I gotta admit, this one hit a little bit close to home for me personally (you can ask me to tell you that story some other time; a review is not the place for it.) Let's just say I've kinda been where Alex is at, sorta. And... I think this is pretty damn accurate as to how I'd expect Alex to feel. Certainly, it's not what you'd have expected from the Alex from earlier in the show's run, when she was opposing Marco for student gov, but she's certainly a changed person since then. Or maybe, this is what she was all along... who can say?

As always with your work, what strikes me here is how immediate, how personal you've made all the things Alex is feeling for the reader. You really force us into this confused, chaotic place that Alex is stuck in at this point in her life. (Side note: pretty astute analysis of Carla, too; everyone could tell she wouldn't be with us long as soon as we met her.) The line where she realizes that she's setting for "A little of Paige instead of nothing at all" hits like brick to the skull; anyone who's been hopelessly smitten with a person like this can certainly relate to this feeling, where you live in die in these small moments you spend with that person. And the note that you end it on is perfect... you don't leave a lot of hope, but I don't think Alex had much at this point.

As far as this particular kind of story goes... I think it's really just Orange, and yourself, at the top of the heap. This is a very difficult story to do (take it from someone who's trying to write one!) It's sad, but it's not overdone, or trying too hard to be a tearjerker. I guess the best way to put it is that it's real, and that's a feeling very few writers in any fandom can harness, and yet you do it, time after time.

ouch :( poor alex

Just wanted to give your stuff a read back.

And I have to say I'm glad I did.

It's really freaking good. I'm impressed.

I usually start to ramble and get all incoherent when I write these things, so I'm going to nip this in the bud before I start writing embarrassing song lyrics like Orange down there.

I'll just end with saying that this was awesome...
-doesn'tmeanmuch

Very, very nice. Feel free to continue working outside your TT comfort zone. Any thoughts of continuing this? Any other Palex fics in the works?

Man, don't epiphanies suck? The whole blow to the sternum thing isn't quite all that fun.

Anyhoo, loved this. Absolutely adored it. It's been awhile since I've read a LMW fic. People these days usually write more LIAB because come on, that episode needs some serious rewriting. But LMW is always a nice refreshment and always something nice to end the evening.

Well done. :]

This gives me that funny feeling in my tummy.

(saying that, it's hard not to start typing the lyrics to "Love Rollercoaster" as preformed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers... oh what the Hell? You only live once)

Rollercoaster of lo-o-ove
Rollercoaster
yeah, ooh, ooh, ooh...

...

Don't worry. I'm ashamed enough for the both of us.

Anyway, yeah, that's my review today.

-Orange

i liked it