Chicago Holiday Challenge entry
Mar. 24th, 2004 02:39 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
jenboo.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ds_flashfictioncoming in at 785 words. Kinda sorta has spoilers for 'I Coulda Been a Defendant.' I hope I got the guys name right...I went to www.duesouth.com to check my facts and it points to the Alliance site now. *grumble*
They Always Come Back
by JennyB.
Fraser pushed his plate away from the edge of the table and sat back in his chair. The meal Bruce had prepared had been delicious, but it was time for the meal to come to an end before he made a spectacle of himself.
Bruce was visiting from Detroit, where he’d moved after the incident involving his brother. He was still under the witness protection program, so he was using a new name, but he’d promised to keep in touch with Fraser and Fraser was glad to see Bruce able to keep his promise. He’d offered to cook for Fraser if the constable would be willing to host, which he most certainly was.
As they moved to clear the table and clean up, Bruce started to get a line between his eyebrows as if he were puzzling over a great problem.
“Constable Fraser, I have a question for you.”
“Of course.”
“How did you know it wasn’t a boomerang?”
The question took Fraser by surprise. They hadn’t spoken about that when the case was over and Fraser had assumed the matter closed. “Ah, yes. Well, I had one as a child. Actually I made one. However, since it wasn’t made with aboriginal Australian woods, mine couldn’t be called authentic, either.”
“But it was closer to the real thing than Kevin gave me.”
Fraser felt a moment of sadness and anger at the cruel joke from Bruce’s childhood. “I suppose so, yes.”
“What was it like?”
“Well, I didn’t have it long enough to really be able to give you an accurate account. In fact the first time I threw it, I lost it.”
“You threw it and it didn’t come back and you couldn’t find it?”
“Actually I threw it, it veered drastically off course and lodged in a gasoline can, knocking the can into an abandoned gold mine. The resulting explosion required the services of the entire volunteer fire department, which consisted of every able bodied male over the age of fifteen in the village, to put the fire out. Luckily it was fairly close to a river, so they had an adequate source of water.”
“Perhaps it’s better to leave the boomerangs to the people who know how to handle them.”
“Perhaps so.”
Fraser washed and Bruce dried dishes in companionable silence for a few moments. As Bruce stacked the last dry plate in the dish rack, he spoke again.
“How is Detective Vecchio?”
“He’s quite well. He’s actually going to be returning you to your hotel this evening, so you’ll get to see him.”
“Are you living with him yet? Because it would seem to make more sense for the two of you to be living together if you’re going to spend so much time together anyway. You spend a lot of time together, don’t you?”
Fraser looked at Bruce and felt the weight of a knowing stare. For all of the man’s naiveté, it was easy to forget how observant and smart he was. Fraser smiled a warm smile as he thought of the recent developments in his relationship with Ray and marveled that Bruce had seen the potential for it nearly a year before.
“Yes, we do. Quite a lot.”
Bruce twisted the dish towel in his hands, presumable studying the loops of cotton as he spoke. “Good. He’s good for you. Breaks you out of your rut, keeps you fresh and alert.”
“That he does.”
“He’s much better than a boomerang.”
“How so?”
“He’ll always come back to you.” Bruce looked up at Fraser and smiled sweetly, eyes glittering knowingly. He seemed almost like a mystic or a fortune teller to Fraser sometimes.
“Yo, Fraser!” The call from the front of the consulate made Fraser shake his head at the coincidence of timing.
“In the kitchen, Ray.”
Moments later, Ray appeared in the door from the hallway. “Time to get your guest back to his babysitters. Hey, Bruce.”
“Detective.” Bruce handed Fraser the damp dish towel. “Thank you for your hospitality, Constable.”
“Thank you for the wonderful meal. Have a safe trip home.”
“You’re not comin’, Frase?”
“No, Ray, I have a couple of things to finish up before the weekend hits. But perhaps you could stop by on your way back home?”
“Will do, buddy. C’mon, Bruce. Feds are waiting.”
Fraser watched the odd, intelligent man leave with the savant and felt warmth spread in his chest. He was rich in friends.
“They’re good men, son. They both care for you very much.”
He didn’t even startle at his father’s voice. He was well beyond that by this time. He simply answered, “Yes, Dad, I know. I’m very lucky.”
“Don’t forget it. Now, what’s this about a boomerang?”
~end~
They Always Come Back
by JennyB.
Fraser pushed his plate away from the edge of the table and sat back in his chair. The meal Bruce had prepared had been delicious, but it was time for the meal to come to an end before he made a spectacle of himself.
Bruce was visiting from Detroit, where he’d moved after the incident involving his brother. He was still under the witness protection program, so he was using a new name, but he’d promised to keep in touch with Fraser and Fraser was glad to see Bruce able to keep his promise. He’d offered to cook for Fraser if the constable would be willing to host, which he most certainly was.
As they moved to clear the table and clean up, Bruce started to get a line between his eyebrows as if he were puzzling over a great problem.
“Constable Fraser, I have a question for you.”
“Of course.”
“How did you know it wasn’t a boomerang?”
The question took Fraser by surprise. They hadn’t spoken about that when the case was over and Fraser had assumed the matter closed. “Ah, yes. Well, I had one as a child. Actually I made one. However, since it wasn’t made with aboriginal Australian woods, mine couldn’t be called authentic, either.”
“But it was closer to the real thing than Kevin gave me.”
Fraser felt a moment of sadness and anger at the cruel joke from Bruce’s childhood. “I suppose so, yes.”
“What was it like?”
“Well, I didn’t have it long enough to really be able to give you an accurate account. In fact the first time I threw it, I lost it.”
“You threw it and it didn’t come back and you couldn’t find it?”
“Actually I threw it, it veered drastically off course and lodged in a gasoline can, knocking the can into an abandoned gold mine. The resulting explosion required the services of the entire volunteer fire department, which consisted of every able bodied male over the age of fifteen in the village, to put the fire out. Luckily it was fairly close to a river, so they had an adequate source of water.”
“Perhaps it’s better to leave the boomerangs to the people who know how to handle them.”
“Perhaps so.”
Fraser washed and Bruce dried dishes in companionable silence for a few moments. As Bruce stacked the last dry plate in the dish rack, he spoke again.
“How is Detective Vecchio?”
“He’s quite well. He’s actually going to be returning you to your hotel this evening, so you’ll get to see him.”
“Are you living with him yet? Because it would seem to make more sense for the two of you to be living together if you’re going to spend so much time together anyway. You spend a lot of time together, don’t you?”
Fraser looked at Bruce and felt the weight of a knowing stare. For all of the man’s naiveté, it was easy to forget how observant and smart he was. Fraser smiled a warm smile as he thought of the recent developments in his relationship with Ray and marveled that Bruce had seen the potential for it nearly a year before.
“Yes, we do. Quite a lot.”
Bruce twisted the dish towel in his hands, presumable studying the loops of cotton as he spoke. “Good. He’s good for you. Breaks you out of your rut, keeps you fresh and alert.”
“That he does.”
“He’s much better than a boomerang.”
“How so?”
“He’ll always come back to you.” Bruce looked up at Fraser and smiled sweetly, eyes glittering knowingly. He seemed almost like a mystic or a fortune teller to Fraser sometimes.
“Yo, Fraser!” The call from the front of the consulate made Fraser shake his head at the coincidence of timing.
“In the kitchen, Ray.”
Moments later, Ray appeared in the door from the hallway. “Time to get your guest back to his babysitters. Hey, Bruce.”
“Detective.” Bruce handed Fraser the damp dish towel. “Thank you for your hospitality, Constable.”
“Thank you for the wonderful meal. Have a safe trip home.”
“You’re not comin’, Frase?”
“No, Ray, I have a couple of things to finish up before the weekend hits. But perhaps you could stop by on your way back home?”
“Will do, buddy. C’mon, Bruce. Feds are waiting.”
Fraser watched the odd, intelligent man leave with the savant and felt warmth spread in his chest. He was rich in friends.
“They’re good men, son. They both care for you very much.”
He didn’t even startle at his father’s voice. He was well beyond that by this time. He simply answered, “Yes, Dad, I know. I’m very lucky.”
“Don’t forget it. Now, what’s this about a boomerang?”
~end~
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 08:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 03:24 pm (UTC)What an excellent way to tie it in. I like this a lot. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 08:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 05:06 pm (UTC)“How so?”
“He’ll always come back to you.”
ooo. This is very good. Thanks so much for posting!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 08:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 06:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 08:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 11:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 08:58 am (UTC)And little did I know that the Bob cameo would be forshadowing for this week's challenge! :o)
no subject
Date: 2004-03-25 08:05 am (UTC)I've been waiting for someone to write about Bruce coming back (including waiting on *me* ::g::).
Bruce's looks and personality always seemed to me like a concentrated side of the gentle, child-like aspect of RayK. And I always thought that the 3-D puzzle that Bruce put together in Ray's apartment must have belonged to Ray - I don't see the box fitting into Bruce's carry bag.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-25 08:17 am (UTC)I liked how Fraser behaved around Bruce in that episode and I can find it here again – nice to know the guy is still out there and he is very smart indeed! - He’ll always come back to you.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-25 01:11 pm (UTC)