Author's website: http://www.tomparisdorm.com/genie/place.html

Disclaimer: Not mine, not making money, don't sue.

Author's Notes: Finally! Took more than 2 years, but the series is finally
done! I was kinda stuck, but thanks to Lifehouse's new CD that gave
me an inspiration for an ending. :) Anyway, thanks to Sun and K for
the beta reading!

Story Notes: Definitely AU, and this is part 3 of a trilogy, so if you haven't read the first 2 stories, this probably won't make sense at all. Part of this was also inspired by the ep Vistoria's Secret. Gotta love that ep! :)

This story is a sequel to: Cascade

Jan 03

A shimmer of familiar red flashed across the corner of his vision. Instinctively, he spun around with a dancer's grace and scanned the evening crowd with the eyes of a trained detective.

Another flash. This time Stetson brown, contrasting the black and blue most pedestrians wore.

He looked again, but it was gone.

The light that had been missing for so long had crept back into his eyes a moment ago, but now, it faded back into the darkness that was now his soul.

/Yer nuts Kowalski. This is LA, not Chicago. He can't be here./

Tugging his cap lower and hugging himself against the sudden chill that settled over his heart, he continued on his way.

Snow.

Since when did it start to snow in LA? He didn't know and didn't really care; only thing that mattered was that it was getting colder and darker every second.

Fraser was on his way back to his hotel after reporting in at the local consulate when suddenly he thought he saw Ray. He turned around and cast his eyes upon the sea of people, searching for the figure that was once so familiar to him. But there was nothing among the crowd of office workers rushing home to their families and loved ones, or merely trying to get out of the snow that had started to fall...

/This is just silly,/ Fraser told himself. /Why would Ray be in Los Angeles? It's just your over imaginative mind playing games with you./

Fraser let out a sigh as he continued his way back to the hotel.

Another sleepless night. What did he expect after that freak episode on the street earlier in the evening? Once again, Ray found himself on the balcony, looking over the city below. It had stopped snowing a while ago, the weather reporters had blamed the snow and the general freakish weather the city was experiencing on the El Nino. Light from the moon was making the surviving ice on the ground glitter. The effect was almost magical.

/Why can't I get over him? Wasn't as though there was anything between us in the first place, so why can't I get over him?/ Ray asked himself, but he didn't have the answer and he doubt anyone did either. "I can't live like this any more. I can't." He murmured.

An unseen figure answered: "Just hang on Yank, just hang on a little longer."

Why did they have to send him to another city? City. It wasn't Chicago, but it didn't really matter anyway, it was still a city. Tall buildings, crazy traffic, rude people, the whole shebang, as Ray would put it.

Ray. His thoughts kept on coming back to that name ever since he set foot in Los Angeles. Wait, make that ever since he got the news that he was once again being transferred back south of the boarder. Not that he hadn't thought about Ray when he was home, he did, but just not this frequently.

Ray. His smile, his energy, his edge, his charm, his hair... Fraser smiled at that thought. Ray's hair had always been...interesting, seemingly to have a mind of its own.

Ray.

Perhaps taking this transfer was a bad idea after all.

"Oh no. I think it's the best decision you've ever made in your life, son."

"I didn't know you could read minds," Fraser replied his father's ghost without missing a beat.

"I don't have to be able to read minds to know what you're thinking. I could see it in your eyes. They say eyes are the windows to the soul and it's true, if you know what to look for."

"What do you want, dad?" Fraser asked, eyes still looking out the hotel window at the city.

"Just some quality time with my son," the ghost replied with a smile that reflected on the window.

"Right. Quality time. Really, dad, what makes you think that this is the best decision I've made in my life while I happen to be thinking the exact opposite?"

"Can't tell you that, son."

"What do you mean you can't tell me?"

"There're just some things that you just have to find out for yourself. Life would be dull without surprises wouldn't it? Let's just say that you've been given a second chance."

"Second chance? To what?"

"Life, son. Life."

"Life?" Fraser asked in confusion.

"When the time comes, you'll understand." And before Fraser could ask any more questions, the elder Fraser disappeared.

"Life." Fraser muttered under his breath as he headed for bed.

The presence he felt on the street earlier in the evening returned just before sleep claimed him.

"Ray, a new case for you," Andrew handed a file over to the exdetective.

"What? Disgruntled wife suspecting her husband's cheating on her?" Ray asked his boss jokingly.

"Got it in one."

"I was kidding!"

"I wasn't. We're short handed right now, and you've just wrapped up the Fahir case."

"But I deal with missing people!"

"Like I said, short handed. And Mrs. Kimberley will drop by the office and give you all the details after lunch."

Ray watched his boss hand out a couple other files to his colleagues before going back to his office. The ex-detective shook his head and decided that he better get himself familiarized with the case before the meeting.

Fraser let out a sigh, trying to will his mind back to his work instead of staring blankly out of the window the entire day.

"What's this son?"

"Dad!" the Constable nearly jumped out of his chair. "Don't do that! You nearly scared me to death!"

"Sorry. But it's not like I could've knocked on your door or anything."

"Right. You're not building an office in my closet are you?"

"What? No, of course not. I already have an office, and you haven't answered my question."

"What question?"

"What are those?" the ghost pointed to the papers his son held.

"Oh, divorce papers."

"My God! When did you get married?! And why didn't I know about it?!"

"Dad, they aren't mine. It's for a Canadian couple who happen to be living in LA."

"Oh. I see. I really don't know what these people are thinking, if they're going to end up divorcing, why do they marry in the first place?"

"I guess you'll just have to ask them yourself, dad. And is there something I can do for you or are you just stopping by?"

"Just stopping by. Nothing much to do in the afterlife once the tax season's over. Don't worry about me, I'll just have a look around your new office, I must say, this is a vast improvement to that place you have in Chicago."

"Right." Fraser eyed his dead father who was investigating his new office before letting out a sigh and went back to work.

Ray was wondering what possessed him to shop for a new tie on a Friday afternoon when he knocked into someone. He looked up, an apology on his lips, but the words never got out.

Recognition and surprise flashed through both men's eyes as they took a step back from each other.

"Ray..." "Fraser..." Both men said at the same time.

Seconds ticked by, both of them stood frozen just after the doorway of the mall, looking at each other, taking notes of the changes in each other.

"What..." "So..." They started simultaneously. Ray burst into laughter and was joined by Fraser within moments.

"How..." "Where..." The pair began again after they managed to get their laughter under control.

"God, Fraser, we've gotta stop doin' that!" Ray exclaimed with a smile.

"Can't say that I have any objections."

"So, what are you doing here? Wait, you know what, I think we better find a place to sit down and have something to drink before you start talking."

"Very well then."

"So," Ray couldn't believe it. It was not possible that Fraser was sitting in front of him.

"So," the Canadian echoed.

"I thought you'd be more talkative than this. I usually have to tell you to shut up." Ray said with a small smile.

"Surely I wasn't that bad." Fraser seemed shocked at Ray's statement.

"Nah, you were worse."

"Ray!"

"Woof!"

"See, Dief agrees!" he fed the wolf half of his sandwich.

"Ray!"

It felt good finally able to say the name out loud.

"Seriously though, what have you been up to?"

Fraser couldn't think of a single thing to say. Should he tell Ray that he had broken up with Ray Vecchio because of him and spent months looking for the ex-detective before going back to Canada? How would his temperamental friend react to that? It was obvious that Ray had moved on with his life.

"They transferred me here."

"That they did. Maybe they were hoping some talent agent would spot you and make the RCMP famous." Ray replied.

"I seriously doubt so, Ray."

It really felt good to say the name.

"Why did you leave?"

Ray played with the label on his bottle of fruit juice, pondering his reply.

"It was part of the plan. I was to leave and let Vecchio get back his life."

/Liar!/

"I see."

/You don't./

"Didn't feel like taking another transfer, there was a position over here with a P.I agency that had a great benefit with a greater paycheck, so I took it."

/Liarliarliarliar.../

"I broke up with Ray Vecchio."

Ray didn't know what to say.

"I see."

The Mountie was starring at the lighting fixture in his room, Diefenbaker on the floor beside him, snoring.

Fraser wasn't sure what to expect when he blurted out that piece of news, but an indifferent "I see" was not it.

He had expected happiness, sadness, disappointment, glee, anything but indifference.

Was this the second chance his father was referring to?

His father was wrong.

There was no second chance.

Ray had moved on with his life.

There never was a second chance.

Fraser's in LA.

Fraser's in LA.

Fraser's in LA!

And he had broken up with Vecchio.

It was too much.

Ray didn't know what to do. He wanted to jump up and down in joy, to laugh and hug Fraser and tell him he still loved him, to cry for the lost time, to climb a mountain to its frozen peaks and scream his excitement for the world to hear.

He didn't do any of those things.

Just because Fraser had broken up with Vecchio doesn't mean that the Mountie was in love with Ray.

He had told Fraser how he felt, he was not going to repeat his mistake.

Ray will take things slowly.

And for the first time in a long time, Ray went to bed with a smile.

Ray was seriously thinking of quitting his job. Briefly, he wondered how his colleagues handled cases like this. Following people around all day wasn't as exciting as it sounded, even if your target happened to be a talent agent.

The only bright spot in his daily routine for the last four days were his lunchtime phone calls to Fraser and finding out that Hercules really wasn't that tall.

There was no sign that Mr. Kimberley, a pretty good-looking man in his mid to late thirties, was cheating on his wife. The man was so busy that Ray would be surprised if he had time to go to the toilet, let alone have an affair. The only strange thing Ray had observed was the fact that Mr. Kimberley seemed to be more depressed as the week passed.

"Women." Ray muttered to himself, shaking his head. "On the other hand, now I've got enough pictures of celebrities that I could probably make a fortune on ebay or something." He chuckled.

It was another hour before Mr. Kimberley emerged from the restaurant, shaking the hands of John Cusack before parting ways with the star.

"Show time."

Ray started his car and followed his target. He was surprised when Mr. Kimberley parked his car and entered the LA version of the Canadian Consulate.

"Ok, two birds with one stone. Do my job, and visit Fraser."

Ray was greeted by Dief as soon as he stepped into the Consulate, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Ray! I thought you were working on a case." Fraser greeted him.

"Mr. Kowalski." Mrs. Kimberley seemed surprised to see him there.

"Hi. Yeah, I was. Just happen to be in the neighborhood so thought I'd drop by to say hi, and see your new office," he replied, trying to avoid looking at Mrs. Kimberley.

"You know him?" Mr. Kimberley asked his wife.

"Uh... sort of."

"Sort of?"

"Ray is a private investigator." The Mountie provided.

"A private... Ren! I can't believe you actually hired a PI to follow me!"

"What?! You have something to hide from me? Is that it?!" she challenged her husband, voice raised.

"Uh, Frase, you really don't need to be that helpful all of the time," Ray said, wincing at the raised voices.

"I have nothing to hide! Besides, it's all moot now isn't it? Since we're signing the papers right now."

"I think you may be right, Ray." Fraser replied.

"Of course I am."

"I just can't understand why you'd waste your money on hiring a PI when we're getting a divorce anyway!"

The couple had ignored the presence of Ray and Fraser.

"How long do you think this would go on?" Ray asked.

"Quite some time I would think."

"And you'd be right."

"Any ideas?"

"Maybe."

Ray took a couple steps closer to the arguing couple, but neither took notice of him.

"She loves ya," he addressed Mr. Kimberley.

"What?" The talent agent's attention was drawn to Ray.

"She hired me 'cause she loves you."

Mr. Kimberley looked bewildered by the statement.

"You do realize that didn't really make sense. If she loves me, she should trust me."

"She does."

"Right. You're nuts."

"Look, just hear me out, k? She trusts you. Her trusting you was never the problem, the problem is that she don't trust herself." When Mr. Kimberley didn't interrupt, Ray continued. "Maybe trust isn't the right word here. Believe might be better. She couldn't believe in herself, that her love for you would be enough for you. That you would still want her after fifteen years of marriage when she don't look as young or as pretty as she did before. She couldn't believe in herself that she'd win if some other younger lady would come along your way, and in your line of work, they come flooding through your office door everyday." Ray finished.

"Ren?" Mr. Kimberley turned his attention back to his wife who was silently sobbing.

"I can't compete with her Bobby, I can't. She's younger, prettier. Hell, I didn't look half as good as she is when I was her age!"

"God, Ren!" Mr. Kimberley gathered his wife into his arms. "There was never any competition! Sharon's a... an ass! I don't know what Roger's wife told you, but she came on to me, I said no, and that was it! There was never anything between us! I love you! I always have and always will, and you're as beautiful as the day I met you. There was never any competition."

"But I...."

"Mrs. Kimberley, listen to him." Ray interrupted. "What you have is precious. Love like yours don't come often, and when it does, you better grab it with both hands, 'cause it'll slip away if you don't." Ray turned his gaze at Fraser. "And trust me, once it's gone, it'll never come back again, and all you're left with are 'what ifs' and regrets."

"I... I... " Mrs. Kimberley seemed lost.

"Mrs. Kimberley, do you love your husband?" Fraser asked, breaking eye contact with Ray.

"Yes. Of course!"

"Mr. Kimberley, do you love Ren?"

"Absolutely."

"So, what's such a big deal about this misunderstanding that the two of you, after fifteen years of marriage, can't sit down like reasonable adults and talk things through without resorting to divorce?"

"I guess you're right Mr. Kowalski."

"Good then."

"Right. Then I believe that you won't be needing these?" Fraser indicated towards their divorce papers, and when they both shook their heads, the Mountie tore the papers.

"Gotta love a happy ending." Ray announced with a smile.

"Woof!"

"You too Dief?" Ray asked. "And I really should be heading back to the office."

"Mr. Kowalski," Ren stopped him before he could leave. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"And you are sure that there wasn't anyone..."

"Ren!"

Ray laughed. "Don't worry, I've got a stack of photos of Bobby there looking more miserable day by day if you're interested."

"Thank you Mr. Kowalski, but I think my wife will no longer be needing your services."

"You're welcome, and I'll be sure to send you the bill once I get all the paperwork done."

Ray winked at the couple and left the consulate, casting one last look at Fraser.

/Let's just say that you've been given a second chance.

Second chance? To what?

Life, son. Life./

The words echoed through his mind.

/I love you Fraser

Not as a friend.

I'm in with love you./

And he was in love with Ray. Why was everything so complicated?

/This is where it started, so this is where we'll end it./

Did it ended? Or was it the beginning of something else?

/Once it's gone, it'll never come back again, and all you're left with are 'what ifs' and regrets. /

Was it how Ray felt? It was how Ray felt. He could tell. From the way the former detective looked at him.... Ray was looking at him when he said that, Ray was telling him it was how he felt.

/When the time comes, you'll understand./

And he did.

None of it had to be complicated.

/...you've been given a second chance./

Grabbing his coat, he ran out of his apartment, not caring that he had accidentally locked Dief at home, only one thing mattered.

"I'm coming! Sheesh!" Ray quickly made his way towards the door, wondering who was pounding on his door at almost mid-night.

He opened the door at stared at his visitor in shock.

"Fraser. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Actually, everything's fine... well, almost."

"Fraser?"

The Mountie seemed to be excited and nervous about something. But Fraser didn't get nervous, did he?

"Sorry to bother you Ray, but I... I just wanted to tell you that... Well, Ray, I just wanted to tell you that even if it does slip away, sometimes, it may still come back."

"What?"

"Love."

The End.
Love it? Hate it?! Let me know!!

End Torrent by Eugenie Chua: genieweb@hotmail.com

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