Disclaimer: They are not my characters because they to belong to Alliance.

Rating : NC/17 and M/M

Pairing: Benton Fraser and Ray Kowalski

Thanks to: My most favorite songs

Authors' note: This story is the sequel to Two brokenhearted men. And just FYI, I am supplying the names and translation of each name. Kusumita means *blossomed*; Kiran, a *ray of light*; Makaila and Mekelle, *who is like god *; Matana *Blessing*; Flavian (Ray) *yellow-blond*; Madan (Fraser) *Cupid or God of love. *

This story was written especially for my son Leonardo V. A. who has taught me much about broken hearts.

What becomes of the Brokenhearted?

Ray was on his way to pick up his partner. He was nervous because he had invited Fraser over to his apartment knowing full well that it was three thirty in the morning and Fraser could only be thinking one thing about him and that is that he wanted sex. But, that wasn't true because he really needed Fraser's company and not the sex. He wasn't ready to have sex with a man even if that man was Fraser. The thought of needing his partner as much as he did frighten him. He had never needed anyone like he needed Stella but he found out only recently that he couldn't do without Fraser. Ray only hoped that the Mountie didn't think he was picking him up for payback because the one thing he didn't need was for Fraser to try to exercise his * husbandly duties * on him. He especially didn't want Fraser to feel that it was his obligation to give him sex. It would really anger him if he were to find out that the Mountie would try to seduce him out of a sense of duty because he didn't need pity sex from anyone. Ray spotted Fraser standing on the steps waiting for him as he pulled up to the Canadian's apartment complex. He smiled to himself in spite of his distressing thoughts. He just couldn't help how his heart speeded up or his lips smiled whenever he saw his partner especially now that they were legally bonded by a marriage and a son. They actually shared a son which was something he never even had with Stella in all the years he was married to her and with Fraser, it only took a few years after knowing the man and now they shared a son. "There's gotta be something between us, Ray and you know it . . . you just gotta accept it . . . you hafta accept it." He told himself as he neared where Fraser stood.

The snow was coming down harder now so Fraser hurried into the car once it parked. They glanced at each other and smiled. Fraser actually blushed then turned away to buckle in.

Ray waited then pulled into the empty street when his partner was through buckling. The Mountie removed his Stetson and dusted off the snowflakes. "Thank you for coming, Ray."

Ray glanced over and smiled. "Nah. . I wanna thank you for letting me come get you. I hope you weren't waiting on those steps for too long 'cause it is a bit chilly."

"No, I was inside and when I saw your head beams a few blocks away I stepped out as you neared."

The detective glanced at his partner noticing that he was in jeans, a turtle neck and wearing the heavy blue pea coat that was reserved for Canadian winters. "Fraser? . . .I hope you didn't mind me calling ya in the middle of the night. It's just that there's so much that we need ta discuss and well, since you and I are off for the next couple of days I felt that we need this time to sort out what happened."

Fraser nodded. "Yes, Ray, I do agree that there is much to be discussed."

"Frase? What did Turnbull have to say about us returning empty handed?"

"He was very disappointed to find that we could not bring Kiran back home with us. And, he also extends his best wishes on our . . . our . . . " Fraser stalled, deciding if it was justified to say the word married.

Ray glanced over at him. " You can say it, Frase. You can say on our marriage because we did get married. You and I were married on Valentine's day."

Fraser looked over at him then nodded. "Yes . . . we were married, Ray and again . . . I am so sorry for how things . . ."

"No! I already told ya that I don't wanna hear another apology about our marriage again, Frase! We did it, it's over and done with and we're here now. What we need to decide now is what you and I are gonna do next and how we're gonna handle this."

Fraser nodded. "Understood." But he really didn't understand what his partner was referring to.

*********************************

Ray parked then hurried out of the car dashing into the hallway of the apartment complex trying to get out of the snow and Fraser hustled in behind him. They darted up the stairs and slipped into Ray's apartment quietly.

Ray locked up behind him then removed the gloves and coat setting them on a stool by the doorway. "Can I get ya something ta drink, Frase?"

"No thank you kindly." Fraser headed for the couch.

"No, no! We're gonna go to the bedroom. Come on and follow me." Ray disappeared into the next room.

Fraser drew in a breath and then he trailed after his partner.

Ray was sitting on the edge of the bed removing his shoes. He turned around when he heard Fraser enter the bedroom and stopped what he was doing. "Fraser? . . .You can take yer sweater and the boots off. It's okay, cause we're just gonna talk and . . . and nothing else." He smiled.

Fraser blushed then proceeded to pull off his coat and turtleneck. He sat on the bed and started removing the boots. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Ray was already tunneling under the covers.

The detective patted the pillow beside him. "Come on and lie down, Frase."

Fraser took his place on the pillow beside his partner. This was the first time he had ever been on his partners bed and with his partner beside him on his bed.

The detective scooted closer to the Mountie until their shoulders pressed up against each other. "Okay, now tell me again what exactly happened between you and Makaila? What you told me on the plane just didn't make much sense . . . why did he refuse ta allow Kiran to come home with us? Wait . . . gimme a second and lemme turn off the lamp first . . . it's easier ta talk in the dark. He switched the lamp off and Fraser noticed the small nightlight by the bathroom door.

"You sleep with a nightlight on?" he turned to look at his partner who was somewhat obscured in the semi-dark room.

Ray chuckled. "Of course I keep a nightlight on. It helps keep the monsters away!"

"Pardon me?!"

"I'm only kidding! I use the nightlight cause I keep banging my toes on the bed when I'm trying ta get back in after I use the bathroom. It gets too dark in here and since I have night blindness it makes it difficult ta see the bed. . . .Now back to what we were discussing, Frase."

"Oh . . . Well, when I left the cabin, I went to inform Makaila that we would be departing sometime that morning. After a brief discussion he informed me that the people of the community had taken a vote and had decided to keep Kiran in the village. Actually, Matana, Kiran's aunt begged Makaila to let her take custody of the child after presenting her case. He explained her situation by saying that Kiran was the only remaining heir to Kusumita and her family's lineage. Matana does not have any children of her own and both their parents are deceased so that only leaves her and Kiran to carry on the family name. If you recall Mekelle, who was Kusumita's husband died a few years back also. Matana pleaded with Makaila about keeping Kiran within the community and the villager's agreed that Matana had a good cause. They were not trying to be cruel to us, Ray. They were only attempting to maintain their heritage."

Ray understood what Fraser was saying now. He had thought that the act was intended to be malicious but it had turned out to be a misunderstanding on all their parts.

"Okay . . . that makes sense. Fraser, but why didn't you come and tell me? Why did you run away from me? See, that's what I'm having a problem with because you claim that we're the best of friends but as soon as there's a complication ya hide from me. Why?"

Fraser was silent for a few seconds then added. "I was trying to make sense of everything that was happening, Ray. In the first place, I forced you to marry me so that I could gain custody of Kiran and the only thing that I accomplished was to come home empty-handed. I didn't want to involve you in my plans any further and that is why I told you that you were free to go."

Ray listened and ran Fraser's words through his mind. Then he added. "But you didn't even give me a choice cause you just took off and I had no idea with what was going on, Frase . . . So, what's gonna happen to us now? Where does that leave us because I'm confused, wondering if we're married or not?"

The Mountie glanced at his partner then at the ring on his finger. "Ray." He looked up at Ray "We were united in matrimony by a sanctioned priest but our marriage was deemed illegitimate after we left the community. You and I know that homosexual marriages are not legal in the states so once we departed the community then our marriage was automatically voided. Besides, you and I are not homosexuals' to begin with so that should put your mind at ease."

But Ray's mind wasn't at ease. He wasn't sure that he could accept what Fraser was saying because somewhere deep inside of him a voice kept nagging at him that he and Fraser were married. They had contracted into a marriage and now it was hard to just shake it off like if nothing happened. It was true that they were not homosexual but something about not staying together just wasn't right either.

"Ray? Are you all right?" asked Fraser unsure of his silence.

"Fraser, this thing about us being or not being married bothers me. How come I feel married to ya? How come I feel that this ring on my finger signifies something happened between us? It feels as if I were ta take the ring off I would be pushing you aside. Why does it feel like that?"

Fraser knew what he was talking about because he felt the same way. When he had removed the ring back at the cabin, he had felt immediately sad. It was as if he were saying that Ray meant nothing to him but in reality Ray meant so much to him. "I don't know how to explain what you want to know, Ray but I do know what you are saying"

Ray felt lost with these new feelings. He didn't know in which direction to move their friendship or their relationship.

"Fraser? Do you wanna know something?"

"What's that, Ray?"

"I feel married ta ya . . . I feel closer ta ya even more now that we got married."

Fraser stared at his partner.

Ray glanced over at the Mountie. He then twisted his body in Fraser's direction and went up on an elbow so he could study the Mountie closer. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Frase?"

The Mountie was watching him, gazing into those light-colored blues and wondering what was going through his partner's head.

The detective stared into those dark blues that were half covered in shadows then dipped down and pressed his lips to the Mountie's briefly. The kiss was quick and tender and then Ray was staring into those dark blues again. He was staring into those blues that were studying him hard.

"Benton? . . . What did you feel?"

"What did I feel?"

"Yes. Can you feel it inside of you? What did it do to you?"

Fraser stared at him not sure if he understood the question.

Ray waited and after three seconds and no response he went down again but this time he pressed his lips harder and longer against the Mountie's soft ones. The kiss was gentle and tender as before with wet lips pressed against soft lips. Ray backed off slowly and gazed at the Mountie and then again reached down and kissed him with one feather-touch kiss after another, over and over again. Their breaths mingled and intertwined and then Fraser heard him whispering between each kiss. "Do . . . you . . . feel . . . something?"

Fraser shut his eyes trying to calm his mind and body down but then his eyes flew open when his partner's tongue slid across his lips. The sensation sent a shudder through him as if someone had just licked his entire body. His lips parted involuntarily when he gasped. "Oh!"

"Now do you feel it?" asked Ray again.

Fraser could feel his partners breath caressing his lips as the detective whispered to him. The whole event was extraordinary and left him breathless and speechless.

"Benton?"

"Yes . . . yes, Ray, I do feel it . . . I feel it all over my body like an electric current."

Ray took in a deep breath totally relieved that he wasn't the only one feeling this strange but awesome sensation. He dropped his forehead onto his partners and shut his eyes trying to understand why this was happening to him. Well, not that it was hard to understand what was happening to him because he knew what it was but could he feel for Fraser what he had felt for Stella? Was it possible for him to replace his first true love? He knew that Fraser had feelings for him but he needed to hear the Mountie tell him. The detective pulled away and dropped down on the pillow beside him. This new * sensation * frightened him because he wasn't sure that he was ready to be romantically involved with a man.

Fraser watched his partner back away and wondered what was going on. "Ray?"

Ray stared at the ceiling not sure of what to say. "Fraser . . . I'm . . . I'm not ready for something like this. I-I . . . I don't know what ta tell you if you ask me anything."

Fraser nodded. He wasn't sure if he was ready for a relationship himself especially one with his partner. "I understand, Ray and there's no need to discuss this right now."

Ray didn't know how to respond because the realization of having fallen in love with his partner was inconceivable. He didn't want to believe that this could actually be happening but it was becoming as obvious as the nose on his face. "Fraser . . . maybe we should try ta get some sleep now."

Fraser felt just as confused as his friend and agreed that they should sleep. When he had married Ray, he had convinced himself that he could deal with a business arrangement-type relationship but much to his shock he coveted the detective. He wanted a relationship with Ray more then anything which is why he proposed the idea of marriage to him before he asked anyone else to help him. He needed and wanted Ray and his partner's kisses were confusing him. Fraser stirred when Ray pressed up against him trying to get closer to him. He wanted to reach over and assure the blond detective that they could work something out between them but decided against it. Instead he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to overtake him.

Ray was very tired himself so he drifted off quickly.

****************************

Ray stirred because the Mountie stirred. "Ray?"

"Huh?"

"Someone's knocking."

Ray sat up trying to adjust to his environment. "Oh . . . stay here and I'll be right back, Frase." He grabbed his shirt and threw it on then hurried to the front door. Swinging it open he murmured."Stell?"

"Hi Ray. May I come in?" she walked in not waiting to be invited and headed for the couch. "The Lieutenant told me that you had returned yesterday and I needed to talk to you."

Ray walked over and sat on the couch by her.

"Did I wake you?" she asked noticing that he was half dressed.

"Uh . . . yeah but that's okay cause I needed ta get up anyway. What did you need Stell?"

"Well, I have some great news for you and if you're not too busy I need for you to come over to my apartment because you'll never guess what I found! Do you remember those CD's that you accused me of trashing after I divorced you? Well, I found them last night and I was wondering if you still wanted them."

"Are you talking about my collection?" asked Ray.

"Yes. They were packed inside the hope chest which I had not opened since the . . . the divorce."

"Oh, wow! That's great Stell! . . .Are you gonna be home later today so I can stop and? . . ."

"What's wrong with right now? Just shave and shower and head on over. I heard you have the next three days off and I'm not doing anything special right now." She smiled.

Ray remembered that smile. It was her *come-on-over-and-I-just-might-be-persuaded-to-give-you-a-little-surprise. * smile. Only she hadn't given him any * surprises * for quite a long while now. Ray glanced at his watch and started to say. "I'll try to . . . "

But she grabbed his hand and stared at it. "Ray? Is that a wedding band? Why are you wearing a wedding band? . ..Oh, Ray, please don't tell me that you're feeling sentimental again because of Valentine's . . ."

"No, Stell . . . I'm wearing this ring for a case that I'm working on. It has nothing ta do with reminiscing about Valentine and . . . and us. Look. I'll be over ta yer place in about an hour okay?"

She looked up into those soft blues she remembered so well and smiled. "Sure . . . I'll be waiting for you at my apartment then." She got up then walked to the front door as Ray escorted her. She turned and looked at him remembering how he used to look in the mornings all disheveled and sleepy with that soft blond hair sticking up as always.

Ray glanced up at her and smiled.

She nodded then turned and left.

"Pardon me." Muttered Fraser.

Ray whipped around and saw Fraser standing by the bedroom doorway. "Fraser!"

"Ray, I should be leaving because I do have some work to do at the Consulate"

"Wait! Look. Stell came by . . . "

"You don't need to explain anything to me. I really do have some paperwork that needs attending. We'll sit down and discuss our situation later."

"But Fraser . . . I thought you had a few days off?" added Ray unsure of how to ask him to stay.

"Well, I do have some day's off but I'm going to use them to catch up with my paperwork. We'll talk later, Ray.

"But . . . But . . . "

Fraser walked past him then straight on out. He had heard the remark about the ring being a part of a case that Ray was working on and it had hurt him in a way. He told himself that he was being ridiculous because Ray had an image to maintain but it still bothered him.

Ray didn't know what to say as he stood there holding the door open and watching the Mountie walk away.

*************************************

At first, Ray felt uncomfortable standing in Stella's living room while waiting for her. She came back in and gestured for him to follow her. The blond-haired detective followed her into her bedroom. He stopped at the doorway and for some unknown reason he was afraid to enter.

Stella sat on the bed and glanced up at him. "Ray? . . come in and let's go through the CD's."

Ray was reluctant for a second and then he forced his body to go in and sit by her on the bed. He was a wreck sitting so close to her on the bed.

Stella pulled out a shoe box of cassettes then another bigger CD holder full of CD's. "Okay . . . we'll go through them and you decide what you want to keep.

Ray was already breaking out in a sweat as he stared into those beautiful eyes that he used to spend hours gazing into at one time.

***********************************

Fraser set his pen down and glanced over to the door. "Come in."

Turnbull entered and shut the door behind him. "Constable Fraser . . . I would like to have a word with you, please?"

Fraser leaned back into this chair. "Yes, of course . . . have a seat Turnbull.'

Turnbull nodded then took a seat opposite Fraser. Then he dove right in. "Sir . . . I found this beautiful log cabin on the outskirts of town close to the lake Michigan and I think that it would be ideal for you, Detective Vecchio and Kiran. It is very private and . . . "

"Turnbull. Detective Vecchio and I will not be moving in together. Due to the problems that arose in Canada we will not be residing as a family.'

Turnbull was stunned. "But Sir! Does this mean that you and Detective Vecchio will be getting a divorce?!"

Fraser's eyebrows darted upward when he heard what Turnbull said. Then he shook his head. "There will not be a need for a divorce Constable because our marriage was nullified once we entered the States. Ray will remain at his apartment and I will remain living as we have before."

Turnbull gasped. "But what about the honeymoon didn't the two of you . . . Oh dear, how could I let that slip out!"

Fraser was stunned and embarrassed. "Oh dear . . . Constable Turnbull, the detective and I did not indulge in sexual activities if that is what you are asking. This marriage was strictly a business arrangement and now we have no need for it. Detective Vecchio and I have decided to put this ordeal behind us and move on as usual."

The look of disappointment on Turnbull's face was apparent. "But can't you and the detective try to resolve things? Couldn't you stay married to him and try to work out your differences?" he pleaded.

Fraser frowned. "Turnbull . . . there is nothing to work out. The detective and I had an arrangement and that is all."

Turnbull blushed then asked. "Didn't you find him attractive? Is there a reason that you couldn't sleep with him that night?"

"Turnbull!" gasped Fraser taken aback by his boldness.

"I-I'm sorry Constable Fraser! Maybe you are correct and I should be leaving but it's just that this cabin . . . it's so perfect and . . . would you care to go and see it with me?"

Fraser stared at the embarrassed Constable then nodded. "I suppose so."

Turnbull smiled.

********************************************

Ray was on the floor going through the CD's. Stella had gone to make some coffee for the two of them. He grabbed one of Stella's favorite CD's and popped it into the stereo. Laying his head back on the bed he shut his eyes and listened to the song.

// As I walk this land with broken dreams

I have visions of many things Love's happiness is just an illusion

filled with sadness and confusion

What becomes of the brokenhearted?

Who's had love that's now departed

I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind

Ray reached over and clicked the CD player off. The words got touched him for some reason reminding him of Fraser and Kiran. The lyrics made him think of that beautiful little boy with the raven-black hair that loved to giggle when he chased him around the bedroom that one night. The song also made him think of Fraser, the stoic Mountie who was giggling and laughing when he watched Ray tickling that adorable little boy whose name meant a *ray of light. * All three had shared a bed for a few days while they were at the honeymoon cabin and life had been wonderful. He missed Kiran but mostly he missed Fraser's laughter. It seemed that the Mountie's happiness had stayed behind with Kiran. That beautiful little boy had left an enormous impression in his life but Fraser had left a bigger one after watching the Canadian cry for Kusumita then watching him cry for Kiran. Ray had actually witnessed the Mountie's vulnerability and human side throughout the ordeal they had shared and that's when he had fallen for that wonderful hidden side of Fraser. This song made him remember the loss and the sudden loneliness that were surrounding him now. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was bothering him at the time but now he knew that he was lonely without the Mountie. He sat there staring at the stereo then glanced up when Stella entered holding two cups of coffee.

"Ray. You should have let the song play on because I really do love that song."

Ray reached up and took the coffee from her. He took a sip then asked. "Stella? . . I need ta ask you something . . . I need some advice."

She sat on the bed and looked down to him on the floor. "Advise about what, Ray?"

"Well, it's kind of a tricky question but here goes. Let's say you have an uh . . . gay couple that went out of the States and got married. They went ta this place where homosexual marriages are allowed. Now, let's say they returned ta the states for permanent residence would they still be considered married even if it's not accepted in certain places?"

"Jesus, Ray . . . Is this about Mark and Jess from the precinct?"

"No, I'm not talking about them."

"Oh. Well, they will not be legally married because it is illegal to . . . "

"I know, I know. Okay. But what if these two guys got married and adopted a son while they were um . . . abroad. What happens to the child and the couple?"

"Wow! . . That's a good one, Ray. Well . . . the couple could live as . . . a married couple and raise the child but they would have to retain a really good lawyer just in case the State decides to interfere."

"And why would the State interfere?" asked Ray looking up at her.

"Why are you asking me all these questions and who are we talking about, Ray?"

Ray shook his head. " Why would the State interfere, Stell?"

"Well . . . the State might run interference when the child goes to school and it goes on record who his parents are. The school might show prejudice about a gay couple raising a child and decide to intervene. Now, why are you asking me these questions?"

"Stell that wouldn't be fair or right for the State to interfere if the child was being raised properly and well provided for! Aren't the gay's entitled to equal rights just like everyone else?!" snapped Ray at her.

Stella stared at him. "Ray? Is everything all right?"

Ray realized he was getting upset over nothing because the injustice had already been committed. He gazed up at her and smiled. "I'm sorry Stell. You know how I get when it involves children."

"Yes . . . I know how you do get." Added Stella then reached down and clicked on the stereo. It continued playing her favorite song.

Maybe the fruits of love grow all around

but for me they come a tumblin' down

Everyday heartaches grow a little stronger

I can't find my way much longer

Ray looked up at Stella as he listened to the song. The song was describing exactly what he was feeling right now. He couldn't seem to find his way between Fraser and Stella but he did know that he was feeling plenty of loneliness and heartache. Where in his life did Fraser and Stella end and begin? He shut his eyes and listened again thinking that maybe the song would give him an answer.

// Help me, I'm searching though I don't succeed

To satisfy this growing need

If there's no way

No Chance for a beginning

All that's left is an unhappy ending //

Ray's eyes flew open and he mumbled. "No chance for a beginning and all that's left is an unhappy ending? No, that can't be because I've already had one of those!?"

// I walk in the shadows searching for light

Cold and lone, with no comfort in sight

Hoping and prayin' for someone to care

always movin' and goin' nowhere //

Ray reached over and clicked the stereo off. "No! . . .that's not true 'cause I am going somewhere!"

Stella looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about? What's the matter with you?"

// Fraser! // Thought Ray. // Fraser's the matter because he's the one that cares for me! // Ray knew what he was feeling for Fraser and it was pointless about what anyone said about the marriage not being legal because his heart told him otherwise. When Stella had shown up this morning, he hadn't even given the Mountie a second thought because he was in denial about his feelings for the Mountie. He knew that his friend was mourning two losses and he had just let him walk away. He didn't even try to stop him and why didn't he try? Because he was scared, that's why. Because he was scared of being in love with a man and being out of love with Stella. So what was he doing instead? He was sitting here drinking coffee with his exwife and listening to CD's while Fraser was doing heaven knows what he was doing all by himself.

"Jesus! . .What have I done?! . . .Excuse me a minute, Stell." Ray searched his pockets for the cell phone then dialed the Consulate.

"Hello, this is Constable . . . "

"Is Fraser in?"

"Pardon me?"

"Fraser! Is he in by any chance?" asked Ray impatiently.

Stella only watched him.

"No Sir. This is his day off and he and Constable Turnbull stepped out and will not be returning until sometime later today. Can I? . . ."

"Do you know where they went?" asked Ray sitting up.

"No Sir. They left in Constable Turnbull's car. Should I get? . . ."

"Do you know how long ago Fraser and Turnbull left?"

"That would put it around fifteen minutes ago. Would you? . . ."

"Was he in his Serge?"

"No Sir, but Constable Turnbull . . . "

"Thanks." Ray hung up and glanced over at Stella who was watching him. He got up off the floor quickly. "Stell . . . I gotta go. Something important has come up and I have to find Fraser."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Now why doesn't that surprise me. What did the Mountie do now, Ray? Oh . . . Oh my goodness! When you were asking me about this gay couple, you were talking about . . . about Fraser and Turnbull!"

Ray shot her a dirty look and shook his head. "No Stella, now why would you even think that!" he added collecting some of the CD's.

"Oh come on Ray, it doesn't take a scientist to see past those two. Turnbull practically screams homosexuality and Fraser . . . well, he hides it well is all that I can say."

Ray watched her then shook his head. "Well, sorry to disappoint your summations but you got Fraser pegged all wrong. The Mountie isn't gay. I should know 'cause I'm his partner. You should leave the detective work to me, Stell." Ray reached for the stereo searching for the cd.

"Well, just because the Mountie is, your partner doesn't say much, Ray. Hey! That's my CD!"

Stella reached for it.

Ray pulled it away. "I'm gonna borrow it for a while cause I wanna know how this song ends. I'll get it back to ya as soon as I'm through with it. I have to go now, Stell. We'll get together later."

"Ray? . . .What's going on? You seem rather distracted. Did something happen while you were in Canada? Whose funeral were you attending anyway?"

Ray placed the CD into his case then looked over at his exwife. "The funeral was for a young woman by the name of Kusumita and she was one of Fraser's friends. Look. I really have ta go find Fraser. This was a terrible loss for him and he really needs me right now. I'll talk to you later, Stell."

"I'll call you later Ray." But Ray was already hurrying down the hallway.

************************************************

Constable Turnbull grinned when he saw the smile on Fraser's face.

"I told you that you would love the cabin, Sir! Isn't it everything that you could possibly ask for? It's secluded, with not a soul around, it's spacious enough for a couple and their children, and not only that, it's affordable!" beamed the proud Constable.

Fraser stood in place and admired the beautiful cabin. He had to admit that it was a truly magnificent sight.

Turnbull grabbed his arm. "Come inside and let me show you the rest!"

Fraser conceded only because he was being dragged.

Turnbull pulled him into the living room, then the dining room and finally upstairs to the bedrooms all the while explaining how they should invest on some curtains, carpet, a bed and so forth. Fraser listened to his associate go on and on about remodeling and interior decorating but his mind was on the kiss or should he say, kisses that Ray was delivering this morning. He didn't know what to make of those kisses because at first Ray was behaving like he wanted nothing to do with him romantically but yet he kept touching him, lying next to him and kissing him. He also remembered how his partner had forgotten all about him so quickly when his exwife showed up at the apartment. So now he was here alone and in pain suffering the terrible losses of a friend and her child while his partner shrugged it all off and scurried away to his exwife.

Turnbull noticed Fraser's sadness and stopped talking about the cabin "Sir? Are you all right?"

Fraser shook his head sadly. "No, no I am not all right, Turnbull. Kiran will not be joining us and the marriage between Ray and I have been dissolved. It was a business arrangement and now the contract is void."

Turnbull persisted. "But it doesn't have to be over, Sir! . . .Couldn't you persuade?. . ."

"No. . . . he has his life to live, and he has his career and his exwife."

Turnbull was disappointed. "Sir . . . would it help if you and I were to return to Canada and try to persuade the Chief to let us bring . . . "

"No Turnbull. Ray and I have tried already."

"Well, would it make you feel better if you and I go and spend some time with Kiran?"

Fraser turned to look at his partner because he hadn't considered doing something like that.

************************************

The Constable spotted the detective coming up the stairs and he stepped aside quickly just in case Ray was going to bully himself in.

Ray stopped on the top step. "Hello, Bernard. I know Fraser isn't here but has he called?"

"No Sir. He and Constable Turnbull have not called or returned and we have no. . . . "

The Inspector came up behind Bernard and added. "I'll take over now, Constable Bernard. Detective Vecchio, Constable Fraser has called and informed me that he and Turnbull are considering returning to Canada for some unfinished business. Maybe you should . . . "

"What did you say?!" asked Ray unsure that he heard correctly.

"I said that Constable Fraser has asked permission to return to Canada for . . . "

"Dammit! Do you know where I can find him?" asked Ray suddenly upset with what the Inspector was saying.

"Well, yes. Turnbull and Fraser are looking at a cabin up at . . . "

"Do you have an address?! How do I get there!?"

Bernard stepped up and handed Ray a business card of the realtor who was selling the cabin.

Ray grabbed it, thanked them and hurried out.

*******************************

Fraser and Turnbull were sitting by the small creek behind the house. Fraser was staring at the trickling water and Turnbull was sitting beside him quietly.

Turnbull turned to his colleague and asked. "Sir? Do you regret marrying the detective?"

Fraser looked at the man then turned away. "There is nothing to regret. He helped me out of the kindness of his heart and I appreciate what he did for me. There isn't any more to that Turnbull."

But Turnbull knew differently. He could see much more in his partner's eyes.

*********************************************

Ray spotted Turnbull's car and parked up beside it. He jumped out of his car and hurried into the empty cabin. 'Fraser?! . . .Fraser!"

There was no reply.

He ran to the back and looked around till he spotted the serge a few yards away. The detective hurried over when he saw Turnbull and Fraser sitting side by side.

"Benton?"

Both men looked up surprised to see Ray. "Ray? What are you doing here?" asked Fraser.

Ray squatted by the pair and stared at his partner. "I might ask you the same question."

Turnbull cut in. "I ask Constable Fraser to come see this magnificent cabin that I thought . . . "

"Turnbull." Added Fraser not allowing his associate to continue.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. Maybe I should be going now, Constable Fraser. We can talk later in the evening if you decide to . . . I'll be at the Consulate. Will you excuse me Detective Vecchio and do have a nice day?" he smiled and left.

Ray watched Turnbull go then sat on the ground next to his partner. "Benton, I just heard that you might be returning to Canada and I wanna know why?"

Fraser gazed into those blues that were staring at him then turned away. "I have business that needs to . . . "

"No, you don't! We took care of our business already! Benton, weren't you going to tell me about this? Were you just going to take off like you did before!"

Fraser looked at his partner who seemed somewhat upset. "There was no need to get you further involved in. . . . "

"Hold on. I thought we were best friends?"

"We are, Ray but . . . "

"But? I didn't know there was a but involved here? . . .But, since I ran off with my exwife earlier then you can't talk ta me?" Ray glared into those gray's . Then he shook his head. "Can't you get it into yer head that I care about what happens ta ya, Fraser!?"

Fraser turned away. "Yes, I do know that you care but . . . I don't want to intrude on you and your personal life any longer, Ray. I know how you feel about your exwife and. . . ."

"Ah! . . .Now I know what the problem is here! Fraser . . . you've got to realize that . . . "

"No, you don't have to explain anything to me, Ray. You and I both knew that this was strictly a business arrangement and now that it is over you can go back to your life and leave me to mine."

Ray shook his head. "Uh, uh, none of this is that simple, Ben and you know it! There's a lot that needs ta be discussed so come on and let's get started on this."

Fraser looked at him.

"By the way, Benton . . . what in the world are you doing here at this cabin in the first place?"

"Turnbull asked if I would come to see it. Would you care to see it, Ray?"

"Yeh . . . sure, I would like to see the cabin."

Fraser nodded then stood up. They walked side by side and Fraser opened the cabin door for his partner.

"Wow! This is really nice! It's so huge! . . Is Turnbull buying the place?" Ray stepped into the living room and looked around.

"No, he is not going to purchase this cabin. He thought that maybe I would want to buy the cabin."

Ray whirled around to look at his partner. Things clicked really fast in his mind and he knew why Turnbull had brought Fraser here. "Fraser? . . .Was this cabin supposed to be for us, for the three of us?"

Fraser gazed into those blues then nodded. "Yes. He thought that we should raise Kiran here."

Ray breathed in deeply then turned away. For some reason those words and Fraser's tone of voice pierced him all the way to his heart. Maybe the Mountie was mourning more then just the loss of Kusumita and Kiran. Maybe that sadness had something to do with him.

Fraser turned to leave. "Ray, let's get out of here."

Ray reached over and stopped him. "No. . . . I wanna tell you something that happened earlier when I was at Stell's . . . "

"Ray, I don't care to know what . . . "

"Wait! . . .As I was saying, earlier when I was at Stell's collecting my CD's I was listening to this song and it was asking about what becomes of the brokenhearted. It talked about the land of broken dreams and said that love and happiness were just an illusion. And you wanna know something? . . .It hurt ta think that love and dreams are just illusions, Frase. Is that what is happening to us that we're gonna be the next brokenhearted?"

Fraser turned away feeling a new pain surge through him. He couldn't bare to think about losing Ray on top of his other defeats. The pain would run too deep if he lost Ray."Please Ray, we should leave."

Ray grabbed him by the wrist and held him in place. "We're not leaving until you answer my questions. Why were you not going to tell me that you wanted ta return to Canada and I want the truth, Fraser?"

Fraser stared into those light-colored blues. He was tired and his heart ached more then anything because he was in love with his partner. He knew how he felt about Ray, because he had been feeling this way for quite a while but he refused to acknowledge it. He was trying to understand how he could love someone who was in love with someone else. Then he murmured. "I wasn't going to tell you about my return to Canada because you have a life and you have an exwife and I have things that need to be tended to. There was no need to drag you any further into the mess that I have created."

Ray stared at him feeling hurt and upset. "But yer not dragging me inta anything that I'm not willing ta go, Ben. I'm the one whose choosing to help ya out. So, when are we going to Canada?"

"Ray . . . you are not going to Canada with me and this time I insist that you not go."

This angered the detective. "And, why the hell am I not going to Canada? You do know that Kiran isn't only yer child, Fraser! Look at this ring on my finger. I married ya and that little boy became ours, didn't he!?"

Fraser stared at him until it hurt to be reminded that they were actually married. And the worst part of the marriage was that Ray did it out of duty. Ray married him because it was the right thing to do for a friend who was in need and because they both loved the same little boy. He couldn't take any more pain so he turned away.

It angered Ray that Fraser chose to ignore him. "Fraser! . . .Don't you dare turn yer back on me?!"

The Mountie could not face his partner any more because the damage was too extensive so he just stood there trying to decide on his next move.

Ray couldn't understand why his partner chose to be so stubborn so he snapped at him. "You walk away from me now and yer gonna regret it, Ben."

Fraser glanced at him then murmured. "Why are you doing this to me? I'm only trying to protect you, Ray. We both knew that this marriage was a business arrangement and nothing else so please let me finish what I started. I have things to take care of in Canada and you have things to take care of in Chicago." He turned away and started out again.

Ray was furious and snapped at him. "I swear Fraser, if you walk out on me then don't come looking for me when you get back from Canada! Do you hear me?!"

Fraser flinched at the remark but continued onward.

************************************************

// I walk in shadows searching for light

Cold and lone, no comfort in sight

Hoping and prayin' for someone to care

always movin' and goin' nowhere

"That's right, cause when it comes ta love then yer the loser, Ray. Love seems ta run and hide from ya every chance it gets." Ray whispered to himself in the darkness.

Now what's become of the brokenhearted

who's had love that's now departed

I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind. . . .

Ray threw the pillow at the stereo then stormed over and shut it off. He had been sitting in the dark for three hours now listening to the same song over and over again intent on torturing himself. He was incensed with the Mountie and hadn't even bothered calling the Consulate to find out if the Canadian had boarded that plane to Canada after all. He was furious that Fraser did not consider him a part of his life like he considered the Mountie to be a big part of his. He had married the guy after all and that should say something about how he felt for the Mountie. Okay, it was true that he had Stella but it took him a while to realize that he only had memories of Stella and not the woman herself. The only real problem was that he needed Fraser but Fraser didn't need him. If the Mountie really needed him then they would be together now and headed for Canada. Ray jumped when he heard the knocking at the door. As angry as he was he still hoped that the Mountie had come to his senses and had returned to apologize. He swung the door open only to find his exwife standing there with a big smile on her face. He frowned then forced a smile. "Hello, Stell. What brings you here?"

"May I come in?" she stepped into the dark apartment. "My goodness. Didn't you pay your electric bill?"

Ray hurried over and switched on the light. "It's dark in here cause I was taking a nap. Come on in and have a seat." She sat on the couch and he joined her. "What brings you here, Stell?"

"You bring me here. I came to deliver the rest of your CD's and I wanted to find out if I had said something wrong because you left so abruptly? I wasn't trying to offend your gay friends, Ray. It's just that you caught me off guard with all of those questions."

Ray took the CD's from her and settled back into the couch. "It wasn't you that . . . " the cell phone rang and Stella noticed that her exhusband jumped and hurried to answer the phone practically tripping over the coffee table. "Hello?! . . oh. . . .Yeah, I know Dewey and I told you that I have those files! I'll take them by tomorrow. Yes! . . yes, bye!" he hung up. "Sorry . . . I was expecting someone else. So what were you saying?"

"Ray? You seem so edgy and distracted. What is . . . "

Ray jumped again and hurried to the front door when he heard the knocking. He opened it quickly and noticed the red serge before he saw Turnbull's face.

"Fra . . . "

"Hello, Detective Vecchio and how are you doing this evening? I'm sorry to bother you but I was sent to deliver this letter to you. I tried phoning you earlier but you weren't home. Constable Fraser said that the letter was urgent so I thought that I should hurry it to you."

Ray grabbed the letter, tore it open and read the contents quickly.

// Dear Ray,

I have decided against going to Canada. I am at the Consulate but will not be coming over to see you as you requested. My deepest apologies for all the confusion and misunderstandings.

Sincerely

Benton Fraser.//

Ray looked up when Turnbull said something. "What?"

"I asked if there would be a response to the letter, Detective Vecchio?"

"Uh . . . no. No, there won't be, thank you, Turnbull."

"As you wish, Detective Vecchio so I'll bid you, goodnight."

"Yeh. Thanks a lot and I'll catch ya later Turnbull." And the Mountie left.

Ray headed back to his exwife.

"What was that all about, Ray?"

"Um, it was nothing, really . . . Stell? Can I ask ya something?"

"Does it have to do with your gay friends?" she raised an eyebrow while looking at him.

"Uh . . . yeah . . . it kinda does have to do with my gay friends. Let's say that you liked this person very, very much. You liked them so much that this person made ya feel like if they weren't around you then yer whole world would come crashing down on you. But the problem is that this person doesn't really know how you feel about them cause yer scared ta tell 'em. And you kinda have an idea that this person feels the same way about you too but this person doesn't wanna tell you because he's too shy. What would you do?"

"Are we talking about Fraser and Turnbull?"

"NO! . . .now why does it hafta be Fraser and Turnbull, Stell! I'm not talking about them, so what would you do?"

"Okay, you don't have to get so testy! . . .Well, if I were the person who thought that my whole world would come crashing in because of this other person, I would tell them how I felt."

"What about if it turns out that this other person doesn't feel the same way that you do?"

"I would still tell this person how I felt then tend to my broken-heart and move on." She nodded.

Ray frowned. He didn't like the answer because he didn't need another broken heart. The first one had been caused by hers truly and the second one because of Fraser and Kiran. He didn't want to hurt the way he was hurting now. But if he didn't tell Fraser how he felt he was still going to be hurting anyway.

"Ray?"

"Huh?"

"Are you all right? You seem so distant and so far away again. If this really disturbs you so much then why not go and tell this person how your friend is feeling about him? Maybe you can play the cupid in this love scene."

Ray looked at her then shook his head sadly. "Nah., Stell . . . I can't do that. I'm just gonna hafta let nature take its course."

She studied him wondering where all of this was leading too.

******************************

"Sir? May I come in?"

"Yes, Constable Turnbull what can I do for you? Did you deliver my letter?"

"Yes, Constable Fraser, I handed the letter to Detective Vecchio personally. He read it then said that there was no reply. I just wanted you to know that it was delivered. Oh . . . and he was with his exwife."

"Pardon me?"

"His exwife was visiting him."

"Oh? . . She was at his apartment?" Fraser asked trying to appear unconcerned.

"Yes Sir. Will you be needing me for anything else?"

"No. . Thank you kindly, Constable Turnbull." Fraser waited for Turnbull to leave then he dropped back into his chair.

*************************************

Ray glanced up at the clock and noticed that it was almost quitting time. He decided it would be best if he returned to work just to keep himself busy. He counted the minutes again then murmured. "Okay, it's been thirty hours, fifty-two minutes and twenty seconds without Fraser. A few more hours and it'll be two whole days without him."

Frannie stopped by Ray's desk and stared at him. She pushed her hair behind her ear and crossed her arms. "Okay, what did you do to, Fraser and why isn't he here? It's been a whole day and he hasn't shown up once, Ray, so what is going on?"

Ray shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Well, why ask me? . . . he probably had ta work at the Consulate."

"Yeah, right, Ray and that's why he hasn't shown up here today. You did something to him, so what did you do?" she demanded to know.

Ray looked up at her and shook his head. "I didn't do anything to him, so leave me alone."

She glared at him then turned when she heard the lieutenant calling her. "Listen, Ray . . . he better show up soon or I'll know that you did something!" she walked away but not before she shot Ray a dirty look.

Ray settled back into his seat and stared at the clock. He then murmured. "I need Fraser . . . I need Fraser . . . the man is driving me crazy, the man is driving me insane! What should I do? Should I go and apologize? . . I should go and apologize because I'm the one who told him to stay away from me . . . But I didn't mean it . . . God damn that fucking, handsome Mountie is driving me crazy!" Ray jumped up and off his seat, grabbed his jacket and his files then left the precinct.

**************************************

Fraser sat in his office staring at the clock. He had counted thirty-two hours, fifty-three minutes and twenty-nine seconds since the last time he spoke to Ray. It seemed more like eternity but the detective had told him not to come looking for him. He had left Ray standing at the cabin and the detective had specifically warned him that if he walked away then he was not to return. He couldn't do what Ray told him to do though because it just wasn't right. He couldn't stay away from Ray and he felt that he didn't have to since they were married now. He had just as much right to go back and be with the blond-haired detective whether the man cared to be with him or not. But part of him knew that he had to stay away because his partner told him to. Fraser glanced at his watch then counted the hours, minutes and seconds again.

************************************

// I'll be looking everyday

I know I'm gonna find a way

Nothing's gonna stop me now

I'll find a way somehow

I'll be searching everywhere

lookin' for someone to share. By Jimmy Ruffin //

The song played on and on as Ray slouched on the couch repeating the words which he knew, by heart, now after listening to the damn song play over and over again. Now he knew the ending to the song and he just didn't like it. The person in the song was still brokenhearted and he was still trying to find someone to care for him. The song didn't end like it should with this person living happily ever after just like in all those story books that Frannie always talked about. Why in the world did the brokenhearted go searching for love again when he knew that in the end he was going to end up with another broken-heart? This just wasn't fair. In spite of his anger, worries and loneliness he was listening to the lyrics in the dark apartment and now he was mumbling to himself. "Well, I'm not gonna end up with another broken heart and that's for sure! If Fraser doesn't wanna play then I won't even bother with him! If he wants ta run off ta Canada with Turnbull then go for it cause I'm not gonna stop him from doing anything anymore! . . .Damn you, Fraser! Why don't you know how I feel about you? I kissed ya and kissed ya and that should tell you something, you idiot! . . ..Why did you even listen ta me when I told ya to stay away in the first place?! Do you think I like being alone? NO! . . . .I need ya, Fraser . . . I want ya, Fraser . . . I want ya . . . I want ya . . . I want ya . . . I don't hafta search cause I already found ya, you idiot!"

Ray heard the familiar knocking and ran to the front door. He swung it open and grumbled. "Fraser!"

Fraser stood straight with both hands clasp behind his back. He was in his usual Stetson, serge and that heavy blue pea coat appearing as nervous as a man about to be audited. "Ray . . . Ray, I know that you told me to stay away but . . . but . . . "

Ray's heart was pounding a mile a minute but he was still upset with the Mountie for not confiding in him. He was also angry that Fraser was clueless about his feelings for him. "What are you doing here? Did I tell ya not ta come back?"

Fraser stuttered. "I-I know . . . I know that you told me not to return but I had to because . . . because . . . " Fraser licked at his lips nervously.

Ray growled. "You came back because of what, Fraser? Look. I don't have all day ta stand here and listen ta yer . . . "

"Ray" Fraser ran a gloved knuckle across his brow and licked his lips again trying to steady his shaking hand. "Ray, please don't tell me to leave. I'm sorry that I have upset you by not disclosing my plans but from now on I will tell you anything that you wish to know and I will not hide anything from you . . . Please don't tell me to leave because I can't be without . . . I need . . . I'm sorry, Ray . . . you are my best friend and I can't be without . . . " Fraser looked away because it pained him to gaze into those light blues that were staring at him in anger. " Ray? You are my best friend and . . . please don't make me leave."

Ray thought that he would throw himself on the Mountie at any minute after hearing how distraught the man sounded but he fought the urge. He was trying to steady his breathing then nodded. "Okay . . . come on in and we'll talk about this. But if you threatened ta take off ta Canada again . . . "

"I won't . . . I promise that I won't. Thank you kindly, Ray." Fraser hurried in walking past his partner.

Ray sat on the couch and watched as the Mountie removed his gloves, hat and coat placing them on the stool. He then pressed down his Serge with both hands and sat by his partner.

"What is it that you came for, Frase?" asked Ray trying to sound composed and angry.

I needed to see you."

"You needed ta see me about what?" asked Ray.

"No, Ray . . . I mean, that I really needed to see you again. I needed to be near you."

"What? . . .What do you mean?" asked Ray startled as his heart started speeding up again.

"Oh Ray . . . how can I put this? I don't want to upset you any further and I'm afraid that I might upset you. . . ."

"And why would you upset me?" asked the nervous detective.

Fraser stared into those blues then added. "Because you might accuse me of . . . of . . . trying to use my . . . my . . . "

"Fraser would you try to make some sense!" Ray snapped at him out of desperation. He was a nervous wreck already because he hadn't seen the Mountie for nearly two whole days now and the closeness was killing him.

Fraser's eyebrows shot upward at the urgency in his partner's voice and then he countered. "Fine! Maybe I should show you what I mean." he reached forward, grabbed Ray's collar with both hands and pulled the detective to his face. The Mountie plastered his lips onto his partner's and sucked in the detective's lips wanting to taste the man. He licked and nipped, ravishing those soft lips like there was no tomorrow.

Ray was stunned. He hadn't expected this and especially not from Fraser. He was being pushed backward into the couch and the Mountie was climbing on top of him, still devouring his lips and the sensations were mind-boggling. Ray placed both hands on Fraser's chest and pushed back gently trying to catch his breath.

Fraser continued sucking, nipping and, kissing him greedily.

Ray moaned and pushed him back again but the Mountie was all over him. Ray was starting to panic because no one had ever held him down and try to kiss the daylights out of him before like Fraser was doing right now. In fact, jobs that required him plastering his mouth to another man's mouth were something that he would automatically nix. And, what was even more frightening was that his cock was throbbing something awful as the Mountie pushed down on him.

Ray murmured. "Fraser."

The Mountie was lost in the desire and lust that he didn't hear his partner the first time. He had already been through so much pain and at this point it didn't matter that he was overstepping the boundaries of friendship as he ravished his partner. He could hear Ray pleading and protesting now but he just couldn't stop tasting this sensuous mouth that was soft, warm, and wet.

Then the idea that Fraser was trying to seduce him to gain favor hit him like a slap in the face and he yelled. "Fraser!"

Fraser recoiled and was immediately stunned by his own behavior. "OH RAY!"

Ray sat there gasping and staring at him. "Fraser, so help me if yer trying ta get me ta forgive ya by sleeping with me then I'm gonna knock ya out!"

Fraser winched and he was stunned by the statement. "What?! . . .Y-You actually believe that I would sleep with you to . . . to . . . How could you even think that I would . . . how could . . . Oh, Ray!" The Mountie jumped off the couch then hurried for his coat, gloves and Stetson. He bounded to the front door trying to escape the embarrassment.

Ray bolted after him and grabbed the Mountie by the arm as he stepped out of the door. "WAIT FRASER!"

Fraser looked over his shoulder at his partner then turned away. "I'm sorry for what I did Ray and I really should leave."

Ray wrapped and arm around the Mountie's waist and held him in place. "No, don't go." He stepped in closer and dug his chin into the Mountie's shoulder and repeated what he said. "No, don't go . . . Please don't go!"

Fraser stopped struggling when he felt his partner's body up close. He didn't move because he was afraid that Ray would hold him closer.

Ray pressed his mouth into Fraser's shoulder and whispered. "Fraser, we need ta talk and clarify some things between us. First you were gonna marry Frannie then you were gonna marry Turnbull and now . . . now you wanna sleep with me and I don't even know why? I'm thinking that maybe yer just confused and still mourning the loss of Kusumita and Kiran. I already told ya that if we were gonna have sex its gotta be because . . . because . . . Only if it really means something to you!" finished Ray.

Fraser turned around so he could look at his partner. He stared into those blues trying to absorb what was being said. "Ray? . . .I am sorry that I even thought about asking Francesca to marry me. I am also sorry that I even considered Constable Turnbull as an alternative to you. I only wished that you had said yes the first time that I asked you to marry me then I wouldn't have required back up plans. I wanted you to be my partner . . . my spouse . . . my . . . but you said no. You turned me down Ray and I had no choice but to . . . I had no other choice . . . But, I wouldn't use you in the manner that you are implying! I wasn't going to have sex with you because I was feeling lonely or mournful or to use you to fill a void. How could you even think that of me, Ray?"

Ray stared into those grey-blues and knew that he was wrong in accusing his friend of wanting to use him. It was a fact that Fraser had asked him first but the thought of the Mountie considering Frannie or Turnbull as alternatives infuriated him. He wanted to be the only one in Fraser's heart. Ray wanted to be the first, second and third one in his partner's heart. "Fraser . . . Fraser, come back into the apartment because . . . because I need ya . . . I've . . . I've . . . Fraser, I've fallen in love with ya."

Fraser was stunned. "What?! . . .You've fallen in love with me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes . . . I realized it after I followed ya ta Canada but I just couldn't accept something like this! I'm in love you."

Fraser stared at him and couldn't believe what Ray had just said. Then he confessed. "I have loved you for the longest time, Ray."

Ray was the one stunned now. "You have loved me for. . .and . . .and why didn't you tell me this before?"

Fraser gazed into those light blues and murmured. "Because I don't think, you would've accepted what I felt. You were still trying to deal with . . . with your feelings concerning your exwife and I would only complicate your life if I had told you. But, I've already complicated your life anyway by dragging you into my predicament."

Ray couldn't believe that Fraser loved him all this time. He was still in shock as he shook his head. "You didn't drag me anywhere I didn't wanna go, Frase. I wanted ta be wherever you went."

Fraser smiled. He finally smiled as he gazed into those beautiful shiny blues and then he whispered. "Thank you kindly for saying that, Ray. I needed to know that you didn't feel pressured by me." He reached forward to kiss Ray then remembered that they were standing in the hallway.

Ray smiled, then grabbed his hand and pulled him into the apartment shutting the door behind them. He then reached in wrapping his arms around Fraser's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

Pressing his lips hard into the Mountie, and he set on devouring the Canadian's soft lips.

Fraser wrapped his arms around the blond haired detective and sealed his mouth to his partner's, reveling in the seduction. The Serge's tight collar was cutting off his air supply but he didn't want the kiss to stop.

Ray realized that he was cutting off his partner's air by the sound of the Mounties ragged breathing so he reached up and pulled the velcro open.

Fraser moaned and whispered. "Thank you." Then he went back to the kiss. He could feel Ray's fingers unbuttoning the Serge then the fingers were unbuckling the Sam Browne. Pulling his lips off the detectives momentarily he whispered. "Ray? . . .are you sure you want to do this?"

Ray whispered between kisses and nips. "You love me . . . I love you . . . I want you, you want me . . . yes, I'm sure."

"But, Ray . . . I don't know how to . . ."

"I don't either and you don't have to if . . . "

"But I want to, only if . . . "

"I want to do it too, Ben. We'll just . . . "

"Yes, we'll just . . . " they murmured between breaths as they devoured each others mouth.

Then Ray snaked a hand down and caressed Fraser's erection through the pants and felt the hardness underneath.

Fraser moaned when he felt his partner's hand on him, caressing and fondling him and he didn't care what he knew or didn't know about sex with a man because all he wanted was for Ray to keep on touching him and doing what he was doing.

Ray gasped when he felt Fraser fingers grab hold of his throbbing penis. The Mountie was kissing and touching him and it felt so good, so right and so incredible. Ray broke away from the kiss, grabbed Fraser's hand and dragged him into the bedroom.

Fraser watched as Ray shucked off his shirt, shoes then pushed him on the bed and pounced on him. Fraser gazed up into those eyes that resembled a ravenous tiger waiting to devour its captured prey. Then he gasped when his partner snaked a hand into his pants and grasped hold of his hard erection. "Oh!"

Ray kissed him and smiled. "Oh? Oh, won't do Ben because I want much more then a *oh!"* and he buried his face into Fraser's neck, gently sinking his teeth into that delicate skin wishing to mark the Mountie. He sucked that delicate Canadian skin intending to brand his partner as his own and to show the world that this man had someone that loved him.

Fraser gasped when he felt his partners lips tugging at the skin on his neck and clenched Ray's arms holding on to him. He was moaning softly and writhing under the detective wanting to pull Ray even closer.

Ray pulled away from his hold then crawled down Fraser's body with the speed of a snake, to unzip the pants further down in the search of his partners cock. He found what he was looking for and took the hot, swollen cock, dripping with pre cum straight into his mouth without hesitation.

Now the Canadian bucked up and moaned loudly. "OH-H-H-H GOD!"

Ray grinned then growled through a mouthful of cock. "Oh, I love how you sound, Ben!" and he kept right on sucking his partner's sensitive tip making the Mountie squirm and moan even louder.

The Mountie felt the reverberating sensation on the tip of his cock when Ray talked and now he was lost in oblivion with the excitement. He was unable to think enough to utter a coherent sentence. "Oh god, Ray . . . OH! . . Oh!"

Hearing the Mountie moan was driving him crazy so he quit sucking and started undoing his own pants. Ray pulled out his swollen cock then lay on top of the Mountie plastering his cock on top of Fraser's swollen one and they both moaned in ecstasy.

Fraser bit down on his bottom lip as he stared into those blues that were right above him. He was trying to stifle a moan that threatened to undo him. Never in his life had he experienced something as incredibly as what his partner was doing to him and it took every ounce of control to hold back. The detective was pressing, pumping and grinding his penis into him hard and the sensation was unbelievable. He had no idea that sex with Ray could be so overwhelming and now he was going to explode. Fraser knew that he was going to explode at any second but he wasn't sure that this is what his partner wanted so he asked. "Ray? . . .Ray, are we . . . Oh-h-h! . . . Ray? . .are we going to . . . to have intercourse?" he grunted out at last.

Ray stopped pumping and looked at his partner. He saw the sweat beading up on Fraser's upper lip as the Mountie breathed through his mouth. Reaching down he ran his tongue across those swollen lips wiping the salty-tasting sweat off him.

Fraser moaned with the wonderful sensation Ray's tongue produced. The detective's tongue was pure sexual torture.

The detective responded. "If that's what you want, Ben. . . .Then yes, we can do that if you want."

Fraser swallowed and it took him only a second to decide before he answered. "Yes."

Ray whispered. "Okay, . . . I got the lube and stuff in my drawer . . . I bought some last night."

The Mountie was stunned but then he had to ask because it crossed his mind. "Did you buy it to use on . . . her?"

Ray's eyes went wide then he shook his head. "No, Ben . . . I had you in mind when I bought the stuff."

Fraser blushed then smiled. "Well, then we should use it."

Ray grinned then kissed the tip of his partner's nose. "Okay, take yer boots and pants off and lemme get the stuff." He kissed the Mountie one more time then climbed off him.

Fraser was nervous as he started undressing and removing his boots. Having sex with a man was something new to him but then again, this was not just any man. This was the man he had relinquished his heart to.

He removed his pants and looked up when Ray pounced on the bed waiting for him. The detective noticed that his partner was blushing so he reached over and clicked off the lights.

Fraser mumbled under his breath. "Thank goodness."

"What?"

"Nothing." Fraser sat on the bed.

Ray reached over and pulled him down climbing on top of him quickly. "Hey . . . there's nothing ta be shy about Frase. I want ya and you want me so let's get to it. I'll let ya decide what you wanna do and we'll take it a yer pace."

Fraser wanted Ray badly but he was too shy to really do anything.

The detective realized that his partner wasn't going to just jump in, so to speak, so he added. "Fraser, could you just pretend that we're really married and that yer my husband."

"But . . . But, we are married and I am your husband, Ray."

"Oh yeah . . . well, then okay start doing some husbandly duties. I thought you wanted this?" whispered Ray kissing the Mountie gently.

Fraser nodded. "But, I do want you . . . more then I can tell you."

"Don't tell me . . . just show me. I'm offering myself ta ya so take it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Very well." Fraser pushed his boxers down then kicked them off.

Ray smiled.

The Mountie then climbed on top of his partner, straddling him and pinning Ray's hard erection between their bodies.

Ray gasped and writhed pushing his body up wanting to feel more of that soft skin.

Fraser pushed him back down to the bed as he gazed into that half-obscured face that was moaning softly.

The detective reached down and grabbed Fraser by the hips and tried to push up into him.

The Mountie sat on Ray pinning him down firmly then started grinding his balls on Ray's cock rocking backward and forward on him.

Ray moaned and bit his lips when he felt his partners balls caressing his cock. The sensation was something incredible and he thought he would scream in ecstasy but all that came out was a strangled, "Oh God, Fraser."

The Mountie reached down for his partners cock and wrapped his fingers around it tightly. He started pumping Ray's hot swollen cock gently up and down in a slow-paced rhythm.

Ray watched the Mountie's hand that was wrapped around his cock and drew in a deep breath. He felt that his body was going to explode if his mind didn't do it first. "Oh-h-h-h!"

Fraser didn't say a word as he watched his partner totally captivated by the man's expressions and moaning.

Ray bit down on his lip, dug his fingers into the Mountie's soft butt flesh and practically growled every time that the Canadian slid his hand up and down his slippery shaft. He then clamped a hand on Fraser's wrist and stopped him . . . "Don't! . . .I'm gonna . . . I'm gonna . . . if you keep doing that I'm gonna shoot all the way ta . . . ta . . . "

Fraser pulled his hand away and Ray exhaled deeply. "Oh!"

Ray watched as Fraser sunk his teeth into the corner of a condom package and ripped it open. He removed the condom and slipped it on Ray's penis. Then he took the tube of lubrication and squeezed it out on the condom-ed penis.

Ray watched in fascination at what his partner was doing. This was so unreal to him that he could hardly believe this was happening. He wasn't sure of what he was supposed to do now. "Frase? Do you want me ta . . . do you want me . . . " but he couldn't say what he wanted to say?

"I don't want you to do anything but lay there." Fraser whispered then pushed himself forward so Ray's lube-covered cock could slide between his butt cheeks lubricating them both. He was going by lust and by what he had seen once or twice in a pornographic magazine quite by accident after investigating a crime scene. It's not like he hadn't seen male to male sex magazines before but he never allowed his mind to dwell on it for too long.

"Fraser . . . its gonna hurt ya if you do it that way." Whispered Ray after realizing what his partner's intentions were.

"I know that, Ray but I want to feel you inside of me." His voice was thick like molasses which made Ray catch his breath after hearing that sultry voice.

Ray glanced down when he felt Fraser lift himself off his body then felt the Mounties hand grasping his hard cock and placing it directly underneath him. He just couldn't believe that Fraser was going to go down on him in this manner. The Mountie was preparing to be penetrated by him.

Fraser glanced up at Ray and the detective held that stare. He then took in a deep breath when he felt Fraser pushing himself down on him. There was immediate resistance but the Mountie kept pushing and pushing slowly.

Ray felt the defiance of the Mountie's body refusing to be penetrated. As much as he wanted this, he was suddenly afraid that the Mountie would hurt himself. "Fraser, don't . . . " but then something gave way and Fraser threw his head back and groaned digging his fingers into Ray's flesh. "Uh-h-h!"

Ray felt the immediate enveloping of his cock as it sank into sudden softness and warmness. He felt himself up into Fraser and moaned because of the sudden ecstasy. "OHGOD, OH!"

And the Mountie was panting through parted lips and with his chin up in the air, not moving his body but only breathing hard.

Ray was still moaning and grasping Fraser's hips roughly, feeling the Mounties tensed muscles underneath the pads of his fingers. Then when he thought, it couldn't possibly get any better Fraser started pumping himself on him. The Mountie was lifting himself off his cock and would stop before Ray could slip out of him then he would push down again nice and slow.

Ray was panting because this was just too much for him. He felt his cock slipping out of Fraser and then it was burying itself deep within him again and again and it was too much pleasure for his mind to accept. His knees came up and his body pushed upward against his will and that's when his seed shot out of him in one huge explosion hurling his mind into the world of ecstasy. "OH-h-h-h-h!" he moaned loudly not caring if he had been heard around the world as his juices shot out of him in heart-stopping spasms. His cock pulsated and throbbed as each spurt left his body and it left him breathless.

Fraser had stopped pumping because he wanted to feel Ray's orgasm inside of him. He could feel the pounding of Ray's cock deep inside and around his sensitive entrance. The pulsating cock buried deep within him made him want to push down even more and lose himself in this staggering sensation.

The detective then dropped back down on the bed still writhing and moaning and gasping for air.

Fraser pumped himself again while Ray was still hard and then he felt Ray's cock rub against his prostate and that's when he lost his seed. He moaned then threw himself forward onto Ray as his seed gushed out between their bodies. His face was buried into Ray's chest as he panted and gasped for air.

Ray waited for both of them to catch their breath then when Fraser lifted his head off his chest he reached down and captured the Mountie's lips. Ray sealed his lips to those of the gasping Mountie and kissed him, pushing his tongue deep into him.

Fraser could feel his cock still spewing out its last remains while Ray ravished his mouth. The detective had wrapped his arms around his body and was holding him tight. Fraser had to break the kiss and pull away so he could catch his breath.

"Are you okay, Ben?"

The Mountie nodded as he gazed into those blues. "I-I'm fine . . . I'm just overwhelmed by you."

Ray smiled then kissed him again and whispered. "You are extraordinary when it comes to doing yer husbandly duties. You unraveled my ideas of sex with a man because sex with you was awesome."

Fraser smiled then added. "It's only because I'm in love with the man that I married."

"Oooo! I like that very much!"

"And, I like you very much . . . very, very much." Then Fraser reached and captured Ray's lips in a tonsil-searching kiss. He felt Ray's cock slip out of him and he smiled as he kissed the detective.

***********************************************

Ray glanced up when he saw Stella heading to his desk. It was already quitting time for him and the 27^th was already dead. There were only two other detectives in the room plus Ray himself.

"Ray? Where have you been the last two days? I've been trying to reach you at your apartment but your answering machine kept coming on and I tried you here at your desk but you haven't been coming in so what's going on?"

Ray leaned back into his chair. "I've been busy on a stakeout." he lied because he had spend those two days with Fraser and had not answered the phone. " Oh, and I do have yer CD. . . . But, I hafta tell you that I didn't like the ending too well because according to them the brokenhearted still keeps on searching. So, I did some research on this and I found out where all the brokenhearted people really go to."

Stella was baffled as to what her exhusband was muttering about. "What are you talking about? What brokenhearted people?"

"The people with the broken hearts, Stell . . . I found out where they go to and they don't all end

up brokenhearted. What happens is they find someone new and they do love again. They don't go on searching and the song should've said that they find someone eventually."

"Ray? You're not making any sense whatsoever. What are you talking about and . . . and who is this little boy in the photo?" Stella reached for the framed photo that was on Ray's desk.

"His name is Kiran and it means a * ray of light. * smiled the detective proudly.

Stella noticed the gleam in her exhusband's eyes when he said it.

"He's a remarkable little boy Stell and he really is a ray of light. He's also my son."

"What!?" she gasped as she stared at him with a shocked look on her face. "Since when . . . with whom . . . how do you mean that he's your son, Ray?!" she let herself drop into the chair by his desk feeling a little woozy.

"I adopted him . . . well, I'm not the only one that adopted Kiran. Fraser and I adopted him so he belongs to me and Fraser. We're his legal guardians but he's staying with his biological Aunt back in Canada. Frase and I do plan to go visit with him next weekend and his aunt Matana said she will be bringing him over for holidays to visit us here in Chicago. He's so sweet and I really adore that little boy, Stell." Ray smiled proudly as he talked about his son. He could tell that his exwife was not embracing the news by the shocked look on her face.

Stella was stunned trying to sift everything through her brain. Then she stammered. "B-but . . . but. . . . It's not legal for two men to adopt a child, Ray! It's . . . it's just not done so how could you and Fraser . . . Fraser? . .. You and Fraser went and adopted a son?! Are you referring to those children on television that? . . ."

"No, we're not talking about a child from television, Stell. We're talking about a real, live . . . "

"And, why the hell would you take Fraser with you to . . . to . . . oh my god! You mean to tell me that you talked Fraser into helping you adopt a child?! Are you insane and was this even legal?!" she gasped because now she was really shocked by her exhusband who had finally gone crazy.

Francesca rushed over. "What?! . . What did you say?! I heard Fraser's name and something about a child! What did you say!?"

Ray glanced up at her. "This isn't any of your bus. . . . "

"The hell it isn't!" she snapped at the blond-haired detective while pushing back an imaginary lock of hair behind her ear. "I'll have you know that Fraser happens to be my boy . . . well . . . my almost . . . fiancé once we get ourselves straightened out!" she finished by nodding her head vigorously.

Ray glanced at the two of them then sat up straight, preparing himself in case he was attacked after he told them what he had to say. "Look. I hate to shock and disappoint the two of you but this is how it is. Fraser's friend, Kumusita died and she left instructions that Fraser was to take custody of her son who happens to be this little boy in the photo. His name is Kiran which means a * ray of light. * which is beside the point but I happen to like it. Anyway, Fraser rescued this young mother at one time, when she fell deep into a crevasse and then our hero delivered Kiran that same day. After the rescue and delivery Fraser was made an honorary citizen of this Inuit tribe and he was also honored by Makaila, the tribe Chief to be the godfather of this child. After Kusumita's death Fraser was summoned by Makaila to present himself before the tribe so that the council could determine if Fraser would be a suitable parent to Kiran. There was only one catch to all of this though . . . Fraser was to present himself with a spouse to even be considered as a candidate and that's where I came in. You see this ring that I'm wearing? Well . . . Fraser and I were married in a private ceremony on Valentine's day because homosexual marriages are accepted in this tribe so that he could present a spouse. The wedding took place in this small Inuit village that's a few miles from Inuvik and the citizens in this village that attended the wedding were our witnesses. We did this so that Fraser could improve his changes of obtaining custody."

Ray smiled as he watched the two frozen faces in front of him.

Frannie spoke first. "Y-You . . . you . . . you didn't?! This is only a joke, isn't it, Ray?!"

Ray shook his head and displayed his hand. "Do you see the ring that I'm wearing, Frannie? Does it look like a joke to you? . . .Now look at the photo of Kiran that Stell is holding and does that look like a joke to you? He's our son, Fran, mine and Fraser. Do you think that I'm capable of making up something like this?"

Stella's eyes were as wide as saucers as she gaped at her exhusband. "But . . . but . . . but you're not even gay, Ray!" she gasped.

Ray took a deep breath then sat back into his seat. "I never said that I was gay, Stell. I said that I married Fraser and we adopted a son."

Francesca almost fell onto Ray's lap as she tried to sit on his desk. She barely caught the edge of the desk as she landed right in front of the detective. "Okay . . . okay . . . so, let me get this straight." She pushed that imaginary lock behind her ear again. "Now. You're not gay and Fraser's not gay and you're not really legally married so then nothing really happened, am I right? I mean, everyone knows homosexual marriages aren't even legal in Chicago but then you already said that you weren't gay so there isn't any real problem, right? . .. Right?"

"Wrong." That all too familiar voice came from behind all of them.

Both women whirled around and saw the Mountie standing directly behind Stella.

Ray tilted his head to one side, past Francesca who was sitting in front of him, and smiled when he saw his partner.

"Wrong? W-What part of all of this is wrong, Fraser?!" asked Francesca jumping off the desk and hurried over to him.

Fraser removed his Stetson, tucked it under his arm and then wet his lips. "The part about there not being a problem is wrong. There were many problems soon after the marriage because Ray and I were not allowed to remove Kiran from the community. We were allowed visitation rights and citizenship whenever we wish to settle in the community but Kiran was to remain in the village." Added Fraser.

"But . . . But you are not seriously considering living there are you, Frase?!" asked Francesca with a worried look on her face

Fraser looked over to Ray and so did the two women. Then he smiled and replied. "No, we are not considering settling in the community because of certain extenuating circumstances. But we do intend to go and visit with Kiran and have him brought over to visit us in the near future. Ray and I have invested into a trust fund for his education and we are providing for his care to make certain that he gets everything that he needs to succeed in life."

Stella stared at her exhusband who sat there smiling at the Mountie. She couldn't believe any part of this and she told him so. "Ray. Ray, this is plain lunacy! . . .It's ludicrous and . . . and . . . Don't you realize how insane all of this is?!"

"Yeah!" gasped Francesca worried half out of her mind. She just didn't know what to think.

"Why is it lunacy? Are you saying that just because Fraser and I want ta keep Kiran and that makes us lunatics? What's so wrong about adopting a child, Stell?"

"Ray! . . .Ray, nothing is wrong about adopting a child but you and Fraser doing it is seriously wrong! First of all neither one of you is a female! Secondly, you two are not in love with each other let alone gay and then the legal factors involved in such a forgery could put you. !"

"What forgery are you talking about, Stell?" asked Ray confused with her statement.

"Well, who in their right mind would unite two men in marriage and further more, unite them when they are not even gay or in love with each other? Unless . . . unless you convinced someone that the two of you were . . . lovers!" she gasped.

Francesca grabbed her chest and gasped as she stared at the detective. "OHMIGOD! . .Oh my God, Ray! What in heaven's name did you do?!"

Fraser interrupted. "Ray, didn't do anything, Francesca. I was the one who asked the detective to marry me so that I could obtain custody of Kiran."

Stella's head whirled in the Mounties direction and she leered at the Canadian. "I knew it! I just knew that you would be responsible for this somehow! How could you do such an insane and stupid thing like that?! Didn't you stop to think about the child's welfare, Constable?! That poor child needs a mother and a father and not two brainless men!"

"Okay, now you've gone too far, Stella! There was nothing stupid or brainless about what we did! We were doing what was best for Kiran and you have no right to judge us!" barked Ray as he glared at his exwife.

Welsh finally made an appearance but only to wave at the squabbling group and to head on home.

Francesca stepped in closer to the Mountie and stared into those grey-blues. She had so many questions to ask him but they were all tangled up in her head right now. "Okay, so let me get this straight . . . You . . . you actually . . . you . . . you proposed to, Ray? You actually asked him to marry you, Fraser?! Is that what you're saying!? Fraser . . . a-am I understanding what you are saying, correctly or am I missing something here?" she could hardly get the words out.

"Yes. Of course, I asked Ray to marry me and at first he rejected the idea and told me, no."

Stella looked at Ray and asked. "You said no? So what happened that made you change your mind?"

Fraser responded. "Well, I think that I'm responsible for Ray changing his mind when I informed him of my alternative plans. After he heard what I had to say then he told me that we were going to get married whether I liked it or not and we were married."

Francesca swooned and Stella could only stare with a frozen stare and a wide-open mouth.

Francesca then stuttered. "T-That's a . . . t-that's a. . . . Fraser! Fraser, that's a hickey!" she squeaked as she grasped hold of her chest again while gasping for air.

Fraser reached up quickly and pulled the Serge collar up higher. He blushed and his face was a dark shade of tomato red as he tried to avoid eye contact with Francesca.

Stella jumped off her seat, reached for the collar and pulled it down nearly chocking the Mountie in the process. Both women gasped then looked at Ray.

Fraser looked at his partner also.

Ray blushed with his face sporting a nice shade of cherry red as he sat there with guilt written all over his face.

Francesca knees gave out and she let herself drop onto Ray's desktop.

Stella could only stand there open-mouth still struggling to catch her breath.

Ray finally stuttered. "I-It was the proper . . . well, well, he . . . we uh . . . i-it seemed the rational thing to do under the . . . the . . . circumstances since we are . . . we . . . Look! Its nobody's business what we do, okay!? Fraser and I adopted a child and we got married and we are fathers' and its nobody's business what we did after that! I can do whatever I want with him cause I did marry him so quit with the interrogation! Frannie, you can stare at me all you want but it's not gonna change anything and, Stella, you can be as shocked as you like but the deeds already been done, so just leave it alone and just go away!"

Francesca finally gathered her senses and the strength to climb off the desk. She was in a state of shock as she forced her legs to walk. She needed to get away to make sense off all that had been said and done and being here this close to Fraser only confused things even more. Frannie staggered away glancing over her shoulder with every other step trying to accept what she had just heard. She knew that when she understood what had happened, she was going to make someone pay for this outrage. Only she didn't know who was to blame for all of this confusion just yet but she was pretty sure that in the end, she was going to rip out Ray's heart with her bare fingernails.

Stella finally recovered from shock herself and stood up trying to appear level-headed. She stared at her exhusband not wanting to believe what she had heard or seen because it was much too unreal. She had known and been married to this man for quite some time in the past so how could she not know that Ray was capable of loving a man? And, she knew that Ray did love the Constable because he had been willing to marry the man, adopt a child with him and on top of it all, Ray had even been intimate with the Canadian just recently. She stared at her exhusband in total disbelief.

Ray stared back at her waiting for the bomb to drop.

Fraser just stood by and watched the two.

Ray finally spoke. "Stella. I'm sorry ta shock you this way but I couldn't help it that I fell for him. It just happened and it was something that I didn't expect but I hope you can . . . you can understand because . . . well, because the brokenhearted don't always end up alone. That's what I meant when I answered that question about what becomes of the brokenhearted. I'll tell you what becomes of them, they learn to love again. I'm only thankful that I found Fraser and that he was generous enough to give me a son."

She was trying to understand but the more Ray talked the more complicated things seemed. She turned to look at the Mountie who quickly looked away then she turned back to Ray. "I don't know what you expect of me to say, Ray. I don't know if you're trying to punish me for not staying married to you or if you're doing this because you never forgave me for not giving you children. But I do know that I am shocked because I-I never expected this from you . . . It's something so unlike you . . . but then again . . . I never expected you to fall in love with anyone else. I just don't know what you expect of me and at this moment I don't know what to tell you." She shook her head then turned and walked away because she really didn't want details concerning her ex-husband's relationship to Fraser.

Ray was surprised that neither woman had ripped his guts out. But, maybe it was because they were both still in shock. Eventually they would come to their senses and then he had better watch his back. But until then, he still had Fraser and Kiran and life just couldn't be better for him.

Fraser turned to leave.

"Hey! Where are you going?" he called out to his partner.

"You told me to leave, Ray."

"Have you come unhinged? I wasn't talking to you! You can stay and have a seat." Ray smiled seductively at the Mountie.

Fraser saw that gleam in his eye, then nodded and sat down. "I wasn't so sure that you wanted me to stay because of all of this mayhem. But, the reason that I'm late is because I was taking care of the paperwork to the cabin that we purchased. I brought the paperwork so you could view it at your own leisure. You should have seen Turnbull when I told him the news. The man was beside himself this morning driving from store to store shopping for curtains, rugs, bed-sheets . . . "

"Hold on! Hold on! . You gave Turnbull permission to buy bed-sheets for us?! Do you think that was a wise idea? What if he gets something in that ugly mauve color!?"

"Oh Dear! I forgot all about that!" gasped the Mountie.

"Well, how could you? Didn't we spend a three-day honeymoon in the world's ugliest mauve-colored room!? I don't see how any man could get an erection in a room like that!"

"Ray!"

"Oh . . . sorry. So, what do you think of our new place? Do you think Kiran will like it?"

Fraser smiled. "I'm sure he will love the cabin just as much as we do, Ray."

"Okay, so then I'm glad that we bought it, Frase. Seeing you content makes' me very happy. It really is a great place to raise a family, don't you think?"

"Family? Are we talking about more then one child, Ray?"

Ray smiled. "No, we're not talking about more then one child so don't panic! It's just you, me, Kiran and Dief and I'm sure that that's more then enough."

Fraser noticed the gleam in his partner's blues and he smiled, feeling totally content.

*******************************************

Ray scooped up closer spooning his body into a tighter fit behind Fraser. He wrapped an arm around the Mountie's slim waist and pulled him closer.

Fraser stirred and smiled when he felt Ray's thigh crawl up and come to rest on top of his bare hip. He could feel the detective's semi-hard erection poking him between his warm butt cheeks as the blond inched closer. Fraser sighed when Ray's warm breath caressed the nape of his neck as he placed kisses after tender kisses just under his hairline. The kisses were so tender and erotic that his cock came fully awake before his brain could shake off the sleepiness. He glanced over his shoulder to look at his lover and that's when Ray caught his lips into his own immediately. This kiss was anything but tender because it was erotic, hungry and lustful with Ray's exploring tongue. Fraser moaned when his partner's fingers curled around his hardening cock and started to pump him slowly and tenderly. Both men froze and lips parted from lips when Dief whined and Kiran stirred on the other bed.

Ray glanced over at the wolf and scolded him. "Sh-h-h-h! You'll wake him up, Dief!"

Dief glared at him because he was not doing the groaning and moaning and he was not the one copulating on the bed that was so close to the child.

"Don't look at me like that Dief 'cause we're not being loud today! I already warned Stell and Frannie about looking at me like that and I won't put up with you doing it too! I'll put you outside where Makaila might mistake you for a pig and make you their next meal!" growled Ray.

"Ray!" gasped Fraser.

"Well . . . tell him to turn around and mind his own business, Frase." Ray whined as he settled back into his ugly mauve-colored pillow.

"Diefenbaker. If you would be so kind, Ray and I need some privacy . . . No, we are not going to be loud and . . . How rude! We do not sound like cats in heat, now do you mind!"

"I told you we should've left him with Turnbull in Chicago, Ben. How's our little boy doing over there?"

"He's sleeping, Ray. I think you tired him out trying to teach him how to play soccer."

"We were playing football, Ben."

"Oh . . . so why was the ball constantly bouncing off your head?" Fraser glanced up into those twinkling blues.

"Ha, ha that is so very funny!" Smiled the detective as he gazed into those shiny greys.

Fraser gasped. "OH! . . .Ray! . . .You do know that it hurts when you do that?!"

"Yeah, I know and that's why I'm doing it . . . Oh, quit whining Dief! That was not a moan that was an expression of pain. . . .whadda ya mean it's the same thing, and it is not! Tell him that it's not, Ben."

"Ray please . . . maybe we should keep our voices down so we won't wake Kiran."

"Yeah and maybe we should put Dief in the room next . . . OW! You do realize that it hurts when you do that to my balls, Ben?!" whispered the blond-haired detective as he gripped his lover's wrist.

"Yes. I am aware of how that feels now would you lower your voice and . . . You stop it also, Diefenbaker! Now, Ray as I was saying. We need to lower our . . . "

Ray plastered his mouth onto the Mountie thus cutting of any further discussion. His hand found that hot and hard Canadian cock and started that slow but lovingly pumping rhythm again.

The End

Comments:

droopy_jack@excite.com

This is for anyone that might be interested in the entire song,. . . . Then, do read on.

What becomes of the Brokenhearted?

As I walk this land with broken dreams

I have visions of many things

Love's happiness is just an illusion

filled with sadness and confusion

Chorus:

What becomes of the brokenhearted

Who's had love that's now departed

I know I've got to find some peace of mind . . .baby

Maybe the fruits of love grow all around

but for me they come a tumblin' down

Every day heartaches grow a little stronger

I can't find my way much longer

Help me, I'm searching though I don't succeed

To satisfy this growing need

If there's no way

No Chance for a beginning

All that's left is an unhappy ending

I walk in shadows searching for light

Cold and lone, no comfort in sight

Hoping and prayin' for someone to care

always movin' and goin' nowhere

Chorus:

Now what's become of the brokenhearted

who's had love that's now departed

I know I've got to find some peace of mind

I'll be searching everywhere

Just to find someone to care

I'll be looking everyday

I know I'm gonna find a way

Nothing's gonna stop me now

I'll find a way somehow

I'll be searching everywhere

lookin' for someone to share. By Jimmy Ruffin