It hasnt worked. Dimitri isn't the right character for this story, so I am going back to the original idea and writing it with the person that it was meant to have. Rachel Philips.
It's been a long time simce I thought about her and Straker, although I did write Rules and Regulations.
There will have to be major changes in the theme of this story, as I originally intended the two of them to get married at the very end, but in fact it will be more realistic. They would never have been able to marry within the boundaries of military rules and regulations, and it would have been too twee anyway.
I think Straker is more ... hardened now. More aware of the dangers and the distractions. More aware that he is not a perfect husband, that he cannot be a perfect husband, that he has already sacrificed a marriage and a son to SHADO, as well as his own happiness. So it is highly unlikely that he would go down that route again. Unless Earth was safe and he was no longer SHADO Commander. Maybe then.
Maybe.
So.. I will reopen the Combined Operations folder and start work. A lot of re-writing to do, a lot of rethinking.
And I will HAVE to do anothe Dimitri story at some point! Maybe... Pittencriel.
Damn... and there are so many plot bunnies in my brain at the moment. Sigh.