Disclaimer: None if this is mine, and I, of course, don't make money with this.

Author's Notes: Thanks to the usual suspect [info]primroseburrows for her patience and vocabulary, and knowledge of babies. Seems like I provided the idea and she did the words - thank you *hugs*!

Story Notes: kid!fic

Lily

"Hey, Ray."Ray was slurping his first cup of coffee when he answered his brother's phone call. He knew right away that something was up, something he wouldn't be happy about.

"I'm just having coffee," Ray pointed out. Mitch should know better than to call him this early.

"I figured," Mitch sighted. "Listen, I need to ask you a favour..."

"I'm not gonna taking care of your parking tickets." Ray interrupted. "I'm working Homicide, I'm a freakin' Detective." Ray knew he was kind of overreacting here but it was still early and he hadn't finished his coffee yet.

"Ray!"

"What is it?"

"I need you to watch Lily on Friday night."

"Lily?" Ray asked stupidly, putting his mug down and running a hand through his hair.

Babysitting? Ray wasn't so sure about that. He loved the little one an' all, but he had zero experience with kids.

His wife--well, okay, ex-wife, Stella and he had wanted kids at one point, almost in another lifetime, or Ray had, anyway. That was before they got divorced, of course. Now it seemed rather unlikely that he would have kids of his own - one would need a wife, or a girlfriend for that. On top of it all Ray had figured, now that he was no longer married and stupid in love with Stella, that he was attracted to men too.

"My daughter?"

"I know who Lil is."He started pacing now. Lily was his eight-month-old niece, a cute little thing he saw on and off when his schedule allowed it. Working as an undercover police detective in one of America's major cities didn't leave much space for anything but solving crimes which seem to be happening each and every second in Chicago.

"Friday night, you said?"

"It's actually the whole weekend," Ray's brother cleared his throat, apparently knowing that this wasn't even short notice but basically an ambush.

"I ..."

"Ray, please, it's really important," his brother pleaded. "I've asked everybody, believe me, andyou're our last hope."

Well, if he put it that way.

"'Kay." Ray agreed, shrugging his shoulder. "I'm off on the weekend anyway and I have nothing better to do. Lil and I can watch the Cubs on TV."

"Thanks, Ray."

"Yeah, yeah." He hung up and attended to his coffee, not even thinking that he might be in over his head. Ray was a cop, he was used to handling criminals. How hard could it be?

~::~::~

Mitch showed up around 5:30, a huge bag dangling around his shoulder, a happy, bubbling Lily in one arm and a portable crib in his hand.

"Thanks again for taking care of her", he said. He plopped Lily into Ray's arms,where -- just Ray's luck -- she instantly started fussing. He also set a brightly- coloured bag on Ray's kitchen counter. "Everything you need is in here," he explained. "You have our cell phone numbers just in case and ...," Ray's brother started to look as uneasy as his daughter apparently felt in Ray's arms, obviously doubting his choice to leave Lily with Ray. After all, Ray hadn'teven spent any time alone with Lily yet.

"Go!" Ray interrupted his brother's train of thoughts. "We'll have a blast with no parents around, right, Lil?"

But Lily looked as doubtful as her father as she watched him movetoward the door.

"Oh, c'mon, Lil." Ray tried to keep a hold on the wriggling babyin his arms, watching her face turn red with her effort to get free.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all," Mitch said, stepping back from the door. But Ray wouldn't have any of it; he opened the door and all but threw his brother out.

"Enjoy your weekend," he said, shutting the door in his brother's face and grinning at his niece. "Is he always like that?"

Lily didn't bother to give Ray an answer; even if she had been able to, she had more important things to do with her voice right now. She started sobbing, almost silently at first but with increasing volume.

Ray looked around helplessly, balancing the crying kid on his hip. He started swaying, and then tried full-on dancing, but Lily didn't seem to care at all. Not only that, but she was getting Ray's favourite T-shirt all wet.

"You know, your uncle is a cop," Ray said, grabbing for his badge, and showing it to her. "See? Detective, Chicago P.D."

Lily wasn't impressed.

Ray kept moving around his apartment trying to calm his niece, but she seemed inconsolable and kept on wailing into his shoulder.

"C'mon, kiddo." Ray sat down on the couch in his living room, picking up a section of the Trib from the coffee table. Maybe the funnies would cheer her up.

No such luck.

Lily was still crying when someone started knocking at the door. Ray almost didn't hear it because Lily was sobbing directly into his ear.

"What?" Ray demanded loudly when he opened the door. He eyed the guy standing in the hall curiously--faded, too-tight blue jeans, white shirt. Dark, groomed hair, greyish-blue eyes.

"I couldn't help noticing the distress of...," the guy started saying but Ray wasn't in the mood to wait for further explanations.

"You wanna help, or talk?" he asked, walking back to his living room, the entrance door still open invitingly.

"If I may," the guy said, stepping hesitantly into Ray's apartment and closing the door behind him.

Ray was sitting on his couch again, Lily on his knees. "She won't calm down."

"I see." The guy rubbed his eyebrow like his next word might offend Ray. "Did you feed her?"

"Feed?" Ray looked up at the guy.

"Oh dear."

The stranger took matters in his own hands and reached for the bag on Ray's kitchen counter. He pulled out a prepared bottle and handed it to Ray.

"Shouldn't it be warm or something?"

"It's at room temperature, and Iwould imagine she doesn't care at this point." Ray placed the bottle to Lily's mouth and she instantly grasped it with both her hands and started sucking greedily.

The following silence was almost deafening to Ray's abused ears. He had almost forgotten that he wasn't alone when he heard the stranger clear his throat.

"If I may introduce myself,"the helpful stranger said, tugging at his non-existing collar. "My name is Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I first came --"

"You're the Mountie," Ray interrupted; he had heard rumours that the famous Mountie and his deaf wolf had moved into his building, but he hadn't cared much until now.

"It would appear so, yes." Fraser confirmed.

"Thanks for, um." He pointed at Lily, who was still inhaling her bottle.

"My pleasure, Detective Kowalski."

"Ray," Ray said automatically before it dawned on him that he had never mentioned his name.

"I read your name on the mailbox," Fraser explained like he has read Ray's mind.

"Oh, okay."

"Have you eaten yet - Ray?"

"Nah, I just got home from work and then this mess started, and--"

"Understood. Would you like to eat with me, then?"

"Huh?" Ray looked up from his niece into kind of pleading eyes, like the guy desperately wanted to have a bite with him. "Yeah. Okay." He said. "Nothing much in the fridge, though."

"Perfectly all right, Ray, I could prepare dinner at my place and just bring it over. If you don't mind," Fraser added like he wasn't too sure that he was really welcome.

"Sounds like a plan," he hesitated. "What do I call you? Benton? Ben?"

"Whatever you like, Ray. Most people call me Fraser."

Ray grinned at him briefly before he returned his attention back to Lily. "All right, Fraser-buddy."

"I ... I'll be back, then."

"Yeah, replied Ray as he watched Fraser leave.

~::~::~

When Ray escaped his bathroom, Lily placed on his hip again, there were delicious smells coming from the kitchen. He went to investigate, discovering Fraser had set the table, obviously comfortable in Ray's small kitchenette.

"Ah, Ray," Fraser said when he caught sight of Ray. "I took the liberty of..."

"Smells great," Ray interrupted and took a seat. "Better than the bathroom anyway," he grinned pointing at Lily's fresh diaper, and from Fraser's answering smile he gathered that he understood.

"I'm glad."

"I think I'm gonna have to disinfect the can," he said, digging into his food. "Or just never use it again."

"That probably won't be necessary," Fraser smiled again, putting food on Ray's plate faster than he could eat it.

"Where is your wolf?" Ray asked curiously.

"Half-wolf," Fraser corrected, "and I'm afraid Diefenbaker is otherwise engaged today. The details are rather sketchy; he's very secretive about his whereabouts."

"He always like that?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

They engaged in a relaxed conversation while Lily was sitting on Ray's lap, eating some of Ray's potatoes and veggies. Everything seemed perfectly normal - Ray with a kid on his lap and somebody interesting to talk to opposite from him. And they didn't even talk about work, or at least, not much. Ray already knew that Fraser was liaising with the 27th police district. Every officer had heard about the Mountie andRay Vecchio, Fraser's unofficial cop-partner. He did not know about `the killer's of Fraser's father' or `the reasons' `why' he remained in Chicago. But Ray figured when it came to corrupt cops, Canada wasn't any different than the States with how they treated the ones who discovered it.

"Perhaps you can lay her down now, Ray," Fraser suggested after what seemed forever.

"Hey, Lil, you wanna go to sleep now?" Ray asked in a whisper, carefully lifting the sleeping kid and carrying her into his bedroom. "Out like a light," he said when he returned, catching Fraser doing the dishes.

"I should do the dishes," Ray said, half-heartedly. He was about to fall asleep on his feet too.

"I'm almost done, Ray. Don't bother."

"Thanks, buddy." Ray sat down on his couch heavily. "Never thought a kid that age could make so much trouble." He sighed deeply.

~::~::~

Fraser finished up the dishes and went to join Ray. He smiled to himself when he noticed Ray was snoring lightly.

Endearing, he thought, and immediately chided himself for his improper thoughts. But he couldn't deny his attraction. He had only known Ray for a few hours, but it felt like they had known each other forever.

"Ray?" He whispered, touching Ray's shoulder lightly to not startle him. "Hm?"

"You probably should go to bed, Ray."

"Okay," Ray mumbled but didn't move.

"Ray?"

"'M good, Fraser." He snuggled deeper into the cushions.

"You'll experience a sore neck in the morning, Ray."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"All right then." Fraser had never had such a discussion with somebody who was, apparently, deeply asleep.

"Go to sleep, Fraser."

"As you wish," Fraser took the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it gently over Ray. "Sweet dreams," he whispered softly, and left.

~::~::~

Ray woke suddenly, noticing two things: Lily crying in his bedroom and a polite knock at his front door - how a knock could be polite was beyond him.

"Come in," Ray said, opening the door for Fraser before he rushed into his bedroom, picking up an unhappy Lily. "Hey, hon, what's up?"

Apparently a lot was up the way Lily kept sobbing in his shoulder.

"Bad dream?" Ray asked Fraser who was standing in his living room, his half-wolf by his side this time. "He came back, huh?" Ray pointed at Diefenbaker.

"Apparently," Fraser answered, reaching for Lily, who immediately went silent as she settled against his body. "He's not very forthcoming with information about his whereabouts, though."

"A guy has to have his secrets," Ray smiled, putting out his hand for Diefenbaker to sniff.

Lily eyed Diefenbaker curiously, her small hand reaching out to touch.

"He good with kids?"

"Yes." Fraser bent down so Lily could run a hand through Dief's fur. "He's very protective of the vulnerable."

"Okay, good." Ray said and sat down on his couch, yawning.

"You should go back to sleep, Ray," Fraser suggested, slowly pacing up and down the living room.

"I can't just dump the kid on you."

"Nonsense, Ray. You're tired and I'm perfectly capable to taking care of Lily."

"Oh no, buddy," Ray smiled and stood, reaching for his niece who started fussing as soon as she left Fraser's arms.

Ray looked curiously between his niece and Fraser, handing her back. She went calm again.

"How do you do that?"

"I assure you, Ray, I'm not doing anything."

Ray took Lily back and she immediately started wailing.

"Perhaps I'd better... "

"Yeah, you better," Ray said when the wailing increased.

~::~::~

When Ray woke up next morning, the sun was coming through the window. He was still sitting on his couch, his neck sore like Fraser predicted. Fraser was sitting opposite him in his armchair, Lily awake and looking up at him.

Ray blinked with surprise when a warm feeling ran through him, making him light-headed.

A perfect picture.

The small form of his niece protectively held by a sleeping Fraser, Diefenbaker at his feet.

Shit, Ray cursed silently and stood. He was not falling for his Mountie neighbour and his half-wolf, he was not.

"Ray?" Fraser asked sleepily, moving carefully with Lily in his arms.

"Coffee," Ray fled into the kitchen. "I need coffee first thing in the morning."

"Understood." Fraser followed Ray. "Perhaps you could heat up Lily's bottle so I can feed her," he suggested, reaching for the bag.

Ray rather rudely snatched the bag out of Fraser's hand. "I got it. Maybe you wanna take Dief for a walk?"

As you wish, Ray," he said and handed over Lily, who surprisingly didn't complain about it.

"See you later," Ray said, taking a deep breath when the door shut behind Fraser.

"I think I'm in trouble," he told Lily who once again greedily drank her bottle. "So, how was sleeping with him anyway?"

~::~::~

Ray's day with Lily went okay.

They read the paper and had a good laugh about `The Joke of the Day'. Ray changed her diapers, fed her, they went to the park and not once did either of them think about their helpful Mountie neighbour.

It was totally accidental that they strolled by the 27th on their way home. So was the mistaken encounter with a dog that happened to be a look-a-like for Diefenbaker.

"We don't miss him, do we?" Ray asked his niece, who was crawling around on the ground, reaching for one of the many toys Ray discovered in her bag.

But the funny thing was, Ray was missing Fraser, and wasn't that hilarious? A guy he just met last night, a guy he had dinner with and who had slept in his apartment.

"Shit!"

Sometimes Ray felt like he was too stupid to live - how could he fall this easily again?

Ray didn't know if Lily was experiencing something similar but as soon as it was time for bed she started crying, heartbreakingly. Nothing Ray did calmed her down -- he apparently hadn't have the touch it took to put a toddler to sleep. But he couldn't just knock on Fraser's door after acting like a complete jerk this morning. After all Fraser had done, he'd practically thrown the guy out on his ear.

Ray kept trying; he even sang, which made matters worse. Lily apparently was no fan of ABBA.

After an eternity the knock finally came and Ray could have cried with relief.

"Thank God, Fraser!"

Fraser took the crying child without words, and after a few tiny sobs Lily snuggled happily against his shoulder. Ray watched amazed, a bit jealous of his eight-month-old niece for being so up-close and personal with Fraser.

"I hope I'm not intruding, Ray."

"Nah, Frase, you're always welcome."

Fraser rubbed his eyebrow, eying Ray sceptically.

"Look," Ray said, "This morning? Sorry about that. I'm not alive without at least three cups of coffee."

"Understood."

Fraser took Lily into the living room. It really seemed all Fraser needed was an apology and they were good again. It had never been that easy with Stella. He'd always had to work for it with her. Hard.

"You want something to drink?"

"A glass of milk would be lovely."

"Milk," Ray whispered under his breath, looking into the fridge and already knowing that he wouldn't find such a thing.

"Or water."

Ray gladly fetched a glass of water and brought it back into his living room. "How was your day?" he asked stupidly, taking his seat across from Fraser.

"Quite fruitful, I have to say," Fraser said, seesawing Lily on his knees. "Ray and I were able to apprehend a malfeasant guilty of taking advantage of the elderly."

"Good. Good." Ray had no idea how to proceed here, he couldn't very well court the guy in front of his niece. That would be kind of weird. "I bought food," he blurted out. "I could cook."

"Only if you feel comfortable, Ray."

Fraser looked at him with bright eyes and Ray got the feeling Fraser maybe was interested too. His heart skipped a beat and he felt a blush creeping up his face which he tried to deflect by rubbing his neck. It wasn't working, if Fraser's answering blush was anything to go by.

"I'm cooking," Ray declared and fled into the kitchen, a grin splitting his face.

~::~::~

The evening went very much like the last one, if you didn't count the flirting. "I'm afraid she's teething," Fraser frowned, trying to look into Lily's mouth. She had started crying, and not even Fraser's presence seemed to help tonight.

"Teething?"

"Yes, Ray, it would appear so," Fraser said. Lily grabbed his finger and started chewing on it enthusiastically.

"Anything we can do?"

"A cold washcloth may help, or a spoon." Fraser started gently massaging Lily's gum while Ray went for a wash cloth.

"How come you know so much about babies?"

"I read several books from my grandparent's library."

"About babies?" Ray would have figured a boy would look for something else to read than babies. Or at least, teething.

"The reading material was rather limited," Fraser explained, putting the offered spoon in Lily's mouth. "Also quite helpful at times." He smiled when Lily stayed quiet and attended to her spoon.

"You're a freak."

"Understood."

They quickly discovered that a spoon only got you so far. Two hours later both men fell exhausted asleep on Ray's couch, their heads supporting each other; Lily peacefully rested against Fraser's body.

~::~::~

Ray blinked his eyes open, feeling somebody intently watching him.

"Hi," Fraser whispered when Ray finally opened his eyes, his head resting on Fraser's shoulder.

"Hey," Ray replied, taking in the sight of a sleep tousled Fraser with his niece in his arms. "She good?"

"It would appear so," Fraser spoke under his breath, his eyes locked on Ray's and Ray could see the moment Fraser made his decision and leant in.

Their lips were touching tenderly, just a brief brush.

"Ray," Fraser sighed, breathless. There was no space for him to move with Ray on one side and Lily on the other.

"Yeah," Ray smiled; his hands came up to hold Fraser's face for another kiss. A deeper one. Wetter.

Tongues touched, danced together.

The kissing would have easily become out of hand if Lily hadn't chosen to wake up and make her presence known.

"Oh dear," Fraser sighed, his lips kiss-swollen and his hair even more tousled from Ray's hands.

"I'm not done with you," Ray placed one final kiss on Fraser's mouth before he stood, taking Lily with him. He heated one of Lily's bottles, started coffee and couldn't stop grinning about his lucky fortune.

He apparently had missed the knock because of all the wild fantasies running around in his head. Finally, it registered and he opened the door.

"Ray," Fraser said when Marie-Anne, his brother's wife, rushed to Ray's side, taking Lily into her arms.

"Mommy missed, you", she said, kissing her cheeks.

'"Ray?" Mitch was looking at Fraser, and it was kind of hard to miss his tousled hair and wrinkled shirt.

"Fraser," Ray said, "My brother Mitch and his wife, Marie-Anne. My neighbour Fraser, Benton Fraser. Of the...," Ray felt himself start babbling, felt everybody's eyes on him like he had done something wrong.

"Perhaps I had better leave," Fraser suggested and left without further ado.

"Ray?" His brother asked again, lifting an eyebrow when the door closed behind Fraser.

"He helped me out with Lil here," he explained, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "She's teething." That obviously did the trick; now everybody was focused on Lily and her new teeth.

~::~::~

It became quite ridiculous over the next few days; Ray didn't seem to be able to get hold of Fraser. Apparently Fraser's schedule was as erratic as Ray's. He left notes, and he received notes but he never laid eyes on Fraser and he desperately needed to. He was even considering having Lily over out of pure despair when an undercover position offer at from the 27th landed on his desk. As he read the description a grin spread over his face. Maybe he didn't need Lily's help this time around. He was a specialist in undercover, after all.

The End