IC Contact - Duplicity

[understood]

username: Cst.B.Fraser

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[understood]

[ He's hurrying a bit so they can get cozy under the covers. ]

[scarrystories]

... I am sorry about your friend. And I'm sorry I didn't listen.

[understood]

[ Ben nods in acknowledgement, reaching for Andy again once they're settled in bed. ]

[scarrystories]

[ Andy curls in with him immediately. ]

[understood]

[ Although Fraser isn't overtly upset or emotional, he's still feeling kind of worn and vulnerable, so it's really nice to be able to just... rest. He practically melts against Andy, letting out a long, slow breath. ]

I'd better tell you about the other incident, lest we be woken by a ball to the face.

[scarrystories]

If you want.

[ He kisses Ben's cheek. ]

[understood]

... I don't, really, but... well, it's a bit silly.

[scarrystories]

Tell me, I'll be good.

[understood]

Well... as you know, I find it difficult, at times, to... to express myself openly. I know it frustrates you, on occasion. But at the moment, I find myself more reluctant than usual. And I think it's important to overcome that reluctance, to demonstrate to myself that there's no reason for it.

[ In other words, he's a bit afraid Andy will hurt is feelings again, and he wants a do-over to prove that he won't. ]

[scarrystories]

I know, I understand. I promise you, I'll never do that again.

[understood]

By no means am I trying to make excuses for revenge schemes or police brutality, I'd like to make that clear.

[scarrystories]

I know, dear. I let my own experience with cops carry me away.

[understood]

Because I do believe very sincerely that when one is in a position of authority, and most especially a position of authority that one is allowed to exercise through force, it is absolutely imperative to act with restraint and compassion, and not to allow oneself to be swayed from striving to create justice.

[scarrystories]

Ben, I know you and I trust you, and I'd know you'd never abuse your position. My comment wasn't about you, I just— I had never had a pleasant interaction with a cop until I met you and Ray, so that informs my opinion. I said shit on reflex.

[understood]

...

I may not be worthy of that trust.

[scarrystories]

Why not?

[ He's not worried. ]

[understood]

There may have been times—basketball related times—when I turned a blind eye.

[scarrystories]

What did you turn a blind eye on?

[understood]

I don't know. That's rather the point of turning a blind eye. To remain in ignorance.

So I don't know what he did. But I do know that after my first encounter with the man you call basketball nemesis, after he had me beaten, quite badly, I let Ray—Ray Vecchio—go into a room with him alone while I waited in the car.

[scarrystories]

Ah, your first partner. So he went in, came out, you never asked what happened?

[understood]

I trusted him not to abuse his position.

I didn't allow myself to think that trust might have been misplaced until I saw how he was after Louis's death. At which point there were more urgent matters to attend to, and then... well.

Things were different. That was after he shot me, for one thing. For another, he'd just lost Irene, and he'd set aside his... his hatred, his vengeance. And it was so long ago, at that point. But maybe those are excuses. Maybe by the time it occurred to me that there might be anything to ask about, I was afraid of the answer.

[scarrystories]

Your partner shot you.

[ It's not quite a question, but he's very surprised. ]

[understood]

Bullet's still there.

[ Which is literally all the information Fraser has given Andy about it in the past, but at least now he knows which scar it is?

And that this means his partner shot him in the back. ]

[scarrystories]

Can... can you help me understand the timeline. Was the basketball before or after you being shot?

[understood]

... ah, certainly. Well, as you know, I first went to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father. That case was in the hands of a detective with the Chicago PD, one Ray Vecchio, who, after assisting me in bringing said killers to justice, became my best friend and close colleague in my role as liaison to the Canadian Consulate. After a few months of working together, we ended up pursuing a case that resulted in the initial basketball incident—while attempting to protect innocent people from extortion at the hands of "basketball nemesis" [ He does air quotes. ] I was badly beaten.

Later that year... some months later, in fact... Ray Vecchio accidentally shot me. It wasn't until the next year, well after I'd recovered, that we encountered basketball nemesis once more, during the time surrounding Louis's death.