Dr. John NYC

Life sure is interesting, huh Rhyad? Can't wait to see how many whelps they have! (I know, I know... it's still "if" officially.)

As I often heard growing up: no good deed goes unpunished. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the punishment is not too onerous. Great chapter, @astone2292 — & I hope we get to see more of Stacy’s development as a human who now knows about the supernatural world. Hold onto her, Dave!

We’ll, I think we can rule out Timor since Essell would have recognized his scent. As for the emotional rollercoaster, I think it’s not surprising considering all that has happened—even if he brought most of it upon himself—& the way his hormones must be going crazy with all the physical changes. Thanks @Cia for bringing Bouncer back into the picture!

Everyone deals with the death of loved ones differently, but at Ethan’s age the challenge of multiple losses is indeed a reason for concern. Knowing his grandmother is a witch, I hope she might provide some special solace along with her love and his father’s deep, abiding love. Maybe his struggles will give him strength and opportunities to come out to them. This story keeps getting better, @StoryMyke!

I second @Valkyrie’s sentiments: I have never read a one of Graeme’s stories that I didn’t like!

I'm glad that Cassiel is taking Kassil's advice about The Bleaching seriously, because Theofrid is certainly not going to volunteer anything in the near future. I think they could make a good couple if Theofrid can get over his insecurities with regards to Cassiel.

I very much enjoyed Evan’s growing sense of family and learning new aspects of the characters. The transition from the previous chapter was quite abrupt, however, almost jarring and definitely disconcerting for me — as if there was a chapter missing. Perhaps in the finished story the arc of these chapters will feel less jarring, but you might want to consider something to connect the two chapters more. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing where they are going and why. Cheers, @StoryMyke!

What an apt metaphor: the impromptu race from Eagle Lake to Chicago in an old van without air conditioning was a wonderful parallel to Rick's growth in moving past his insecurities towards his future -- an unknown future perhaps, but nonetheless his, not Heinrich's nor Rita's nor anyone else's, except possibly one to be shared ultimately with Gus. Then to close with, "“Somebody call a plumber?” He grinned." Sheer genius, in all its many layers! It was the perfect comic relief after the tension that had been ratcheting up since the end of the last chapter -- and will certainly help getting through the intervening week until the next chapter. As for the mind-f&@! of driving for the first time in a major city, you captured the frustration with amazing accuracy. I still remember driving the first time into NYC 40 years ago, after having driven mostly in towns and small cities in West Virginia and Georgia all my previous life. Between the impatience of other drivers and the one-way streets, it was a nightmare, but what a satisfied feeling once I had done it! Fabulous story, @Parker Owens!

And now a warning??!! (Thanks to Meryl Streep in "Death Becomes Her.") I hope it was just the natural caution of a scientist-doctor in a new situation, but knowing @Cia, there will be more to it. At least my two-day delay in reading means I have two days less before the next chapter...

I agree with @drpaladin's initial comments/observation and also with "Maybe." I was reasonably certain that he had blushed before, so I lean toward something else being the change in color.

What about tying him down with silver chains and letting all the prey species take bites out of him. Not sure where that thought came from. I’m rarely a violent person, but sociopaths/psychopaths do tend to bring it out.

Only if Rita is included in the locked room. Zoltan might even be enough of a classist prig to shutdown Rita verbally, although I would probably bet on Rita when the interactions get physical. Meanwhile, I predict Heinrich Sr. would be trampled by the other two. They are all bullies, but he is ONLY a bully--and arrogant--without the educated smarts of the other two. By the way, can you throw away the key after locking them in the room?

It’s amazing how being with the right person makes the big problems more manageable and the good times more magnificent. Now to deal with ICE.

That “angry” emoji was for the situation, one that happens WAY too often.

Welcome, @headtransplant. Grab some muchies and one or more favorite beverages because you have a wild and wonderful ride ahead of you! I've been reading here for more than a decade, and I still am behind in all that I want to read and even further behind on all the comments and reviews I want to make. Enjoy!

Very similar situation with my two brothers, and I definitely agree that my sexual orientation is a component of the individuality. If they reflect parts of CJ & Ritch, then it sounds like you are also lucky with your brothers!

Survivor's guilt: that is the thought that has been sneaking around my head for the past several chapters, and that is the feeling that Cyn has -- or maybe had, after Sheamus' talk. My guess, however, is that it is going to take more than one "counseling" session to change Cyn's instinct.

Some amazing insights among my fellow readers -- @drpaladin, @RainbowPhoenixWI, @Danners, @CincyKris, among others. The one additional thought is just how good a soul is Cyn. Part of it is the "alien culture" in which Cyn was raised that that colors everything he senses, and that will certainly create some issues. His view of being a prey species (that as a prey species it is natural to be hunted and likely, at some point, killed and eaten) is antithetical to the new laws among shifters, and I expect it will be a challenge. But, underneath all of the instinct and herd-mentality, Cyn is a genuinely good soul -- as is Shea. So, I'm going to keep thinking positively about the HEA for Cyn -- and I hope, Shea. Thanks, @astone2292!

I think you're doing a spot-on job of creating an interesting, unique character in Ritch -- from insisting on Ritch to: We need more Allies like Ritch! Thanks, @Carlos Hazday.

An intriguing question is bouncing around in my brain: will Cyn & Shea connect romantically, or Cyn & Arric, or Arric & Shea? More possibilities abound, but these are the most likely—if you rule out a triumvirate.

Battered and bruised by the system, Avery is in no place mentally and emotionally to believe that his current foster parents might care for him. His defense is to let in only the people that HE chooses: first Jeremy, then Greg, Clay, and others in Camp Refuge, and now Lee -- perhaps the first person he's come across that is his opportunity to care for in the way that Raven Project and Camp Refuge have cared for him. As for the title, the double-edged sword (thanks, @Summerabbacat) is a good image. The image to illuminate "Keeper" that came to my mind were punctuation marks. Keeper! = Joseph and Orson, Jeremy and Mason, plus all the other couples that drank the coffee 😉 Keeper? = Avery and the Mercers, Lee and... everybody Keeper. = Greg, Joseph, and the Mercers watching over Avery Keeper !?*$#!!! = Eddie (aka "Keep 'er away from Lee")

I, too, found Rhys’ response totally believable. Your comment, @Laura S. Fox, was spot on that most people wouldn’t believe a supernatural character or event. I do love that the one person in Mason’s life who loved him as a child quite clearly believed in ghosts. Thanks for a compelling story!

Maybe she is related to Levine or in love? Look at all that Max did for his love of Norma Desmond in ‘Sunset Boulevard’ — nothing so CREEPY crazy as Anita but still...

In a nutshell... YES! But it does create an economic opportunity for good forgeries. Some friends of ours just turned 21 and had a bonfire celebration to burn their fake IDs, which, I might add, only failed once as far as I know.

Your essay was certainly eye-opening although probably not for the obvious reason. I had never thought about people working night shifts as being miscreants or worse. Part of the reason is that my grandfather, who lived with us from the time I was 10, worked night shifts at the gas station until they did away with that shift. He loved it -- and it probably helped him stay married to my grandmother. Another part of the reason, is that I was a lab rat (i.e, a scientist) and often had to work late hours for various experiments. So while I did not have to do ONLY night hours, I did them often enough for it to feel like another norm, not an oddity. Of course, leaving the lab at 3 or 4 AM meant you had very little choice of food. The only thing open on the route I biked home (in Athens, GA, in the early 80s) was a Dunkin' Donuts. Luckily, neither my best friend, who also often worked late, nor I were bothered by caffeine so we could stop for coffee and maybe a donut (all they sold back then) if it was early enough in the month that we had some extra money. The real treat was when we worked until 6 AM: then we could stop at the Bluebird Cafe and get one of their cheese biscuits -- freshly made whole wheat biscuits, smothered in a good cheese, and fried in a cast iron skillet until the center was gooey and the edges were crispy. Still haven't found any place in the world that made them better!