The Pieces of My Life by helsinkibaby (PG)

[lothy.livejournal.com]

Fandom Category: CSI x The West Wing
Pairing: Ellie Bartlet/Greg Sanders
Fic Title: The Pieces of My Life
Author: helsinskibaby
Link: http://helsinkibaby.ahkay.net/csi/pieces_page.htm
Rating/Warning(s): PG
Genre: Romance
WIP?: No, but she could decide to write more.

Why This Must Be Read:

If I was asked to name the best romantic story I've read in fandom, this would be a strong contender - despite the fact that the main couple are actually just friends for the vast majority of the story. It's the story of the lives of Ellie Bartlet (the President's daughter) and Greg Sanders (CSI) from 1994 to 2005.

Ellie is a character who didn't often appear in The West Wing. We know that she's never liked being in the public eye, that she doesn't care much for politics, and that she and her father have never really understood each other. In this story, we learn all about her life away from the White House, and we see how events from the show impact her, especially at times when her family is hurt or in danger. It is more Ellie's story than Greg's, but then maybe that's understandable, because unlike her, Greg's story is told in canon.

The story is told in a series of individual fics, of varying lengths. Often when authors write in this way, it annoys me because it can feel disjointed. I won't say this story flows completely right, but I love it enough that I can overlook it.

One important note: the author has fairly recently posted another piece in the story, but as yet has only put it on her LJ. I assume that at some point she will be adding it to her website, but in the meantime you can find it here.