Title: Walter and His Two Dads (FanFic and FanArt)
Fandom: Due South
Characters: Fraser/RayK, Dief and OC
Rating: PG-13
Word Length: 2370
Content notes: Kid!Fic
Summary: Eric the trickster raven leaves Fraser and Ray a surprise.
AN:
Fraser was watching television with Ray. They were sitting next to each other. Fraser's arm was around Ray's shoulder and Ray was stroking Fraser's hand. Even though they were watching one of Fraser's favorite movies (he very much enjoyed Martha Burns' interpreting of Greta Garbo, the actress not the arsonist) he was paying it little attention. He was enamored with Ray. Ray smelled of hair gel and orange scented shampoo, his cologne was spicy and his skin was warm.
They had been together for six months (not counting the time Ray was undercover as Ray Vecchio) but Fraser still couldn't get enough of the smells and feelings of Ray. Sometimes he thought about purposing to Ray, but as Ray said he didn't need a ring to show that he loved Fraser.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
'Must be the pizza,' Ray said as he got up and went to the door.
'What the? Fraser!' Ray yelled.
Fraser got up from the couch and went over to Ray. Ray's eyes were wide and he was staring down at a basket. In the basket there was a cooing baby wrapped in a light blue blanket.
Fraser picked up the basket and spied a piece of paper. He read the paper and then read it again to make sure he was indeed reading it right. 'Oh, dear.'
The baby cooed.
'What is it?' Ray said.
'It appears to be a baby.'
'I can see that, Fraser. Who's is it?'
'According to this note it appears to be ours.'
Fraser went over to the couch and sat down. He lifted the baby out of the basket, cradled it in his arms and stared at it. The baby's cheeks were round and it's hair was light blond curls. What were most interesting were the child's eyes; they were a shade of blue that reminded Fraser of his mother's. Her eyes had been full of love in that mineshaft. Fraser tried making the puffin face and the baby giggled.
'Ours? That's real funny Fraser. Now who's is it really?'
Fraser handed over the note.
As Ray read the note his eyes went wide. 'Who the hell is Eric and how'd he get a baby for us?'
Fraser looked down at the baby and prepared to tell Ray about Eric the trickster raven and how he had made a baby that was indeed from both Fraser and Ray. He just hoped Ray would understand. It was not everyday that a trickster made baby showed up.
****************
Fraser was watching as Ray picked up the baby. The baby made a happy noise and Ray broke out into a wide grin.
'He's ours. He's ours,' Ray said almost to himself.
After Fraser had explained about Eric and tricksters Ray seemed to be taking it well.
'We're going to need lots of stuff. We'll need a car seat, a baby monitor baby bottles and...and...'
Ray seemed agitated so Fraser did the only thing he could. He went up behind Ray and wrapped his arms around Ray's waist. Ray leaned against Fraser and the baby laughed.
'It's all right. We will get all the necessary items. I'll make an extensive list.'
'I know. I know I just don't want to screw up before we've had this kid for one day.'
'I see. Perhaps we should give the baby a name. Unless you want to name it The Baby of course.'
'Greatness. Since it's a boy how about Walter?'
'That's a wonderful name.'
'Thanks. I have a cousin named Walter and we're real close. We even got matching tatts. You can pick the middle name if you want.'
Dief barked. He wanted to name Walter Doughnut. Fraser thought while Doughnut had a certain charm it was not the right name for Walter.
'What do you think of the name Robert?'
'That's cool. Yep, I like Walter Robert Kowalski-Fraser.'
Walter laughed.
'I think Walter likes it too,' Ray said with a laugh of his own.
***************
Fraser watched as the city past slowly by the window of Ray's car. Dief was in the back keeping an eye on Walter who was in a borrowed car seat.
'Ray, while I appreciate you're careful navigation of the city streets, perhaps you could speed up to ten miles per hour.'
'You don't think that would scare Walter do you?'
'If he is anything like you I'm sure he would enjoy the speed.'
Dief barked.
'Dief agrees,' Fraser said as he looked in the backseat. Walter seemed to have fallen asleep.
The car sped up and Walter awakened. At first Fraser was worried that Walter was indeed afraid, but then he made a happy noise, his fists waved in the air and Fraser's fear was put to rest.
**************
The shopping mall was full of people. The din made Fraser's sensitive ears ache. He looked down at the basket he was holding. Even Walter look displeased. At least he wasn't crying.
Ray came out of a toy store carrying a teddy bear with a red bow around its neck.
'Whatcha think about the bear I bought for Walter?'
'Doesn't seem a little large?'
'Nah. He'll grow into it.'
Fraser looked back at the bear. 'That bear is taller than you.'
*************
Fraser collapsed onto the bed he shared with Ray. They had spent the day buying things for Walter and getting to know their baby. Fraser had no idea shopping could be so exhausting, but it was. Fraser had just closed his eyes when he heard Walter crying over the baby monitor. He felt Ray get up off the bed.
'Let me,' Fraser said.
'You sure?'
'Of course. I'm sure there will plenty of times for you to get up with Walter.'
'Okay. Okay. Let me know if you need anything,' Ray said as he laid back down and closed his eyes.
Fraser got up by shear force of will and walked to Walter's home. It was nothing more than a spare bedroom that they had put a crib in, but Walter seemed content. Dief was sleeping under the crib as Walter cried and Fraser thought Dief was indeed deaf if he could sleep through that noise.
'Shhhh. Shhhh. It's all right,' Fraser said as he picked Walter up.
Fraser sniffed Walter and he didn't appear to have a soiled diaper. Fraser thought Walter might be hungry so he carried Walter to the kitchen. As he walked Walter seemed to quite and that gave Fraser an idea. He made his way to the living room and started dancing with Walter in his arms.
As he moved back and forth, Walter giggled and moved his arms through the air. Fraser smiled down at his son. Walter might have the same eyes as Caroline Fraser, but he had Ray's love of dance.
'Having fun?' Ray said from behind Fraser.
'Of course. Walter enjoys it.'
Ray came up behind Fraser and wrapped his arms around Fraser's waist. They swayed back and forth in the moonlight.
Fraser didn't know what the future held, but as long as he had his family he would face whatever came. Although part of him wished his father was there; he could just imagine the look on Bob Fraser's face when he found out that the mother of his grandson was a raven.
*************
The next morning Fraser got up and the first thing he did was check on Walter. Part of him feared that Walter had been nothing more than a dream, but there he was laying in his crib. Fraser picked him up and carried him to the living room. He laid Walter in his basket and smile when Dief jumped onto the couch and stared at Walter; Dief seemed to be of the opinion that pups needed to be watched. Fraser went to the kitchen to prepare a bottle.
The sound of the front door opening could be heard.
'Stanley? Are you up?' Barbara Kowalski said as she walked into Ray's apartment.
'Hello, Mrs. Kowalski,' Fraser said as he walked out of the kitchen with a bottle in his hand.
'Oh, Constable. What are you doing here?'
Fraser didn't know what to say. Honesty was always best, but Ray had never told his parents about their relationship and Fraser didn't think it was his place. He was about to speak when Walter cried out.
Mrs. Kowalski's eyes went wide. 'Is that a baby?'
'Yes.'
Mrs. Kowalski went over to Walter's basket and picked him up. 'Oh he's adorable. Who's is he?'
'He's ours,' Ray said from behind Fraser and put his arm around Fraser's shoulder and kissed his cheek.
'Oh, Stanley. I always knew you were in love with Constable Fraser.'
'You did?' Fraser and Ray asked at almost the same time.
'Of course. I have eyes. I just wish you would have told me.'
'Sorry, mom. I wanted to, but I was to chicken shit.'
'Language. Language, Stanley.'
'Sorry.'
'So, what's this little one's name?' Mrs. Kowalski asked as she cradled Walter.
'His name is Walter Robert Kowalski-Fraser, but Dief prefers to call him Doughnut,' Fraser said.
Barbara laughed. 'I think Doughnut is great because he's so sweet. So, did you adopt?'
Fraser looked over at Ray. 'I believe you should explain, Ray.'
'Thanks for that,' Ray said sarcastically.
*************
Barbara was playing peek-a-boo with Walter. Fraser watched as Damian stood by the wall. They had had Walter for two weeks and while Barbara had spent a lot of time with her grandson, she had even taken to calling him Doughnut, Damian seemed to be afraid of getting close to Walter.
'Are you all right, Mr. Kowalski?' Fraser asked.
'I'm fine. It's... It's just... I never thought my son would have a baby made by a raven. I keep thinking the kid's going to disappear.'
'Oh, dear,' Fraser said because he had that fear as well. Sometimes he would watch Walter sleep hoping that Walter would be there in the morning. 'I wish there was some way I could put your mind as ease, but it seems to me that if Walter did disappear you might regret not getting to know him.'
Damian ran his fingers through his hair and for a moment he looked like Ray. 'Maybe I'll knit a blanket for him. You think he'll like that?'
'I'm sure he would like that very much.'
Damian went over to Barbara and Walter and lifted Walter up. Walter laughed and wiggled his whole body.
As Fraser watched Ray joined his family and they were all laughing. Fraser wished he had a camera. He only had one picture of himself with his parents and he wanted Walter to have so much more.
*************
The park was dark, the moon and stars were shining against the orange glow of the city. Someday Fraser was going to take his family to Canada so Walter could see what the moon and stars were supposed to look like. Fraser and five year old Walter were sitting by a fire pit. Ray was laying in sleeping bag asleep with Dief laying on top of him.
Fraser had just shown Walter how to start a fire and now Walter was trying to start one. As Fraser watched he was struck by the memory of his father teaching him how to start a fire; all Fraser could remember was the feeling of being alone in the darkness.
Suddenly, a fire burst to life in front of Fraser. Walter punched the air.
'Look! Look! I did it!'
Fraser smiled and hugged his son. 'That's wonderful.'
'Yep. It's resplendent and coolness, huh.'
'That it is.'
Fraser watched the flames dance.
Ray woke up. 'What I miss?'
'Father showed me how to start a fire and I started one all by myself,' Walter said as he watched the flames.
'That's greatness. Wanna roast marshmallows?' Ray said as he opened his sleeping bag and made his way over to the fire.
Dief barked in agreement as he settled down next to the flames.
Walter looked up a Fraser with a wide grin on his face. 'Can we?'
Fraser smiled back and pulled a bag of marshmallows out of his sack. 'Of course.'
As Fraser watched Walter and Ray both put marshmallows on sticks he thought marshmallows were much better that sitting alone in the dark.
**************
'Father!'
Fraser was alone in the darkness.
'Father!'
He tried to get his bearings, but all he could hear was Walter calling for him.
Suddenly, the world shifted and Fraser was standing on a train platform. Victoria was leaving on a train but this time she was holding Walter in her arms.
'Father!' Walter cried out. His eyes were full of fear.
Fraser tried to run to his son, but his seemed stuck to the platform. The train sped away and...
Fraser startled awake, he was soaked with sweat. The image of Walter being carried away by Victoria was still fresh in his mind.
'You okay,' Ray asked from somewhere in the darkness.
Fraser took a deep breath. 'Yes. I just need to go check on something.'
He got out if bed and made his way to Walter's room. Fraser let his eyes adjust to the streetlight that was streaming through Walter's window. Plastic dinosaurs sat on the window sill. Fraser walked over to the bed and looked down as the sleeping form of his son.
Walter's hair had remained blond and curly even at five years old. He was wearing footie pyjamas with brightly colored curling stones on them. Dief was laying next to Walter and they were wrapped around each other. Fraser had to smile, Dief still called Walter Doughnut and even Ma Vecchio had taken to calling him Doughnut.
Fraser bent down and gently touch Walter's cheek. After several minutes he left Walter's room and went back to bed.
Fraser climbed back into bed and Ray wrapped himself around Fraser, his lips tickled the back of Fraser's neck.
'You okay,' Ray said.
'Yes. Now.' As Fraser said it he thought he was okay. His son was safe (if evil doughnuts attacked Dief would be the half-wolf to call) and he shared his life with Ray. Come to think of it he was more than okay, he was greatness.