Author's Website: http://members.nbci.com/dueSou

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer. I don't own them. I may *want* them, but I don't *own* them. Please send comments, questions, compliments, and otters to sdelcul@yahoo.com or visit http://members.nbci.com/dueSou and http://www.learnlink.emory.edu/~sdelcul

Author's Notes: You know, the explanations of the inspiration of some of these stories is getting more and more complex. Let's see, this one is Sue Walsh (http://www.angelfire.com/vt/k9caporegimes/3crowd.htm), Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (a really strange movie), Catherine, and Shannon (well duh!).
The level of angst in this little fic is in the negative range, while the schmoop factor continues to rise. Blame it on Shannon. She makes me feel sappy. <g>

Story Notes:

He wasn't quite sure why he was disappointed that Ray wasn't home. Not that he didn't prefer having Ray around, but rather why he was surprised to come home to a Ray-less place. Dief whined something unintelligible and sauntered into another room while Fraser went to the bedroom and quickly and efficiently changed out of his uniform into sweats, planning on going for a run later.

He was sitting on the sofa reading the paper when he heard Ray come in.

The door wasn't cooperating the first time he tried to open it. The second time he got the key in the keyhole, but he couldn't make it open. The third time he realized that he was turning the key to the right when he should have been turning it to the left. This he realized after he had unlocked and relocked the door without opening it.

So, finally managing to get all his brain cells in a row long enough to actually open the door, he stepped inside. Inside he saw something that made it all worthwhile.

Ben looked up when Ray walked in the room and once his eyes met Ray's, he didn't move. He watched Ray make his way towards him, dropping a box of files on the table, and tossing his keys into the box without looking away.

He dropped his coat somewhere along the way and toed off his shoes.

Letting go of one deep sigh, Ray crawled onto the couch and curled up comfortably. Using his thigh as a pillow, Ray shifted minutely until Ben could feel the heat of his breath across his belly.

"Ray?"

He stroked along Ray's jaw line, expecting some kind of response, to realize that Ray had already fallen asleep.

There were plenty of reasons that he should get up: making dinner, going for a run, putting Ray to bed, but he didn't have the heart to wake him up. It was nice, this. It had been too long since he'd been able to feel the warmth of Ray's body near his or feel its weight on him.

An eager whine made him notice that Dief had come back into the room, and by the wagging of his wolfy tail, Dief was very glad that Ray was back.

He didn't comment when Dief joined them on the couch, curling up in the space between Ray's knees and the end of the couch.

The newspaper found its way onto the coffee table as Ben admired his family. Everything he needed to know about was right in front of him.