Fan Fiction -- Fight Harder

The website Fan Fiction is a forum where amateur writers can publish their own stories based on various movies and other genres. The website has 185 fan-fiction stories about the movie Dirty Dancing.

Here I will summarize one such story, titled Fight Harder, written in 2012 by a woman whose pen name is bemcgee. On the Fan Fiction website she has published two stories, one of which is based on Dirty Dancing and the other is based on the Twilight series of movies.

She describes herself as follows:

My name is Bethany and I am 21 years old [in the year 2012]. I go to school in Southwest Louisiana, studying to be a psychologist.

Two years ago, I began a Twilight Jacob/Bella one-shot [story] that I ran out of ideas for and didn't finish until now. It's finally published.

Years before that (think 13 or 14 years old), I tried a Harry Potter story about Lupin, but that was crap because I didn't know what I was doing. I don't think I'll try that again.

I read many different fandoms, depending what my obsession of the month is. As of July 2012, it's Dirty Dancing.

Two weeks ago, I was back on Anne of Green Gables. Before that, it was Twilight, Harry Potter, iCarly, Victorious, 10 Things I Hate About You (tv show), InuYasha, Full Metal Alchemist, and any number of other potentials. I will always be a kid at heart, so yes, I still watch iCarly and Victorious.

I've always enjoyed writing and, when I was young, I intended to make it my career. As I got older, I realized I would be better suited to something else and stopped writing as much. When I started college, I didn't have time to write anymore, but on school holidays, I always find myself scribbling something down.

After years of reading and reviewing and thinking about fan fiction, I finally worked up the courage to write and publish some of my own. Take a look, you might like it.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I'm a pretty nice person, if I do say so myself.

Thanks for stopping by! It means a lot to me. :)

Her story portrays Johnny Castle's thinking after he argues with Baby Houseman about her reluctance to inform her father about their relationship.

My summary of the story follows. I have inserted two GIFs illustration into the story.

======

"Fight harder, huh? I don't see you fighting so hard, Baby. I don't see you running up to Daddy and telling him I'm your guy."

"Well, with my father, it's complicated. I will tell him."

"I don't believe you, Baby! I don't think that you ever had any intention of telling him. Ever."

I left her there, just watching me walk away, and I didn't look back.

I might be wild about her, but she drives me crazy. I know I'll never be good enough for Jake Houseman's little girl, but that doesn't mean I can't try, right? I've never felt this way about anyone before. She's actually important to me -- not like those other women.

Frances Houseman is the most beautiful, determined, inspiring ... frustrating woman I've ever met. I know she's young, just 17, but she's never been a girl to me. From the moment she stepped up to help Penny, I knew she was mature for her age. I've never known anyone like her. She is so dedicated, she sees something she wants and she goes for it. She sees someone in trouble and she does everything in her power to help them.

So why isn't she fighting her father on the issue of us? She fights for everything else, and she tells me to fight for myself, but when it comes to telling her father about our relationship, she hides.

Johnny goes to Penny to explain his anguish and to ask for her advice.

".... I know you told me to end it ... I don't think I can. I don't think I'm strong enough to leave her. ....

"We had ... a disagreement, I guess. She told me to fight harder, make Neil listen to me, and I asked whyshe's not fighting for us. I want her to tell her father, and she's contradicting herself by not listening to her own advice. ...

"Penny ... I think I love her."

There's a knock on the door, as Penny begins to look confused. She answers, barely opening the door. I can't see who stands on the other side.

The person at the door is Baby.

I stand up and walk out. Without saying a word, I walk to the railing and cross my arms with my back to her. I can feel her behind me, before she even touches me. Then she puts a hand on my shoulder, whispers "I'm sorry" and kisses my shoulder.

I don't have time to react before we hear another voice ...

Johnny fights with Robbie Gould.

... I bring my arm back to finish the fight, when I remember Baby. She's standing there, watching me, watching this. "Fight harder" rings in my ears, and I realize I'm fighting the wrong person, for the wrong reasons. ...

As Robbie walks away and the crowd disperses, I turn to see Baby standing at the railing, right where I left her. Penny looks at me for a couple of seconds before turning to walk inside and close the door, without a word.

Johnny and Baby embrace across the porch railing.

Johnny ponders the significance of his fighting with Robbie over his relationship with Baby. Finally, Johnny decides what he must do.

=====

I will not reveal the story's ending. You will have to read it there.

======

A few of the readers' comments follow:

* I love it, I could imagine it all from Johnny's side, it had me smiling the whole way through.

* .... I think you got Johnny right, he's the tough guy with a sensitive side; perfect! :)

* Hi, I loved this scene! So frustrating watching the movie and not knowing what he really thinks. This 'fill in' is perfect.

* OMG! That was so amazing and beautiful. I could've seen him thinking the exact same thing in the movie. I Loved it.

* It's great. I enjoy POV stories, because you get to experience that persons every thought. This one is very good. I don't think it's out of character for Johnny, simply because he was so intense in the movie, we never really got to know much of what he was thinking. .... Good luck on the psychologist thing too!

* I always wondered what Penny and Johnny talked about before Baby got there. Honestly, I can definitely see this actually happening in the movie.:)

* This is one of my favorite movies .... I just watched it again last night and found myself wondering, as usual, what Johnny and Penny said to each other at this part. Searched for it on the site, and not only was this one of the first stories to pop up, it's also very well-written. I think you nailed it, thanks for the peek inside Johnny's head.

* .... In my opinion you did a great job in characterizing Johnny. I liked the way you wrote the dialogue. The theme of ‘fighting harder’ is carried over really well ...