Runaway Trains

(1) Runaway Trains At 3am (Buffy/Smallville)

By C.L. Kamnikar
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th June 2004 (1)
Tags: Novelette
(114K)

I'd seen this recommended in more than once place, but avoided it because I've never seen Smallville. However, I found that knowing the general Superman mythos was enough (and also knowing that in Smallville, Lex Luthor and Clark Kent are actually friends...).

If you can't stand Dawn, then this story would be a waste of time, since it concentrates on Dawn and Clark, but I found it cool, how in some ways they're complete opposites, but also have so much in common. It was also really fun, the way Dawn is so completely blasé about bad guys and superpowers (and how Clark is more confused by this than anything...)

It was also a nice touch how we got a bit of Spike's friendship with Dawn (in the bristly, rude, completely Spike-ish way that he is...) at the end, because I missed how that got forgotten in the series.

(Also at Sunnydale Slayers http://www.sunnydale-slayers.com/fanfic1.html)

(2) Lines of Communication (Buffy/Smallville)

By C.L. Kamnikar
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th June 2004 (2)
Tags: Novelette
(107K)

Sequel to "Runaway Trains At 3am"; Clark and Dawn's friendship continues at long distance -- but long-distance costs money, and when certain people check their telephone bills...

I love the double meaning of the title; because though it starts off being about phone bills, it's also touching on how difficult Buffy finds it to communicate with Dawn, and the hardness Buffy is having in trying to be a parent to her sister. And we also have good shots by Willow, Spike and Anya as everything comes out and things hit other things... I also loved the lovely, calm, conversation between Buffy and Martha Kent. One thing I do love about every version of the Superman mythos that I've seen, is the love and care that Martha and Johnathan Kent have for Clark; maybe I like it more because we don't seem to get a lot of happy families in fannish universes...

(Also at Sunnydale Slayers http://www.sunnydale-slayers.com/fanfic1.html)