Hermetically Sealed

Glad to see you post this here. I had been following the story on Nifty, but had lost track of it after a reinstall that wiped my saved bookmarks. Can't wait to see more.

Interesting that Tiffany is preggers. I don't remember them having sex, but admit to having a tendancy to skip over such parts. Something tells me the omission on Cam's part may not being positive or something similar, that he hid from Matt. Also thinking that Alex's behavoir has a classist basis. Even though Matt isn't technically one of the masses, his family isn't nearly as aristocratic in nature as Wade's, and Matt's nature seems more "lowbrow," for lack of a better word.

Not terribly surprised about Cody being positive. With his lifestyle it was always a significant risk. I'd almost believe that Cody was the vector in that relationship, although thinking about it, Kevin was fairly active himself. At this point, it seems rather moot. I can understand both being uncomfortable around Brad, though. I was in the same situation where a friend with benefits found out he was positive before we had sex, and he failed to tell me and one other mutual friend. He did the same thing, and avoided us for a bit and we found out. The situation here is playing out about the same way. Lots of nerves, lots of phone calls, and anxiously awaiting tests. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

I have a sneaking suspicion that dad isn't as blind as they think.

Seems like her excuse could be legit, but something tells me Hanna isn't being as honest as she wants to appear.

Iono, it's the few times where Will has been dealing with HS that I actually liked him. Just seemed more believable than globe trotting seducer and child board member. Really, except for JP and the gay club, most of the college stuff has been frat parties and sex. I can't speak for others, but for me high school had more enjoyable memories for me. Of course, that's probably because I was dealing both with medical and mental issues and the whole gay thing in college. I'm not really surprised by Frank's feelings on Aaron. I can imagine he associates a lot of bad memories which resulted because of his actions. While I feel for Aaron and understand what was going through his head, his actions pretty much destroyed that family. I think I am in agreement with others that both Matt and JJ are heading for explosive breaks soon. I think the question is going to be how bad.

Going to have to agree with most of what Tim said. I understand Wade's perspective as far as Matt needing to grow up, but he has not once really given Matt a reason TO stay or try. Everytime Matt has tried, Wade has been utterly dissmissive and condescending. How else is Matt honestly supposed to react? I can certainly see wade's own issues contibuting to his reaction, I also don't see Wade and Brad as a couple. Two completely different stages of life, and if Wade must move on, it really should be someone in a compareable place in life. And Brad is in no place to be getting into a relationship, period. As for Will, meh, the only purpose he seems to serve is fighting with family members and sex. Take those two aspects out and there is nothing left. Honestly, I see very little difference in his "anger" issues. He was every bit this volitile in Paternity, and always blows his lid whenever anyone even dare suggest the world doesn't exist in black and white extremes (except perhaps JP). Also to add, why is it Frank's job to "straighten" out anyone? Why is it okay that everyone gets pampered for their grief, and coddled but Matt and Frank are given the worst possibly treatment by the family? Frank was devestated by the loss of Robbie, so to fix it they all sit around and yell and belittle him? THAT is a healthy way to help someone? I can see that kind of reaction from Brad, in a sort of "kick him into gear" mindset, but JP, isodore or Jack? Seems like the two are just being used to give Will his next target for fighting with.

So yet another interesting character sacrificed on the golden alter of one note Will. ::sigh:: Would actually be nice to see what is really going on, but even when we get other's perspectives it ends up focusing on Will, so I guess it's likely to be one of those seemingly bizarre behaviors that characters are thrust into in order to give Will some sort of drama, and will be completely ignored in the future. Kind of sad, as Matt was one of the fun narrators, and Bloodlines a great story.

Be Rad was the story which I started on (as it was the current one being updated at the time). Halfway through I went straight on to CAP, though, and read up through to the current chapters (at the time). So I would say if possible, go back to the beginning, if just to give events in later books/chapters context.

Will has had rage issues ever since Paternity. The family was either blind, or ignorant to somehow think it would not get worse, especially after a significant trauma. As for the Zach and Matt situations, I think Will is playing the hypocrite. Matt has generally speaking, been a good family member up until this tiff, and yet Will declares him dead to him, and not a real member of the family. As seems to be typical anymore, the family obeys without question. Zach, on the other hand, screwed over his own family and purposefully sought to cause problems between Will and John in the past, yet, no one is allowed to hold his past against him. By god, he deserves a second chance, and all just because he's sexy and fucks well. And again, the family acquiesces to his judgment. Where is the voice of reason in the family, is there even one left anymore? I'm not saying that Will doesn't have a right to be mad, nor that Zach doesn't have the right to prove himself a changed man. However, Will is the one jumping down others' throats for holding grudges for past wrongs, while doing just that himself, and no one, not one single member of the family seems inclined to point this out. Will's narcissism and absolutist outlooks need tempering, or just like his anger problems, they are just going to get worse. Nice to see Brad is reaching a somewhat center of peace. Given that the Hayes appearances seems to be very pronounced within the family, being around Gathan, Matt and Zach probably doesn't make things easier. Not really sure about Chris. Something just seems insincere, or at least manipulative about him.

So now Matt has indeed become the new Robbie. Guess the Hayes curse lives on still.

He was an adult, in college. Zach is a minor, in high school, and still under his parents' guardianship. That is a fairly significant difference in situations. Will's actions basically told Wally and Clara "you don't matter in the rearing of your own child." You'd have probably had a better argument using Mike's son, who was also a minor, than an adult.

Is there a secret gas leak in Escorial? Just curious . . . ANYWAYS, the scene with Will and Brad in the studio was nice. Good to see Brad going back to his roots, so to speak, and the conversation was well constructed. Declaring Will the new backup trustee was a bit out there, but in a world where letting 14/15 year olds sit in on board meetings and make decisions for billion dollar companies is considered good business sense, what can you say? I would have thought it wiser to put it on Zach's parents since they are, you know, his parents, but okay. Good to see Tony getting his shit together. I have a feeling having Sam as a father left a lot of little timebombs to deal with. It'll be interesting to see how he makes the transition to being out of the closet.

I am wondering where people are getting this notion that Wally and Clara have it out for Zach. I can see believing Gathan biased, as the two have a history, but there has been absolutely nothing toi indicate that his own parents have something against him. Indeed, Clara was very quick to jump in to defend him when Gathan and he about came to blows. There are many reasons they may have had to send him there, from a better opportunity to getting out of some sort of trouble. I also have to laugh and the idea of a 16 not having a car somehow being a horrible and cruel fate. I'm sorry, but even when I was in college, most of us didn't have cars, but had to rely on bikes or our own two feet to go anywhere off campus. I don't recall a single person whining about being abused because of it. The notion that a 16 year old must have a car to survive or be comfortable is just ridiculous, and reeks of entitlement. As for Will ignoring Wally and Clara, I'm sure he is projecting his own fights on to the situation. However, that doesn't make him right for doing it, just ignorant and presumptuous. The fact that he doesn't care about the consequences proves his immaturity, not refute it. Just because the state (laughably) declared him an adult at 14, doesn't mean he IS an adult; doing so didn't magically bestow upon his brow the wisdom of untold ages (Mark has assured us, there will be NO magical hijinks in this series, so i think it a safe presumption). This is much like his relationship with Kyle. He felt he was in the right to be having sex with Kyle, while knowing that he and Erik were in a relationship, simply because it wasn't his job to keep others faithful. Yet, inspite of his immature outlook, the reality was that there were consequences to be had. The right thing for him to do in this situation would have been to talk to Wally or Clara and let them know what he wanted to do, and go from there. I mean, be very honest here, if some distant relative decided to interject themselves into your childrearing without consulting you first, can you say you wouldn't be upset? Even if they thought they were doing nothing wrong? Not having a car isn't child abuse, even if a 14-15 year old child thinks it is. As to the family handing out cars like after dinner mints, while the notion makes me a bit uncomfortable, as far as I am aware weren't they all adults? I could be wrong but I don't remember them just handing a car to a minor still under their parents' guardianship. I do agree that the trusts should have been discussed with Wally and Clara, although it was part of a will and I doubt Robbie's plan was to die before they were adults. Still, once Brad decided to add to them, he should have consulted. So no, I don't just think it wrong because it was Will. I think it was wrong because it was childish and petty, not to mention utterly disrespectful. And before you ask, yes, I really do hate Will as a character. It's unfortunate, because before PMS he was who I was hoping would be a future narrator (though when he was 16/17 or older). Also, I don't think he can 'do no right', and have even enjoyed a rare few plotlines with him. But overall, anytime he has been with the family, the fawning and messianic treatment of his character (not to mention the repetitive fights) just do not appeal to me. It just feels (to me) that the only story hooks he's capable of bringing to the series is incessant fighting over childish things, and all other characters get contorted just to justify those fights. Honestly, it flabbergasts me that anyone could look at Will's behavior and say "Wow! He's so mature and cool! You go, boi!" ::shrug:: To me, he just comes across as arrogant, petty, shortsighted, mean spirited and spoiled. Again, this is just my feeling on the matter. Luckily for me, Mark has provided at least 3 other Narrators with their own stories to enjoy as well. It's like a game of literary Russian Roulette. I think that sums up Will pretty succinctly. That and he seems to view the world in terms of Black and White, with no room at all for shades of Gray.

I have a feeling that Will's myopic act is going to exacerbate the very fears they had about getting help/money from Robbie. His constant desire to just throw money at a problem might seem a no-brainer to him, but for people who have had to scrimp and scrape to make ends meet, I sincerely doubt they are going to want their kids to think that money is some end all be all solution. Not to mention that he has no clue to the what and why's of Wally and Clara's decisions. It's amazing that for someone so "wise" and "mature" for his age, he seems to be constantly lobbing bombs into the lives of others, while imagining that he has no culpability for the explosions that result. We didn't get much choice at my school, as the 9th and 10th graders were at seperate facilities from the 11th and 12th grades. We got to make friends, lose them, then repeat. lol

It seems that the only purpose Will even serves anymore is an excuse for the family to fight. It seriously seems to be his only plot point. Would his character honestly be able to exist without the constant arguements?

Well, I think(or hope at least) that Caroline's reaction is based on her reception of the news. Honestly, while I can imagine George being maybe a little sad, I see him being a little relieved as well. Calvert's and his relationship has always been a bit of strain on George, and he has never really been the monogamous type; yet, he knows that is what Calvert wants.

That, or make sure you legally change your last name from Hayes. Gathan, buddy, you'd better get moving.

Nice to get to see things from Winkler's perspective. He's always fascinated me a bit, serving in the background like Granger's own little Alfred. Curious to find out about this wife. Jacobs can't be too enamored with her if he was willing to settle in England working for the Lord.

Hmm. I'm going to have to be slightly contrarian in answering the question "Why did "character x" have to die" and say, they didn't. No character has to die. Rather, it is merely another tool for driving plot that is sometimes useful. Sometimes it is a matter that, for continuity sake, it makes sense to happen. Other times, it is a matter of adding to the poignancy of the story. And then there is just the random "shock" factor, or clueless indifference that tends to be used by many authors. The first two categories usually are not casually used, while those prone to using the latter are authors who generally don't put much thought into the matter. Did Robbie have to die? I don't think so. Was it unreasonable for it to happen? Not really. That said, I am disappointed (for several reasons that really don't need going in to), but I think his existence was on shaky ground since Paternity, along with Jeanine's. Even before 9-11 started there was hints that a primary character might die, and with Robbie's (and Jeanine's) redemption arc throughout 9-11, their fate seemed pretty certain to me long before we got to the actual day. In the end, it's Mark's world, and his characters to do with in the manner he feels is most conductive to the story he has imagined. And that's really I think all that can be said.

Well, it's historical fiction (even if fairly recent), so much like the Bridgemont, Mark can adjust the numbers to fit plot if needs be. Not to say people should hold their breath, but there is the possibility had he wanted to fudge.

Meh. Pretty muched figuered before this who was going to die. Hayes and all.

Can't say I have ever been a fan of fan-fiction, and agree that those pieces I have read came off as either creepy, or just low quality. Not saying all are, but those I have read were, and pretty much deterred me from reading more. Now, stories which use an established setting (i.e the Star Trek universe, World of Darkness setting, etc.) might pique my interest assuming I like the setting. However, that's assuming that established characters are either not used, or only incedental to storyline.

Hmmmm, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? Wonder if Tony has thought that about himself before Will threw it in his face, or if it was truely a surprise?

Nice to see JP sit down with Will to help him out. I think his biggest fault lately (if one can really call it that) is that he does not communicate well. Not because he is incapable of expressing himself clearly, but rather he seems to either assume others understand the issues already, or will get there on their own in time. Perhaps, though, this issue with Marie, and even Claire, has highlighted that others are not quite as self aware as he wished. Hopefully, his talk with Claire has at least given her the impulse to start looking inward.