Disclaimer: Due South belongs to those who created it. Not me, sad to say, I just play with them for a little while.
Author’s note: This occurs right after “Crossroads”, my X-files/ Due south cross over. It covers the time that Ray K spent alone with Ivy. I know it’s short, but it’s a transition piece between “Crossroads” and my next story, “Ray’s Return”.  All feedback may be sent to morgan_peterson@yahoo.com. Please do send some, I live for C&C. ^_^
 

Of Love and Balance

Morgan Peterson
 

 Ray sat at Ivy’s bedside, her hand in his. He _still_ wasn’t sure what the heck going on.  Fraser and he had high-tailed it from the Frozen North because he’d had a ‘bad feeling’, and when he got back, first he got shot at, then he found out the woman he…was really fond of…was in the hospital. and he had _yet_ to get a satisfactory explanation for what was wrong with her! For that matter, an explanation for what was going on, for how the FBI got involved, and about a thousand other things. But curious and frustrated as he was, he wasn’t going to leave Ivy alone in the hospital, especially since his being here seemed to calm her down a bit.

 “Ray?”

 He blinked, surprised to find Ivy’s deep green eyes staring in to his, looking very bewildered.

“What… What happened? Where am I? When did you get back?”

 Ray frowned a little, trying to decide how to answer that. “Well, ya got sick, you’re in the hospital, and about two days ago. How’re you feelin’?”

 “Like someone switched my blood for Greek fire. What was wrong with me?”

 “The doctors are still trying to find out, actually. Them and the feebies.”

 “The FBI? When did they get involved?”

 “Evidently you did some weird stuff when you were unconscious. They investigate that sorta thing.”

 She sighed. “Oh. Well, that explains some of the weird dreams I’ve been having lately.... Where is everyone else?”

 “Tryin to figure out what happened to ya. You’re niece Min is there and…”

 “Min!!_ Six-year-old_ Min? My oldest sister’s _daughter_, Min? _That_ Min?!!”

 “Umm, yeah?”

 “Good God! Rilly’s gonna _kill_ me!”

 “She’d have to come through me first!”

 Ivy blinked. Her eyes filled with tears, and she smiled waveringly. “That is possibly the _sweetest_ thing anyone’s ever said to me! Thank you Ray.”

 He found himself holding a sobbing Ivy. “Ivy? What’s wrong?”

 “I was all alone! Anne was gone, and most of my friends died last year, and _you_ were gone…”

 Her words disintegrated into incoherent sobs. Ray flinched. He didn’t know that his absence would affect Ivy so much. He wasn’t used to people caring what happened to him. He wasn’t used to… _love_?!

 He rocked Ivy back and forth, making wordless comforting noises. “Shh, shh. I’m here now. You aren’t alone anymore. I’m here, and I won’t leave you. Shh, shh. It’s okay. I’m here.”

 Ivy fell into an exhausted sleep, leaving Ray with much to think about.
 

^^^

 It was too much. She couldn’t hold all the power. It burned through her, only her fragile will a barrier between the world and all the destruction of an atomic bomb. She grabbed the remaining shreds of her will with both hands and held for all she was worth. But her grip was slipping. She was going to fail. People were going to suffer and die, and it would all be her fault! She screamed, and screamed, and tried to pull the power in, the overflow burning her mind, destroying her thoughts, but she couldn’t, she couldn’t, she couldn’t….

 “Ivy! Ivy! It’s just a dream. It’s okay. You aren’t alone; I’m here Ivy, shh. It’s okay. Shh, shh. Hush now. It’s okay!”

 The blazing fire that had burned her thoughts was plunged into cooling, comforting darkness. A soft voice, familiar and dear, whispered through her mind. She smiled, as the pain went away. She was safe now. Her heart was there. He would keep the fire away…

 “I love you Ray.”

 She slipped into safe and dreamless sleep. Ray stared down at the unconscious girl, looking like someone had whapped him in the back of the head with a brick. Then slowly, ever so slowly a smile crept over his face. “I love ya too, Ivy. I love you too.”

 He brushed her hair out of her face, and settled in to wait. Ivy and he had a lot to discuss when she woke up. His smile widened into a grin. A _lot_ to discuss…

The End