In "I Will Repay," Janette tells Nick she never converted anyone to vampirism.  But what about the Baroness in "If Looks Could Kill"?  Some very kind people nominated "Not the Mothering Type" for a 2001 FK Fanfiction Award for its attempt to reconcile those loose canon ends.

Rereading this story tonight, I thought about how it models what I hope to contribute to that "Women are Awesome" femme_fic ficathon.  Told from Janette's view, "Not the Mothering Type" stars Janette and Sofia, their challenges and solutions -- and while Lacroix's villainy is not completely overcome in the past, this is first season, where Janette, Sofia and Nick have all outlived him.  They are the survivors... of all he put them through, all the deep-seated damage he wrought.  They win.

Rereading, I also wondered, in passing: "Golly, could I really tell no story in those days without a Fleur reference?" ;-)

	•	Title:	"Not the Mothering Type"
	•	Length:	~4,500 words
	•	Date:	Posted to FKFic-L October 6, 2001
	•	Rating:	PG-13
	•	Summary:	Prompted by Nick, Janette recalls what really happened when Sofia became a vampire.
	•	Setting:	c.1885 Bavaria (ILCK), framed 1992 (IWR)
	•	Characters:	Nick, Janette, Sofia, Lacroix, Others
	•	Quotation:	"Newly returned to this world, Sofia needed -- and would want -- only vibrant, living, human blood, not the sluggish undead mire that was all Janette had to share."

Next up in the retrospective is "Kindred Spirits," which falls into the "post tag scene" genre as a direct response to that twitching toe at the end of "Hearts of Darkness."  It received a nomination in the 2001 FK Fanfiction Awards, and I'm grateful to those who put it forward!  To this day, I believe it ranks among my best fanfiction stories.  I'm really rather proud of it; I hope that's not misplaced.

At the time, a few thoughtful readers explicitly praised the choice to not stray from canon into a Nick/Urs romance.  They were certainly correct, and a romance had not even occurred to me at the time!  But rereading the story today, I must admit that I wondered whether a sequel taking such a non-canonical turn might pre-empt "Ashes to Ashes" and "Last Knight" in a worthwhile way, for a happier, healthier ending all around.  Something to think about...

	•	Title:	"Kindred Spirits"
	•	Length:	~13,500 words
	•	Date:	Posted to FKFic-L in January 2001
	•	Rating:	PG-13
	•	Summary:	Jacqueline turns to Urs and Nick for help.
	•	Setting:	After "Hearts of Darkness"
	•	Characters:	Nick, Urs, Ellen/Monika/Jacqueline, Erica, Sofia, Natalie, Lacroix, Enforcers
	•	Quotation:	"Either one would help me, I guess.  Lucien for a price.  Javier, because he always does, eventually.  And there are others.  But unlike them, you'll help her, just because she needs help."