Crossing Paths

In our first blog the Misfit mentioned making “alternative paths” for your favourite characters. You could have them deviate from the canon of the show because you are unhappy with it or just because you want to play around with different viewpoints. This brings us to this month’s blog which is crossing paths i.e. take characters from at least two different universes…say for example Life & Homeland and weave their stories together. Imagine Charlie Crews and Nicholas Brody meeting. They are two characters with similar tortured backgrounds, but who dealt with the aftermath of imprisonment very differently. Charlie was not for being anybody’s puppet and took full control of his life once he had escaped his imprisoned hell whereas, physically Brody may have escaped his cell, but mentally he never did. What would Charlie think of Brody? We also wondered, with the show Billions being picked up, how Damian’s characters on Showtime would interact if their paths crossed. Would Brody and Bobby respect each other or tear the other down?

Writing Fan Fiction for your favourite TV shows or films can mean Billions of ideas floating around inside your head that you just have to write down. Some of them will end up inspiring a story, others will be waiting patiently in a folder for possible use later on and some discarded completely as you realise how utterly absurd the idea is.
Billions as it so happens is a TV show. Though it’s not yet on TV, it already is gaining a following. Part of the reason for that is undoubtedly the cast it has amassed, featuring Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff and Malin Akerman, Kerry Condon and Toby Leonard Moore, to name some. Once Billions begins to air we will be covering it. There is also already a dedicated Billions Fans twitter page (@Billions_F) and Facebook page (facebook.com/groups/5670064). Please take a look and join in the Billions fun as we gear up for its arrival.

We have had numerous discussions with each other and Damianista about Billions. This involved wishing Showtime would hurry up and announce it would be going to series, what we hope for from the show and what we think might happen. The good news is that we now know that the show is indeed going to series and #BobbyAxelrod will embark on ‘fooling some of the people all of the time’.  The Bookworm has actually downloaded this book to read ahead of the show airing on TV.  We look forward to seeing where Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Sorkin are going to take us.  We have no idea how any of the actors are going to play their characters yet or what direction the show will take.  We can’t wait to find out. That being said, Bobby sounds like he may be a committed and dedicated, but ambitious man who will gladly push people out of the way to reach, maintain and further his goals. All of that doesn’t sound very likeable at all, but who knows? That depends on how Damian plays him and he may charm us with that smile of his.

In the meantime, we have naturally gone into full fan fiction mode. You might wonder how on earth when we have so little information we can possibly be discussing this already, but sometimes a little information is enough to make the imagination run wild and we have prepared a short crossover story for your enjoyment.

**Disclaimer: Billions, Homeland and their characters belong to Showtime. Not us. There is no profit or copy right infringement intended and absolutely no intention of saying that anyone from Billions stole our ideas in the unlikely event we accidently write something that comes to fruition. This is simply two fans impatient for Bobby Axelrod’s arrival and unable to let go of Brody, meantime, having fun and crossing those paths. **

7.15 AM, his allotted slot in the bathroom on the days he didn’t have to be at work at the crack of dawn.

He deliberately took today off, knowing he wouldn’t be able to concentrate fully. He’d gotten better at not staring off into space in front of other people. Tended not to waste too much time in the bathroom, lest he stare at his reflection in the mirror too long and start dwelling on everything he’s missing.

On the outside he’s Bobby Axelrod,  successful, savvy, whip smart, with a gorgeous wife and two growing boys. On the inside, when he has a spare minute to think and reflect, he’s still Nicholas Brody. A man who is dead to the world. A man who’s still dying inside him. He’s decided that is his punishment. Losing that life. Losing all of them.

“SHUT UP! I DID NOT!”  Dean’s shout pierces the morning silence. Puts an end to any calm and peace.
Him and his brother Geordie, they’re good kids. Just not his. He smiles and goes through the motions. Helps with homework, shells out money for the latest iPhones and the top schools. He does his best for them, always has. Because any time he thinks about saying he can’t make a soccer game, that he can’t fix that volcano for the science fair, Chris’ sad eyes, disappointed frown fills his head. Any time his mouth moves to tell a lie, Dana’s harsh words, raw anger invades his brain. Overwhelms him to the point he can barely think.

“MOM! WHATEVER HE SAYS IS A LIE!” The loud yell reverberates through the house and stomping echoes down the long hall.

He thinks one last time of his own children. His own flesh and blood who he lost the right to be a father to. Even the boy he loved as his own and lost. Issa would’ve been around Dean’s age now.

Would’ve been, could’ve been. He’s trained himself not to go down that road but every once in a while, he can’t help it. He thinks of his oldest girl and his only son. He thinks of his youngest. A little girl who according to his PI friend, has red hair, her mother’s eyes, and a birthday today.

Taking a deep breath he gives himself a shake, splashes some cold water on his face. More to shake off Nicholas Brody, the disgraced ghost threatening to come to the surface, than to actually wake himself up. Opening the bathroom door he sighs, readies himself to be the peacemaker.

Hope to see you on 29^th May for more #FictionFriday.