with the "they never quit dating" one, does he help Clark realize that she's safe to tell his secret to?)
SV: S4 onward never happened
This is sort of my perennial AU of all AUs. Throw out the whole show after the end of S3 and rewrite it your way! Whether you stick with a short "this is the way things are" or get more involved, I'd love to see a Smallville without Lois, magic, aliens that aren't Clark, relationship between Clark and Lana, etc. Give me a deepening relationship between Clark and Chloe and you've made my day, whether they are just stronger friends or more.
ALL: Main character goes back in time to the body of their younger self and changes what happened
I think this might be more interesting with Clark than with Chloe - mostly because of how slow Clark is to mature - and of course you'd have to find a way out of using the canonical events in S4 onwards, but just make up something! Or throw both Clark and Chloe back in their old bodies. They'd fix a lot of the major mistakes that happened in the first three seasons, and oh boy, were there a few mistakes…
Women's Murder Club (TV)
Requested chars/ships:
Lindsay Boxer (WMC TV)
Group: Lindsay Boxer & Cindy Thomas (WMC TV)
I love tough characters with soft centers, and Lindsay is a classic example. I also love the interactions between these two. I see a bit of hero worship—and maybe a crush of sorts—on Cindy's side, and annoyance that turns to fondness and respect on Lindsay's. What you do with that is up to you. I requested the friendship tag but I'm OK with making it deeper. It's hard to know where that line is sometimes, especially when you're just focusing on the connection between them.
I love Claire's motherliness, particularly with Lindsay, and I can see her totally mothering Cindy. Jill is less of an interest for me so you need not include her, or can just keep her focused on case stuff or being general friends. As for the guys in the women's lives, unless necessary for the specific AU you're writing, I'd prefer they have minor or no roles in the fic, with the exception of Ed.
WMC TV: Cindy is injured while being a decoy
I loved Cindy's role in the decoy bit, and would love to see Lindsay's reaction to her being injured as one (not killed, please!).
WMC TV: Lindsay stays with Cindy in the hospital instead of Jill
This is a great opportunity to deepen the friendship between the two of them…
WMC TV: Lindsay's pregnancy test is positive
I'd love to see what happens here. Does she tell Tom or does he find out on his own? What does Cindy do?
ALL: Canon Divergence AU
Diverge the show in some direction I haven't thought of! :D
Happy writing! :D