thanks for your obsession ! i am starting my own obsession about your stories and all other stories about hardcastle and mccormick - this are parts i love, between a episode, all around a episode to make it better

Oh, yeah-not an obsession, just much needed mortar between the bricks. Good stuff, too. There's some edginess as two people feel out the situation and draw inferences from too little information. But you do such a marvelous job showing the seeds of what will come: Mark is good-natured about Hardcastle's prickliness, and the judge is willing to put his initial assumptions aside at McCormick's unsupported word that he wouldn't steal from him.

Further early scenes will always be appreciated.

Oh no! You must never "just let it be". What would I do without wonderful stories such as this one? I might go into some sort of withdrawal and my health would suffer. So to keep that off your conscience, you MUST keep exploring those early days of our favorite duo. I promise to do my part and continue to read every one of them. ;-)

Oh, I do LOVE this early stuff. Where most people would take offense, “Now you’re what I say you are, and I say you don’t drive this car" Mark is able to shrug off (I certainly couldn't). He looks past the gruffness and still seems to know just how far to push.

Keep it coming!

Long live your obsession! Truly, because the rest of us are right there with you. I, for one, can never get enough of early Mark and Milt, and you do them so well. This was another great turn, with surprises for both of them as they adjust and discover all the little nuances about each other, as well as the misconceptions.

Here's hoping you never get tired of exploring the possibilities...

A perfect look at the situation, with some spot-on dialogue - “Whatever you’re thinking, McCormick, don’t even think about it.” The relationship did develop awfully fast considering the circumstances, and this helps explain how that could happen.

One of these days, I'm going to treat myself to a first season marathon and watch/read everything in order. Looking forward to it, especially with stories like these to fill in the missing parts. Another beautifully done fic!

The Judge had to get McCormick straighted out on things in the beginning and where things stood with him.

The Judge didnt have all that many rules and for the most part in with there past in the court room McCormick does respect Judge Milton C. Hardcastle and he does try his best to go along with the Judges rules even though he may complain sometimes.

McCormick reminds me of a kid with his parent and there rules and chores and things they have them do.

Kids complain like Mark does.

JeanneZ84