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English
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Three Sentence Ficathon 2026
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Published:
2026-01-31
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149
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1/1
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Hope for the Fallen

Summary:

Sometimes losing is winning, in the end.

Notes:

Written for the prompt, The Thorn Birds, Ralph/Meggie, a different first meeting, at
[community profile] threesentenceficathon
Dedicated to Bill Ayres from WPLJ in the 80s/90s (the priest, not the other Ayres). I used to love his calming, comforting voice on his radio program. He started out as Father Bill Ayres, and then one day, he was just Bill Ayres. He gave it up to marry the woman he loved.

Work Text:

Ralph wasn't sure what had compelled him to attend this party, but he'd known Mary Carson a million years ago, back when he'd been a priest, before everything had gone wrong, and when the surprise invitation arrived... a little voice inside urged him to come to Drogheda, like the voice of God was directing him -- not that God would want anything to do with him these days.

 

Then Ralph saw her across the room, and their eyes met; he felt an almost electric shock of recognition, as if they'd known each other forever; she felt it too, he could sense it in her surprised smile.

 

Ralph had never believed in soulmates, and he'd all but given up on earning God's forgiveness, but, as he made his way over to where Meggie Cleary was waiting, he felt something that had been missing from his life for a long time -- hope.