From: <LaToot@aol.com>

To: <MRKS@onelist.com>

Subject: [MRKS] Snippet

Date: Wednesday, December 08, 1999 10:23 AM

From: LaToot@aol.com

You know, it really is true that you should never say "never." In spite of my own preferences, this ... just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. I wasn't going to post it, but got enough encouraging feedback I decided to take the plunge.

LaT

==

"Unbearable"

The air is so bitterly cold the tears slipping from Fraser's eyes freeze, tiny slivers of ice encasing the black silk of his lashes. He is almost finished his preparations. Ray is ready, has been ... ready, but Dief needed to be attended to, and the terse, yet comprehensive letter to Maggie sent. Despite the cold, the tears that manage to get past his lashes are hot.

Ray looks so peaceful, and for what feels like the thousandth time since waking, Fraser believes, however briefly, that sleep alone has smoothed the angles and planes of his partner's beautiful face to their state of exquisite calm.

He shakes himself. Soon. Soon. Once everything is completely arranged, he will have more than enough time to atone, to beg forgiveness. He knows he doesn't deserve it, but also knows that in some way it will come.

He removes all of his clothes, carefully, reverently setting the Stetson on top of the neatly folded pile. He stretches, naked and full length on top of Ray, as if the warmth of his body could undo the work of the cruel and indifferent cold.

He presses his lips to Ray's, softly whispers "I'm so sorry." Then, surrounded by the snow that has always, always been a part of him, right down to his soul, Fraser simply ... waits.