Quick Fanfiction Contest Archive

[Red Ranger 1]

Bottle it up

The story had a nice sense of mystery at the beginning with the question of what was wrong with Alf.I was pleased to see April being used as his confidante, it’s nice to see fan fictions pairing characters who don’t tend to interact in the show.The caravan park scene that followed was good and realistic and a nice way of involving Roo in the story.Although well-written and nicely characterised, the scene at the school felt slightly redundant:It’s the sort of thing they’d include if this was on the show but in a short story like this it didn’t really advance the plot much.The pay off was excellent:I was convinced Alf was ill and, although I did wonder if the woman and the girl were something to do with Martha, I was completely surprised by the revelation she was dead.A well crafted mystery, the writer should be proud.

[Inactive User]

Wow wow such a amazing entry!! Well done to the writer who had written it Really well-written and liked how Alf and Roo's feelings/thoughts were described. And I liked the intercation between Alf and April on the beach. The ending is so emoticonal and well-written. Loved it.

[Danni02]

This was such a great story. It's a shame it was the only entry. The characterisation was great and I loved the idea of the April and Alf pairing. Well done

[Zetti]

Very nice story, the interaction between Alf and April was unexpected but I enjoyed reading it and it seemed to work really well. The length of the story was perfect for the storyline.

Well done

[HighwayUnicorn]

It's a shame that there was only one entry but this entry is really amazing! Really beautifully written, well done!

x

[elikell]

Thanks to all who sent in feedback for this story.

Bottle It Up was written by Lucii, who will now host the next contest.

Lucii, over to you

[Lucii]

Quick Fanfiction Contest 28

The topic is: Somebody is getting married in the bay. But who is it and is everyone supportive of their decisions?

Please give reasons for your vote. Any votes that are decided without a reason will not be counted.

Entry One

A Matter Of Convenience

(contains some UK spoilers)

“Dex, seriously, you don’t have to do this you know,” she reminds Dex for what must be the one thousandth time.

Dex sighs, for what also must be for the one thousandth time. Does she not know by now who she is dealing with? He is Dex. And Dex never does anything without thinking it through completely. Well, usually anyway.

“I know. You’ve certainly told me enough times. But we both know that this is the best way to go about things. So now we’ve got that sorted out, I think you should go home and rest before the big day tomorrow,” Dex advises sagely.

He moves as if to turn away, but she catches his arm before he can do so. “I know that we agreed, but how can you feel right about lying about something as huge as this to your family?” she asks.

“Because I know that by doing this, I will be helping you out. And it makes me feel good to know that,” Dex says. He is telling the truth. But only partly. What he said was true, but there’s more to it than that.

“Dex, you shouldn’t marry someone just to help them out! You should do it because you love them, and never want to be apart from them!” His fiancée glares at Dex as she scolds him.

And there it is. She’s right. You should marry someone for those reasons. Dex does love her and never wants to part from her. But she doesn’t feel the same way. Doesn’t see Dex that way anymore. So that’s why when Dex approaches the subject, he suggests it as a marriage of convenience instead.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. But then again, a teenager shouldn’t have to be a single mother either, but that still happens, doesn’t it?” He points out. She looks away, confirming to Dex that he is right.

“Well…as soon as I get a job you have to at least let me help you pay the rent on the flat, ok?” she insists. “Because, I’m not going to be a charity case! As soon as I have enough money, I want to share the cost.”

“Ok, fine!” Dex agrees, putting his hands up in the air as a gesture of defeat. Privately he disagrees with her terms. But he is Dex. And Dex is kinda a wimp. And she could totally take Dex down if he disagreed with her. “Besides it’s not like you’re the only who will benefit from,” Dex adds; almost as an afterthought really. Thinking about the future. Where his wife might wake up one day and realise that she does love her husband after all.

She looks up with flashing eyes. Whoops! She wasn’t supposed to hear that. “What do you mean?” She asks suspiciously, sweeping her long hair out of her eyes as she does so.

So Dex does what Dex does best – thinks on his feet, and tries to come up with a semi-believable lie to cover his tracks. “Well, because now my charming big sister will no longer be able to pick on me anymore for my single status,” Dex begins. He looks at her face. She doesn’t look like she’s buying it. He needs to lie better. So he tells her the truth. Part of it anyway. “And because you shouldn’t have to raise a kid by yourself. I would feel wrong about it. So really if you’d be helping me out, by not making me feel bad about leaving you to do the whole single mother thing. So really, lots of benefits for me,” Dex adds. He knows he’s babbling.

She still doesn’t look convinced. But she does look slightly more placated. Dex inwardly rejoices in his lying abilities. But then she smiles at him sympathetically. “Dex, you know I think you’re amazing right? It’s just … I don’t see you that way anymore,” she tells him gently. Almost like she’s apologizing.

Dex tries to keep any expression from his face as she says this. He knew that was how she felt, but it still hurt hearing it straight out like that. Dex can’t take that kind of pain again. So he lies. Again. “Of course you don’t! And I don’t think of you that way either obviously! So everything works out great then doesn’t it?” Dex asks jovially. She raises an eyebrow. Perhaps too jovially then.

Thankfully she doesn’t comment on Dex’s weird behaviour. “Well if you’re sure…” she trails off. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. At the wedding. Our wedding…” she gulps and Dex can see that she’s mentally preparing herself to give him the speech – again – about how he can still back out of this now and she won’t think any less of him.

“Go,” Dex orders her, and raises an eyebrow, until she sighs and walks off, waving at Dex slightly as she walks away. Shattering his heart as she does so.

***

“I still can’t believe my baby brother is getting married,” Indi says. Again. Both Sid and Romeo look up and at each other from their opposite ends of the kitchen, and sigh. Again.

“It’s what he wants Indi, let him be,” Sid tells his daughter diplomatically. He earns a glare for his troubles.

“I’m sorry, but I just don’t buy it,” Indi tells them as she chops the lettuce furiously. If she’s not carefully she’s going to end up chopping her fingers off. Sid looks like he’s about to intervene, but Romeo shakes his head. He knows his wife. He knows there’s no point trying to stop her when she’s in one of these moods. Indi seems completely oblivious to what’s going on behind her and carries on with her rant. “I knew that he liked her. But I didn’t think that she even liked him that way. So what on earth are they doing getting married for then? Huh? And for god’s sake – he’s eighteen! Who gets married at eighteen?”

“Um, Indi? We got married at eighteen,” Romeo points out nervously.

Indi doesn’t even appear to have heard him. Just carries on with her little tirade. “I can’t believe that I’m the only one who can see this!” She grumbles. “God! The men in this family are so stupid! At least Sasha has some brains! Well when this all goes down the drain, he better not come running to me for help!”

“I don’t think there’s any chance of that happening,” Sid says quietly. But not quietly enough. Indi’s eyes snap up towards her father.

Romeo shrugs apologetically to Sid. “You’re on your own, mate.”

***

“You look so beautiful,” April sighs as she lounges on her bed. Dallas is trying on her dress for the wedding, and looks a million dollars.

Dallas smiles appreciatively back at her. If anyone had told her six months ago that she and April Scott would have been able to put aside their differences and actually become friends, she would have laughed right in their faces and then booked them in for the next session at the Psychiatric Ward. But they are. Eventually after the whole April/Dex/Dallas mix up had been sorted out, they found that they could actually get along, and that they could put the whole thing behind them.

“Well it’s not without hard work. I had to diet for ages to be able to fit into this,” Dallas complains, sucking in her non-existent tummy as she turns around slightly so that she can see the back half of the dress.

Before April can reply, there’s a knock on the door, and Irene enters. “Oh girly, you look fabulous!” she exclaims and Dallas grins happily. “So are the bride and her maid of honour all ready for the big day tomorrow?” Irene asks as she leans against the door frame.

The girls glance at each other for confirmation, before turning back to look at Irene and nodding with Cheshire cat grins.

“Oh, we’re ready alright,” the girls confirm.

***

Dex stands nervously at the altar. He tugs at the collar of his suit. It feels weird being dressed up like this. He watches at the crowd start to pour in. It was just going to be a small wedding, with just family and close friends. But then Colleen got wind of it and the whole thing just got blown out of proportion, until Dex was sure that every person he had ever seen in Summer Bay was in attendance. He looks to his Dad, who is standing next to him as his best man. “Dad,” he hisses out of the corner of his mouth

“Yeah?” Sid hisses back.

“You don’t think I’m making a massive mistake by getting married, do you?” Dex asks nervously. On one hand he wants his Dad to say yes. Say that he’s a crazy fool and that he should run while he still can. But then on the other, he wants Sid to tell him that he’s doing the right thing and that everything will work out fine.

“Mate, I think you’re leaving it a bit late for second thoughts,” Sid tells him sternly.

“I’m not having second thoughts. I just want to know what you think about everything,” Dex replies.

“I don’t really think it’s my place to judge,” Sid answers, and Dex looks surprised. His Dad is famous for judging people when its not his place to. “Well, I can’t exactly let your sister get married at eighteen, and then not do the same for you. And while I know that Indi thinks you’re being stupid by getting married so young, I think that’s just because her little brother isn’t really so little anymore.” Sid continues.

Dex snorts. Indi actually having human feelings? Impossible! He checks his watch. It’s time. He shoots a nervous smile at his dad before turning to face the aisle where his bride-to-be is about to walk down. A few seconds pass. A door opens.

Dallas walks slowly down the aisle. Dex smiles at her as she walks. He’s glad that she agreed to be April’s maid of honour. She looks incredibly elegant in her silvery bridesmaid dress as she takes her place as part of the bridal party.

The music’s swell dies down and changes into the traditional wedding march. The crowd stands respectively as Dex’s beautiful bride makes her entrance. Their guests ooh and ah appreciatively as April walks down the aisle. Her dress is strapless, and has intricate detail down the side. Dex thinks that she’s the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen.

Dex stares at her as she walks down the aisle. She stares right back. Dex wonders what she’s thinking. He can’t help but glance slightly at her stomach as she takes her place next to him at the altar. At only 12 weeks it isn’t really visible yet that April is pregnant. But Dex likes to kid himself that her stomach is starting to get slightly concave with the development of a baby. His baby.

Dex knows that April only agreed to marry him because she is scared about being a single mother on her own. But Dex doesn’t care. He gets to marry the woman he loves, who is also carrying his child. While Dex would have preferred that April had chosen to have a baby with him, rather than the result of drunken comfort sex, he’ll take it. He knows that a life with April is what he wants. And he will do anything to look after April and their baby.

Dex flashes a quick smile at April, before turning to face the minister as the ceremony begins.

***

“Dexter Alistair Walker, do you take April Jeanne Scott to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Elijah asks Dex.

“I do,” Dex says without hesitation.

Elijah smiles at Dex before turning to April. “And do you, April Jeanne Scott, take Dexter Alistair Walker to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Dex holds his breath. He knows that he wants to marry April, but does she really want to marry him?

“I do,” April replies firmly, and Dex can barely keep the grin off his face. He barely hears Elijah as he announces them as man and wife. He is in his own little loved up bliss. He does however hear Elijah tell him that he may now kiss his bride.

Dex looks at April nervously. Should he kiss her? A little kiss? Or a proper one? But what would she think if he did that? As Dex ponders quickly through these things in his head, April gives a little sigh.

Reaching up, she pulls Dex towards her for a kiss. And not just any kiss. It’s not a little kiss. It’s as full on a kiss as is acceptable in public company. She pulls away and the crowd applauds loudly.

But Dex is listening. He looks at April questioningly. “What was that for?” Dex whispers quietly, so that she is the only one who hears him.

April smiles at her husband, and says just one word. “Thankyou.”

Entry Two

Love and Marriage

Charlie stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself.

‘Come on Charlie, you need to get ready,’ Ruby yelled through the door.

‘Yeah okay, I’ll be out in a minute,’ Charlie replied. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had come so far from her past. She dried her slender body with the towel and ran a finger along her caesarean scar. She closed her eyes and remembered how much joy Ruby had brought to her life, and she hoped that one day, Ruby might get a sibling.

‘Charlie!’ Ruby yelled through the bathroom door. ‘Don’t make me come in there!’

Charlie laughed. ‘I’ll just be a sec,’ she told Ruby. Charlie thought back to when she had announced her engagement to her friends and family. She recalled a very nasty conversation with Roo about weddings and happiness. Charlie had stood her ground and told Roo very sternly that it was her life to live, and no one would ever change that. As it turned out, Roo had been jealous of Charlie’s happiness, but they had become close friends after that encounter.

Charlie pulled herself back to the present day, pulled on some clothes and walked out of the bathroom.

‘About time!’ Ruby exclaimed. ‘We’re already running behind schedule.’

‘It’s okay Rubes, we’ll be there on time,’ Charlie said. She smiled at her daughter.

‘Alright people, we need make-up and hair right now,’ Ruby said. Two women rushed over and told Charlie to sit down.

Charlie sat down and looked over to Ruby as the first lady, a short stocky woman, began to do Charlie’s make-up while the second lady, a blonde hair, blue eyed woman, worked on her hair. Ruby smiled at her mother.

‘Anyone home?’ Leah called out as she walked through the door.

‘In here,’ Ruby called.

Leah walked in and saw Ruby. They began to talk instantly and left Charlie alone with the women.

Charlie closed her eyes and thought about all that the day held for her future. She couldn’t wait to get to the beach and marry the person she loved.

An hour later Charlie looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

‘You look beautiful mum,’ Ruby whispered in Charlie’s ear. Ruby was already dressed in a light blue dress and had her hair neatly pinned into a side-swept braid.

Charlie looked up at Ruby shocked. Ruby had never called her “mum” before. Before Charlie could stop herself, a tear rolled down her cheek.

‘I love you Ruby,’ Charlie said. She stood up and hugged her daughter tightly.

‘I love you too,’ Ruby said. ‘Is it okay if I call you mum?’ Ruby asked cautiously.

Charlie pulled out of the hug and nodded.

‘Alright ladies, let’s get this show on the road,’ Leah said.

Charlie looked over at Leah. ‘Dress?’ Charlie asked.

Leah nodded.

‘Oh this is so exciting,’ Ruby said. She clapped her hands together, a large grin spread across her face.

Leah and Ruby helped Charlie get into her white wedding dress and pearl coloured shoes. Ruby knelt down to tighten her mothers shoes.

‘The last time someone had to do up my shoes, I was pregnant with you,’ Charlie told her daughter.

Leah pulled out her camera and took a photo of the pair.

‘This one’s a keeper,’ Leah said. She smiled as she looked at the photo.

‘Do they feel okay mum?’ Ruby asked. She looked up at Charlie.

Charlie nodded. She felt her chest begin to tighten and began to lose her breath. She waved her hand over her face to cool herself down.

‘Are you okay Charlie?’ Leah asked.

Charlie grabbed hold of Leah’s arm before she fainted.

A few minutes later Charlie opened her eyes to Ruby and Leah’s frantic calls.

‘Mum? Wake up, please,’ Ruby begged. She noticed Charlie’s eyes open. ‘Are you okay?’ Ruby asked.

Charlie let out a moan. ‘What happened?’ she asked quietly.

‘You fainted,’ Leah said. ‘Let’s sit you up.’ She helped Charlie sit up on the floor. ‘Ruby, can you get her some water?’

Ruby nodded and left the room. She returned quickly with a glass of water, which she handed to her mother.

‘Thanks,’ Charlie said weakly. She took a sip of water and sat the glass down.

‘Do you still want to do this?’ Ruby asked.

Charlie looked up at her. ‘Yes,’ Charlie said strongly. She stood up in her long white dress. ‘Let’s do this.’

‘Are you okay?’ Leah asked.

‘I will be,’ Charlie said. She took a deep breath, looked around her house and looked back to Ruby and Leah.

‘Ready?’ Ruby asked.

Charlie nodded. ‘Ready.’

Charlie and Ruby were driven to the beach. They pulled up at their designated spot and looked at each other. Morag took the keys out of the ignition and turned to face the pair.

‘I know your dad would be so proud of you both,’ Morag said. ‘And I’m sure he’s gonna be watching you both today.’ She smiled at them. ‘And your mother too.’

‘Thanks Morag,’ Charlie said. ‘I know they’d both be here if they could be.’ Charlie sighed and momentarily looked out of the car window.

‘I’ll see you down there,’ Morag said. She stepped out of the car and walked across the beach to where the ceremony was to take place.

Ruby held Charlie’s hand. ‘Are you ready?’ Ruby asked.

Charlie nodded. ‘Ruby, I know you’re the Maid-of-honour, but will you walk me down the aisle too?’ Charlie asked.

Ruby smiled. ‘Of course, I’d be honoured,’ she said.

Charlie hugged her daughter tightly. ‘I love you Rubes,’ Charlie said.

‘I love you too mum,’ Ruby replied. ‘Now let’s do this.’

Charlie smiled. ‘Let’s.’

Ruby led Charlie towards the beach slowly. They stood behind the large crowd that had gathered and were awaiting their arrival. Charlie looked over and saw her beautiful bride approach her. April, who was in a matching blue dress to Ruby’s, led Bianca, in an amazing slender white wedding dress, to Charlie and Ruby and stood behind the crowd.

A guitar began to play softly. Bianca and April walked down the aisle and stood in front of the crowd. Ruby turned to her mother and smiled. Charlie smiled back as she watched the woman she was about to marry stand at the front of the group and turned to look at her.

Charlie took a deep breath as they began to walk down the aisle. Charlie smiled happily as she saw all her close friends and family in the crowd of people.

Charlie stood beside Bianca and turned to look at her. Charlie couldn’t help but smile at her soon-to-be wife. She just wanted to hold Bianca in her arms and never let her go.

‘I love you,’ Charlie whispered.

‘I love you too,’ Bianca whispered back. They held hands tightly.

‘Who gives these two to each other?’ the celebrant asked.

‘We do,’ Ruby and April said in unison. They smiled broadly.

------------------------------------------------

As I'm away for Christmas you have two weeks to vote xx

[Jen]

Entry One - A Matter of Convenience

It's no secret that I have a soft spot for Dex, and I tried not to go into this story with too much analysis of whether the Dex in my head matched to the one written here. I didn't have to worry, because I thought the characterisation of Dex and his little quirks and insecurities was wonderfully done. I was immediately curious about who he could be marrying, and suprisingly with the talk of the girl being a single mother my mind went immediately to Nicole. Weird.

Thinking about the future. Where his wife might wake up one day and realise that she does love her husband after all.

This is where I think my heart clenched and I wanted to curl up in a ball, because Dex loves her and she doesn't love him like that, and he's marrying her because it's the right thing to do. That is essentially what Dex is to me -- sure, he's a little strange and awkward but he wants to do right by people, and he loves his friends and family and would do anything for them.

But then she smiles at him sympathetically. “Dex, you know I think you’re amazing right? It’s just … I don’t see you that way anymore,” she tells him gently. Almost like she’s apologizing.

Again, this is really where the author really tapped into Dex's mind and saying the right thing in the situation. And this was also my big clue as to who Dex was marrying because it indicates that Dex once had a relationship with her, or at least she did love him the way he still does.

“Go,” Dex orders her, and raises an eyebrow, until she sighs and walks off, waving at Dex slightly as she walks away. Shattering his heart as she does so.

You shatter Dex's heart, then you shatter mine.

What I really liked about this story was that each part gave you enough information to understand what was happening, and get clues to the motivation of each of the people involved, but also left you with questions and wanting to know more. There were a couple of small sections where maybe there was a bit too much of an 'info dump' (see the explanation of why Dallas was involved, but I do understand why the author did this), but I liked how there were details of people's reactions and histories scattered throughout the story, like something you didn't expect to find. I particularly liked, 'While Dex would have preferred that April had chosen to have a baby with him, rather than the result of drunken comfort sex, he’ll take it. He knows that a life with April is what he wants. And he will do anything to look after April and their baby.' as I was wondering how you were going to explain why April was a going to become a pregnant single mother.

While I can understand Sid not being able to do anything about Dex getting married, I would have thought he would have had a bit more of an opinion. He seemed sort of indifferent to the whole situation, which sat a little strangely for me. Did Sid know that April was pregnant? Did he know it wasn't Dex's? That maybe could have been mentioned, rather than him saying he wasn't in a place to judge Dex since Indi got married so young too.

Apart from that I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and from an author's perspective and a Dex fan, his personality isn't always the easiest to get right, but in my opinion the author did an awesome job at keeping everyone 'in character' throughout the piece.

--

Entry Two - Love and Marriage

Unlike the first entry, this title didn't give anything away. No indication as to who was getting married, why, or who else was involved. I like that there was a lot of Charlie/Ruby interaction, and Ruby asking whether she could call Charlie 'mum' was a nice touch. It was interesting that the author mentioned Charlie's ceaserian, and I wondered if that would play a part later on in the story.

While the reveal of Bianca being the one to marry Charlie was very well done, and yes, I didn't see it coming -- I thought it came out of nowhere. There was no indication that Charlie wasn't marrying someone that many people wouldn't approve of. That is what I think was really lacking in this fic, was the reactions -- or that no one seemed to have an opinion. We didn't even get much from Charlie, as most of the story was chunks of text that was dialogue. I feel like the author could have delved a bit more into what Charlie was feeling, what the rest of the Bay would think? (Do they approve?)

It was a unique idea, and I did like the little relationship moments we got between Charlie and Ruby, but the story seemed disjointed, or missing pieces. Was there a reason Charlie fainted? This didn't make sense in the grand scheme of things. I thought maybe she was pregnant, because of the mention of the scar earlier and wanting to give Ruby a brother or sister. It would have been interesting if Charlie had been forced to have a conversation with someone, not Ruby or Leah, who questioned why Charlie was doing this, what she was giving up, and possibly subjecting herself to by marrying Bianca.

So, to me, what was lack in the this second story, was description. I like to know a bit more about the feelings of the characters, rather than just a recount of events as they occur. The story has potential, though, and I do like the Charlie/Bianca friendship in the show.

--

My choice is Entry One for a really get interpretation of the theme of the contest and a focus on character feelings and motivation throughout the story.

Well done to both authors.

[Zetti]

Before I make comments on both stories individually, I wanted to say that I thought both entries were really good, I thoroughly enjoyed reading them both and well done to both writers for two very good stories.

Entry One:

I love the start of it, and the way I could picture each scene in my head, it was different from what I normally read but in a good way. The story starts off with Dex and his insecurities and I love the characterisations of Sid and Indi. The little quips provided put a smile on my face. The addition of Romeo's comment.. Romeo shrugs apologetically to Sid. “You’re on your own, mate.” had me laughing just purely because I can totally seeing it happening in the show..however I have to admit. I was slightly confused when reading it..and it took me 2 times after that to actually get the story right in my head but that is not a reflection on the writing just the wording of the sentences..which didnt stick in my head..but other than that, I loved the entry.

Entry Two:

Initial impressions, it felt a bit rushed in the sense that there was not enough about the preparations, the feelings behind the wedding and I have to admit when I read the ending and realised exactly who it was I felt a bit let down, whilst the idea of Charlie and Bianca getting married is a great one in fanfic land..it didnt come across as very realistic but the writing of the story and how it came across was actually really good. I did enjoy the Charlie/Ruby moments and how it was April/Ruby who gave them away..the family feel was fantastic as family and weddings are great together so yes it was a good entry so well done

Taking all that into consideration, I decided to vote for entry one, for the reasons above but mainly because I love the characterisations in the story.

[Red Ranger 1]

A Matter of Convenience

This one started with a nice mystery with the identity of Dexter’s bride kept secret.Dexter and everyone else was nicely characterised, his nervousness was captured well and the reactions of Indi, Romeo and Sid were all believable.I did think that Dexter querying Sid about whether he was doing the right thing before the wedding was perhaps a bit redundant and the story could easily have lost it.After the April/Dallas scene, I was convinced that Dallas was the bride so that was a nice bit of misdirection when I realised it was April. The ending struck a nice positive note.

Love and Marriage

Another story that created a mystery around the identity of one of the parties getting married and again I was kept guessing until the very end.The initial scenes were intriguing but it did seem as though the sequence of Ruby and Leah helping Charlie getting ready, whilst nicely written, didn’t really advance the plot or provide the reader with any new information.I thought at first that Charlie’s faint was significant and she was going to be pregnant or something but it seems it was just nerves.Ruby calling Charlie “Mum” felt a bit like trying to do too much.I was however genuinely surprised that she was marrying Bianca, which hadn’t occurred to me at all(I thought it was sure to be Brax), and Ruby and April’s moment at the end was a nice beat to end on.

Both excellent entries but for the skill with which it captured the characters I’m voting for Entry One A Matter of Convenience.