time after time you take the trouble to come back and share your thoughts and impressions and it means more to me than you can possibly imagine.

all i can say is… thank you

nlr alicia sez: hey, you know how i feel about your double-posts you scamp.

thanks for mentioning the ending – it was a lot of fun to play with Holmes’s expectations of that moment (and subsequent ones ;D ) – i’m so glad it was pleasing!

While I enjoyed the beginning of the chapter very much, it was the meeting between Holmes and Watson at the end that stole my heart. Watson’s strength, his determination, and ultimately his love were just wonderful.

Loved this chapter and am anxiously waiting for the next part.

nlr alicia sez: ah, thank you so much. i’m glad you enjoyed the tone. i wanted to ease back on the stick a little after the shenanigans of part 2 so we could have a nice long runway to angstilvania for part 3. fireworks will commence shortly ;D

and thanks for mentioning the closing – i tried to keep that short and sweet – i’m so glad it worked for you.

thanks again!

*however, in the back of my mind, a tiny portion of me is screaming: “I want them to make out more!”, but is gently walloped in the head and put to sleep*

Haha. Holmes so deserve to get hit. And I’m glad that Watson is his forgiving, loving self. For a while there I was afraid, but I shouldn’t have been, knowing Watson. ^_^ I wish I had been there when Francois punched him.

I had no idea Seraphie felt that way for Moran Jr., I think pblazer pretty much sums up what my feelings are on that. No wonder they got along so well. (as pblazer had said before me, their relationship sort of mirrored each other). It was a pleasant surprise.

Of course, the clincher here that made me squee like a mad thing in a public computer shop filled is:

“You, my friend, are as the most wonderful mirror. To stand with you and see one’s self in your eyes, it is like being the person one would wish to be if the world did not make it impossible. It is a feeling like being… amazing. Who would not wish to have this feeling? Who would not want to feel it always? I am no different from anyone in this. I would have the feeling of being amazing in your eyes… and more than this. I would like to know what it is to be alone in your heart, not just in your eyes.”

I heartily believe that’s one of the most apt description of Watson I’ve ever read. There’s just something about him that makes you want to bring out your best, and at the same time, you feel like you’re great and the center of the world. Perhaps it’s in the way he sincerely and full-heartedly he interacts with others.

And of course the poem was certainly very apt. I’m still squeeing.

And Holmes’ mongraph made me laugh. Hahaha. God, the title. I edit academic/scientific articles/monographs for a living, and I can tell you, Holmes’ titles are very similar in characters to the ones I’m editing (although more filled with scientific/academic jargon).

Thank for writing and this is wonderful.

nlr alicia sez: aaah! thank you so.much. as always.

lol. yeah it was a struggle to leave the BIG FIGHT off screen. it just didn’t work story-wise any other way. of course if i manage to do the sequel i’m going to have to make up for it because i have a feeling the whole Holmes-Villard kerfuffle is only getting started.

and, yeah, i’m glad the letter worked to some degree – that’s another thing i cut and restored several times. i’m relieved it was a pleasant surprise and not totally disorienting. when i was cutting seraphie’s material i tried to leave a few subtle clues in but i think they were so subtle as to be invisible. :/

i really appreciate your comments on the “mirror” speech. i was really uncertain about that, but it felt true for me anyway and i’m glad i wasn’t alone.

the monographs are too much fun to play with – it would be a treat to do a story built on monograph titles. hmmm. i might put that one in future-fic-file.

thank you again – and thanks for always being there – i really appreciate it.

Villard is so interesting in his own right. When he explained the events of That Night, I really enjoyed how his almost jocular words contrasted with the heated emotions of what was actually transpiring. And I share his glee at having knocked Holmes down. Go, Francois!

As others I’m sure have and will point out, Francois insight into Watson’s merit is spot on. He’s a mirror, but a bit of a fun-house mirror. He reflects your best self and makes you long to live up to it. Who wouldn’t want to bask in that? Who doesn’t want to feel 10,000 feet high?

And speaking of mirrors, I love what you’ve done with Seraphie. I think we all noticed her sympathetic connection with Watson. Her letter quite naturally expands on that and reveals their relationship as mirrors to each other. No wonder he was so sympathetic to her. She too is caught by love. Watson and Seraphie’s connection also strengthens the threat from Moran Jr. because it automatically equates him with Holmes. Well done!

And one last thing before I bore you to death. Francois must have quite the eclectic library. Heavens, I’m glad someone reads thos monographs! I’ve always pictured some underlying coming before poor Mycroft. “Sir?” “Not another one.” “Yes sir. Something about candle wax.” “I see. By your very presence here I deduce that there are no willing publishers.” “Uh, no sir. They all tell me that they are not charitable institutions.” “No. A fact which seems to have escaped my brother. Well. Give it here.” “Yes sir. Thank you sir.” “Candle wax. Good heavens, what next?”

nlr alicia sez: oh, heavens – right back at you!

you know i’m stretching the point a bit with those candied violets – Toulouse is famous for violets but the candies they’re known for are the little pastilles that come in those lovely tins. they’re really little hard candies, but i like candied flower and edible flower petals – they’re so beautiful – and i thought it wasn’t out of the question to find candied violets in Toulouse. so it’s really a bit of self indulgence on my part and it wouldn’t have become such a plot point except that Watson kept carrying them around! i’ve got a thing for props and whenever Watson needed to spark a memory he’d reach for those stinkin’ violets again. it turned out well and i’m glad of it because i like the… okay i’m rambling – you just asked about candied violets. guh.

i really appreciate that comment on Villard’s recap at the beginning – i was hoping that would read well – i did give Francois a lot of screen time in this chapter because i’ve gotten ridiculously fond of him. i hope the sequel happens so he gets some more story – hopefully with some action scenes next time.

i’m so pleased you enjoyed the “Francois explains it all” moment – that was one of those passages i cut and put back in half a dozen times. i was afraid it wouldn’t make sense to anyone.

and i’m thrilled you felt that resonance between john and seraphie – i wound up cutting a lot of dialogue by and about her for the sake of tightening things up. i probably cut more than i should have because it would have supported the letter more fully, but thank goodness it worked anyway.

also – on the Mycroft-Monograph Connection. I love mycroft as enabler and that was just perfect – “not another one.” *snerk*

(and finally – please! bore me more! i should be so bored every day )

nlr alicia sez: lol! your pithy comments always crack me up – this one was particularly pleasing because i live to be a distraction

Also, LOL @ your author’s note – and trying hard to sit politely while you craft the next installment. I remind myself of those poor folks who had to wait for the original Sherlock Holmes stories in serial form…how often was the Strand published, anyway? I think your track record is better than Doyle’s :>)

nlr alicia sez: thank you so much – i’m really pleased that struck a chord with you. and i know it’s tough to wait. thanks for your patience.

Yes, Watson should punish Holmes now for all that he’s done to him.

*cannot wait for the next, yet again*

nlr alicia sez: well, there’s punishment and there’s punishment.
and – hurrah! as quick as i can…

I’ve been meaning to say — I haven’t read Memory in the Skin yet but am looking forward to it.

nlr alicia sez: I’m with you there. .

and – ah! don’t worry about falling behind – i’ve got too much stuff. i don’t know how (or why) people keep up with it all.