Fraser walked down the street, Diefenbaker following easily at his side. The weather had finally turned and a warm spring sun shone down on Chicago. It was one of Fraser's favorite times of year, especially in the city. He could almost feel the earth rejuvenating itself and enjoyed the patches of budding green in the trees. Granted, he had to go to a park for it but still, it was a taste of nature, however limited, that he took pleasure in.
The park was filled with children and their parents, being a Saturday. As soon as they crossed into the park, Diefenbaker took off to chase the squirrels and other small fauna, while Fraser followed at a more leisurely pace. Between the good weather and the fact that Ray would be returning home that afternoon from a law enforcement convention in Hartford, Fraser's day was shaping up quite nicely.
He found an empty bench and sat, soothed by the laughter and happy shouts from the nearby children. A wistful feeling passed over him as he thought about how good a father Ray would have made. They'd talked about it a few times, but couldn't think of a good way to bring children into their lives. Surrogacy made Fraser very uncomfortable and the chances of adoption were slim to none for two gay policemen. Of course, they spent a lot of time helping Frannie with her children, but it wasn't the same.
Diefenbaker came bounding out of the trees, catching Fraser's attention with a few loud barks. Arching an eyebrow, Fraser stood and went to see what the problem was. Following the wolf through the bushes, he found a young boy sitting on the ground. Dief immediately went and sat beside the child who looked like a waif from a Charles Dickens' novel. He was probably around five or six, but it was difficult to tell because he was thin and small. His hair was a wild mop of light brown that caught the sun in gold shades. The eyes that looked up at him were intelligent and brilliantly blue.
"Good morning," Fraser greeted politely.
Squinting up at him as though focusing without glasses, the boy answered with a bright smile, "Not supposed to talk to strangers."
Echoing the smile, Fraser said, "That's an excellent policy. However, I am an officer of the law so it's all right to talk to me."
"Don't see a badge."
"That's because I'm not an American police officer, I'm a Constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," Fraser explained. "Constable Benton Fraser, at your service. And you are?"
The blue eyes grew big as he answered, "Lewis Ray Scanlan, but I hate Lewis so everyone calls me Ray. Where's your horse?"
"Ah. Well, I don't actually have one. I have a wolf instead," Fraser said, motioning to Diefenbaker who had lain down beside the boy.
"He's a wolf? Cool!" the boy exclaimed.
"Half wolf, actually," Fraser corrected. "And he reads lips because he's deaf so if you wish to tell him something, be sure and speak clearly where he can see you."
"Cool."
Briefly wondering if 'cool' was the sole adjective the boy knew, Fraser looked around. So far as he could tell, the child was alone. "Are you lost?"
Frowning, the boy answered, "Yep."
"Where did you last see your parents?" Fraser asked.
"Dunno my dad. Someone came and got me from school yesterday so I don't know where mom is," he replied, his smile fading. "I woke up here."
Horrified, Fraser questioned, "You were here all night by yourself?"
"Nah. I was with the Colonel, over there," he replied.
Fraser followed the small finger pointing east to where an old man in a faded army coat was sleeping under a tree. "I see. Why don't I bring you to the police station and we can call your mother?"
"I can't go with you," the boy said firmly. "Just cause you say you're a Mountie doesn't mean you are. Can you prove it?"
"Well, as you see, I'm out of uniform. And I don't feel comfortable leaving you here to go home and change," Fraser commented. "However. Would it be all right if my friend, who is a police officer, came and met us here?"
The boy pursed his lips then nodded, his hair moving with emphasis. "Yep. That'd be good."
For the first time, Fraser was grateful Ray had talked him into a cell phone. He pulled it out and called Lieutenant Welsh.
"What?" Welsh demanded after picking up on the fifth ring.
"I'm terribly sorry for waking you, Leftenant but would you mind coming down to Inman Park? There's a young man here who very wisely won't go with me to the police station because I can't prove that I'm a law officer," Fraser said.
"What are you talking about Constable?" Welsh asked, his voice a little clearer.
"Mr. Scanlan, who was picked up from school yesterday and left at Inman Park overnight, does not wish to accompany me to the Precinct because I can't prove that I'm a Constable," Fraser clarified.
"Oh. Lost kid, right?"
"Exactly," Fraser agreed.
Grumbling, Welsh asked, "Kowalski's not even back in the state yet and you find trouble. All right, Constable. I'll be there in twenty. Whereabouts in the park are you?"
"Eastside, by the duck pond," Fraser relayed.
"Got it. See you soon."
Fraser put away the phone and said, "Leftenant Welsh should be here in about twenty minutes. How do you suggest we spend the time?"
"Um...I'm kinda hungry," Ray answered hesitantly.
"Well of course you are," Fraser agreed. "There isn't much here to eat, however, I do have some trail mix to offer."
Eyeing the bag Fraser produced skeptically, Ray said, "I dunno. Looks like bird feed."
"There's chocolate in it," Fraser pointed out.
Immediately two small hands were held out. Stifling a smile, Fraser poured a bit of the mix into the waiting palms. "Why don't we move onto the path so the Leftenant can find us?"
Ray nodded, and followed Fraser out onto the path, Dief at his heels. He picked through the granola and unerringly found the chocolate first to plop into his mouth. Grimacing, Ray accused, "Something's wrong with the chocolate!"
"Not at all, Ray. It's unsweetened chocolate," Fraser replied.
Making a face that could only be described as appalled, Ray exclaimed, "You can't do that! It's not chocolate then!"
"Actually, unsweetened chocolate is used in a number of ways," Fraser explained. He cut the lecture short when the boy rolled his eyes and glanced away. It was the exact same expression his Ray used when he got overly exasperated if Fraser went on too long. He held out the bag and said, "I'm sure you'll like the peanuts and cashews."
As he watched young Ray eat, Fraser thought wistfully that this was the kind of son he and Ray might have had under ideal circumstance. The child was obviously very bright and quick-witted, not to mention precociously cute; though of course both Rays would be aghast at hearing Fraser use that word to describe either of them. He grinned suddenly as he thought that perhaps having three Rays in his life would be a bit too confusing for everyone.
Lieutenant Welsh arrived earlier than anticipated and, as he walked slowly down the bike path, young Ray was running around, chasing after Diefenbaker. Fraser was watching boy and wolf from a bench with a smile. Sitting beside the Mountie, Welsh observed, "Cute kid."
"Indeed," Fraser agreed.
"Got his stats?" Welsh asked.
"His name is Lewis Ray Scanlan, he's six years old, his mother's name is Aileen Marie Scanlan and he's from Boston. People he didn't know picked him up at school yesterday because they had a note from his mother and he woke up here," Fraser reported. "His glasses got lost or were taken from him at some point. I think we've actually got a kidnapping here."
Welsh nodded. "Think one of them got squeamish about the possibility of really having to kill him?"
"Seems likely," Fraser confirmed. "Especially where one of them was a woman."
"There you go," Welsh agreed. "So all right. Let's get to the 27th and find his mother. Let her know that he's okay."
Fraser stood and called, "Ray! Diefenbaker! Leftenant Welsh is here."
Wolf and boy stopped their wrestling and looked over at Fraser before looking back at each other, shrugging, and breaking apart. Ray skipped over to where Fraser and Welsh waited on the bike path. Peering up at Welsh, he asked, "You a cop?"
Welsh nodded seriously and pulled out his badge, holding it down.
Ray took it and looked it over carefully before nodding in satisfaction and handing it back. Jerking a thumb and Fraser, he asked, "So he's really a Mountie then?"
Welsh nodded again.
Grinning up at Fraser, Ray held out his hand and said, "You really should get a horse. And can I see you in your uniform? Do you have one of those hats? Did I tell you that my grandpa's from Canada? We went there a couple times and they got even more snow than we do!"
Grinning back at the boy, Fraser took the small hand and replied, "I'll think about the horse, yes you can see me in uniform with my hat. No, you didn't tell me that your grandfather was from Canada and many parts of Massachusetts get the equivalent snowfall that parts of Canada do. Now then. Shall we go?"
* * * *
Legs swinging back and forth as he watched the policemen moving around the office, Ray waited patiently for his soda. Constable Fraser had said that he'd be back in a few minutes with one and Mounties didn't lie. That's what his grandpa said anyhow. The night had been dark and scary, even with the Colonel's help. He wouldn't have even asked the old man except he kinda smelled like grandpa and without his glasses, Ray couldn't tell who was good from bad.
Lefty Welsh was like his grandpa, too. Real stern, but fun when he thought no one else was looking. Ray knew that Constable Fraser knew that, but he didn't say anything about it; not to Lefty Welsh anyhow. Swinging his legs faster, getting impatient, Ray was about to hop off the desk when Dief looked at him. For some reason, it seemed like the wolf knew what he'd been going to do so he settled back on the desk.
Just then, Constable Fraser came back into the office, a can of coke in one hand and a bunch of papers in the other. "Here you go, Ray."
Ray took the can and struggled with pulling it open. Proud of himself when he only spilled a little, he took a big sip, loving the bubbles that ticked his nose from the inside. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Fraser replied. He set the papers on the desk where Ray sat and suggested, "Shall we call your mother now?"
Nodding, Ray hopped off the desk and reached for the phone.
"Dial 9 first, and then 1 because you're out of Massachusetts," Fraser instructed.
Ray did that and waited for his mom to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Mom?"
"Ray! Ray, are you all right? Where are you?" his mom exclaimed.
"Chicago," he answered. "I was found by Constable Fraser and Lefty Welsh and now I'm at the police station."
"You're in Chicago?"
"Yep. Isn't it cool? I miss you though," Ray admitted. "I missed our Pizza night."
"That's all right, honey, we'll do it twice next week, how's that?" she said. "Can I speak to Constable Fraser?"
"Oh sure. He's right here," Ray agreed. "Love you."
"I love you too, honey. You be good, okay?" she ordered.
"I will. Bye!" Ray held the phone out to Constable Fraser who took it with a smile. Ray shrugged and sat on the floor to pet Dief.
"Mrs. Scanlan? This is Constable Benton Fraser," Fraser greeted.
"Constable Fraser, I don't know how I can ever thank you!" she exclaimed.
"No need, really. Ray took admirable care of himself until we met," Fraser said. "I'd be happy to keep him until you get here, or I'm sure Leftenant Welsh wouldn't mind keeping an eye on him if that's more to your liking."
"That would be the Lefty Welsh my son was talking about?" Mrs. Scanlan asked, amusement in her voice.
"Yes, ma'am," Fraser agreed. "Leftenant Harding Welsh at the 27th Precinct. I, myself, am stationed at the Canadian Consulate."
"I'd be happy for you to look after him, Constable," she said. "I'll be on the first available flight to Chicago."
"Can you tell me what happened? Did you receive any ransom demands?" Fraser asked quietly, looking first at Ray to be sure that he was fully occupied with Diefenbaker.
"Nothing. My mother was waiting for him at the bus stop as she always did. When he didn't show up, she called the school. They said that friends of mine had picked him up, had a written note with my signature on it and everything," she replied. "I was frantic and called the police right away. They're here now."
"If you'll put them on the phone, I'll connect them with Leftenant Welsh," Fraser said.
"I will. And thank you again, Constable. I'll call back as soon as I have my flight information," she said.
"Constable Fraser?" a new voice asked.
"Yes, who is this, please?" Fraser replied.
"Detective Mark Kline," the man answered. "Lieutenant Welsh there?"
"Yes he is, hold and I'll transfer you," Fraser said. He looked into the Lieutenant's office and caught the older man's eye. Welsh nodded and Fraser put the call through. Just as he hung up the office phone, his cell phone rang. Surprised, he pulled it out and answered, "Ray?"
"Who else would it be?" Ray demanded. "You mind telling me why I bother to try and surprise you by coming home early to find you not at home?"
Fraser looked down at Ray who was looking at him with interest. He smiled briefly and moved away to explain. "Ah, well, there was a kidnapping. I'm at the precinct right now."
Instantly all business, Ray asked, "Who's the vic? Do you have any leads?"
"Actually, we have the boy himself," Fraser said. "I met up with him at the park this morning. Just spoke with his mother and Leftenant Welsh is talking with a Detective Kline from Boston right now."
"Okay then. I'll come in, meet you at the precinct," Ray said.
"That sounds like a good plan. I'm sure he'll be hungry enough for lunch by then," Fraser agreed.
"You know, don't you, that baby sitting wasn't how I planned on spending our first day together in almost a week," Ray said, his voice lowering.
Fraser shivered and replied, "Neither did I. I'll see you soon, Ray."
"Gimme fifteen. I'll be there," Ray promised and hung up.
"I'm already here."
Startled, Fraser turned around to find young Ray looking up at him. "I wasn't talking to you. My, ah, partner is also named Ray."
"Yeah?" Ray demanded. "Cool!"
"As a matter of fact, Ray is also his middle name as he doesn't like his first name either," Fraser continued. "How would you like to have lunch with us when he gets here?"
"Cool," Ray approved. "So what's his first name?"
Seeing the gleam in the boy's eyes, Fraser replied, "You'll have to ask him that."
Disappointment showed clearly, but then Ray shrugged philosophically and asked, "Where's the bathroom? I gotta go."
* * * *
Even though Fraser wasn't in uniform, Ray spotted him right away. He smiled when he saw that Fraser was wearing the flannel shirt that he'd given the Mountie on his birthday. A smile played around his lips as he remembered the brief disappointment upon seeing the lone birthday present turn out to be something practical. It was gone fast and Ray had only seen it because he'd been looking. It made Fraser's delight all the more wonderful when he found the plane tickets north under the tissue paper.
Walking silently up to his partner, Ray pressed into the solid warmth and whispered, "Hey."
Fraser leaned back against him briefly and replied, "Hey yourself."
Moving to stand in front of Fraser, Ray asked, "You doing okay? You look tired."
"I don't sleep well when you're gone," Fraser said simply. "But I'm fine. I'll catch up on my sleep now that you're home."
"Hey! What's your first name? Fraser wouldn't tell me, just said you didn't like it," a young voice demanded.
Looking down, Ray stepped back in shock. It was like looking at himself when he was six years old, even with the darker hair.
Frowning, the kid asked, "You okay? You look like you seen a ghost or sompthin."
Finding his voice, Ray answered, "Ah, yeah, I'm ah, I'm fine."
"Ray, why don't you go see if Leftenant Welsh wants to join us for lunch?" Fraser suggested.
Nodding, young Ray skipped off towards the office.
"What's wrong?" Fraser asked, grasping Ray's arm.
Staring after the kid, still in shock, Ray answered, "Who's his mom?"
"A Mrs. Aileen Scanlan," Fraser said. "Why?"
"With an 'a', not an 'o'," Ray murmured.
"Ray, what's going on?" Fraser asked, suspicions crowding his mind.
"He's mine, Fraser, gotta be," Ray answered with a sigh. "I dated an Aileen Scanlan, we had a nice, casual affair. It was about a year after my divorce. I was mooning after you, believe it or not, but figured there was no way in hell, you know? We met at the mall one Saturday and hit it off. Stayed together for a couple of months, on and off. Then she broke it off for no real reason, said she was moving back to live with her mom in Boston."
"It seems we now know why she left," Fraser murmured.
"That's for sure. You can damned well believe I'd've wanted in on being the kid's father," Ray said angrily. "How could she have done this to me? Not told me?"
"Ray, I'm sure she was frightened. Maybe she thought you'd pressure her into marriage, given how you feel about family, especially children," Fraser pointed out.
Scowling, Ray crossed his arms over his chest, his expression stubborn.
Fraser sighed and said, "When she gets here, you can hash it all out with her. For right now, I suggest that you keep the information to yourself. Ray doesn't have a father right now and finding out about you is going to be a shock that his mother should be here for."
Running his fingers hard over his scalp, Ray nodded. "Yeah. I know you're right."
"Hey! Lefty Welsh said he's busy," young Ray shouted before running back to them.
Snorting, Ray asked, "Lefty Welsh?"
"Short for Leftenant," Fraser explained with a smile. Turning his attention to young Ray, he said, "What would you like for lunch?"
"I get to choose?" Ray asked, eyes widening.
"Uh-oh," Ray said, flashing a grin to his partner. "Just nothing too weird, okay?"
"Yeah sure," Ray agreed. "You got pizza?"
"Do we have pizza? Do we have pizza? Chicago is the home of pizza, I'll have you know!" Ray exclaimed. "C'mon, kid, let's eat."
* * * *
After the fifth time that both Ray's answered his call, Fraser gave into the impulse to roll his eyes. "All right. I suggest that one of you revert to your given name so as to cut down on the confusion."
"Uh-uh," young Ray said.
"Me either," Ray said, just as firmly.
Fraser set down his drink and said, "I'm not going to go through the next few days with both of you answering me. One of you be a man, and use your first name."
With identical expressions that both said, 'are you nuts?' both Rays settled back in the booth and crossed their arms over their chests.
"Oh dear Lord," Fraser muttered. "Really. Both Stanley and Lewis are admirable names and there's no reason for either of you to be ashamed of having them."
"Stanley?" young Ray teased, looking up at the cop with a grin.
"Lewis?" Ray echoed in the same tone, grimacing.
Young Ray stuck his tongue out. Before his partner could do the same, or worse, Fraser grabbed his forearm and said, "I'm thinking of a number between one and ten. Whoever guesses closest to it does not have to use his first name. And this will be final. Am I understood?"
Both Rays looked mutinous, but they nodded.
"Since you're the guest, you may go first," Fraser said to young Ray.
"Fraser!" Ray protested.
Eyeing him sternly, Fraser said, "Ray? What's your guess?"
Scrunching up his face in thought, young Ray said, "Um…seven?"
Looking back at his Ray, Fraser asked, "And you?"
Eyes narrowed so that Fraser knew that he'd better say his partner had the right answer whether or not he did, Ray answered, "Four."
"Well, I'm afraid that…" Fraser drew it out, hiding the grin that threatened at their half-fearful expressions, then said, "Lewis will be using his first name for the duration of his stay."
"Oh come on!"
"Yes! Sorry kid."
"Ray, be a good winner," Fraser admonished. "Lewis, have you ever heard of the explorers, Lewis and Clark?"
Frowning, the boy shook his head. "Nope."
"Well, it was when this continent was mostly uninhabited. They braved the dangers of the untamed land, wild animals and unknown situations with the native tribes all to find a way to the other side of the continent. I hardly think that Mr. Lewis was ashamed of his name, do you? It has, after all, lived on for centuries after his death. It embodies his strength and courage and I, personally, would be proud to have it," Fraser finished.
Frowning, Lewis picked up a French fry and ate it thoughtfully.
Leaning in close, Ray whispered, "Nice going. And thanks. I'll make it up to you for rigging the game tonight, when we're alone."
Fraser smiled and murmured back, "I didn't rig the game, you won fair and square."
Ray's phone rang and he pulled it out. "Kowalski."
"It's Welsh. Ms. Scanlan just called from Logan Airport. She'll be here in a few hours. Flight 314 on Delta. You want to meet her there with the kid?"
"Yeah, sure boss. We'll be there," Ray promised, looking at his son as he turned off the phone.
* * * *
O'Hare was busy, as it always was, as Fraser, Ray, and Lewis walked down the main thoroughfare towards the Delta gates. Fraser and Ray each held a hand and, whenever space allowed, swung the boy into the air between them. All the time they walked towards the gate, Lewis was talking about his mother, grandmother, and their life in Boston. Even if Ray hadn't been convinced that Lewis was his son, the chatter filled ride over would have convinced them both.
Seeing the easy way that Ray and Lewis interacted, Fraser was angered that Aileen Scanlan hadn't told Ray that he was a father. The two had formed an instant and obvious attachment, much more so than the one between Fraser and Lewis. A tug on his arm brought his attention back to his surroundings and Fraser smiled down at Lewis. "Yes?"
"Don't forget about the hat," Lewis ordered.
"Right you are," Fraser agreed. "Before you go, I'll show you what I look like in full uniform, hat included."
"He looks like a big, red, stop sign with a hat on top," Ray described with a grin.
Lewis giggled and they swung him into the air again, just as they arrived at the right gate.
"All right, brave explorer, how about we all wait up front for your mom? The plane's just getting in, so it'll be a few more minutes before she gets here," Ray suggested.
Lewis nodded and asked, "Could you pick me up so I can see her when she comes out?"
"Yeah, sure," Ray agreed after a slight hesitation. He bent down and picked Lewis up, setting the boy on his hip. "Good?"
Wrapping his arms around Ray's neck, Lewis agreed, "Good."
Fraser felt a pang in his heart at the sight of father and son together. Lewis' face was more delicate than Ray's, but the features were essentially the same. They definitely had identical, searching expressions on their faces as they looked for Aileen Scanlan to come through the door. Falling back a little, Fraser leaned against a column to give them time alone.
After only a few seconds, though, Ray turned, looking for him. "What're you doin' back there?"
"I thought it best that you and Lewis greet his mother alone," Fraser replied.
"Nu-uh," Ray stated. "You're my partner and she's going to know that up front. No way in hell I'm hiding us away from her, Benton."
"Ray, language," Fraser said, looking at Lewis pointedly.
Grinning suddenly, Ray demanded, "You've been dying to scold me for that when it mattered, haven't you?"
Chuckling, Fraser replied, "Perhaps."
"Perhaps nothin'," Ray contradicted. He reached back and snagged Fraser's shirt, bringing his partner to stand close.
It was about five minutes later that Fraser spotted the woman from the license photo, though it had hardly done her justice. Fraser could tell right away what Ray had seen in her. She was petite with generous curves, long brown hair, and dark eyes. She also wore jeans and a leather jacket. Basically, she was about as opposite from Stella as Ray could get and still catch his attention.
When Aileen set eyes on Ray holding Lewis, she stopped short, heedless of the flow around her. A few other passengers glared as they stepped around her. At Lewis' shout of, "Mom!" she started forward again, pasting a smile on her face. Fraser saw the smile turn genuine when she reached Lewis. After she dropped the rather large bag, he practically jumped into her arms. Aileen held him tightly, kissing his cheek and forehead, one hand under him and the other running through his hair. "Ray, Ray are you all right? I was so worried!"
"M fine, mom! Ray and Fraser took good care of me!" Lewis exclaimed. "And you can't call me Ray, too, cause it confuses Fraser. He made us guess a number and I lost so I'm Lewis now but it's okay because didja know there were these guys who fought bears and mountain lions and were looking for a way across the country and that one of them was named Lewis?"
"Yes, honey, I knew that," Aileen said with a smile.
"Didja name me for him?" he asked eagerly.
"No, R-Lewis, I didn't. I named you for your grandfather, you know that," she reminded with a smile.
"Oh yeah. Hey! This is Ray and that's Fraser. He's got a wolf for a friend!" Lewis introduced.
Arching an eyebrow, Aileen held out her hand and asked, "A wolf?"
Fraser took it and said, "Half-wolf, actually, and he's very good with children."
"It's nice to meet you, Constable Fraser," Aileen said.
"You as well, Ms. Scanlan," Fraser agreed.
Looking at Ray, Aileen greeted cautiously, "Ray."
"Aileen," he said with a nod.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Lewis? Why don't you and I get your mother something to drink after that long flight?" Fraser suggested. "Ray, we'll meet up with the two of you at the baggage claim."
"I don't have any luggage, just my carry on," Aileen said.
"Then we'll be right back with your soda. Come along, Lewis."
Ray watched them go then picked up Aileen's bag, moving them away from the gate. "You look good."
"Thanks," she said awkwardly. "So do you."
"Yeah? Well, if I do it's Fraser's doing," Ray said. Now that she was standing in front of him, Ray couldn't summon his previous anger. All he felt was hurt. He set the bag on a chair and asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me? I thought we were at least friends, Aileen."
"We were," she said. Running a nervous hand through her hair, Aileen continued, "I was scared out of my mind, Ray. I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't even know if I was going to keep him."
"I woulda been there for you," Ray inserted. "I woulda helped you with whatever you needed!"
Taking his hand impulsively, Aileen soothed, "I know you would have, Ray, that's why I didn't say anything. I didn't know what I wanted. And if I'd decided on abortion, I didn't want you to go through that or try and talk me out of it."
"What about after you decided to keep him?" Ray asked.
"After…well after, my mom wanted me to come live with her. We'd been on the outs for so long that I really wanted the chance to make it up with her," Aileen said. "Then, a few months turned into a couple of years and by then, I figured you'd be so angry that it was better for everyone all around to stay quiet."
"Not for Lewis," Ray said flatly. "He deserved to have a father and you had to know that I'd want to be one to him. It wasn't fair to anyone but you."
She flinched but nodded. "I know. And I'm so sorry, Ray. If I had the chance to do it again, I would include you, every step of the way."
"We don't have that as an option," Ray said.
"So what do you want to do?" Aileen asked.
"I don't know. I mean, I only just found out a few hours ago," Ray sighed. "I know I want to be part of his life. Especially since me and Fraser aren't likely to have any kids of our own."
Jaw dropping in surprise, Aileen exclaimed, "You and Constable Fraser?"
Straightening his shoulders, Ray nodded. "Yeah. Is there a problem?"
"No, ah, not at all. You just surprised me," she admitted. "I mean, we were really good together, you know?"
Snorting, Ray said, "I've never had any complaints from, or about, women in the bedroom. It's outside there that I get in trouble. Fraser…he gets me, you know? Inside and out, he knows me and I don't have to try and be something I'm not."
Aileen smiled and rubbed his shoulder. "Then you're very lucky, Ray."
"I know," Ray agreed, looking down the wide hall to where Fraser and Lewis were walking back. Their eyes met and he smiled at the pleased expression on Fraser's face. Dragging his eyes away from his lover, Ray turned back to Aileen and continued, "Anyhow. Let's get you and Lewis settled and we'll figure everything out tomorrow. I know you've got to be wiped. I'll let you decide when it's best to tell him about me, but you have to tell him. Doesn't even have to be this trip or anything, just, soon, you know?"
She squeezed his arm and said, "I will. I promise."
* * * *
Ray collapsed into bed with a groan. He was too tired to even think about getting up to get undressed. After lying there a couple of minutes, arm over his eyes to block out the light, he heard the soft rustle of fabric as Fraser got undressed. He heard the hamper open and close then nothing. Another few seconds of nothing and he lifted his arm to see what Fraser was up to. His partner was leaning against the wall, looking at him wearing only his boxers. Frowning, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Smiling faintly, Fraser shook his head and walked to the bed, sitting on the edge. He ran his fingers lightly through Ray's hair, massaging the scalp. "Busy day."
"You can say that again," Ray agreed with a sigh, closing his eyes with pleasure. Fraser pulled away and Ray opened his mouth to complain when he felt hands on his feet and heard laces being undone.
Fraser pulled off the sneakers and socks then said, "Ray, lift up."
Ray lifted his hips and the blankets were pulled out from underneath him. Fraser crawled into bed beside him, resting his head on Ray's chest. Wrapping his arms around Fraser, he asked, "So what do you think of all that's going on?"
Fraser shrugged minutely.
Snorting, Ray commented, "I know you got more to say than that, Benton."
"It's going to be a big adjustment," Fraser said at last. "For everyone."
"That's for sure." Ray sighed, pressing his lips to Fraser's soft hair. "I'd be a wreck if you weren't with me on this, you know."
There were a few minutes of silence before Fraser asked hesitantly, "Are you going to tell her about us? It might make visitation difficult if you do."
Ray smiled and tightened his arms reassuringly. "Already did. I meant what I said at the airport, Benton. You're my partner in every way and I'm not going to hide that from anyone; especially not Aileen or Lewis. Hell. If I can face down my old man about it, everyone else is a piece of cake."
Unexpected emotion flooded through Fraser and he turned his face into the rough fabric of Ray's shirt. "Thank you."
"No thanks necessary, my heart, you know that," Ray murmured. "Or you should after three years."
Pushing up on his elbows, Fraser looked into Ray's eyes and said, "I love you."
Smiling almost shyly, Ray echoed, "I love you."
* * * *
The phone woke Fraser from a sound sleep several hours later. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake Ray. He knew his partner was jet lagged and, with all the emotional upheaval, Ray needed to sleep. Padding silently across the bedroom and living room to the phone, he picked it up just before the answering machine. "Hello?"
"Fraser? He's gone! He's been taken again!"
Coming thoroughly awake at Aileen's exclamation, Fraser asked, "What happened?"
"I woke up thirsty a few minutes ago and went out to get some ice. When I got back, Lewis was gone!" Aileen explained shakily. "I was only gone for five minutes, tops! And I had the room key with me, I didn't leave the door unlocked."
"Aileen, calm down. I'm going to wake Ray then call Leftenant Welsh. We'll be there shortly," Fraser ordered.
She took a deep breath and said, "All right, I'll stay in the room."
"Good. Lock the door and be careful," Fraser instructed before hanging up.
He strode across the room back into the bedroom, hesitating only when he reached the bed. In the faint light from the window, Ray looked peaceful as he slept and that was something Fraser truly hated to disturb. On a good night, Ray got approximately six hours of sleep due to his body's almost hyperactive nature. He would stay up looking over work or watching television until he was tired which, inevitably, wasn't until after midnight. The main reason it was so hard for Ray to wake up in the morning.
Brushing his hand lovingly over his lover's wild hair, Fraser sighed then shook Ray's shoulder. "Ray, wake up."
"Off." Ray mumbled, pulling his shoulder away from Fraser's hand.
"Ray, wake up," Fraser repeated, shaking him again. Ray pulled the pillow over his head, hunching down under the covers. Shaking his head, Fraser firmly yanked both blankets and pillow off Ray.
Coming mostly awake, Ray flipped onto his back and glared at Fraser, shouting, "What?"
"Are you awake now?" Fraser asked calmly. Sometimes Ray seemed awake, but really wasn't. Shortly after becoming lovers, Fraser had had a few early morning conversations with his partner before realizing that.
Frowning, Ray nodded and asked, "What's wrong? And yes, I'm awake."
"Lewis was kidnapped again. Aileen just called. She said she left the room for five minutes to get some ice and when she returned, he was gone," Fraser explained.
Ray instantly sat up and went to the dresser for his socks as he muttered, "Just as well I didn't get undressed."
Fraser began taking out clothes for himself. While he was pulling on his shirt, the phone rang again. Ray went to answer it as Fraser finished getting dressed. When he went out into the living room, Ray was standing frozen by the phone, the receiver at his ear.
"Yeah. I got it. Now you listen to me. A hair on that boy's head is even moved outta place and you're going to regret it the rest of your life. I put you away once but this time, I'll put you away for good."
Fraser listened in shock at the threat. Well. It appeared that they now knew who was behind the kidnapping. He watched as Ray continued to listen to the person on the other end then hung up the phone. That action broke his paralysis and Fraser walked the rest of the way forward. "Who is it?"
"Jim Kender," Ray answered with a sour expression. "Put him away for a double homicide years ago, just before I took the Vecchio gig. He was into racketeering and extortion, too, but we couldn't prove it. I didn't even know the fucker was out. He sure as hell isn't supposed to be for another ten years, minimum. Someone got bribed."
Fraser wanted to argue but couldn't. Instead he asked, "What does he want you to do?"
"Head down to the docks, meet a couple of his boys there. They'll give you Lewis," Ray answered.
"Then what?" Fraser demanded stiffly.
"It's an exchange, Fraser, there is no 'then'," Ray said.
Fraser shook his head. "Unacceptable."
Taking his hand, Ray said, "It has to be, for now. You can find me, Fraser. We have to get Lewis safe first. That's what's important here."
Feeling like a failure, Fraser whispered, "Not to me."
Ray pulled him into a rough hug and held tight. "I'll be fine. You know me, tough as nails."
Fraser leaned back enough to capture his mouth in a hard, deep kiss, trying to memorize his lover's taste in a few, brief seconds. Ray returned the wild kiss, his tongue wrestling with Fraser's in an achingly familiar, yet perpetually new dance.
When they broke apart, both were breathing heavily and Fraser touched their foreheads together. "I don't want to lose you."
"You won't. Just find me, Fraser, I'll hang on til you do," Ray promised.
Pulling his emotions under control, Fraser nodded then stood back. "I will. Ready?"
Ray nodded as well and said, "Pitter, patter, Frase."
* * * *
The air was definitely not spring-like as they got out of the car at the specified meeting place. On the docks, the air still carried a winter bite, and it was damp and heavy. Fraser got out of the car at the same time as Ray, meeting him in front of the GTO and taking the keys. He could see four men waiting approximately a hundred feet away with Lewis was standing in front of them.
"I don't see Kender," Ray said as they drew closer. In the dock lights, he could see each man holding a gun and one of them had his hand on Lewis' shoulder to keep the kid in place. Anger smoldered through him but Ray kept it in. Looking the lead guy in the eyes, he said, "I'm Kowalski. Let the kid go."
"Sure. Go on, kid," the guy agreed easily.
Ray knelt down as Lewis ran to him, pulling the boy into a tight hug. "You okay?"
Lewis nodded, wrapping his arms around Ray's neck.
"Good. You go with Fraser, now, okay? I'm gonna go with these bozos and see what they want," Ray said.
"Don't go! They're gonna hurt you!" Lewis exclaimed.
"I'll be okay," Ray promised. "Just go with Fraser, all right?"
Lewis nodded reluctantly and let go, stepping closer to Fraser.
Ray met Fraser's eyes and said, "Take care of him for me, Frase."
"You just keep your promise," Fraser ordered quietly.
"Enough already. We've got places to go!" the man snapped. "C'mon Kowalski, or we kill the kid and the Mountie, right here and now."
Ray turned abruptly and walked over to them. Two of the men grabbed him by the arm and before he could even think about jerking away, the man who'd been talking raised his gun and shot Fraser. Lewis screamed as Fraser dropped backwards to the ground. Ray shouted in fury and fear, struggling against the men holding him. He stared in horror as Fraser lay on the ground, blood visibly seeping out in the yellow light.
"That's so the Mountie don't follow. Kender knows all about him." Then something slammed into the back of his head and everything went black.
* * * *
The sharp crack of the gun was only a split second before the excruciating pain of a bullet tearing through his right shoulder. Fraser staggered backwards and fell to the ground, Lewis' scream in his ear. He saw Ray knocked out but couldn't do anything more than lie there, trying to battle the pain for control of his body while the men dragged his partner away. Pressing his hand to the wound as hard as he could, Fraser grunted in renewed pain, turned his head and rasped, "Lewis, Lewis, I need your help."
Wiping the tears from his eyes and obviously trying to stop crying, Lewis asked, "What?"
Groaning, Fraser questioned, "Can you see the license plate on the car?"
"Yep."
"Read it to me."
"LL9 5XS," Lewis read slowly.
Fraser memorized the number, closing his eyes to better see it in his mind, then carefully pulled out his cell phone. Blessing the technology for the second time in as many days, he dialed 911 and waited for the emergency operator.
It was about ten minutes before the ambulance arrived and by then, Fraser was dizzy with blood loss. The bullet had passed directly through his shoulder so, while he could hold pressure on the top of the wound, he couldn't do so on the back. The EMT's were efficient and competent and in short order had him triaged and on the ambulance, Lewis sitting on the floor beside him.
"You have to get in touch with Leftenant Welsh of the 27th precinct," Fraser gritted out, trying to ignore the pain until the sedatives kicked in. "One of his detectives was kidnapped and the men who did so were the ones who shot me. I'm his partner, Constable Benton Fraser."
The EMT riding in the back with him nodded and said, "No problem, Constable. I've heard about you. I'll make sure Welsh gets called."
"Can you write down the license plate number? I memorized it," Fraser said, as the pain began to fade and the world grow hazy.
The EMT reached into the front and came back with a pen. "Shoot. Oh, sorry."
Smiling faintly, Fraser replied, "That's quite all right. LL9 5XS."
The EMT wrote the number down just as the ambulance stopped and shoved the paper into his pocket. Fraser gripped the young man's arm and said, "Don't forget! A man's life is at stake!"
Serious, the EMT nodded and promised, "I won't forget. Right now, we've got to get you fixed up because you're still losing blood."
"That would…explain the continued dizziness," Fraser mumbled, feeling the edge of darkness closing in.
Before it completely surrounded him, Fraser smiled at Lewis and slurred, "Ray'll be 'kay, Lews, he promised."
* * * *
Welsh walked into the hospital room, trying not to look as grim as he felt. When Fraser's jaw tightened, he knew he was unsuccessful and sighed. "Sorry, Constable. No news yet."
"What about Kender's known associates?" Fraser asked.
"Checking into them now, family, friends, ex-business partners, the whole nine yards," Welsh confirmed. "We'll find him, don't worry."
How could he not? Sighing, Fraser questioned, "Why wasn't he notified that Kender got out early? Have we at least established that?"
"Honest clerical error," Welsh explained. "New employee badly trained. As for him being out at all, well, that's another story. Proving it should be a real bitch though."
"I'll prove it once we get Ray back," Fraser vowed grimly.
"Doc said you've on bed rest for a minimum of 48 hours, Constable," Welsh ordered tiredly. He sat on the chair beside the bed and rubbed his eyes.
"I'll be good enough by morning," Fraser countered.
Welsh had seen that expression often enough to know the Mountie wasn't going to back down. Changing the subject, he said, "I put a 24 hour guard on Ms. Scanlan and Lewis. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Is the kid Ray's?"
Fraser nodded. "Aileen didn't tell him."
"I figured. Kowalski's not the type to put aside his family duty," Welsh observed.
Painfully, Fraser agreed, "No. He's not."
Realizing that something was definitely off-kilter in that reply, the Mountie never showed weakness, he asked, "What's wrong?"
"I didn't want him to go," Fraser admitted. "We both knew that he was unlikely to get out of this with his life and…that's too high a price…for me. I don't think I could bear it if he died."
Sighing again, Welsh said, "It's an understandable reaction, Fraser. You love him, of course you don't want him putting himself in danger."
"We do it almost every day," Fraser argued miserably.
"Not on purpose," Welsh countered firmly. "Look. This Kender's a nasty piece of action. Purposely letting him grab hold of Ray goes against every protective instinct you got and I know you've got a ton of them where Kowalski's concerned."
"A child's life was at stake and I didn't want Ray to exchange his life to save Lewis. It's not only unbelievably selfish, but cowardly as well. I doubt the stain of that will ever leave me."
"Did you stop him from going?" Welsh demanded sharply.
Startled by the tone, Fraser shook his head.
"Did you tie him down and make it so he couldn't go through with Kender's dirty little deal?"
"No."
"Then you only thought about it, Fraser and that makes you human, not a coward," Welsh stated. "If you'd somehow prevented Ray from doing it, then we'd have a problem here. Thinking isn't doing and you're allowed the occasional selfish thought, understood?"
Feeling strangely relieved, almost absolved, Fraser managed a faint smile and nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Now get some sleep so you're ready to find your partner," Welsh ordered.
* * * *
Couldn't they at least be more original? Ray grunted as another fist connected with his ribs, only this time he was pretty sure there was a crack under the impact. His wrists were tied above his head and he was hanging from a meat hook again. In the basement of a restaurant somewhere in the city. At least it narrowed down the number of places for them to look. Then again, they'd been moving back and forth from the restaurant to some empty office space on some kind of schedule. Probably when no one would be around to hear the noise.
Ray knew Welsh pretty damn well and right now, he was probably going through all of Kender's asshole friends and family. He didn't know how much time had passed but he figured it was going on three or four days by now. His entire body hurt. He'd lost some blood from the shallow cuts Kender had given him but on the whole, he wasn't too badly damaged. How long that would last was anyone's guess. Mostly, he was so thirsty his throat felt like a desert and his stomach had gone on strike a couple days ago from lack of food.
"So when's your boss getting here?" Ray gasped when he had a few minutes to breathe uninterrupted.
"Who says he is?"
Focusing his eyes took some effort, but Ray did it. Looking at the large, body-builder type who'd been whaling on him, Ray said, "Cause he'd want to watch. He's a fucking perv that way."
"Like you're not?"
Ray grinned a little despite his bloody lip. Easily offended, that Kender. Ray remembered that real well. "Hey Kender. Why don't you tell your buddies that the fun's over now and it's time to go home. I mean, you don't really want to get a death sentence for killin' a cop, right?"
"For you Kowalski, it'd be worth it," Kender promised, dark eyes glittering as he came closer.
"C'mon, Kender. We both know you don't have the balls for this," Ray taunted. "If you did, you'd've had your goons kill Fraser but they only winged him."
"Given the fact that they missed and actually killed him, killing you on top of that isn't going to make much of a difference for me," Kender sneered.
"Like I'm gonna believe you," Ray retorted.
Kender tossed a newspaper onto the floor in front of Ray. Focusing his eyes again, Ray almost wished that he'd lost his eyesight. On the bottom corner was a picture of Fraser in uniform with the caption, 'Local Constable Dead in the Line of Duty'. Ray's legs lost strength completely and his shoulders protested having to hold him up when he sagged towards the floor. Didn't matter though, nothing mattered now that Fraser was dead.
"No smart-mouthed comebacks Kowalski? No threats? What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Kender demanded.
Ray couldn't even summon the words to answer. The world grayed out as he thought about a life without Fraser.
* * * *
"Are you sure this will work?" Welsh asked.
Shifting restlessly in the hospital bed, Fraser replied, "It's impossible to say for sure, of course, but given Kender's psychological profile, it fits that he would want to destroy Ray more than kill him. He proved that by taking Lewis. The only real way to harm Ray is to kill what he loves. Once Kender sees that I'm dead, he'll most likely gloat about it to Ray, and then let him go. He might even drop Ray at a hospital where they wouldn't let Ray hurt himself in reaction to the news."
"And once we get Ray back, we can go after Kender without anything getting in the way," Welsh stated severely.
Nodding in agreement, Fraser closed his eyes and said, "It has to work."
* * * *
For a long time, there was nothing but darkness. Even when Ray opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything. They'd left him in the basement, probably to rot. But that was all right because without Fraser nothing really mattered. His mind kept running through flashes of their life together giving him what comfort there was to be had, which wasn't much.
To his surprise it wasn't lovemaking that his mind focused on, it was the swift, gentle touches Fraser liked to shower on him whenever possible. Like rubbing his neck when he'd been hunched over a file too long. Or holding Ray in his arms after a bad case. Sighing, Ray tried to ease the pain between his shoulders but was tied up too tightly to manage it.
"Ray? Ray are you here?"
Great. Now he was dying. Funny how he couldn't summon up any emotion except relief that Fraser was waiting for him.
"Ray? Answer me. There's been a power outage due to Mr. Kender's attempt to flee in a car that crashed into a power relay," Fraser called.
"Fraser? Are you really alive?" Ray demanded.
"I am, Ray," Fraser confirmed.
"Then get your butt over here and untie me!" Ray exclaimed.
A flashlight finally became visible but he couldn't see Fraser through the light, even though he squinted. After only a couple more seconds, Fraser was kneeling beside him, the flashlight on the floor and trying to untie the ropes holding his wrists behind his back. Staring up at the dim outline of his partner's face, Ray asked, "How many lives you got, Fraser?"
Smiling, Fraser answered, "Only one that I'm aware of, Ray. Hold still, I have to cut the ropes."
Ray stayed still as he heard the knife come free of the sheath, which meant that Fraser was probably in uniform. "So how bad were you hurt, anyhow?"
"Not badly," Fraser replied. "The most serious thing was blood-loss and I'll have recouped most of that by the end of the week."
"Hey Frase?"
"What is it, Ray?"
"What the hell day is it?" Ray asked. The knife finally cut through the rope and his arms fell to the side, completely out of his control. He barely felt Fraser's hands on his shoulders rubbing the life back into them. After a few minutes, he rolled over and started to get up.
"Wednesday," Fraser replied, helping Ray to stand. Carefully putting an arm around his partner's waist, he asked, "Are you all right?"
Ray nodded, leaning against Fraser as they started to walk, and said, "They didn't work me over too bad. Mostly showy stuff, you know? Dying for a bath and something to eat, though."
"Hospital first," Fraser said firmly. He didn't need light to know there was a stubborn expression on his lover's face. It appeared whenever the word hospital was mentioned.
They reached the stairs and Ray hissed in pain as climbing them jostled his ribs. When they got to the top, he gasped, "Okay. Maybe the hospital's not such a bad idea."
There was an ambulance waiting outside for them and Fraser directed their steps that way. The EMT's met them halfway with a gurney and, for once, Ray didn't protest getting on it. That told him just how badly hurt Ray was. Not that he really needed confirmation as Ray had been shaking with exhaustion and pain the entire trip up the steps and out of the restaurant. He got in the vehicle with Ray and held his hand silently while the EMT did her job.
It was a quick trip and when they arrived, Fraser found himself separated from Ray by the doctors and nurses. Pushed to the waiting area, Fraser sighed and began filling out the necessary paperwork. It didn't occupy nearly enough time but shortly thereafter, Welsh showed up, the echo of a smile on his face.
"You have Mr. Kender in jail I trust," Fraser greeted.
"Even better," Welsh greeted. "Kender's in a coma. His head whacked the steering wheel just the wrong way. The docs don't know that he'll ever wake up but if he does, he's going to be in some serious trouble, physically speaking. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, huh Constable?"
Fraser nodded agreement, relieved that they wouldn't immediately have to worry about Kender, perhaps not ever. His attention was caught by a doctor walking towards them.
"Is one of you Constable Fraser?" the doctor asked, looking at him.
"I am," Fraser said.
"Please convince your partner to stay in the hospital. He's extremely dehydrated and exhausted. Three ribs are broken and two cracked. He might have eye problems from the blows there," the doctor reported. "And yet, like the rest of the idiot cops I know, he's insisting that he's fine and wants to go home."
"I'll do so, doctor. Excuse me," Fraser said to Lieutenant Welsh.
Welsh nodded, waving his dismissal. "Keep him in bed, Constable."
A wry smile twisted across Fraser's face as he commented, "That's one thing I know I can accomplish."
Grinning, Welsh said, "I"m sure you can."
Fraser followed the doctor to Ray's bedside where his partner was resting. The blue-green eyes opened when Fraser took Ray's hand in his.
"Hey, Benton. What're you doing here? You're all better, aren'tcha?" Ray asked with a big smile.
Glancing at the doctor, Fraser said, "I take it the pain medication has kicked in."
"Oh yeah. Speak to that nurse when you're done and she'll have a room arranged for Detective Kowalski," the doctor ordered.
"I will, thank you kindly, doctor," Fraser agreed. After the man left, Fraser turned his attention to Ray. "You really do need to stay here the night, Ray. But I'll be here as well, so you needn't worry."
"You need to rest too, Benton," Ray said seriously. "You look terrible."
Bringing their entwined hands to his chest, Fraser said, "I felt terrible the whole time you were gone. I'll continue to feel terrible if you don't stay in the hospital at least overnight."
Scowling, Ray exclaimed, "That's emotional blackmail!"
"No, it's the truth," Fraser countered.
Sighing as much as his hurt ribs would allow, Ray nodded and said, "All right. I'll stay."
Leaning in for a brief kiss, Fraser whispered, "Thank you."
* * * *
"You're right. He does look like a stop sign with a hat," Lewis said with a giggle.
Grinning, Ray said, "Told you."
Fraser shook his head and said, "Thank you, the both of you."
"So you're really coming out in a few weeks? Gonna stay with us and meet gramma and grampa?" Lewis demanded, bouncing on Ray's hip.
Ray nodded. "Absolutely. We're both coming out to visit. Dief isn't really allowed on planes so he won't be coming though."
"You guys all ready?" Aileen asked, reappearing with the boarding passes.
"Ready to go," Ray answered. "Off you get, kid."
Aileen held out her arms and Lewis leaned into them, swinging his legs from around Ray to around her. "Thank you so much, Ray, for everything."
"Nah. If it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened," Ray said awkwardly.
Hugging Lewis with obvious meaning, Aileen said, "I know. You two take care of each other and we'll see you in a few weeks. I'll call when we get home to let you know we made it."
"Good," Ray said.
"Have a safe journey," Fraser added, putting his arm around Ray's waist.
Aileen grinned and said, "We will. Bye."
Ray leaned against Fraser with a sigh as they watched Aileen and Lewis enter the gate. When they were gone from sight, he sighed again and said, "I already miss the little guy. C;mon, Fraser, let's go home."
"If it's any consolation, I could talk endlessly without any point to the conversation, not listen to you a bit and interrupt you constantly," Fraser suggested with a sly smile.
Snorting, Ray demanded, "And that's different than how you normally act how?"
"I listen to you all the time, Ray," Fraser said as they walked towards the exit.
"You do not!" Ray exclaimed.
"Of course I do."
"Since when?"
"Since you told me you loved me," Fraser murmured in his partner's ear.
Ray flushed and said, "Yeah, well, you still interrupt me constantly."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Fraser said innocently.
"Yeah, right," Ray said dryly.
"Ray?"
"Yeah Fraser?"
"Knock, knock."
"Oh God."
"No, really, it's a joke that Lewis told me that's quite funny."
"I don't believe this."
"You're supposed to say, 'Who's there?'"
"Fraser?"
"Yes, Ray?"
"Shut up."
"Understood."
