Master Fic Post: Blue Skies From Rain

[lovesrain44]

Blue Skies From Rain




Word Count: 178,000
Genre: Wincest
Characters/Pairing: Sam/Dean, various OFCs
Fic Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Slash/wincest, dark, angst, amnesia, mental institution, unsubstantiated group and art therapy techniques, laundry, oatmeal, and true love with schmoop mixed in.
Summary: The morning after Sam rescues Dean from the djinn, Sam and Dean go back to the warehouse to take care of the bodies of both the victims and of the djinn. But instead of what should be a simple clean-up job, Sam and Dean are sucked into a nightmare world brought about by the djinn’s last dying act of revenge. (Takes place directly after What Is and What Should Never Be.) What do you do when you wake up in a mental institution and you think your brother is dead?
 
Art

The amazing ayan-desu selected my anonymous summary because she said it sounded interesting and that she was into amnesia stories. That's how I remember it, but from that simple beginning, I began to receive a cornucopia of ideas and creativity, of art and manips, and then a VID, and it was such a rush of joy and passion and sharing, it was seriously wonderful and amazing and I am just in awe of this lady's talent. I can't even begin to tell you how much it meant to me to see how she internalized my story and then expressed it through her art; it was like seeing my own brain through her eyes. And truly, the most zen thing I think I have ever gone through. You can download the art at her live journal.

Music

Ayan also created a front and back cover, delicious in tones of grey and black and white and charcoal that I feel completely expresses not only the fanmix, but the emotion of the story. You can download the fanmix and covers at her live journal, where she has kindly uploaded the entire thing.

If you're keen, I've created liner notes for the songs, which you can download here.

Downloads

My terribly kind friend amothea offered her services to create a collection of single files for the story:


Click here to read a single file to read online.

Click here do download a PDF version.

Click here to download the RTF version.

Click here to download an LRF version.

Click here to download a MOBI version.

Click here to download an EPUB version.

Part I

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3


Part II

Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9


Part III

Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16


Part IV

Chapter 17 - Chapter 18 - Chapter 19 - Chapter 20 - Chapter 21


Part V

Chapter 22 - Chapter 23 - Chapter 24 - Chapter 25


Part VI

Chapter 26 - Chapter 27 - Chapter 28 - Chapter 29


Simple Author’s Notes

The existence of this story is due to a number of things.

First, to the Big Bang Challenge, which made me want to write something long and complicated, to raise my own bar, and to work really, really hard at something for no other reason than because it was there.

Second, because I wanted to write a story that told how Sam and Dean really fell in love. If you go to my LJ you’ll see I’ve asked around, and really the only non-changing answer is that everyone has their own theory and all theories are equally valid. I wouldn’t say that this story represents my only theory, but it was the one I choose to go with.

Third, because I have an unhealthy obsession with mental institutions.

Fourth, because of a story I read that Took Over My Brain. It’s called Missing Persons and it's by Dira Sudis. It’s set in the Numb3rs fandom, and tells the story of Charlie getting kidnapped, and of Don finding him to rescue him. Only Charlie has amnesia and then sex happens, wonderful angsty and realistic sex that develops from a set of circumstances in such a steady and sustained way, that when it happens, it’s utterly absorbing and real and true. MP is one of those stories I fell in love with and wanted to marry. You know the feeling, you read it, you can’t stop thinking about it, it comes up in all those conversations in your head that you can’t possibly have with people at work, it absorbs your waking hours, and the only time you don’t think about it is when you’re looking for another story just like it. Damn that Dira. She’s ruined me forever.

Dedication

This story is dedicated to dsudis, because a fangirl likes to be ruined now and then, and to amothea , who is so good to me I can hardly stand it, even if, while I was writing this story, she was entirely positive that I wasn’t being mean enough to Sam and Dean and despaired of me forever.

Complicated Author's Notes

Now, if you're really keen, I've attempted to post all of my notes, starting with a long, detailed and possibly boring bit about why the hell I wrote this story, followed by, believe it or not, a chronology of word counts, notes, maybe even a draft or two, if I can figure out how to post that.

I'm in the midst of uploading all my notes and word counts and this is due to a wild hair to keep record of what I was doing and why. At the moment, there are notes about the basic premise of the story; later there will be calendars with word counts and scans of post-it notes that I had on my wall.

Complicated Author's Notes

Happy reading, and thanks for coming by.

Comments

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Chapter 2 onwards are still locked :)

[awakencordy.livejournal.com]

HOLY SHIT THIS IS LONG! I mean I'm a sucker for long stories but UH. *gasm*

I'm now saving one of the one-files, i'll return when i finish this. i'm so intrigued by the art though.

[wiccaqueen.livejournal.com]

OMG! This is long!!! Will give it a shot, because it sounds really interesting and the art looks amazing :-)

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

Holy canolies this is a long fic, and it looks very interesting! Congrats on posting!

[auroraprimavera.livejournal.com]

LONG FIC LONG FIC!!! \o/

I'm doing a happy dance because I am such a sucker for long fic. Like, for real. And this sounds sooooo interesting. I read the summary and thought to myself "I have to read this!!"

Will come back when I'm done! *settles in*

[kurodo.livejournal.com]

omg! LONG fic \o and i love them~
and this look sooo dark that i'm definitely gonna love THIS one *dark fic lover* hope this is bottom!Dean story.

gonna start reading right now ->

[twivamp92.livejournal.com]

good christ this is a long fic O_O
but WIAWSNB is one of my all time favorite episodes of the series (if you dont get a pang in your heart or even a bit teary eyed during it, you have no soul)
and the art is just..there are no words. fantastic, brilliant, amazing, etc etc
so yeah...I'll give it a go x]
it'll just have to wait til I get home later tonight xD
looks like im gunna be reading all night (and most likely into tomorrow)
can't wait to read this!!!
:D

[perfica.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to say that this was highly recced on my flist and I wanted to congratulate you on achieving such a mammoth task. I've opened up the complete file and will read it ASAP as a reward to myself for getting nasty 'work' work done.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Oh dear God I LOVE you for posting multiple single-file formats. I haven't even started reading yet, but I will in a few minutes because the rec came from roxymissrose whose recs are golden.

But the formats! Thank you!!!! I read ALL my fic on my handheld device and this is truly a great service to fandom. You rock!

[giandujakiss.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to let you know this story was rec'd at sawedoff_recs - it was such a great read, thanks so much for writing it!

[figoana.livejournal.com]

I'm saving this fic for when I have a little time to read which won't be for awhile but I just wanted to say I completely understand your passion for Missing Persons. It is quite simply, hands down, THE best in the fandom and I do feel like I'm in a bit of a love affair with that fic.

lol

For that alone I know I'll enjoy your fic even more!

[putu2sleep.livejournal.com]

This is so incredibly well done, and such an all around great story, I can't help but complement you again.

The artwork was phenomenal, it added so much to your story, even though purposely waited until I finished to go back and review the entire art file (kind of like waiting to see the movie until you've read the book).

All and all, just a great job, and one of my favorites.

[imaginaryimages.livejournal.com]

Not sure where the best place was to leave you feedback, but had to just post SOMETHING!

What an awesome fic. The imagery, the pacing. The poor, broken, messed up boys. I LOVE how you tied the Dean/Sam dynamic from "during" to the "end". That while now they're both whole, their interaction at the restaurant really isn't all that much different to how it was in the hospital! Dean takes care of Sam and always will. Sam looks to Dean for guidance and Dean needs that.

I adored the original characters as well. Wonderful job with that.

Can I say IMAGERY again? I saw AND felt the Treatment, the unattainable window in their room, the drone of the dryers, the cold rain, etc. as if I were there.

And Floyd! I've had Floyd floating in my head since I read the title and how that music fits this fic is amazing!

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

Seems like a fic this long and WORTHY should get more than a short and simple thank you. But it's completely fried my brain to do any more than that.

I don't normally read Sam/Dean slash, but this is one of those rare exceptions that I embrace. You did an amazing job!

[dsudis.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, you did it! Congratulations! Oh, man, I am a little bit scared to read this. :)

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

I spent several days reading your story by downloading the one-piece file onto my handheld device, and so leaving a comment of appreciation has been a matter of working back to this post.

First of all, it is one of the most engrossing longfics I've read in any fandom. The mental institution setup was fascinating, and I loved how you evoked the strange comfort of having all responsibility removed--the temptation to stay that both Sam and Dean felt. Your long, slow build to both the love between Sam and Dean and the big action (I'm avoiding comment spoilers here) was wonderful. The writing style seemed to perfectly match the drugged, and then increasingly-clear, mind state of each characer.

I was thrilled with the all of the post-institution scenes, and in particular the train. Holy crap, that was exciting!

I didn't read all your notes, but did you intend the title as a Pink Floyd reference? Because I was singing "Wish You Were Here" the whole time I was reading this story.

Anyway, I won't fangirl you to death here, but seriously, this was a marvelous, deeply-engaging read of the sort that I'm always hoping for in fandom and not finding all that often. Thank you so much! Really fine work.

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

I just fell in love with your story. I just... I can't even put it into words yet, I might have to come back with some proper adjectives. I'll totally admit to having a teary eye at parts and reading this at work, and reading when I came home at night. You rock!

[melissima.livejournal.com]

Ooh, another Djinn big bang! My slashwife emmademarais wrote hers out of that episode, too. I've downloaded the MOBI version to keep me awake read in bed. :)

[hoodietime.livejournal.com]

Hey, just wanted to let you know that this has been recced here (http://community.livejournal.com/hoodie_time/48460.html) at hoodie_time. ;)

Wow, what a fantastic read!

[romyra]

awesome, story, completely believable and beautifully sad and yet happy at the same time because at the end they still have each other.

[dragon-klaw.livejournal.com]

Just finished this ( took 3 or 4 days, lol), and I'm so glad I took the time! This was a really enjoyable read, and I will probably be coming back to read it again some time. Or downloading a copy to keep. :)

Amazing!

[micari.livejournal.com]

OMG! This was such a great fic! I NEVER leave comments for fic authors, but I just had to tell you how much I truly enjoyed this one. Very well done! It's currently at the top my 'favorite fics' list.

[alxtorres33.livejournal.com]

Just finished reading this story and I gotta say...wow. It was an amazing fic. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful and sad. You write so well. It pulled on the heartstrings unlike any other fic I have ever read. It truly was beautifully done. Thank you for posting this fic.

[weimar27.livejournal.com]

Just read this, and it is very good. It kind of reminds me of leondidasleon'
s fics, which are long, angsty, and focuses on the boatloads of issues that the guys have. I also have to aplaud you for writing something so long, but still keeps the readers attention.

[patty1h.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed reading this. My favorite aspect of the show is the over-the-top brotherly love and you didn't skimp on this at all! Another one of my buttons is protectiveDean and you gave that to me in spades.

Thanks for a detailed and engrossing story.