Understood, by: Arrow. (PG)

[thady.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Gen
Length: ~ 3,426 words
Author on LJ: arrow00
Author Website: http://arrow00.com/
Why this must be read:

This is a story that transforms something that can happen to all of us – the illness of a family member – into a wonderful and intimate story. (And no, I don't mean sex!)

For all those serious issues it doesn't get over-bearing or soppy, and RayK and Fraser are beautifully in character. Whether you actually ship them or not, this story shows their friendship wonderfully. This is a story that I will carry with me.

Fraser happened to be standing by Ray's desk when he got the call, saw his body curling into a question mark as he hunched over, and knew something had gone terribly wrong even before Ray hung up the phone and said the awful words.

"My mum's got cancer."

"Dear God, Ray," was all Fraser could muster.

Ray looked utterly devastated, his face an etched mask, his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. Fraser started to put his hand on Ray's shoulder, but Ray turned away, the tension in his body warning Fraser off. Fraser sat next to the desk instead and waited, suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of helpless despair and sadness that he easily recognized. It made his heart dip alarmingly.

"I have to go up there," Ray said after the long, sickly silence.

Fraser found his mouth strangely locked. He should offer to go with him. But Fraser didn't want to—God, he did not want this, did not want to have to watch Ray go through even a part of this.

Understood.