Moonlightaholics

Lilly this was an absolutely stunning read. I would find it hard to believe that Trevor's version was as good. What a shame we didn't get to see the confrontation on the show. Looking forward to rereading this many times, kays

This story is so powerful and intense that I feel intimidated about posting a response!! You are such an excellent writer you simply take my breath away!!! All I can say is Wow!!!! I would have loved to have seen this take place in the show, exactly as you wrote it!!!! Bravo!!!!!!

mitzie

Lilly, I can't find the proper words to express to you how much this moved me.

Lovely, haunting, heartwrenchingly beautiful. And oh so sad...just mere words from me don't do it justice.

kays, mitzie and greenleaf -- thank you so much for your kind words. The fact that you think this could have worked on the show is the greatest compliment I could receive.

Lilly, this was perfectly beautiful. It was a huge thing Josef did for Whitley...and in doing so, helped himself.
The mother's letter...A mother's heart, something I completely understand.
It was good for Whitley to know it was his anger that would have killed Sarah in the end. But Josef gave him closure, and a chance to kiss his daughter one last time....sigh..

That is AMAZING Lilly!!! Absolutely stunning- and knowing that there was a version of the confrontation written... WOW I'd love to read that one!

Thanks, O-Z -- I think there certainly was a point when Josef considered killing John Whitley, but being back in New York, in the same room with Sarah -- it opened his heart a bit. He made peace with her father for her sake -- and her mother's.

As to whether Martan's bullets could have harmed Sarah -- it's anyone's guess. But Josef clearly moved to protect her when the shots were fired. He wasn't going to take any chances. And being Josef, he had to point out the irony of that possibility to the man that hired the hit.

Jen -- thank you so much. Out of respect for the copyright, I can't post the script, but I will try to get a summary up before too long.

Lilly, your depth of insight into Josef never fails to move me.

I was going to say amaze, astound, something like that, but by this time, nah, I pretty much expect it.

This is our Josef, brought to glorious, full-color undeath. A multi-layered character who is--in his own way--completely consistent through and through.

I love this. I really do.

Lucky

*****“What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” ~ Samuel Johnson (English Poet, Critic and Writer. 1709-1784)

Lilly,

After reading all of the previous comments I hardly know what there is left to say! Whatever your struggle with writer's block was, it was most certainly our gain! It is absolutely breathtaking just how beautiful this piece is.

It continues to amaze me how you can take a "small scene" that never saw the light of day, and transport all of us right back into the show that we love...I truly cannot imagine how anything that was in the script could have been any more powerful than what you have given us; no offense intended to Trevor or Ron

Had our beloved Jason had an opportunity to do this scene, as you have written it...dare I say it...Emmy-worthy?

This one goes into the file:

Lucky -- all I can say is -- thanks for keeping the faith, even when I had my doubts.

Trixie -- I'm going to save that Samuel Johnson quote in a place of prominence. Thank you so much for your comment. When I write, I try to write "for the show" -- more or less trying to keep the tone of what we would have seen on the small screen. I'm so delighted that you think this would have worked, that it "fit" in that universe.

Lilly
I still don't know what to say.
Thank you seems far to trite, and everything else pales in comparison to the power of what you have written here.
You touched my heart and my soul.

Thank you,

MoonShadow

Lilly,

I'll agree with the others...this is a masterpiece in all that is Josef...his love for Sara has overcome his hatred for her father....his anger at John Whitley still burns, but is tempered by the pointlessness of it all. John Whitley is dead and has been for many years, allowing his hatred to consume him.

After all that he has been blamed for, Josef promises a dying vengeful man that he will continue to look after Sara for as long as he is on this earth. A gift to a man that would happily kill him....

As you said, this would have been a powerful ending to the episode. As it was, there were so many open questions such as what became of Sara and John Whitley. But what we do have is the wonderful gift you have given us...thank you...

Lilly, this is hands down, one of thee most powerful, moving Moonlight fanfictions I have ever read...

I'm still searching for those words to express how deeply this touched me. This is Moonlight.

Thank you, MS -- I always treasure your comments. As I've said before, yours was the first fanfic I ever read and I'm not sure I would have given it a try without that inspiration.

DSR - thank you so much. What you said about Josef realizing the pointlessness of his anger toward Whitley is very true. I had toyed with adding a line about there not being much satisfaction in punching the clock for a man living on borrowed time, but in the end I didn't think it was necessary. He said he wasn't about forgiveness, but I hope I left some question in the reader's mind about who he was trying to convince with that statement. His promise to Whitley wasn't difficult in that he would care for Sarah no matter what, but he didn't have to give Whitley that assurance or that peace of mind in the end.

GL - I don't know what to say -- except thank you from the bottom of my heart. There has been so much truly moving fic written in this fandom, I'm just honored that you think that this stands out at all.

Lilly, such a compassionate take on their meeting - a beautiful elegy for all their losses. I'd love to know what had been planned, but doubt that it would have been as textured as this. I particularly loved the 3rd last line.