Darkest Before Dawn Challenge
Aug. 16th, 2004 06:27 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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sihayab for beta reading this for me. Her help really made a difference. Sihayab, I hope you like the ending. I give you 974 words of
Three AM
Ray sighed and wiggled around again trying to get comfortable. Three fucking AM, and he couldn't sleep. After all the nights he'd fall asleep out here on his couch, tonight he couldn't. Every lump, every dip of the cushions, even the scratchy fabric was keeping him awake. Any other night, he would have just gotten up and gone to his bed. Tonight it was occupied, though. Occupied by his crazy, Canuck partner who thought he was Superman or something. He'd almost gotten himself killed. Again.
It hadn't been easy to convince Fraser to take the bed, either. As usual, they had a fucking argument about it. "Come on, Fraser," he'd said, "we're going to my place."
"That's very considerate of you, but it's really not necessary." Fraser's standard reply.
"Yeah, it is. No way am I letting you sleep on that cot tonight. Your back's got to be killing you."
"I assure you, Ray, my cot is perfectly comfortable."
"Eeeenk!" Ray made a sound like a buzzer on a game show. "Totally not, Fraser, I've slept on that cot, remember? When you held me hostage that time with Volpe and Cahill?"
"Actually, as I recall, Ray, I offered you asylum in the Consulate until your innocence was proven." Fraser reached up to thumb his eyebrow. Even a blind man could see him trying to hide his wince.
"Uh, huh. Right. Well, you remember it your way, and I'll remember it mine. All I remember is being tortured. Turnbull, curling, that cot," Ray replied, trying not to smile. He'd seen that wince and wasn't going to take any polite refusals today.
So, Fraser'd come home with him. Even ate the pizza that Ray ordered and had delivered. Then when bedtime came, he'd argued with him again. Ray had to threaten to kick Fraser in the head before he finally gave up and went to the bedroom.
Ray turned over again and almost fell off the couch. He'd just check on Fraser. Maybe seeing that he was okay would help him sleep. Ray got up and moved toward the bedroom. The floorboard squeaked right by where the wolf was sleeping outside the door. Dief raised his head, and Ray put a finger to his lips. He didn't bother shushing since Dief couldn't hear it anyway. The wolf put his head back down on his paws and closed his eyes.
The wind ruffled the curtains at the window that Ray guessed Fraser must have raised it earlier. The light from the street was enough to show him that his partner was really and truly zonked. Fraser lay on his side. Ray moved silently, light on his dancer's feet to the other side of the bed. Ray could see the bruises. One deep, dark one across his right shoulder blade really stood out on Fraser's pale skin. Fraser's face came into view; that beautiful face, now marred with a black eye and a gash that had required six stitches.
If the sheet hadn't been in the way Ray could have seen the other bruises. Ones he knew were there because he'd seen them when he found Fraser, half-naked and tied to a chair. Even as Ray'd cut him loose and called for the paramedics, Fraser argued that he didn't need medical attention. Fat chance, and Fraser was really in no shape to fight him about it.
Practically the whole division had been in on the bust. So, there were plenty of nimble fingers around to type up the reports and do the bookings. Sammy - the Rat - Finkelstein and his associates would be off the streets for a long, long time. As much as Ray would have liked to have been there for that interrogation, he went along for the ride to the hospital instead. It was probably for the best that he'd gone with Fraser. That way no charges were filed against him for jumping Bogart on the perps.
Ray stood in his bedroom watching Fraser sleep and remembering how badly he'd been scared today. Fraser stirred and blinked his eyes open. "Ray? Is everything all right?" he asked, voice heavy with sleep.
"Yeah, Fraser. Everything's good. Go on back to sleep."
"'k." Fraser's eyes drifted closed again. Ray watched for a couple of more minutes and went back to the couch. This time sleep found him.
Five Years Later
Ray again watched an aching, bruised Mountie sleep. It seemed the more things were different, the more they were the same. Nowadays, he did his watching from his own side of the bed, in a cabin up close to the border between the Yukon and Northwest Territories. That was the different part. The same was Fraser, still thinking he was Superman and still arguing.
Fraser had been out on patrol and not due back for another two days when Ray got a call from Sergeant Anderson, Fraser's superior. "Hello, Ray?"
"Yeah, what's up, Andy?" Fraser's boss wasn't big on ceremony. He called Ray by his first name, and didn't mind at all that Ray had given him a nickname.
"I need you come over to the post and get Corporal Fraser. He brought in a poacher, and well - he's really worse for wear."
Ray had groaned. Worse for wear was Canadian for beat to shit. "I'll be there as soon as I can." Ray'd hung up the phone and put on his hat, coat and gloves. Then he'd nudged Diefenbaker, who was napping by the stove, awake. "Come on, Dief. We gotta go get Fraser to the clinic again."
Dief had growled and got up.
"Yeah, keep your game face on. We're going to have to be tough." Ray had hitched up the rest of the dogs and headed into town.
When three AM came around Ray was there, wide-awake, guarding Fraser's rest.
End
sihayab for beta reading this for me. Her help really made a difference. Sihayab, I hope you like the ending. I give you 974 words of Three AM
Ray sighed and wiggled around again trying to get comfortable. Three fucking AM, and he couldn't sleep. After all the nights he'd fall asleep out here on his couch, tonight he couldn't. Every lump, every dip of the cushions, even the scratchy fabric was keeping him awake. Any other night, he would have just gotten up and gone to his bed. Tonight it was occupied, though. Occupied by his crazy, Canuck partner who thought he was Superman or something. He'd almost gotten himself killed. Again.
It hadn't been easy to convince Fraser to take the bed, either. As usual, they had a fucking argument about it. "Come on, Fraser," he'd said, "we're going to my place."
"That's very considerate of you, but it's really not necessary." Fraser's standard reply.
"Yeah, it is. No way am I letting you sleep on that cot tonight. Your back's got to be killing you."
"I assure you, Ray, my cot is perfectly comfortable."
"Eeeenk!" Ray made a sound like a buzzer on a game show. "Totally not, Fraser, I've slept on that cot, remember? When you held me hostage that time with Volpe and Cahill?"
"Actually, as I recall, Ray, I offered you asylum in the Consulate until your innocence was proven." Fraser reached up to thumb his eyebrow. Even a blind man could see him trying to hide his wince.
"Uh, huh. Right. Well, you remember it your way, and I'll remember it mine. All I remember is being tortured. Turnbull, curling, that cot," Ray replied, trying not to smile. He'd seen that wince and wasn't going to take any polite refusals today.
So, Fraser'd come home with him. Even ate the pizza that Ray ordered and had delivered. Then when bedtime came, he'd argued with him again. Ray had to threaten to kick Fraser in the head before he finally gave up and went to the bedroom.
Ray turned over again and almost fell off the couch. He'd just check on Fraser. Maybe seeing that he was okay would help him sleep. Ray got up and moved toward the bedroom. The floorboard squeaked right by where the wolf was sleeping outside the door. Dief raised his head, and Ray put a finger to his lips. He didn't bother shushing since Dief couldn't hear it anyway. The wolf put his head back down on his paws and closed his eyes.
The wind ruffled the curtains at the window that Ray guessed Fraser must have raised it earlier. The light from the street was enough to show him that his partner was really and truly zonked. Fraser lay on his side. Ray moved silently, light on his dancer's feet to the other side of the bed. Ray could see the bruises. One deep, dark one across his right shoulder blade really stood out on Fraser's pale skin. Fraser's face came into view; that beautiful face, now marred with a black eye and a gash that had required six stitches.
If the sheet hadn't been in the way Ray could have seen the other bruises. Ones he knew were there because he'd seen them when he found Fraser, half-naked and tied to a chair. Even as Ray'd cut him loose and called for the paramedics, Fraser argued that he didn't need medical attention. Fat chance, and Fraser was really in no shape to fight him about it.
Practically the whole division had been in on the bust. So, there were plenty of nimble fingers around to type up the reports and do the bookings. Sammy - the Rat - Finkelstein and his associates would be off the streets for a long, long time. As much as Ray would have liked to have been there for that interrogation, he went along for the ride to the hospital instead. It was probably for the best that he'd gone with Fraser. That way no charges were filed against him for jumping Bogart on the perps.
Ray stood in his bedroom watching Fraser sleep and remembering how badly he'd been scared today. Fraser stirred and blinked his eyes open. "Ray? Is everything all right?" he asked, voice heavy with sleep.
"Yeah, Fraser. Everything's good. Go on back to sleep."
"'k." Fraser's eyes drifted closed again. Ray watched for a couple of more minutes and went back to the couch. This time sleep found him.
Five Years Later
Ray again watched an aching, bruised Mountie sleep. It seemed the more things were different, the more they were the same. Nowadays, he did his watching from his own side of the bed, in a cabin up close to the border between the Yukon and Northwest Territories. That was the different part. The same was Fraser, still thinking he was Superman and still arguing.
Fraser had been out on patrol and not due back for another two days when Ray got a call from Sergeant Anderson, Fraser's superior. "Hello, Ray?"
"Yeah, what's up, Andy?" Fraser's boss wasn't big on ceremony. He called Ray by his first name, and didn't mind at all that Ray had given him a nickname.
"I need you come over to the post and get Corporal Fraser. He brought in a poacher, and well - he's really worse for wear."
Ray had groaned. Worse for wear was Canadian for beat to shit. "I'll be there as soon as I can." Ray'd hung up the phone and put on his hat, coat and gloves. Then he'd nudged Diefenbaker, who was napping by the stove, awake. "Come on, Dief. We gotta go get Fraser to the clinic again."
Dief had growled and got up.
"Yeah, keep your game face on. We're going to have to be tough." Ray had hitched up the rest of the dogs and headed into town.
When three AM came around Ray was there, wide-awake, guarding Fraser's rest.
End
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Date: 2004-08-16 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 05:05 pm (UTC)Hee! It does indeed. Thanks for commenting, Lynn.
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Date: 2004-08-16 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 05:46 pm (UTC)Whee! I'm so glad you liked it. Thanks again for your help.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 05:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 05:48 pm (UTC)Thank you, E! ::smooch::
no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 06:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 06:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 06:32 pm (UTC)Thank you kindly, M.
At least Ray has Dief for backup.
And I'm sure he needs Dief in times like these. :g:
no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 06:44 pm (UTC)Oh, I love that. Love the whole thing, actually. Very nice interpretation of the challenge.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 04:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 04:08 am (UTC)Oh yeah. :g: Thanks for your lovely comments.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-16 07:08 pm (UTC)Heh. It totally is. I love the "the more things change" theme, and I love the woobie!Fraser. Very nice.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 04:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 08:13 am (UTC)He's hurt but still arguing... so damn Fraser!
When three AM came around Ray was there, wide-awake, guarding Fraser's rest.
::sigh::
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww.........
no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 10:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 01:50 pm (UTC)i especially liked the idea of ray always watching over fraser when he sleeps.
very nice!
no subject
Date: 2004-08-17 02:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-19 01:49 pm (UTC)Lovely!!
no subject
Date: 2004-08-19 02:50 pm (UTC)Don't you love that Canadian understatement. :g: Fraser did get his man, though.
Lovely!!
TYK, Kass.
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Date: 2018-08-01 01:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-08-01 10:35 am (UTC)