...when this trouble passes over, you and I will walk away...
knowing that our love survived,
another test of faith...
Why Toby and Ginger?
I blame the hug in Two Gunmen. Seriously. How else can you explain the fact that I've written about it in three different fics at the moment? And yes, I am retiring it after this series. Honestly. But I like the idea of Toby and Ginger because she doesn't seem like she's going to be the kind of person who'd just roll over and take whatever he threw at her. We saw that she's got some spirit to her when she sassed Sam (The Drop-In) and even before that, when Josh was crowing over his phone call to the Senator in Mandatory Minimums. (Bonnie tells Josh that "In Indiana, we're not allowed talk like that." Ginger walks by and tells them that, "In New Jersey, we encourage it.") And then we have that hug.
But Toby's wedding ring is for Andrea surely?
In Sorkin-land, more than likely. But it was pointed out on the Toby list that any of the guys or gals on the show could have had any number of dates/relationships/one night stands, and it would legitimately have never made it to air, because this is a show about the White House, and not really the personal lives of the staff. Therefore, it was argued, it was entirely possible that Toby had a wife somewhere, that we'd never seen, but that everyone in the administration knew and knew about, which is why a big deal was never made about the ring. The challenge was then issued to write a fic along those lines, which lead to If I Ever Lose My Faith.
Why the Babylon 5 quote at the start of If I Ever Lose My Faith?
Because B5 rocks and I really really want to see Toby and Ivanova going at it hammer and tongs! Could you imagine the arguments they'd have? Also, I began to work on this story at the start of September, under the title, There's Always A Boom Tomorrow. When the events of September 11th unfolded, I thought that it could be insensitive at best to put out a story with that title, so I stuck it in a drawer so to speak. It suited me to do that anyway, because I had an idea for the sequel to it, based around the shooting, and I didn't want to put it out in case I needed to back engineer continuity. The post-shooting story then turned into two big longs ones, so I waited until they got done in their entirety before posting any of them. The second and third story both have titles based on Sting songs, and I was listening to a CD one day when If I Ever Lose My Faith came on, and "Eureka!" said I. A couple of lines were inserted, but the overall theme of the song fitted the story, especially in what Toby says to Ginger, that as long as he has her, everything is fine.
Where does the title Tests of Faith and the tag-line come from?
I should pay Amanda Marshall royalties at this stage - this is the third time I've robbed her blind for a series name and tag! It's from the song Trust Me, This Is Love, from her first album Amanda Marshall. The full lyrics are as follows -
I look at this mountain
So many heartaches wide
And I can't help but wonder
Where's the other side
I've got to be honest
I've got my doubts
These tears are asking me
What's this got to do with love?
Baby, I'll tell you something
To help us through this long, dark night
When this trouble passes over
You and I will walk away
Knowing that our love survived
Another test of faith
You and I can walk on water
The river rises, we rise above
It may not look that way right now
But trust me, baby...this is love.
Love isn't easy
I'm torn, I confess
When a heart is uncertain
It's bound to second guess
This love won't forsake us
So dry your tears I promise you
When this trouble passes over
You and I will walk away
Knowing that our love survived
Another test of faith
You and I can walk on water
The river rises, we rise above
It may not look that way right now
But trust me, baby...this is love.
I'm here for you baby
There's nothing I want more
Our day is coming
And we'll reach that peaceful shore
When this trouble passes over
You and I will walk away
Knowing that our love survived
Another test of faith
Cause you and I can walk on water
The river rises, we rise above
It may not look that way right now
But trust me, baby....this is love
One more mountain
Hey...so what
Trust me baby...this is love.
It seemed to fit in well to me - the idea that no matter what happened, Toby and Ginger would be ok, because they have each other, because they have their marriage. No matter what tests of faith they have to go through (and there's the faith to tie in with If I Ever Lose My Faith) they're going to be ok. Even if it is a bumpy ride. (Insert author's evil cackle here)
Why do you jump to Dead Irish Writers so soon?
Blame Sunny. I've not seen DIW so I wrote A Wonder Told Quietly based on Reagan's transcript and Sunny's challenge - that we see Toby talking to a red headed woman that he didn't want to leave. Who was she? The image came into my head of Toby and Lord John on their way to the bar, and Lord John, not knowing that Toby and Ginger were married, coming out with something perfectly Lord John-like, and I couldn't resist writing it. The poem used in it is The Planter's Daughter by Austin Clarke - it's eight years since I studied it for Leaving Cert English, and I can still quote it. This scares me.
Will there be stories in the middle? Around season two for example?
The characters are telling me bits of back story all the time. And once I sort it all out, there will be stories yes. But they have to play nicely first.