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RURAL'S ZONE





Image courtesy of USA Networks Official Dead Zone website


The Dead Zone series airs on the USA network on Sunday nights at 10 p.m. EST. during the regular broadcast season, which runs from June-August. Put simply it is the story of an ordinary man caught up in a life of extraordinary circumstances. Johnny Smith did not ask for the gift-the curse-that now governs his existence. He struggles every day to live with glimpses of tragedy and hope that flood his mind with just one touch. John has invited the viewer to "See what I see" for five seasons. A last minute order by the USA network in September 2006 bought the series at least one more season, which premiered on June 17, 2007 and will run into early September.

What follows is a list of my original Dead Zone fanfiction and graphics, as well as links to various fiction and video archives and games based on several of the USA Networks original series. I hope you all enjoy what you find here. I know I will enjoy bringing it to you.

Ruralstar



Links to fanfiction archives, fan music video archives and game sites.
Links





DZ Icons and Wallpapers




Press this button for all fics that are 1,000 words or less

Drabbles and Short Fiction

See the list below for all fics that are 1,000 words or more.




Archived: 7-30-2005
Title: In The Park
Author: Ruralstar
Set: During the middle of season two
Spoilers: Season Two, "Playing God"
Pairing: NA
Warnings: None
Rating: General Audience

Summary: Melissa walks her neighbor's dog every day in a local park. This short fic chronicles what happens when she encounters the local celebrity, Johnny Smitth.

A/N: This was my first Dead Zone fan fic effort. It is also the first time I've written in the first person in a very long time. I hope you enjoy. I think there is a little of Melissa in all Dead Zone fans.




Archived: 8-1-2005
Title: The Ring
Author: Ruralstar
Set: During the middle of season two
Spoilers: Season One, "Destiny" Season Two, "Scars"
Pairing: NA
Warnings: None
Rating: General Audience

Summary: John is reading the paper one chilly spring day. In the Lost and Found column he discovers a listing for a missing engagement ring. Depressed and looking for a way to cheer himself he decides to try and find the ring and return it. Nothing is ever that simple in John Smith's world.

A/N: I wrote this piece as a distraction to a much longer and more complex story. I wanted something uplifting for John since so much of his life is touched by tragedy and sadness.



Archived: 8-5-2005
Title: Going Under
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Immediately following Season two's "Ascent".
Spoilers: Season One, "Destiny" Season Two, "Descent", "Ascent"
Pairing: John/Dana
Warnings: Explicit Sex and mild language
Rating: Mature

Summary: "I already have plans" After turning down Sarah's invitation John meets Dana for dinner. He is clearly troubled and Dana takes on the difficult task of finding out why and assuaging the pain and fear built up over the past year.

A/N: The end of Ascent really struck a chord with me. The look on John's face in the hospital room said far more than the overt sex in Destiny. At this point in the series John is obviously still carrying a torch. He knows intellectually that Sarah is where she should be, at Walt's side. Knowing and accepting the emotional side of fact are two different things. The line "I already have plans." seemed the perfect segue. I hope you enjoy




Archived: 9-21-2005
Title: Not What it Seems
Author: Ruralstar
Set: In between Season two's "Playing God" and "Zion"
Spoilers: Season One, "Here There be Monsters" Season Two, "Playing God" and "Zion"
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: Mild Language
Rating: Adult

Summary: John is wracked with guilt in the wake of Kate Moore's death. Bruce convinces him to go on a camping trip to Vermont in the hopes of excising the demons. John has other intentions. One touch draws them into the strange case of a serial killer bent on 'teaching' their victims the violent lessons of their own troubled past.

A/N: The genesis of this piece was a discussion with my husband about how John might react if he were to touch a mentally ill person. The episode "Playing God" is one of my favorites from season two. Fine acting by Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy and a wonderfully compelling story about the ethics of 'playing God'. Someone with John's abilities could easily succumb to the temptation and I find it deliciously ironic that a person of such questionable ethics as Gene Purdy would be counseling John in this instance. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.

Beta thanks go to Lisa I, you know who you are. Thank you for helping me polish this piece to a high gloss.




Archived: 10-14-2005
Title: Father's Day
Author: Ruralstar
Set: In between Season three's "Shadows" and "Tipping Point"
Spoilers: Season three's "Cold Hard Truth", "Speak Now" and "Shadows". Various references to several season two episodes.
Pairing: John/Rebecca
Warnings: Mild Language
Rating: Adult

Summary: It's John's first Father's Day since revealing the truth of JJ's paternity. He wants to spend time with his son but circumstances seem to be conspiring against him.

A/N: Season three was filled with emotional and physical ups and downs for the John Smith character. I wanted to explore his feelings regarding fatherhood and the fears of a possibly imminent death. What came out was a H/C piece filled with introspection. If you don't like that sort of thing then I'm afraid this piece isn't for you.

Beta thanks go to Lozzie from the USA boards and Lisa I. Both gave useful suggestions, which I have taken to heart. Lisa dubbed me the queen of angst and I guess it's true. I hope you all will read with an open mind. This story just had to come out.




Archived: 10-30-2005
Title: An Understanding
Author: Ruralstar
Set: A missing scene for the series pilot "Wheel of Fortune"
Spoilers: The pilot.
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Rating: General

Summary: A conversation between Bruce and John.

A/N: It seemed only natural to tell this story from Bruce's POV. The Bruce/John friendship is one of my favorite parts of the series. Huge kudos to Anthony Michael Hall and John L. Adams for bringing these characters to life and making the relationship work so well.

No beta available. All mistakes are mine to claim.




Archived: 11-1-2005
Title: Skeletons
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Episode Tag for season four's "Babble On"
Spoilers: season one, "Wheel of Fortune" "The House", season three, "Tipping Point", season four, "Babble On"
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Rating: General

Summary: John is deeply affected by the revelation of his father's committment to the Brockmore asylum. After the collapse of the Bangor Cultural Center and his subsequent hospital stay, John returns home determined to unearth the remaining skeletons in the Smith family closet.

A/N: The s4 episode "Babble On" contained one of Anthony Michael Hall's best performances of the series IMHO. I was intrigued by the story and the unanswered questions left open to the viewer. This is my take on the why's and wherefores of John's past and Herb's legacy.

Beta thanks go to Lisa I. You are a terrific beta, unfailingly honest and possessed of the uncanny ability to make me feel good even when I screw up. (((((hugs))))))




Archived: 11-22-2005
Title: Lost and Found
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Between Seasons Four and Five
Spoilers: Nothing specific
Pairing: John/Dana
Warnings: Explicit Sex and mild language
Rating: Adult

Response to the Fall 2005 deadzonefic lj community ficathon photo challenge. Using these photos:

write a story of 2,000 words or more. The photos may be taken literally or figuratively but must somehow be used in the story.

Summary: After a long night spent out in the cold, John comes home to a surprise guest.

A/N: This was my first ficathon. The parameters were quite loose, yet I still managed to stretch them all the same. Thanks go to Lisa I for the beta. I hope you all enjoy.





Archived: 1-16-2006
Title: Her Name Was Mystic
Author: Ruralstar
Set: During the second half of the series pilot
Spoilers: season one, "Wheel of Fortune" and "What it Seems"
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Rating: General

Summary: What if John had a dog?

A/N: The USA Network ran a series of promotional ads during the summer of 2005 called "The Reluctant Psychic" One of these ads featured John touching a cat and seeing the animal's nine lives passing by. It ended with John declaring in a long suffering tone, "I think I'm gettin' a dog." I thought they were great fun. Recently I saw the ad again and started to wonder: what if John does have a dog? Sort of...

Beta thanks go to Lozzie from the USA boards. (((((hugs))))))




Archived: 2-14-2006
Title: Message in a Bottle
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Between seasons four and five. An AU to the series’ Christmas episode
Spoilers: Specifically—Season One, “The House”, “Dinner with Dana” Season Three, “Finding Rachel pt1”, “Collision”, “Speak Now”, “Cycle of Violence”, “Shadows”, “Tipping Point” Season Four, “Broken Circle” Passing references to episodes spanning the length of the series up to and including season four’s “Saved”
Pairing: John/Rebecca
Warnings: Language and some graphic imagery
Rating: General

Summary: Ever since her brother died suddenly in a plane crash overseas, John has been a friend to young Lindsay Davis. He invites her and the entire neighborhood to a Christmas Open House, hoping to distract himself from the stresses of the past year. Lindsay has her own set of secrets however and John becomes painfully aware of how inattentive he has been as a friend. Lindsay’s actions bring an old friend to town, which forces John to see the past and the future in a new light.

A/N: After season four concluded I realized that TPTB of The Dead Zone were not going to deal with the Rebecca/John storyline or John’s headaches in any overt fashion. This story is one way to answer those questions.

Beta thanks go to Lozzie of the USA boards. You are a fantastic editor and a great friend. (((((hugs)))))




Archived: 2-24-2006
Title: Days Without Rain
Author: Ruralstar
Missing Scene ficlet: seasons two's "Playing God"
Series information: Second in a possible series of short fics. Sequel to "Her Name Was Mystic"
Spoilers: "Playing God"
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Rating: General

Summary: Life is a series of storms

A/N: I'm hoping to write several Mystic stories. As the muse speaks so will I. No beta available. All mistakes are mine to claim.




Archived: 6-7-2006
Title: See What I See
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Sometime after s4's "Saved" but before "A Very Dead Zone Christmas"
Spoilers: Vague references to several episodes in all seasons.
Pairing: John/Other
Warnings: N/A
Rating: General

Summary: What happens when John meets a blind woman at the mall and strikes up a conversation?

A/N: John's life is tied to the visual sense. I wondered what would happen if he experienced a 'vision' without seeing anything at all. Close your eyes and sit on a beach, in the woods, in a mall or in the living room with your family. We experience the world with all of our senses and it is easy to forget that sometimes.

Beta thanks go to Lozzie from the USA Boards and dear K who has helped me for over three years now. Enjoy!




Archived: 7-27-2006
Title: Lightening the Load
Author: Ruralstar
Set: Episode tag for s4's "Articles of Faith"
Spoilers: s1, Dinner with Dana, Destiny, s2, The Storm, s4, Articles of Faith.
Pairing: John/Dana
Warnings: Explicit Sex and mild language
Rating: Adult

Summary: John and Dana and what happened after she tried to leave the house at the end of the episode.

A/N: Short summary as it is a short, simple fic. I thought Dana's line of "If you ever need to lighten the load, you know where to reach me." was too good to pass up. Watching this episode pushed alot of serious buttons for me but it also reminded me of the wonderful onscreen chemistry between AMH and KD. John/Dana are my favorite pairing for the series.

Thanks go to Lux from the USA boards who gave this fic a once over and offered some wonderful suggestions for this and future projects. Any remaining mistakes are mine to claim. Enjoy




Archived: 9-21-2006
Title: Enemies and Allies
Author: Ruralstar
A Stargate/Dead Zone crossover piece.

Set: For those wishing to reconcile the timeline of this piece. The events take place midway between the 4th and 5th seasons of The Dead Zone. Diverging from series canon after the season 4 finale, “Saved”. The coinciding time for the Stargate universe would be the beginning of season 10. Purely for the sake of convenience, the Jack O’Neill character has not been promoted to General and General Hammond remains in command of the SGC. Their timelines diverge from series canon just before the two-part episode “Heroes”, which aired in the latter half of season 7.

Spoilers for The Dead Zone: s1, Netherworld, s2, Zion, The Hunt, Visions, s4, Broken Circle, Vanguard and Saved.
Spoilers for Stargate SG-1: s1, A Hundred Days, s6, Abyss, Smoke and Mirrors. A general knowledge of both series would be helpful but is not a requirment to enjoy the piece.

Pairing: N/A
Warnings: Mild language.
Rating: Adult

Summary: A chance encounter with a stranger prompts John Smith to contact his former associates at the Remote Viewing Program beneath Garnet Mountain. The committee overseeing the program is intrigued and concerned by certain aspects of John's report and decides to call in an expert-Colonel Jack O'Neill USAF.

In the course of a single evening the two men must learn to trust each other in the hopes of stopping the one thing they both fear: the total annihilation of the human race.

Fiction Notes:
Events and people:
The Cam Am International Sled Dog race is an annual event, which begins in Fort Kent, Maine. It occurred on March 4-5, in 2006.
Chappaquiddick is a town in Massachusetts where a controversial crime involving Senator Ted Kennedy took place on July 19-20 1969.
Mary Jo Kopechne was the drowning victim at the heart of the Chappaquiddick controversy.
The Vermont Air National Guard was on patrol over portions of the United States’ Eastern Seaboard during the 9/11 crisis.
Jim Douglas is the Governor of Vermont in 2006.

Places:
Fort Kent and Washburn are both towns in Maine. Hanscom Air Force base is located in Massachusetts. I am unaware of what types of facilities they have on site. I have never visited either area.

Rutland is a town in Vermont. Garnet is a mountain in Colorado, not Vermont.

Hogan’s Quickstop and Goodrich Logging are fictional businesses.



A huge hug of thanks to my patient spouse who sat through countless brainstorming sessions and offered invaluable advice. Without him, I might never have written this piece or had the courage to take the next step.

A/N:Stargate SG-1 seasons 1-7 is one of my favorite television shows of all time. The Dead Zone has a similar status. Almost from the beginning of my DZ fascination, I have wanted to marry these two universes. Jack O’Neill and Johnny Smith are characters that have evolved with time. They are men of conscience, passion, devotion and vulnerability and I hope to create such memorable and well-rounded characters as I step out into the fiction world. This will likely be my last fanfiction story for either series. I owe a debt of gratitude to MGM, Gekko, USA, Piller/Segan and the incomparable Stephen King. Without these folks I would not have had the chance to play with these characters and in the process develop my own writing talents.

There is still so much more to be done and I’m looking forward to the challenge. (((((((((hugs))))))) and much gratitude to all the betas I’ve had over the years. Specific beta thanks to Lisa I for this fic but every one of you have taught me something new and worthwhile. Thank you for helping to shape this burgeoning writer. Finally, I thank everyone who has read any of my work. Whether you loved it or hated it, your readership has encouraged me to pursue my passion. What a wonderful gift!




Archived: 4-20-2007
Title: Trashed
Author: Sharp2799
Set: In early season two
Spoilers: None
Pairing: None
Warnings: language
Rating: General

Summary: John wakes up hung over.

A/N: I've never done this before and wasn't sure I could pull it off since I'm not hugely plugged in to the fandom of The Dead Zone. And then it got finished late!! But ruralstar, this is your very belated birthday gift. :-)




Archived: 9-17-2007
Title: Two Lights
Author: Ruralstar
Set: At the end of season six.
Spoilers: s6 "Denouement"
Pairing: None
Warnings: None
Rating: General

Summary: John contemplates how to talk to JJ now that Armageddon has returned.

A/N: I didn't expect to write another fic for The Dead Zone. The season finale of s6 left a couple of plot bunnies chasing around my brain. I needed to excise this one at least. No beta available. All mistakes are mine to claim.