Hermetically Sealed

The speech Jimmy gave was spot on. I hope Billy listens soon. He's become a very ugly person.

Well, that was predictable. I'm going to preface this with the statement that other than Will's stories, I have loved everything you have written. They always came across as well paced and thought out (not sold on the dual narrators, though. It really seems to dilute both stories being told). Will's stories, on the other hand, just seem so forced. Okay, maybe not everything; the John and Ryan plots felt natural, and in my opinion show your exemplary writing skills. Will as globetrotting pederasts' wet-dream, however, and this whole "war" between the generations doesn't. The first was just awkward. Yeah, yeah, yeah, "mature for his age" and all that jazz. Sorry, it just felt like a weird focus for a 13 year old character. As for the "war," I'm just having a hard time believing that after everything that happened in M and PMS that Brad would react this way. Had this plot happened before, I could have easily bought in to it, but Brad was walking on glass whenever it was even hinted that he was being a controlling douche. But magically, when Will is involved, that gets retconned. You say that Brad and Robbie are "pretty intelligent," but this backslide in behavior really shows nothing of the sort. For me, it just makes Will's stories feel contrived. I am seriously hoping that after this chapter Brad and Robbie learn their lesson. . . for a second time . . .in a year. You've planted far more interesting and natural plotlines for Will than this one; it would be interesting to get back to them at some point. Not to leave on an entirely negative note, I did like Robbie's lament about the car. That was probably one of the more quotable lines in the series.

I don't think the state would care, but it is the solution I see the family pushing, "Until Brad and Robbie can pull their heads out of their asses." Whichever solution most coddles Will, and demonizes Brad and Robbie will be the one chosen I'm sure.

As completely baffled as I am on how Brad and Robbie have been written in this story, there is honestly no realistic end to this other than them being relieved of parental responsibilities at the suggestion of the family. Despite always being shown to be big on compassion and family (even if occasionally needing to be reminded that they do have one), for some reason they have completely turned a 180 in this story, becoming caricatures of the evil step parent variety. Unless the rest of the family has somehow also taken leave of their previous morals, removing the kids from their care is the only option that should make sense. No family meeting or therapy session could conceivably retcon this mess.

Really? After the events of Millennium, and Poor Man's Son, Brad and Robbie wouldn't fully vet out anyone that they were going to leave alone with any of their children? That after everything that happened, Brad isn't going to second guess his actions when Stef, of all people, brings it up? That after all the trauma that Robbie went through with various abuses and rapes, they aren't going to have put Will through the same level of professional help? How . . . convenient. Well, I guess if you are just that tired of the two characters, this is one way to ensure that no-one wants to read from their perspective ever again. This is just about a greater character change than Jeff was put through, and all in just a matter of months. Honestly, Brad and Robbie have in the past given enough rope to hang themselves with the not so great fathers title; turning them into bad parenting parodies doesn't seem that necessary for conflict. As for Will, I wanted to be sympathetic here, but the events seem too forced into creating a certain situation to engender any natural attachment. But hey, you said you didn't write him to be liked by readers, so, mission completed! Even the rape flashbacks felt forced. If there had been some subtle indications throughout the story that this was an ongoing issue for him, I think it would have been a more potent hook, but it just felt dropped in to engender more anger towards the evil heartless dads. I mean, hey, maybe his moodiness is supposed to be because of that, but honestly, both stories he has co-opted he has been a moody jerk, so it's hard to know any different. I really keep hoping for a scene where Wade wakes up with Patrick Duffy in the shower. Barring that, finding out through some other POV that most of these events were merely the over exaggerations of a hormonal teenager's mind would do.

Interesting turn of events. I wonder if the meeting will actually entail a peerage, or something to do with Bertie? And the return of Mr. Robey. Will he, or Granger be the first to give Weston a proper welcome?

I just don't get it. Sorry, but for me Robbie and Brad seem to be behaving completely out of character for this whole story. Not necessarily the controlling part, as Brad's been established as such. It just seems everything they have done, from how they dealt with Pat, to this situation, all just seems so bizarre. I just keep expecting the scene with them twirling their mustaches after tying Will to a dynamite laden rail car. I "get" that this is from Will's perspective, but I imagine that would only color his interpretation of others' behavior, not their actual comments and actions. I'm just not grokking this.

A very good chapter. Interesting to see the arrangements for Riley and Tiffany. 30k a month lowballing? LoL Well, I guess it's all relative. She'll be making more a year than I do in 14. Interesting to see Wade get proactive in dealing with his sister. I wonder just how far he is going to take it?

Wow, keeping it classy, eh? I was going to respond to this, but it seems clear that feedback isn't wanted, so I'll just let it be. All I will say is that, if he has no purpose other than being a reminder of how bratty a kid can be, why should I care to see him become that neat character? Could that point not have been given as a side character in Wade's story?

What? Mark has a life outside of writing? Preposterous!

Honestly, I think that would be the only way to move this fight along, as if Will ever found out that he was being such a drama queen that even JJ was laughing at him, he would have no other choice but to change tactics.

I'm not even sure anymore if Mark has ever figured out an end game for it. They're doomed to play out the rest of the CAP series watching hockey games and skating shows, trading barbs. Just need Tonto's ghost sitting off to the side reading her paper, chuckling maniacally.

Interesting that Wade wants to help expand Tim's operation. I wonder if Wade was more irked at being accused of using his uncle to get at his mother . . . or because it was so obvious. LoL Still, it's an interesting move, since his doing it basically in her back yard. Really disappointed that half the chapter was wasted on the Will/Brad fight. It would be one thing if it was actually going somewhere, unfortunately it's not, it's just repetitive at this point. Attend ice rink event, snipe, walk off, repeat next chapter. Even though it has gotten to the point I just skim any of Will's chapters, I find myself hoping that trip to Arizona happens soon, if only just to change the scenery. I know you probably don't think it, but I do honestly hate to criticize your work, as you are genuinely one of my favorite authors. But this fight is just going on too long with zero movement. Its the same setting, same argument, same tactics. I feel like I am back watching movies with my younger sister, and she's hitting the rewind button to repeat her favorite scene. It was always amusing the first couple of times, but then it was just irritating to the point of grabbing the remote so that we could get on with it. Sorry for bitching. I genuinely am.

Sorry, I love Jamie, but just didn't like the remake. The original was one of my favorite movies as a kid, so blame it on nostalgia. lol While ot thinking about that instance in particular, that's pretty much what I was thinking him getting involved in.

I think it a bit disingenuous to automatically assume they were ignoring Will. But then, people seem to be accepting Will's pov as being infallible. It is entirely possible that the two just missed the calls. Hell I miss calls all the time, even with the phone on me. There are times when I get voice messages and the phone never rang. We have no clue what has really been going on between Robbie and Brad, because all we have seen is circumstantial. It's either the angry and obnoxious little prince's view who has an axe to grind, and thus everything is going to be their fault, or Wade's view which is pretty uninformed as he is not involved. Are we really going to assume that there isn't a possible third view? As I recall, when Brad has interacted with Wade through the story, he was getting pretty worn down from the problems with Jeanine. I think people are forgetting just how much else is going on that the two are dealing with. It's not all about Will, even if he wants it to be. I get that mistakes have been made, but Will is not exactly free of blame himself. I would be extremely surprised if what he sees is the full story. Seriously, if I didn't know that CAP was free of supernatural elements, this would be the perfect setup for a Freaky Friday plotline (if not a better one than the horrible remake). lol

Poor Robbie, forever destined to be the punching bag for the entire CAP universe. Ouch for poor Gathan. Not sure how I feel about Kristin's return, as I'm not a big fan. But, it was a situation that needed some type of closure. Curious as to what Wade's plans are for those properties. Perhaps he is thinking of rehabilitating the areas the way JP and Stef are doing to Claremont.

Just pulling this from the reviews so I can comment. LoL Funny, but I am going to have to disagree. I was actually a pretty resonable kid, but then, as my parents like to rub in, I was "a very odd child." I was probably more like Wade or JP, and I am sure my friends found me to be more of a buzzkiller and a brown noser. I just honestly though it made more sense to follow rules, as they were there for a reason. My oldest sister was probably more like Will. Everything was everyone elses fault, not her's. Our parents were so unfair and never let her do what she wanted to, and they treated her like a kid. Which is why she was taking the car for joy rides, having sex and doing drugs at 13; because she was soooo mature. Even now, after getting knocked up at 16, 3 divorces and 15 years of meth addiction, and more visits to jail than Lyndsey Lohan, it's still all our parents fault for being so unfair to her. Maybe that's why I can't stand Will. Even though I think he has some valid grievences, his attitude reminds me too much of the bs I had to deal with from her. Hopefully, he will turn out better. ETA: I would also say, that most of my friends weren't nearly that bad. Oh they had "moments," but they almost always took advise from others pretty well. Even if it was in the sense of just making nice and bitching to their friends. I honestly can't recall any of them ever being more confrontational than whining. lol

Just do not get the love for Will. He's a douchebag. I don't care that he's 14, I do not recall kids who acted like him being all too popular when I was that age. Their attitude drove off more people then it attracted. It wouldn't be so bad if he didn't behave the exact same in every single chapter for the last two stories. I mean, seriously, Will is one bad dye job away from being king of the emos. Don't get me wrong, Mark. I love your stories more than most authors, both internet and published, and Will isn't going to change that, but this tangent feels like a broken record. Brood, bitch, feel smug, brood some more, repeat. Is there at least going to be one chapter where he is having a good time? Or better yet, hope that we switch back to Wade soon? ;P

I have to say, the whole situation with Pat does surprise me. I mean, I can easily see Brad and Robbie putting him on leave until it was worked out. I can even understand keeping quiet until they knew more, though I see how Will would be bothered by such. I just don't see them dropping him the way they did. Just seems so out of character to not try to find the truth out at the least. It's certainly not like they haven't had their share of false accusations and unfair personal attacks. Also, am I remembering wrong, or didn't Stef and JP know what was going on? I have a hard time believing that Stefan would keep his opinion to himself, especially if he thought someone was in the wrong. And as stubborn as Brad is, even if he didn't agree at first, he would eventually start re-examining his position. Even JP tends to drop his own position in conversation, if a bit more subtly than Stef. I know we have no way of knowing who said what off screen, but it just seemed odd that they waited until a public confrontation to make a stand. Iono, just seems like an awfully convenient setup so that Will could be set up to once again be the wise beyond his years wunderkind pointing out just what herp-derps the adults all are.

I don't know, I must have been a real oddball as a kid. Even at 14 I knew the presures that my parents and other adults were under when it came to work and trying to provide for us. Maybe it's just the way he is presented in just about every scene as being an ass, regardless of who he is with, I can't really see anyone wanting to be around him for long. If that is how most 14 year olds act, then I now get why I never got along with them when I was that age. I feel more sympathy for JJ than for him.

I don't know. Will hasn't been the most reasonable person in the last few stories. He tends to do what he wants, when he wants, and consequences be damned. I can imagine Brad thinking that rather than risk making things worse, it was better to try to do it on the downlow. Was it the best way to handle it, probably not. But then again, Will isn't known for his stellar choices unless he's led by the nose, and let's face it, Brad isn't the one to do that.

God I hate Will so very much. Please tell me he meets a similar fate as Billy? I would pay you money for that to happen.

So, yet another thing about Wade that Matt shared with Carl. I'm wondering if part of their future talk will include a grilling on just how much Matt shared? I would think that if he had slipped just what Wade's dad had actually done, Carl would have used that, rather than the Uncle.

Glad to see Wade put Matt in his place, and to see Matt give Gathan some acknowledgment. Somehow, though, I don't see Carl giving up so easily. Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that Matt let on more about Wade's dad than he claimed?

And here I thought it was Charlie that Jared liked. It'll be interesting to see how everything wraps up.