Archive of Our Own ^beta

Bree stumbled into the small apartment the door having to be pulled shut behind her. It barely cut the noise from outside. She dropped her bag on the side table and pulled off the Joja Mart jacket off. She had barely hung it up when a knock came from her front door. Grabbing the baseball bat from beside the door she looked through the peep hole to see Jo Abernathy standing there.

“Uncle Joe!” smiled Bree as she opened the door and gestured for the man to enter the apartment.

“Bree how are you doing?” asked Joe looking around the sparse apartment his eyes lingering on the manila envelope that was sitting on the kitchen table.

“I’m ok, work is still a major drag and my boss keeps threatening to fire me if I don’t fix the code but it’s all his mistakes and he says his work is perfect,” complained Bree even as she moved to grab two glasses.

“Bree, I was talking to John today about the farm,” started Joe making Bree nearly drop the glass that was in her hand.

“I can’t, Joe, I just,” started Bree a lump in her throat as she turned around to look at the man who had looked after her for the past couple of years.

“It was just to say that he’d paid the taxes on the land. No one has looked at the land but Joja Mart has again express a wish to buy the land,” said Joe as Bree Went to her fridge to pull out something to drink.

“That would almost be as bad as letting Frank have the land,” said Bree grabbing a bottle of apple cider to share.

“Bree, you hate your job, you had to take out a restraining order against your ex after he turned into a controlling bastard and the company you work for wants the land that your mother and father owned and farmed on. It’s been three years since your mother passed away and four months since your father was killed in action. You’ve been avoiding opening his only letter to you,” said Joe kindly takin the glass from her and putting the manila envelope into her hand.

“Can you tell me the story of how my parents met, and then I’ll read the letter at least,” said Bree swallowing hard.

~~

The one thing that you have to understand Bree is that when your mother originally married Frank Randall, it was more because she was feeling like her life was at a standstill while all their friends where getting married all she had was student debt and no clue what she was going to do. She was waiting to find out if she made it into her doctorate program.

Frank soon turned into a controlling bastard after Claire was accepted into the Doctorate program while he was told that he wasn’t accepted. Halfway through finishing up her degree he hit her one night in an alcoholic rage. She showed up at my house with a black eye and crying. The next morning, she filed for divorce.
Around that time there was a new program where doctors could go to towns where there were no medical facilities and your mother applied. The day that the divorce was final she was sent to Stardew Valley.

From what I understand from her letters, she met Jaime the first day she was there as he had been in an accident that had dislocated his shoulder. It was love at first sight. By the end of Summer, he had already proposed to her and they where married. 8 months later you where born a month early. Your mother and you where airlifted to Zuzu City as you where premature.

One of the nurses was Frank’s friend and told him that your mother was there with a premature baby. He showed up trying to say that he was the father, until you where brought in with your flaming red hair. It all ended up being a very long drawn out court battle that ended with your mother having to leave Stardew Valley and live in Zuzu until it was all finished with.

By then your father had been drafted into the war. He sent a letter to your mother telling her to stay in Zuzu as she wouldn’t be able to run the farm by herself. You know the rest.”

~~

“Mom stayed here and lived with you until I was old enough to go to school. She would sometimes go and visit dad leaving me hear as it was all to close to the war zone. When I was in high school, she enlisted into the army herself to go work in a MASH until. She died trying to evac soldiers out of a war zone. Dad died in a major battle,” said Bree before taking a long drink.

“They both wanted better for you Bree. I want better for you. All you need to do is read that letter and take control of the farm. You can go freelance while you get the farm up and running,” said Joe nodding insistently.

“I know nothing about farming, “said Bree as she finally broke the seal on the envelope.

“Bree you’ve been researching farming for months. You can’t say that pile of books with post it notes are for your work. There are all on sustainable farming,” said Joe nodding to the stack of incriminating books.

Bree looked sheepish as she pulled out first a title to a farm and then a letter that she caressed with a finger and then opened it to read:

My Dearest Briana

If you are reading this, then your mother and I are no longer of this world. I’m sorry I’ve never been able to see you face to face and only know you from photos your mother brings wither her.

This is just in case you are in dire need of something different. Your mother has told me how you are now an electrical engineer. She’s also said that you are working for Joja. I hope that it is treating you well but if it’s not…

I’ve enclosed the deed to Fraser Ridge. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. I wanted to bring you there myself once this war is over, but it seems as if Yoba has other plans for us. It’s the perfect place for a new start.

Lord John Grey has been paying the taxes on the farm. I’ve enclosed his phone number so you can get in contact with him so you can move in. He’s a good man, one of the best and I know he will not lead you wrong.

My daughter I wish instead of this letter I could have given you this in person, but it is not to be. Never doubt that your mother and I loved you very much. My daughter I wish I could have held you one more time, to sing to you one more time but alas it is not to be.

Your Loving Father

James Malcom McKenzie Fraser

PS: don’t let your Uncles push you around, the land has always been Fraser land

~~

Two weeks later Bree sat across from Lord John Grey one of her father’s best friends. She felt shabby in her dress pants and black blouse with plaid scarf. Lord John was in a suit and had just come from a very important meeting, or so his secretary had griped at him.

“Briana, you look the spitting image of your father,” said John smiling at her.

“Thank you I wish I could have met him in person, but I’ve only seen him in photos. His letter said that you’ve been paying the taxes on the farm?” asked Bree as a waitress walked over with their drinks.

“Yes, after your father saved my life on the battlefield and explained his predicament, I felt like I had to help him. I was willing to try and get him away from the fighting into a less dangerous position, but he begged me to help his wife,” said John taking a sip of his drink

“My mother never mentioned you to me, but she never really talked about anyone but my father,” said Bree shuffling the cup around in her hands.

“Joja has made several overtures trying to buy the land. They want to build a shipping center there, say it’s for the betterment of the community,” warned John looking at her closely.

“If they do that, they will just pollute the land. I would never do that to my parent’s legacy. Mom always swore she would go back to Stardew Valley so when she passed, I had her cremated and buried out there. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go I was in the hospital at the time, but I do thank you for taking care of the ceremony and everything for me,” said Bree feeling chocked up.

“I am so sorry for your lost. Both your parents have made a great impact in my life and their deaths have left a large hole in many lives” said John quietly looking at her.

“I would like to take over the farm. I don understand that for the last 25 years it’s been left to be overgrown but I still want to take it over. I have my mother’s old drawings of it and the plans they had for it. I want to go a bit farther than what plans they have but I’ve barely been making my own student loan payments,” said Bree after finally being able to swallow that lump in her throat.

“I will continue to pay the taxes so that shall not be a worry for you. I’ve already contacted the village carpenter to check over the house and fix the roof, as I know there’s been leaks. It should be ready in the first of spring,” said John once Bree got her emotions under control.

“That’s in three weeks, so I can spend Winter Star with Joe and his family before I move there,” said Bree checking her phone.

“Though I should warn you while there is electricity for the house and running water, it’s a one room house with a small attached bathroom, there is no kitchen or anything else,” said John as Bree’s phone rang once and then stopped.

“That’s fine I can live off microwave meals until I can afford to upgrade it. I can bring my tv and bed from the apartment as I’ve bought them. I can send all that ahead and just crash at Joe’s as my lease is up on my apartment,” said Bree blanching at the number that appeared on her phone before shoving it into her purse.

“Then I will write to the Mayor and tell him you are coming on the buss I’m guess,” said John looking at her.

“That’s right,” said Bree nodding her head.

~~