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thespiralstaircasewriter · 11 months

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A MADONNA OF THE WILD SIDE

Beside my bed, the last image and the first I saw everyday, back when I was a young girl, was a poster of Lou Reed and Rachel Humphreys.

I have to say that, more than him, it was her that I looked up to.

Her styled, wavy dark hair, her perfectly plucked eyebrows, her remote Monna Lisa composure.

To me she looked unexplicably calm, her limbs draped around her man, the composition of the tableau as majestic as any Renaissance Madonna portrait.

I couldn’t help but study her polished fingernails and her mysterious half-smile.

I really didn’t know a thing, in my closed up world, all alone with myself and my innate instincts. Which said: look, and learn. Look, and try to seize that secret. Look, and try to understand for yourself what life is.

Here, basic reality: Man, and Woman. So it seems. Like Father and Mother, but different. And it concerns me too, I thought, because I am a woman too, by birth. But I am and feel completely different from this Woman. Perhaps that might be because she is said to be… a Man? But she doesn’t look like one. The matter requires investigation.

A woman, I observed, was some role to interpret by serious rules, and at the same time, a nature, as evident as the one expressed by a thriving plant, or by a tiger, calmly licking her paw.

Rachel looked like a woman, in a pair of jeans and a black shirt. So a woman was obviously the essence which radiated through her person: it spoke to me, but I couldn’t make out the words.

Time passed, and I grew up. The poster went, and something else took its place.

I seemed to forget everything about Lou and Rachel, and if the sun had come out for the two of them, on one day lost in time.

And in time, I had my own chances to throw my bones at the world, to take long life digressions, to bore myself in well-thought out perspectives, to fuck and get fucked by my own quiproquos.

I went along what looked like my own way.

And you could say I turned around one day and found I had gone full circle, to be back to the same perplexity, and to the same attentive observation, this time surrounded by a modern, multi-faceted world, speaking in tongues, where a million oracles, high or low, just wait on every corner, to dole out any sorts of revelations you might ask for.

So I learned in detail the human story behind the lore I had picked up passing by, through the years, of how Rachel Humphreys was, in Lou Reed’s own words, ‘something else’, oscillating between a masculine and a feminine identity, and still retaining some man traits.

From what I found, Rachel had wanted to make her choice, and to be called a ‘she’. No ‘he’ days, anymore.

But that didn’t come true for Rachel. And we’ll never know exactly if she was denied that, or if she just put it on hold, busy on drugs, adventures and misadventures, thinking she would have the chance later. Later…

Likewise, we’ll never know if she left, or the way she held her head when she left, although I have a whole movie in my mind about that. Or if Rachel just lost her game and her man, and she was actually the one to watch him go, his heart closed for her, uncomprehending.

I’ll never know.

But I know that she fell from grace, that she suffered her own ordeal in the cruelest, unmitigated years of a modern Plague, and that she died a miserly death, like so many artists’ models. A sure death, the only biographic detail we possess about the mysterious beauties who look at us from ancient portraits.

And I know where her bones rest, I read, in a ‘pauper burial site’ on Hart Island, off the Bronx coast.

There she is, among many, many others, over one million souls, it says.

All the same, I feel as if I might just find her, in a dream.

Then I would know her in the multitude, and walk up to her.

Touch her shoulder, tell her I remember her.

Give her this story.

#rachel humphreys #lou and rachel #trans history #memory #my writing #hart island

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thatgordongirl · 1 year

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BBC Ghosts Season 2 : Life references

After months of putting it off, Season 2 is finally finished!

Episode 1 - The Grey Lady

Captain’s “For King and Country” is in reference to George VI

Thomas references Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Julian plays ping pong and says it takes him back to the David Lloyd in Chelsea

Julian spoils the World Cup quarterfinals for Pat, implying he watched it when alive

Mary was mostly illiterate

A 14th century grindstone is found in the cellar

Captain unsurprisingly mentions the war again

Julian thinks he can do an impression of Nelson Mandela

Thomas does an impression of an earl, but I couldn’t find anything on them so please excuse my lack of British know how

Fanny appears in photos

Julian didn’t believe in ghosts when he was alive

Pat lists his skills in life: knot-tying, tent-pitching, archery

Julian references Newsnight

Fanny has been to a sideshow

I’m assuming Pat and Julian are referencing Bruce Forsyth, which Julian has before

Not a life thing, but I find it interesting that both Robin and Captain have said ghosts can’t feel the cold, only for Captain to question it

Side note: Thomas’ cheese commercial made me hungry

Fanny’s dress is made of silk

I like to think Captain talking to Dante’s taxidermy means he likes dogs

Pat likes pop quizzes

Captain likes running, a no brainer

Captain remarks that he’s in his prime and that’s he’s still got it, implying that he at least believed he was in good health when alive

Episode 2 - About Last Night

Mick the plague ghost comes back the village they’ll eventually die in

Mick claims to have had an orange, have seen a bear kill a man, and met the king and went fishing

He brought salt and clothes for the other plague ghosts, which led to their deaths

Side note: Mick coughing up the blood was so scary to me, dying from a sickness

Thomas may be able to cook, since he says he wished he could make Alison breakfast - lamb’s kidney and onion- before being cut off. I wonder if Thomas learned or liked to cook

Thomas acknowledges he wasn’t formally invited to the party, a custom he’s used to

None of the surrounding villages were struck with plague

Captain asks to watch a war documentary while Pat wants to watch football

Julian believed that you should drink more alcohol when hung over

Mary offers a remedy: mushrooms soaked in goats milk and vinegar till it’s warm

Pat says that cola is good for a hang over

Side note again: Thomas is really sweet when he informs Alison of Dante’s disappearance, or the multiple times he’s wished to help her with things like cooking and cleaning. We love a helpful king

Fanny loved Dante like her own child according to Thomas, and she once told Julian she loved Dante more anything else in the world. If she did have kids, I wonder if the relationship was strained. Also, it’s such a notable fact that everyone knows it, including ghosts that weren’t around for Fanny’s life

I know he’s easily coerced into not doing it, but the fact that Captain wanted to tell Fanny immediately that Dante was missing is very sweet

Julian has extensive experience in public inquiries, specifically being the one getting asked the questions

Julian describes how it make an alcoholic drink to Alison

Kitty’s heard white wine helps with stains

Fanny is not fond of mice

Mary thinks Veronica, Clive and Annie are nice names. I won’t include Daniel because it was her having a close call with Daniel

Dante used to like sitting by the fire

Episode 3 - Redding Weddy

Captain’s soldiers at Button House were apparently prone to giggling and horseplay

Introduction of Captain’s Lieutenant, Havers

We see Captain being informed that France has surrendered, which occurred in June 1940

Captain requested a service revolver

Lieutenant Havers had an emergency lockdown initiated shortly after

Havers informs Captain he wants to be involved in fighting, and has put in a transfer for the North Africa front

Pat is, unsurprisingly, well versed in activity badges, and everyone else can recite them

Robin knows how to skin a mammoth

Julian, my dear, you are way off. It took Mary more than 300 years to talk about the witch trial if she did indeed die in the 1610s

Pat likes Top Gun

Julian references Chariots of Fire from 1981, Mississippi Burning from 1988 and The Towering Inferno from 1974

Little reference to the next episode when Thomas says he would show Julian his glove if he had one. Also, the wedding guy says the backyard looks like a bomb site, when it literally is one. Stuff like that make the show so much cooler

Julian used to do boxing for Cambridge

Pat says s'il vous plaît

Fanny and Kitty read Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence

Julian references the Suez crisis

Thomas references Jack and the Beanstalk

Pat calls the laptop the computer that folds

Pat was with Carol at her parents’ house when the moon landing happened, eating fish and chips and trying a jumbo battered sausage for the first time

Julian was a student at Cambridge when the moon landing happened and having his first threesome

Captain claims that his dog Barry is buried where the bomb is, which is obviously untrue, but he also says that where they buried their pets, plural. I like to think Cap’s soldiers had a few dogs about

Captain has a letter with William written on it, which he tucks into his clothes. Captain says he was just thinking about Havers, which would later link to how they both knew about operation William

Havers gets a new service revolver

Captain has poster in his office about men wanted in the army, and also a wall full of books

Captain and his soldiers played cricket

Julian references 9 1/2 weeks, a 1986 erotic movie

Thomas always chooses pistol

Julian sold 50 crates of AK-47 assault rifles to the Libyans in 1983 to pay for his orangery

Julian uses a grenade and a flamethrower on Thomas, I don’t know if his “I’m melting” line is meant to reference the Wizard of Oz or not

The statue outside, Florence, was one of Kitty’s best friends

Kitty’s sister would pretend to not be able to find her when playing hide and seek

Kitty once hid for a whole day and night, and got so hungry she had to eat a bit of her purse

I mean it’s just meant to look funny and be a reference but Julian can canonically spin a ball on one finger

Nobody has ever found Kitty during hide and seek

Nice canon Cap in a coat, love a bit of that

He also smokes, or at least fiddles the occasional pipe

Oh and he threw that envelope into the hole with the bomb

Captain buried a prototype limpet mine, which was so secret only he and Havers knew about it, along with the blueprints

Captain talks bomb mechanics with Robin, the cutest thing I’ve ever seen

Pat knows about 2001: A Space Odyssey

Robin thinks the earth is flat

There’s a bit of speculation here: I can’t actually say with absolute certainty that Captain really saw Havers go. Maybe it’s wishful thinking that Havers would turn back and salute one last time, maybe it did happen, maybe it didn’t

Episode 4 - The Thomas Thorne Affair

Robin would wear a space suit, Mary a seashell dress, Tom double denim with aviators, Julian misses pants, Pat’s wearing his lovely gist, Kitty wears the same as Alison, and Captain would wear his uniform

Julian is unsurprisingly well versed in political tactics like the spin

Captain identifies a musket ball

It’s the one that made Thomas very dead

This is another thing I’m uncertain about: whether Thomas feels pain or just does it for dramatic affect

Quick side note before sad Thomas lore, I think I forgot to mention last time that Julian mentioned Great Expectations

Thomas died October 10th, 1824

Thomas came to Button House when it was owned by the Highams’, Thomas and Francis were invited

They can both ride horses

Thomas had stated the house was pleasant to look at, but he wouldn’t want to live there (rippppp)

Thomas was in love with Isabelle Higham

Thomas wrote a poem called Hermione and Roger and recited in front of everyone ( turns out he always sucked, but his poetry didn’t really sound that bad to me in this episode )

Isabelle played the harpsichord

I always wonder during this episode how Thomas remembers his death so wrongly, whether he’s lying about it or simply so horrified he forgot I don’t know

Even so, I think Thomas genuinely was in love and didn’t misinterpret as much before Isabelle

Thomas challenged some guy to a duel, we love a gun brandishing king

Francis is a bitch- anyway back to Thomas

Thomas went twenty paces instead of ten, should’ve listened to ten duel commandments Thomas

The first animation with the spinning paper thing was shown

Monster munch, no words

Julian with his bloody playboy magazine, I’m not surprised

First mention of Annie, Mary’s bestie

Humphrey is such a lovely soul, learning to admire the little things like shoes

Okay wait, Alison says “you’ve literally got forever” which parallels Captain’s “we’ve got forever”

HOLD UP THAT DUEL GUY WAS INSULTING MARY SHELLEY

HOW DARE HE

Thomas shot a bird and apologised before he died

Isabelle never came to see Thomas before he passed, he was left alone to die

Julian cried at Thomas’ death

Francis rigged the whole thing to trick Thomas and Isabelle in order to get Higham House

Francis and Isabelle’s son was George’s grandfather

Everyone is related through Robin and his sister

Poor Tom, you stay how you die and that letter isn’t going anywhere

Episode 5 - Bump in the Night

Cap likes to count with Humphrey’s hands

Captain tells Alison of life from the knees “Trust me, you don’t want a hernia” either he had one or knew someone who did

Humphrey knows that hedgehogs will leave flees in the rug

Also Captain and Humphrey’s exchange “Pick me up at six. Literally” “Very good” is so cute

Fanny references oyster forks

She assumes they’re eating oysters at the wedding

Julian sings “I’ll make love to you” by Boyz II Men

Humphrey on guard is cute

Captain does his own little vocalisation of what I’m assuming is a long way to Tipperary

Kitty assumes the intruders are there for a masked ball

Julian references the Bramptons and assumes it’s insurance fraud

Captain knows it’s a burglary

Pat tries to put them under a citizens arrest, so cute

Pat references Borstal

Alison taught Kitty acronyms - Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain

Captain calls the police the constabulary

“Burglary in process”

Captain - “why is no one ever alive when you need them?” Very telling, Cap

Julian gets worried Margaret Thatcher is dead. Too late Julian

Fanny admires the brushwork of her portrait

Cap and Pat watched Star Wars

Julian worries about getting RSI

Pat, Cap and Julian know Morse code

Julian lobbied against an animal welfare bill

Robin always gets excited by fire

Captain says he could have Robin shot off desertion, scaring Thomas

Alison meets a ghost who died hitchhiking. I find that to be an interesting concept, as the ghost is more based on the archetype. Makes me think about if Robin’s ability or character was created first

Robin howls for the dogs

Uh, Pat talks about drugs going in unsavoury places

Fanny would make a good criminal

Captain says he fought in an actual battle, it’s difficult to hear but it’s there

Julian loves a good sauna

Episode 6 - Perfect Day

Mary believes that bad weather means bad tidings for the wedding

Fanny believes marriages should be at churches

Pat’s wedding day was the best day of his life, Carol wore velvet and he wore a brown three piece

Julian was drunk on his wedding day

Fanny’s wedding day was at Winchester Cathedral and she was given away by the Marquis of Granby

Robin had at least thirty children

Kitty can throw up, and had food in her stomach when she died

Robin says that’s never happened before

Captain is very good at decorating, no surprise

Pat recognises the kid who killed him

Mary and her wedding superstitious

Both Pat and Julian talk about Dennis Waterman

Robin and Julian talk about Mick Hucknall

Kitty’s dress is burgundy

Captain has great fashion sense

Thomas references Whitechapel

You know, Thomas’ explanation of how Clare looked was pretty accurate, he’s quite aware of emotions

Fanny stops in front of George’s portrait, just an interesting detail

Fanny had high expectations placed on her since she was a child

Alison and Mike got married young

Alison had second thoughts on their wedding day

Mary had a husband, who was crushed underneath a plough three years after their marriage

The man Pat recognises is Keith Darren Dean

First time hearing about Humphrey’s marriage: it was arranged, they were both from noble families, he was fourteen she was twelve

They didn’t love each other, and Humphrey believed she didn’t like him, they couldn’t understand each other because she was French

Course later we find out she thought highly of him

Keith has guilt that has lasted decades, that sounds so painful

Fanny and Thomas exchange a look when she finally comes around to the wedding, it’s just so sweet I had to mention it

Keith remembers the knot tying Pat taught him

Episode 7 - The Ghost of Christmas

Julian is giving a speech for a bill at the start of the episode, referencing saying goodbye to Margot the day before

He refers to her as ‘this woman from my wedding’ and implies he’s about to sleep with another woman by the end of the scene

Nickname count: Dearest, darling and dear

The baby, Rachel, is heard crying on the phone

Margot asks when Julian is coming home, so he lies to her and says he won’t be back for days

Pat loves Christmas cooking, such a dear

Captain wishes he had a whiteboard

Julian points out the humbugs, and says he hates Christmas

Captain misses hearing the King’s speech on Christmas

Pat liked playing games with his nephew and his son, Daley

Games like Buckaroo, Boggle, Yahtzee and KerPlunk

Thomas misses the mistletoe, implying he’s been kissed before

Kitty used to open presents in the morning and then after lunch Eleanor would pick the ones she wanted

Mary says that some babies can see ghosts until they start walking

Julian is in the warmest room in the house due to his legs

Julian was in Brussels once at a strip club, but he tells Margot he’s at a restaurant eating moules-frites and drinking a Sancerre

Margot seems at least skeptical of him

This is one of the Christmases he misses, the last four of his life that involve Rachel

Julian references the European Union

Fanny convinced Alison to follow the tradition of chopping a tree down and bringing it on for Christmas

Fanny planted at least fifty saplings in her time

It’s kind of funny that Julian is horrified by Mary getting naked

Thomas’ Christmas recital thing wasn’t that bad

From inference, it’s implied that Julian believes Margot wanted the baby, and that he had it thrust upon him

And if “I know, darling, I know” represents Margot, and Julian thinks that’s a reaction she would have, damn is that sad

She’s practically taking the blame for his misery

Julian would go for a drive if the baby got too irritating to him

It appears that out of the four Christmases away from Rachel, one was to do oil deals, one was to be in Brussels, one at Colonel Gaddafi’s palace, and possibly another in Brussels

Pat loves Twister

Thomas and Cap have physical discipline

Pat would go to the shed to drink a Watney’s

Julian being considerate of Angela sleeping is either a new development, or something he was never pushed to do in life

The PC brigade may have interrogated Julian

Fanny seems to hold her Christmases in a high regard, despite George. Maybe it wasn’t always bad

Julian has kissed the wrong people under the mistletoe

Alison plays In the Bleak Midwinter on the piano

Rachel Fawcett is an MP for the Green Party, she’s a Major Leader of it

#bbc ghosts #mike cooper #alison cooper #the captain #julian fawcett #pat butcher #margot fawcett #rachel fawcett #humphrey bone #mary bbc ghosts #kitty bbc ghosts #robin bbc ghosts #thomas thorne #fanny button #george button

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ulrichgebert · 5 months

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Ein gutes neues Jahr allerseits. Es beginnt gleich mit stark hinterherhinkender Berichterstattung. Aus dem letzten Jahr ist noch Dead Man Don't Wear Plaid, Carl Reiners fabelhafte und massiv mit alten Film-noir-Stars besetzte Verfilmung des Krimireißers, den Raymond Chandler nie geschrieben hat nachzutragen.

#Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid #Steve Martin #Rachel Ward #Humphrey Bogart #Ingrid Bergman #Ava Gardner #Ray Milland #Cary Grant #Joan Crawford #Lana Turner #Kirk Douglas #Film gesehen #Carl Reiner #Miklós Rózsa

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liverpoolfcw · 2 years

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The LFC Women's Show - September 2022

Link to YouTube

with Rachel Furness, Rachael Laws, Katie Stengel, and Carla Humphrey + a Hot or Not section with Leighanne Robe, Megan Campbell, and Katie Stengel

Highlights / Topics

The Euros - Furney's experience playing in it and the others' experiences as fans/viewers

The Celebration Parade around the city for both the women's and the men's team and what it felt like being on the bus

How Katie and Carla started playing football

Coffee shops around Liverpool City

The upcoming WSL season (22/23) including pre-season, goals/focus, and the Merseyside Derby that will be held at Anfield

#rachel furness #rachael laws #katie stengel #carla humphrey #leighanne robe #megan campbell #liverpool fcw #liverpool fc women #liverpool women #liverpool women's show

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jeevesreads · 9 months

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15 Sexy Travel/Road Trip Romance Books

This romance trope is a personal favorite of mine, because I love the forced proximity and constant contact that comes from traveling together. Spending all of your time with another person reveals so much about your relationship – good and bad – and it can shift the dynamics in the blink of an eye. Forced to go on a work trip with your office rival? Now’s your chance to see them out of the…

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femftbllvr · 1 year

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#liverpool women #liverpool fcw #carla humphrey #taylor hinds #sofie lundgaard #faye kirby #rachel furness #gemma bonner

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bokearns · 2 years

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#Rachel furness #carla humphrey #Leighanne robe #lfcw #lfc women #conti cup #woso #woso soccer #liverpool wfc #liverpool women

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missrayon · 1 year

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#lou reed #rachel humphreys

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love-geeky-fangirl · 9 days

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Again, if you like multiple of these, pick the one you like the most.

#random polls #reblog for a bigger sample size

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moonah-rose · 6 months

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The ideal Ghosts Ending Montage.

If all the ghosts get sucked off in the final episode, I want a super sweet glimpse of how they're all getting on in the after-afterlife, cut between images of Alison and Mike raising their family.

- We see Julian at a party seemingly back to his old ways, drinking and living it up, but then his daughter appears and he leaves it to be with her (time is irrelevant here so this happens after Rachel has died years later). Yes, he now has trousers.

- We see Thomas reading his poetry to a crowd of adoring fans who are hanging off his every word. He catches the eye of one particular person; Isabel Higham.

- We see Pat catching up with his son and going on a family camping trip. He has an unlimited supply of tea and biscuits.

- We see Kitty reunited with Eleanor who tearfully begs for her forgiveness but Kitty is just thrilled to play with her again.

- We see Fanny doing a true Lady Godiva, riding her horse Montague across a field, naked, hair unbound hair flowing behind her as Dante and her other pets follow.

- Robin is reunited with his tribe, his sister, his thirty children all hanging off him. He spots two figures waving at him and we see Annie and Mary together, hand in hand.

- Humphrey is just...whole again. He's just running around being a happy little guy whose head is no longer falling off. Maybe Sophie is watching and laughing with him.

- The most emotional shot; Captain being reunited with Havers, true Titanic-ending style, kissing him as their old troop breaks into applause.

- We go back to Button House in time to see Alison on her death bed, an old grandmother, surrounded by family and friends with Mike holding her hand. She slips away, camera zooms in on her face as she's bathed in heavenly light, transporting her. She opens her eyes and grins; "Hi guys...Thanks for waiting."

Bonus

After-credits scene shows the Plague Ghosts still in the basement. But they're fine, as usual.

#bbc ghosts #honestly im setting my hopes too high #fanny button #captain ghosts #thomas thorne #alison cooper #robin ghosts #caphavers #julian fawcett #mary x annie #ghosts thoery

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thatgordongirl · 1 year

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Stuck between writing my Humphrey x Captain fic or more Rachel and Theodore. I’m sick but the soul is willing

#bbc ghosts #rachel fawcett #bbc ghosts humphrey #the captain

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nortism · 7 months

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Nor's Ultimate BBC Ghosts Fic Recommendations

I decided to put my obsessive AO3 bookmarking to good use and recommend you all some of my favourite ghosts fics (not all, there will likely be a part two). I tried my best to include a variety of fics centring different characters and ships as well as lesser known fics. Please feel free to reblog this post and add your own recs (self promo very much allowed). I've tried to add tumblrs were applicable but if you wrote one of these fics or know who did, please let me know and I'll edit the post. Happy reading!

It by Scriblit

Rating: M

Ships: Mary/Robin, Julian/Robin

Summary:

You lose three mates, ten babies, both parents, all your siblings and then every friend for scores of millennia and still entertain the concept of being 'sweet' on a dead woman still consumed by her own pain. Doing It never had much meaning to Robin, even when he was alive. Now that he's dead, it's really just something to while away all the years. At some point, he's asked most of the ghosts if they want to do it. Some said no, some said yes. His only rule is, they have to genuinely want to do it, too. And, they mustn't be too sad. One of the ghosts was too sad, for so long, so he waited. And waited.

Notes: The first two chapters of this fic are an amusing exploration of caveman sex and the boredom that comes with eternal purgatory but the last chapter is where it gets really, really good. Genuinely one of the most poignant and devastating explorations of grief I've ever read, I cannot recommend it enough.

The Curse by Scriblit

Rating: T

Ships: Robin/OFC, Humphrey/Sophie

Summary:

Over the years, the centuries, the millennia, the residents of, and visitors to Button House and the land it's built on have experienced strange things, and heard strange tales. Multiple mysterious, macabre deaths. Unruly electrics. Blurry shapes in photos. St Elmo's Fire. Burning smells, a mysterious, singing voice in the cellar. Rumours of witchcraft, an ancient amulet and visions of Satan himself. Is the land truly cursed? Or is this just a place of 250,000 years worth of human sadness?

Notes: I only wanted to include one work from each author but I couldn't take this off my list. The only way I can describe this fic is clever. It's one of those things you just have to experience for yourself. Criminally underrated. Just read all of Scriblit's work, I'm their biggest fan.

Family, Family, Family by MadameReveuse

Rating: T

Ships: Primarily gen with side Julian/Robin

Summary:

Green Party Fundraiser Time! Rachel Fawcett comes to Button House, despite struggling with her feelings regarding a certain extremely unfortunate death there. Ghosts and the living alike are thrown into turmoil, especially when it begins to look like someone at the event may be attempting to harm the up-and-coming young politician. Can Julian stand idly by? Well, he's a ghost, so yeah, he has to.

Notes: This fic has it all; father/daughter bonding, a murder mystery and plenty of tory bashing. My entire perception of who Rachel Fawcett is comes from this fic, I was almost glad we never met her in canon as the author does such a fantastic job characterising her.

Ten friends total by notupforpolo (@notupforpolo)

Rating: G

Ships: Mary/Annie

Summary:

After the initial shock of dying wore off, Kitty was so excited to have Mary and Annie as friends. Kitty would notice how they spoke and gossiped just like Eleanor and her friends would do. They were potential friends until they just became friends. Then, when Annie was sucked off, Kitty was there to comfort Mary. Until Mary followed.

Notes: There is a severe lack of both Kitty-centric and Mary/Annie fic in this fandom and this fic covers both bases. Just a really excellent Kitty character study and a great exploration of grief

House Share by Sheepyblue (@ginevralinton)

Rating: G

Ships: Alison/Mike

Summary:

In which Mike makes a New Year's Resolution, with varying degrees of success (Or, a story of Mike spending time with the ghosts)

Notes: I've read a few variants of Mike spending time with the ghosts but I really like this one. My favourite chapter was definitely the Humphrey one, I won't spoil it but it's very funny. This author has far too many Ghosts fics for me to include in this post so I'd recommend you look through their other works

...And A Rainbow! by Spineless_Lobster (@spineless-lobster )

Rating: G

Ships: None

Summary:

Alison buys the Captain some pride merchandise, Kitty gets very excited that an entire room in the house is covered in rainbows. The two ghosts decide to have a sleepover to celebrate the (gay) occasion.

Notes: For all my Cap & Kitty lovers, this is pure fluff. Made me giggle.

Nothing Like a Round on 'The Krypton Factor' by neverfaraway

Rating: T

Ships: The Captain/Pat

Summary:

Wedding season approaches at Button House and, for once, everything is going off without a hitch. Of course, there’s the slight issue of Pat’s recent epiphany about his sexuality, Kitty’s determination to get her hands on as much badly-written erotica as possible, and the peasants becoming decidedly revolting. Still, if only the ghosts can refrain from murdering any of the builders, Alison is fairly sure they can pull this off. Or, Pat and the Captain negotiate coming out, even if it's only to each other.

Notes: Even if you, like myself, aren't a Patcap shipper, this fic is worth the read solely for the the subplot about the Plague Ghosts staging a leftist uprising. The perfect blend of comedy and heartfelt moments, this fic feels like it could have been an actual episode of Ghosts.

Don't Let The Good Life Pass You By by Impossibly_Izzy (@impossiblyizzy)

Rating: M

Ships: The Captain/Pat, Alison/Mike, minor Robin/Julian

Summary:

When the ghosts are mysteriously resurrected, life at Button House only gets more chaotic. Asking, how do you live in a world that wasn't built for you? How do you find meaning in a cold uncaring universe? And what does the Captain eat for breakfast?

Notes: Crack treated seriously is one of my fav AO3 genres and this fic is the cream of the crop. Despite being a Patcap fic, all the characters reactions to living in the modern world were explored in a detailed and hysterical way. I think about the scene where the whole gang goes to the pub constantly.

Queer Eye (The Captain Edition) by swimmingfox

Rating: Not Rated but I'd give it T

Ships: Past The Captain/Havers

Summary:

In a miraculous world where they have the ability to see ghosts, the Fab 5 descend upon Button House to transform the Captain (and, well, everyone).

Notes: Exactly what it says on the tin. Just pure hijinks, I can't fault it. Don't let the script format put you off, the author has done an excellent job of characterising everyone's voice

Fabrications by SwaggerStick

Rating: T

Ships: The Captain/Julian

Summary:

"It's true," said Julian. "You lot couldn't lie to save your lives." The Captain took personal offence at that statement. So, apparently, did Pat. "Oh give over," he said. "Like you can do better." ---------- The ghosts decide to figure out which one of them is the best liar. Competitively.

Notes: Another fic that really feels like it could be an actual episode. Very funny and also provides an explanation to the ghosts' pee turning to dust thing that has been bothering me since last Christmas so honestly you should just read it for that. Ship content is minor if Julicap isn't your thing (it's not really mine either)

Good Boy by Ailendolin (@ailendolin)

Rating: T

Ships: Mike/Alison

Summary:

"I’ve been thinking – Robin saved my life, didn’t he? Last week when I was out in the storm.” “Because of the stupid bear,” Alison couldn’t help but remind him. “Yeah, whatever,” Mike said with a roll of his eyes. “So when he redirected the lightning I saw him for a brief moment and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that.” Alison felt her eyes soften. “Oh Mike, why didn’t you say anything?” “No, it’s not like that,” Mike waved her worry away. “I know we’ve thanked him for what he did but with the gatehouse burning down and the whole insurance mess it feels like we haven’t really appreciated it enough, you know?” Mike and Alison plan a surprise for Robin.

Notes: Very sweet addition to the season 4 finale. Would have loved to see something like this in season 5 but this is almost as good.

fieri sentio et excrucior by oui_oui_mon_ami (@sunshine-soprano)

Rating: T

Ships: The Captain/OMC

Summary:

It all begins when the Captain meets the Roman centurion ghost next door.

Notes: An absolute fandom classic, I couldn't not include it. Not normally a huge fan of ocs but this one is vey well done. You can tell the author is very passionate about Latin and roman history which I always enjoy seeing (the passion not necessarily roman history).

The Moneypot by someplsloverobbierotten (@caps-clever-girl)

Rating: T

Ships: Julian/Robin

Summary:

Julian bet Robin a tenner over Heather getting sucked off. He of course tries squirrel his way out, but Robin’s not letting him off that easily. OR: Robin and Julian like their bets, but what's a ghost to spend imaginary money on?

Notes: Another fic that is basically canon to me. The author absolutely nailed Julian's voice. Overall just a fun read with some genuinely sweet moments.

Thanks, Skipper by NaughtyBees

Rating: G

Ships: None

Summary: Button House gets a visitor, someone specifically looking for Pat.

Notes: No 1 trans ally Pat Butcher, what more could you ask for? The definition of short and sweet

smoke gets in your eyes by sidelined

Rating: T

Ships: Alison/Mike, The Captain/Havers, minor Julian/Robin

Summary:

Alison and Mike move into Button House and, completely unintentionally, teach the ghosts valuable lessons about love. (In which Alison worries about a first date, Robin and Julian discuss marriage, Thomas accidentally humbles himself, Kitty discovers that romance can live everywhere, and the Captain ponders his loneliness

Notes: A really sweet set of vignettes about the ghosts and love. The Mike and Alison first date scene is canon to me, the author nailed Mike.

#bbc ghosts #ghosts bbc #bbc ghosts fic #fic rec #fic reccomendations #the captain #the captain bbc ghosts #kitty bbc ghosts #robin bbc ghosts #mary bbc ghosts #humphrey bbc ghosts #humphrey bone #thomas thorne #fanny button #pat butcher #julian fawcett #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #mine

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ailendolin · 5 months

Text

You know what I would have loved to see in an episode? Alison going into full research mode to give (some of) the ghosts more closure.

The Captain

We know from the Button House Archives book that a photograph of Havers was found in the commanding officer's belongings. I would have loved to see Alison find it in some old drawer, frame it and place it in the Captain's room (perhaps via suggestion of one of the other ghosts since she wasn't there when the Captain revealed his death). And maybe, because she realises how important Havers was to him, she starts looking into Havers's life after the war just so she can tell the Captain what happened to him and if he found happiness after all.

Thomas

Thomas obviously knows what happened to Isabelle after his death but I think it would have been lovely if Alison had searched for the letters he sent her before that fateful day. Because it's one thing to realise Isabelle has always loved him and quite another to see it with his own eyes. Isabelle keeping his letters would be proof that he'd meant something to her, even after his death. And perhaps there is a poem attached to one of the letters - a genuinely beautiful love poem - that Alison publishes for him so that he and his love that wasn't meant to be will never be forgotten.

Robin & Humphrey

I don't know how realistic it would be for Alison to find records of Sophie post-plot but I think both Robin and Humphrey would be grateful to know what had happened to her. So maybe Alison discovers a marriage certificate with Sophie's maiden name (because she obviously would not call herself Sophie Bone after running away) or a record of a christening that implies that Sophie has found happiness after all. Or, if your want to go down a darker path, a record of her being caught and sent to prison (or worse). But whatever her fate, at least Robin and Humphrey would no longer have to wonder about it.

Julian

I don't care how but Alison should have found a way to get Rachel to Button House. Perhaps via promoting it as an event location specifically to her and her party - and Rachel, thinking visiting the place might give her some closure, agrees to host an event there. The specifics don't really matter. What does is that Julian finally gets to tell her how sorry he is, and how proud of her and everything she's already achieved.

The Plague Ghosts

Those of you who have read my fics know that I headcanon Nigel having a sister in a neighbouring village. I don't think it's unrealistic to assume that some of the Plaguers have left loved ones behind, either because they lived somewhere else or they survived the plague outbreak in the village and left afterwards. They're bound to wonder about what happened to them, just like Robin and Humphrey are about Sophie, and I just like the idea of Alison finding some old church records about the Plaguers' friends and families and surprising them with it.

As for Pat, Mary, Fanny and Kitty I think all of them have already found some form of closure. Pat's family still visits every year. Mary lost her husband when she was still alive and probably had no children. Fanny died where she lived so she knows how the rest of George's life went and must have seen her children regularly as well. The same goes for Kitty. She's seen Eleanor marry and have children of her own, not to mention that Alison has already found documents from her time.

But for the others, the ones mentioned above, Alison could have provided some peace and closure with her research, and I think that would have made for a lovely plot for an episode or even stretched over a whole series.

#bbc ghosts #bbc ghosts spoilers #alison cooper #the captain #thomas thorne #julian fawcett #robin the caveman #humphrey bone #the plague ghosts #mp bbc ghosts

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