Thank You	 

Here's another piece. This one's set just after *Ladies Man* so spoilers
for that ep. Hope you enjoy, feedback appreciated as always! 

Thank You 

By Sharron Ibbitson 

Rating: PG 

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, they are the property
of Alliance and the actors that portray them. 

Thank You, Thank you she said! Why thank me, it was all my fault! If I
hadn't have put that piece of paper in my pocket, the she'd never have
been put into that situation, but yet here she standing here hugging me
and saying thank you. I can feel the tears coming up in my eyes, and I
know I'm not going to be able to hold them in for much longer. How could I
have put her inside for murder, such a lovely lady. She eventually
releases me, and I can tell that she's trying to make eye contact, but
there's no way that I'm letting her. I exit the house as soon as I can,
after she makes me promise to take care of myself. I amaze myself by
making it to the car. As soon as I sit down I know that I can no longer
hold back the tears, as the last few days catch up with me, deep sobs
wrack my body, and I can feel Fraser placing his had on my shoulder. We
sit there for some time, before I manage to compose myself enough to drive
back to the precinct. I know I look terrible, but at this moment I don't
care. I notice the stares as I walk through the squad room, but I choose
to ignore them, I don't have the energy to argue right now, I just want to
clear myself with Welsh then go home have a stiff Scotch, a hot shower and
then hit the sack. The last person I want to see is now standing in front
of me. Dewey. After all the mistrust and insults he has piled on me in the
last couple of days, I don't need him right now. 

"Ray, um I just want to say.." 

"Look Tom save it all right, I'm not in the mood," I tell him and I'm
really not. If he speaks to me, I'm gonna end up punching him in the face.
I know it. 

"But I just want to say.." and that's it: I do it, a beautiful right hook
straight to his jaw. He went down and I immediately felt guilty. The guilt
lasted about ten seconds, and then suddenly he was on top of me, hitting
me, kicking me, so I had to retaliate. I punched and kicked and pushed as
much as I could, matching Dewey blow for blow. Then he wasn't there
anymore, but I kept going, until somebody grabbed me under my arms and
dragged me away, and I once again leaned against a strong chest and sobbed
my heart out. I knew I was going crazy and everyone around me knew I was
going crazy. Through my sobs I heard Welsh's strong voice booming at
everyone to leave. I then heard Frannie's soft voice requesting to stay,
and Welsh giving in. I stayed in the safety of Fraser's arms, until he
began talking to me. 

"Ray, are you ready to move yet?" I nodded gently, hoping I could face
everyone. Fraser helped me climb to my feet, and I deliberately kept
looking at the floor. 

"Vecchio, are you all right now?" Welsh asked. I was just getting feeling
back, and with it a sense of pain, my body was reminding me that I had
just been in a fight. I nodded again and it hurt my head to do so. As a
matter of fact, my side hurt as well as my right arm. There was now a
smaller hand resting on my arm and guiding me across to a chair, then
wiping the blood away from my face. I realised with a start that it was
Frannie, my pretend sister with a real heart. I sat in silence as she
tended to my wounds. I closed my eyes, hoping to block out the pain in my
soul as well as my body. 

It wasn't long before Frannie had cleaned up most my facial wounds, and
even now, there was no way I was going to take my shirt off to let her
strap my ribs. 

"Are you ready to talk now, Detective?" Welsh asked gently. I didn't even
know what to talk about. I mean, how would I explain it? I sigh, and wince
as it pulls on my ribs. 

"Do you think I should take him to hospital," Fraser asked Frannie and
Welsh. Their reply was inaudible, but the next minute I'm on my feet and
somebody is draping a blanket across my shoulders. I'm then led to a car
and the next thing I know I'm sitting in the ER sandwiched between a
Mountie and a Civilian aid, with the lieutenant sitting next to Frannie. I
didn't feel time going by: I just sat there in my own World. Lost in my
thoughts, waiting for the pain to stop. Revelling in the physical pain
because I believe it to be a fitting punishment. I should go through it
for eight years. That should even things up a bit. I once again hear my
three friends talking about me, but I can't decipher the words. Any other
day I'd probably have been pleased that they are worried about me, but
today I don't care. I don't deserve it. They should leave me somewhere and
forget about me. 

I don't think that much time has passed before I'm once more being led
away. I'm instructed to sit up on a bed. I do as I'm told and then I hear
a new voice, one that I don't recognise, must be the doctor. I feel
someone's hands pulling at my shirt and it is soon removed. I hear a
question and realise that the doctor is addressing me. I look at Fraser
helplessly and he steps in straight away to help me. I haven't said a word
for some time now. I have nothing to say. The doctor pushes me down
against the bed so I'm laying flat, and I can't help the wince that
escapes me. Even I'm shocked by the cast purple and blue bruises lining my
torso. It looks terrible, and it feels worse. Frannie is standing next to
me and her hand is clutching mine tightly. As soon as I realise it, I
squeeze back and she smiles at me as if pleased that I actually responded.
The doctor comes round again and soon I'm being carted off to x-ray. I
actually manage to talk now. Avoiding the topic of feelings I'm doing much
better. The guilt comes flooding back now, over Beth and then over Tom.
What had I done? 

"What have I done?" I ask aloud before I can help it. 

"It's okay Ray. Dewey will be fine. He'll forgive you" Frannie told me. I
still don't get it, why is she being so nice to me? Anyway that doesn't
matter, because the doctor has returned and is now telling me that I have
two broken ribs and a fractured arm. I now have to wait to be plastered up
and have my ribs strapped. Fantastic. All I want to do is go home to bed.
I'm so tired. 

I open my eyes and find that my ribs are covered in a stark white bandage
and my arm feels heavy. I guess I dozed off. 

"Hey bro." Frannie's still here, and she's smiling at me again. 

"Hi Frannie. Can I go home now," I asked. I just want to go home! 

"Yeah you just have to get your prescription, then you can go. Can I stay
with you tonight," she asked, and that brought me out of my reverie. 

"Er, why," I ask, for lack of a better response. 

"Because I want to look after you," she told me, and I honestly believed
her. 

"Thank You Frannie." If no one else holds my sins against me, maybe I can
forgive myself. 
 
 

The End 
 

Any feedback greatly appreciated tosharron.ibbitson@mcmail.com