(no subject)

[akite.livejournal.com]

658 words that seem way inadequate to me, but here goes anyway.



Dear Lieu,

The formal letter is attached, but I wanted to write you personal. I'm resigning from the force. Funny as it may seem to you, I'm staying up here in Canada with Fraser. I hate to leave you in the lurch, but I finally figured out that this is where I need to be. Fraser helped me with the formal letter. Big surprise there. Could you send me the forms I need to cash in my pension?

Thanks,

Ray Kowalski

Attached:

May 2, 1998
S. Raymond Kowalski
c/o Cpl. Benton Fraser
RCMP Post
Inuvik, NWT
Canada

Lt. Harding Welsh
27th District, Detective Division
Chicago Police Department

Dear Sir:

Please accept this epistle as notification of my resignation from the Chicago Police Department, effective immediately.

Sincerely,


S. Raymond Kowalski
Detective First Class


***

Dear Mum and Dad,

I'm not sure how to write this so you'll understand, but here goes. I'm staying up here in Canada with Fraser. I love him. Don't know how to say it any better than that. Dad, please take the Goat. I know you'll take care of it. Not many roads up here to drive it on anyway, and those they do have are covered in ice and snow a good part of the year. Mum, before you start worrying about the cold, don't. The cabin that Fraser got for us to live in is super insulated. Yes, I'm eating good too. He makes sure of that. Have to eat to stay warm up here.

Ok, big favor I'm asking here, but could you pack up my apartment? Don't try to ship it all up here, please. Just my winter clothes, my stereo and my CDs. Throw the rest of it out, give it to Goodwill, whatever's easiest for you. As soon as we get the phone hooked up I'll call and give you the number.

Don't hate me. Please. For the first time since Stella left I'm happy. Fraser loves me and I love him. I think we can make it work. Be happy for me. Some people don't get second chances, and I've got one now.

Your son,

Ray

***

May 10, 1998

Dear Frannie,

You probably heard by now that I'm not coming back. I know you're probably feeling really down right now but don't. You weren't stupid or blind. Me and Fraser weren't carrying on behind your back all that time, honest. I didn't even know that I loved him until the thing with Muldoon was over and I was sitting there thinking about coming back to Chicago alone. I couldn't do it. Fraser and I went on this adventure and it's turned into a bigger one than we ever thought. Ha, ha. You know this is where he belongs and now I know where he is that's where I belong too.

The year I spent being your pretend brother made me wish I really did have a sister. You're a great person, Frannie. Really. Give my love to your ma and let Tony, Jr. have the turtle, if you think he'll take care of him. Fraser and Dief say hi.

Ray
***



May 22, 1998

Vecchio,

I snuck this into the envelope. I hope you've read Fraser's letter and picked yourself off the floor already. I know me and you had our problems, recent and a long time ago. That's not what this is about. Don't go all crazy on Fraser, capische? He still thinks the world of you and it'd be crappy to mess with that. You probably think I'm not good enough for him, the same way I feel about you and Stella. Vecchio, be good to her. Make her happy. If I ever hear that she's not, I'll come down there and kick you in the head. That's a promise.
By the way, a bowling alley, you put Stella in a bowling alley? No rope or duct tape involved? Ok, I'm shutting up now.

Kowalski

Comments

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Nice series of letters...and I particularly like the hint in the Vecchio one that there's some real history there that we never learned. I'll bet *that* backstory is interesting. *G*

[akite.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Beth. That references back to a couple of Teen!Rays stories I did recently. (Pimping myself here) They're on my website if you're at all interested. I'd put a link in here, but I'm not proficient enough to do that yet, but there's a link to my website from my lj. I'm glad you like this story.

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Not mundane at all :-)

[akite.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you so much, Shell. So glad you think so.

[ardent-muses.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was terrific! I got a kick out of the official resignation letter. *G*

The thing that came across really strongly here is what a good guy Ray is, and how much he cares about all of those people. The one to Frannie is particularly sweet.

Aww. I liked it a lot. Very nice.

[akite.livejournal.com]

He just had to send a letter to Frannie. So he told me. ::g:: He just couldn't go off and not say anything, especially since they don't have a phone yet. Thanks for letting me know you liked it.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Ardent said it- the Frannie letter is so very sweet and caring. He didn't have to write to her - but he does, because in many ways she became his sister.

The pang in the heart moment came from "Don't hate me" to his parents. 37 years old (or so) and that hurt or potential hurt is still in his heart. I could cry. I hope they don't hate him.

Comedy moment is the warning to Vecchio. I also noticed the reference to the past and nodded, because I love the idea that the two Rays have some sort of past (though no one noticed in my own fic below that an "RV" is mentioned, heh. Too damn subtle.)

Just a grin-inducing, heartwarming story. Thanks!

[akite.livejournal.com]

Wonderful feedback is just as grin inducing. Thanks Shay. I did see the RV in yours but wasn't sure it was intentional or not.

[jenboo.livejournal.com]

apparently you *are* too subtle, Shay, because I thought I saw RV in your story and thought 'nah'...*g* Of course, I haven't been sleeping lately, so...

[shyday.livejournal.com]

there's a lot of great things about these letters, most of which have already been said here. i wanted to say that i also really liked the differences in the signatures, depending on who ray was writing to - that's an important realistic detail that a lot of fanfic writers might've overlooked. thanks.

[akite.livejournal.com]

I really did try to tailor each letter to its recipient. I'm so happy that came through. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[akite.livejournal.com]

Feedback like this is what I live for, fanfic wise.
See, this is what I like about you. I've read so many stories where Ray decided to stay in Canada with Fraser, but they never went into particulars as to how he made the break from Chicago.
::beaming:: I think about stuff like that. In fact a lot of my stories deal with it in one way or another.

I won't quote your whole feedback, so I'm so happy that all that came through. I almost didn't put in the reference to the Teen!Rays, but Ray told me it would be fun and to see if anyone caught it. ::g:: Thanks for commenting, MR.

[ozsaur.livejournal.com]

I love all the letters but my favorite is the one to Vecchio. It made me laugh but I was touched by the way he was looking out for Fraser. And Stella too. When Ray cares about someone, he doesn't quit.

[akite.livejournal.com]

Damn right he doesn't. ::g:: Thanks, Ozsaur.

[murielperun.livejournal.com]

What a great idea! Fraser's letter to Vecchio must have been something else. And Kowalski sees Fraser's vulnerability where Vecchio is concerned. Nice.

[akite.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly. Ah! Fraser's letter, I might have done that too, but Fraser wasn't telling. I imagine it was a little stiff and very proper. If he ever decides to tell me what he wrote, I'll do it.

[akite.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Miss Jodie. I like them too.

[akite.livejournal.com]

::g:: That's the southerner in me coming out. I'm always calling people Miss WhatEverTheirName is.

Re:

[murielperun.livejournal.com]

You never know. He might. ;-)

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Again with the leaping out of the starting box after everyone else, but *yeah*. Good work! You really captured the voices, and filled in or hinted at an incredible amount of backstory in such a short space. Brava!

[akite.livejournal.com]

::bows:: Thank you, Carla. So happy that you like it.

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

Since I'm last, as usual (no worries, Carla), I'm all about "what they said!" Cute. And I do enjoy the Teen Rays.*g*

[akite.livejournal.com]

LOL, I can only repeat myself with a big thank you. I was so worried that this sucked swamp water. Glad you like the Teen!Rays too.

[maubast.livejournal.com]

Very nice!

[akite.livejournal.com]

Glad you think so, Bast. Thanks.

Dang, girl...

[kormantic.livejournal.com]

You really got his voice and mood pegged, here... Go team akite!

Re: Dang, girl...

[akite.livejournal.com]

Yay me! ;D I'm a happy fanfic writer today. Thanks for reading and commenting.

[jenboo.livejournal.com]

awwww...the letter to his parents made me sniffle. He's happy, but he's so afraid he's going to lose his parents because of it. I hope he doesn't!
And I hope Tony, Jr. takes good care of the turtle. That was really sweet of Ray.
What I loved the most was that Ray snuck his little note to Vecchio into the envelope with Fraser's letter. Probably didn't even let Ben read it. *g*

[akite.livejournal.com]

Probably didn't even let Ben read it. *g*
Nope, I'm sure he didn't. What he had to say was private. Glad you liked it, Jenny. Thanks for letting me know.