Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer. Call of the What? Not even. Please send comments, questions, compliments, and otters to sdelcul@yahoo.com.

Author's Notes:
I should be working on a midterm, but Shannon forced me (She didn't have a gun but she wields a mean bunny) to do this instead. She wanted a pouting-Benny story, but compromised for a pouting-Dief. Not beta'd and it's only been through a quick spell-check so please let me know the little errors as well as the big'ns.
Backed up archiving. This is from early 2002.

Story Notes:
I should be working on a midterm, but Shannon forced me (She didn't have a gun but she wields a mean bunny) to do this instead. She wanted a pouting-Benny story, but compromised for a pouting-Dief. Not beta'd and it's only been through a quick spell-check so please let me know the little errors as well as the big'ns.

He could only see one problem with his life right now. Well, two, but one would fix itself as soon as he and Ray could be truly alone together. He wasn't quite sure what the other problem was, but it didn't look good.

Ray sat by the window, staring out. He would be at the safe house for another week. Gradually he would be allowed to return to his previous life as Ray Vecchio and Ray Kowalski would go back to being Ray Kowalski. He didn't know what to say to Ray now, didn't know how to make it okay.

At first he'd been told of Ray's return, but he'd had to go through the normal channels of requesting time off work to see Ray. He'd ben given two weeks off by a surprisingly sympathetic Inspector Thatcher. His reunion with his partner had been good. If they hardly moved apart after the first welcome-back hug and if he couldn't keep the smile off his face it was only at the sheer joy of having Ray back safely. He'd finally pulled himself away hours later to go home planning on surprising Ray with a visit from Diefenbaker the next day.

Diefenbaker had come over to him the second he got in the door, sniffing him excitedly. Tail wagging vigorously, Diefenbaker fairly leapt at him, happily licking his face. He'd laughed and allowed the last remaining tension to leave his body.

The next day was clear and sunny, unreasonably mild for this time of year. Dief was moving in front of him like a Ray seeking missile, and he felt the same way as he hurried to keep up with the wolf. He knocked on the door and was let in quickly by the two guards. They directed him to the second floor as if he hadn't just been there yesterday.

Diefenbaker hadn't needed directions though, so by the time he arrived upstairs he'd missed it.

Whatever it was, apparently the reunion hadn't gone as expected. Ray looked hurt and upset, but he wouldn't say anything. When he asked Dief, the wolf just growled. It hurt to watch the two of them.

After an hour of trying to get an answer he decided to take Diefenbaker home, hoping that it would break the ice enough for him to find out what the problem was. It hadn't worked, and now he was back watching Ray watch the sky, hoping he knew what to say to make Ray tell him.

The silence was broken by Ray's sigh before he could gather the nerve to say anything.

"He won't talk to me. He won't even look at me anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Ray's gaze drifted off again before he could stop him.

"Ray. Ray. Ray." Finally he got Ray's attention again. Their dynamic had changed and it felt good to touch Ray whenever he wanted.

"I'm sorry I left Benny."

"I understood, Ray."

"No you didn't."

"Not at first, no. But I did after I thought about it. It was something you needed to do."

"I think there's something else I need to do. You don't mind do you? I can't exactly leave this humble abode."

"Not at all." He paused at the door. "It'll be okay."

Ray smiled a little. "You were always the optimist."

Diefenbaker hadn't moved since he'd been dropped off, and he realized he should have seen how upset Dief must have been. Man and wolf had bonded, and he'd neglected to explain to Diefenbaker why Ray went away.

"You should hear him out. He had good reasons, Dief."

The walk felt longer this time, and Dief trailed behind him up the stairs.

"Ray? We're back."

Ray smiled at him. "Thanks Benny. Would you mind giving us some time alone?"

He shook his head, already seeing Ray's attention focus on the wolf who was studiously not looking at him. As he stepped out of the room he could see Ray sit cross-legged on the floor, nose to nose with his friend.

"Listen up furball, don't give me the pouting face anymore, okay? I missed you too."

He smiled. Everything would be okay.

End the Language You Cry In by silvina: sdelcul@yahoo.com

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