Nice, connie. I like the ending just the way it is.

Except for the 'it's the end!' part. You're going to write the sequal. Set in China. Right? Right? Right?

(Stop there, Am, or you'll be shouting at her.)

Um... me likey?

I love all the recent postings in here and have been avidly devouring them as they appear. Different lines and scenes from Deb's stories have been running through my head each time I wake up (and I've been doing that a lot).

Connie, I love your writing. The only thing about the ending that gives me pause is that it's so neatly wrapped up. I might like it better if you left off the last paragraph. That's not really saying much, since the best description I had for how I felt after reading it was thinking, "I could just wallow in this."

Whitefonting so Am can ignore the stick-poke if she prefers: Am, where's my Daniel fix?

edited because I've just become incredibly sloppy lately.

He's wondered off for a holiday. The Korean War (or Hawk's blue eyes) have stolen my brain.

BTW, Am-Chau, I like how you wound up putting in the information about the letters. Verra nice!

Oh, yes, the letters! I knew there was something really awesome you'd done lately Am! I forgive you for Daniel (and didn't remember who you were talking about until I highlighted my own whitefont. How tired is that?

I did think there was one thing in one of the letters that sounded more stilted than Hawkeye would have spoken, though I can't remember what, now. Do you want me to go back and find it?

I couldn't stand it, I went back:

1) I don't know if he'd have said "drunken sex" considering that I think there were censors actively working at the time (though I'm not at all sure of that) and he tended to use euphemisms on the show.

2) I don't think he would have used the word bunkmate. I think it more probable for him to have said, "the new guy" or something similar.

Please, Deena. Later, if you like: but any feedback helps, especially of the 'this is stilted' variety. It's not yet a final version (so you could you know, do a full beta if you liked).

Edit: you went back. Thanks.

"I will not have you abandoning me here on the side of truth and justice. You're the only one I know here."

I enjoyed this. But I have to say, as much as I love Giles (and heaven knows how much I love him) no way would he get any of my naan.

I've never eaten Indian food. I once had ceylonese food made at home by a friend from Ceylon. It was okay, but I have no clue what it was called. It had bits of fish, raisins and nuts in it, that's all I remember.

Am, I will look at it again, though the two things I mentioned in my edit were the ones that struck me on first reading.

Thank you. With reference to those first two:

1) I don't know if he'd have said "drunken sex" considering that I think there were censors actively working at the time (though I'm not at all sure of that) and he tended to use euphemisms on the show.

You might be right. On the other hand, this is the letter he didn't send because it was 'too honest'. That's the sort of thing in there that he couldn't send.

2) I don't think he would have used the word bunkmate. I think it more probable for him to have said, "the new guy" or something similar.

That's probably an American/British issue, which I'll deal with.

Connie, I'm loving this take on Ethan. He's beautifully presented.

Last paragraph though - it reads rather like a summation, with the author speaking in her own voice. Was that the intent? Because I found that a bit off, since the speaking voices leading up to it - Ethan, Giles, the girls - are so very vivid.

YMMV, though. That's just me.