Author: Desiree Armfeldt
Title: Tardiest Explorers
Fandoms: due South
Characters: Benton Fraser, Ray Kowalski (I wrote this with slash-colored goggles but it doesn't strictly have to be)
Rating: Gen
Length: 1430 words
Angst-to-hope ratio: Low
Disclaimer: I didn't create these characters, I don't own them, I derive no profit from their use.
Summary: Ray writes to Fraser about the discovery of the Franklin ship.
Bookkeeping Notes: Counts towards Complexity Theorist (also fills "communication" and "do-over").

ETA: Now with two prequels by me at ds-snippets, and a sequel by bbghost at fan-flashworks!



September 20, 2014

Dear Fraser,

Wow, it’s been a long time, huh?  I had to get the RCMP to track down your address for me, so I hope this gets to you.  I’m sure you know all about it already, but I read in the news where they found one of the ships from the Franklin Expedition, and of course I thought, hey, wouldn’t Fraser think that’s the coolest thing ever?  You think about trying to get a look-see at whatever bits and pieces they dug up?  I’m sure they don’t let anyone just walk in off the street and have a look, but I bet you could swing it if you wanted.  That old Fraser Magic.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, I saw this, and I was thinking of you.  Hope you’re doing okay.  Take care of yourself.

Ray
(the blond one.  not the style pig)



October 1, 2014

Dear Ray,

I was surprised to get your card.  It’s always a pleasure to hear from an old friend after so many years.  I hope you and your family are keeping well.

The discovery of one of Franklin’s ships is indeed exciting news.  I am sure that in the months and years to come, we will be hearing interesting results from the analyses of the remains, as well as from the ongoing search for the second ship.  Although there are those who claim that the recent search has been little more than an expensive publicity stunt designed to bolster the government’s efforts to maintain the nation’s claim on the Northwest Passage – well, I don’t expect you want to hear about that, and space on this card is limited.  Let’s just say that I believe that the research was and is worth conducting, to those whose passion it is, and to those of us for whom the legend of the Franklin Expedition holds a special place in our hearts.

What does your wife make of the news?

Sergeant Benton Fraser, RCMP



October 10, 2014

Dear Fraser,

Marie divorced me, it’ll be five years in February.  So go ahead and say “I told you so” – oh, wait, Mounties don’t do that, do they?  It’s conduct unbecoming or something.  Anyway, I should have known better, I guess, but I can’t be sorry, either.  We had some good times, and Zach’s a good kid.  My son.  You know I have a son, right?  Shit, I don’t even know whether I told you.  Well, I have a son.  He’ll be twelve on Christmas Eve.  (Yeah, there’s a funny story in there, as you can imagine.  Well, Marie thinks it’s funny anyway.)  Zach’s a total nut for explorer stories – Shackleton, Lewis & Clark, you name it.  He’s still flipping out over the Franklin thing.  Glued to the internet sucking up any mention of the story.  He’s nuts for environmental stuff too.  A kid after your own heart, really.  Does his homework and everything.

Funny, he says pretty much the same thing you did about the Franklin research and how it’s great to see it happening even if it was kind of a publicity stunt originally.  And sure, but, I don’t know.  It’s cool that they found the ships and that they’re going to maybe solve the mystery, but I kind of wish they hadn’t.  I hate loose ends on the job, but it was kind of nice to have a big mystery out there for people to just think and dream about and know it’d always be there.  That a couple of guys could jump on a dogsled and go look for the thing, even though we knew we were never going to find it.  Silly, huh?

Ray



October 17, 2014

Dear Ray,

I’m truly sorry to hear of your divorce.  I know how happy your marriage made you.  I am glad to hear that you can still look back on the good times with fondness.  And I am – honestly, I cannot think of adequate words – you have a son.

Zach sounds like a fine young man.  You are obviously proud of him.  I always knew you would make a wonderful father.

Please forgive my inability to express myself.  I have fallen out of the habit of speaking from my heart, I suppose.  And it is far too late for congratulations.

Still, I hope you will believe me when I say that I wish you and Zach well, now and always.

Benton Fraser

P.S.  I hadn’t realized why I felt ambivalent when I read about the discovery of the lost Franklin ship, but you put your finger on it very neatly.  It feels like the end of a dream.  Why does it hurt to lose something one never truly had, I wonder?




October 21, 2014

Dear Fraser,

It doesn’t suck nearly as bad to not have something you want, as to know you’re never going to have it.  Or, never again.  I don’t know whether it’s worse to know what you’re missing, or to imagine how great it would’ve been if you’d just been able to get your hands on it.  You’d think after two divorces and I don’t know how many pie-in-the-sky dreams up in smoke, I’d at least know the score on that one.

I guess, if you had something and lost it, at least you have the memories.

So I’m glad we had our Quest, before they went and found Franklin, because this way at least we have those memories.  Some good ones, huh?

You think about the Quest much these days?

Ray




November 5, 2014

Dear Fraser,

I sent you a card a few weeks back and now I’m wondering if it got eaten by a polar bear on the way to you.  Probably you’re out on patrol for weeks or something and just haven’t seen it yet.

Or you’re done talking to me.  Again.

Sorry, that was an asshole thing to say.

Just, it’s been real good hearing from you, even if it isn’t about anything in particular.

But not if you don’t want to, I guess.

Ray




November 15, 2014

Dear Ray,

I apologize for not answering your last letter.  I didn’t know what to say, I suppose.

The truth is, I do think about the Quest, and my time in Chicago, and my friends there, and you.  Less often than I used to, because it all seems so far away, now.  More like the stories my father used to tell than like part of my own life.

And then, to hear your voice, even on the page, so unexpectedly, brought all those stories back to life.  Reminded me of things I’ve had, and will never have again.

I’m not sorry.  I treasure the memories.  But Ray, I’m tired of losing things.  I hadn’t quite known that until now.

Benton Fraser




November 23, 2014,

Dear Fraser,

The thing is, I was pissed at you for a long time.  For not coming back to Chicago after Muldoon and the sub and everything, and for not bothering to show up to my wedding, and for – I don’t even know.

I guess I didn’t think about whether you were pissed at me, too.  Or I didn’t want to know.

Maybe if we’d have just punched each other again instead of trying to be polite.

But look, what I’m trying to say is, who says we got to stay lost?  They found the damn ship, for crying out loud.  You and me, we don’t even need a map.


Ray



November 31, 2014


Dear Ray,

My father once told me a story about he how and his partner, Buck Frobisher, fell out and didn’t speak to each other for several years.  At last, they met with a raging river between them and criminals bearing down on them.  Buck had a rope; my father, a grappling hook.

Now that I think of it, he was giving me advice about my partnership with you, when he told me that story.

What I’m trying to say is: I imagine you already have plans for the holiday, but if I were to pay a visit to Chicago for Christmas, do you think I might have an opportunity to wish Zach a happy birthday in person?

Yours,

Benton Fraser



December 8, 2014

Dear Fraser,

Buy your plane tickets if you haven’t already.  You’re staying with us.  Zach’s looking up recipes for Arctic Tern on the internet already.  And get ready to be talked to death about Franklin by a not-quite-teenager.

Bring your compass and sextant, too.  Just in case we decide to go hunting for that other ship.

Ray