Author's website: http://ladyana5.tripod.com

Disclaimer: Copyright to Alliance

Author's Notes: Oh. My. God. I am writing a WIP! :::LAK faints::: This is set about five months after the first story, "No Sense is Nonsense." Possible infidelity warning(in later segments).

Story Notes: There are always spoilers with my stories!

This story is a sequel to: No Sense is Nonsense

Copyright to Alliance.
Rating: PG
Pairings: Fraser/Vecchio
Summary: The boys relationship continues to struggle in light of their problems with intimacy and Fraser increasingly putting himself in danger. Authors notes: Oh. My. God. I am writing a WIP! :::LAK faints::: This is set about five months after the first story, "No Sense is Nonsense." Possible infidelity warning(in later segments).

"Blind Insight"
by LadyAna

The candles in the room flickered, the dance of the flames holding his gaze, if not his thoughts. Ray Vecchio sat at the dinner table, the food he'd prepared becoming cold. The Italian closed the case file he was working on and tossed it aside, not caring that the papers inside scattered about. He looked at the clock for the hundredth time. The Constable was over two hours late. Dief whined and nudged the Detective's knee.

"He said he'd be home tonight, Dief. I don't know where he is and right now, I don't care."

That was a lie, of course. The Detective was upset, but also weary. He was tired of this. It was amazing how clueless the Constable could be at times. He would have a grand excuse for this inconsideration and sincerely wonder why Ray was upset. It was work, he'd say and it wasn't that late and work, of course, was more important than coming home on time for dinner. The beautiful man in red would apologize profusely, with all the usual earnest conviction. Ray shuddered, his heart flipping three times before settling. He tried his best to fight back the memory haunting him these days.

He wryly smiled a bit, knowing if he told anyone of what had him shaking at it's recollection, they would simply be breathless with exuberant praise over the Mountie's fearless deeds. But they, of course, were not the one in love with the dumb Canuck and didn't have a bloody heart attack when he "distracts" a bad guy by acting as target practice. Add to that a slippery rooftop at night, ignore nearly plummeting to one's death that had Ray sheet white to start with, there was the little matter of Fraser "playing dead", pretending he'd been shot. It took all of Vecchio's willpower to not fling himself into the line of fire to check on his lover.

Fraser's actions that night weren't all that different than in the past, except lately there seemed to be an edge to his madness, like he was unnecessarily pushing the boundaries of safety. There was no reason for him to do some of the things he did to apprehend a fugitive, but the argument over it had fallen on deaf Mountie ears. The Canadian would have none of it, saying Ray was exaggerating, that their "close association" was tainting his perspective.

Well, that nearly made the Italian's head explode in a sheer rage, seeing how that estimation utterly and totally disregarded that "close association". As usual, his vicious tirade was met with Fraser becoming the Mute Mountie, growing totally silent, like a clam with a cramp. After that, little Ray said or did made any difference and only when he was drained of his hostile energy, would Benny open back up. They would talk until it was supposedly, outwardly resolved, at least until the next time someone has a gun to the Canadian's head. Fraser's insensitivity to the Italian's feelings was growing by, as much as he hated to say it, leaps and bounds.

Of course, it had to come at a time when there seemed to be more work than normal at the precinct. The latest file that had just been plopped into the Italian's lap was about a guard found dead at the new, local shopping mall and there were no leads pointing to a suspect. There was more going on, however, than a simple case of murder, from what Ray could see. The security firm had changed hands not long ago and there had been a rash of robberies at the more expensive stores. One establishment had filed a lawsuit against the security firm, accusing them of not doing it's job. It did seem odd to Vecchio that the hidden cameras just happen to not be working, the sensors at the doorways appeared to be out of order or that there wasn't a guard in sight on the days of the holdups. Lt. Welsh had said the owner of the security firm was to come by the station for questioning in a few days.

Ray had asked the Mountie to go over the details with him, but Fraser turned many shades of red, indicating he was expected back at the Consulate and could not help solving real crimes. Ray knew if he pushed for a reason, there would a loquacious defense, saying how Benny had to help Turnbull wallpaper the Queen's bedroom or save the basement from a flood. The Italian admonished his derogatory deliberations. There was another, fully legitimate, reason Fraser was spending so much time at his workplace. Meg Thatcher was leaving. She'd been reassigned and her second in command, Benton Fraser, had been in training to lead the Consulate for the time being.

Vecchio was just praying Benny would make it home that evening. It was just his luck that the Constable would be asked to babysit a neighbor's kid or defuse a bomb in the toilet of the Consulate or get Willie out of trouble or help another little old lady across the street, ect., etc., ad nauseam. Such "duties" never ended and it was the Canadian's goal in life, the reason he lived, the way he was raised, to make sure these injustices were corrected. It was his reputation for helping the underdog.

Ray had accepted that part of his lover went they'd first met, often letting Fraser plunge them both headfirst into some crazy scheme. Hell, it was the main reason Ray began to love Benny, for restoring his faith in humanity, for showing that a little patience and understanding went a long way in cleaning up the filth from the social ghetto. And Vecchio understood what it meant to be in law enforcement. The badge didn't come off once you left the precinct. A cop was a cop twenty four, seven. How many cases would Ray have not been able to solve without the Mountie's help? How many times would've Vecchio had messed up without Fraser's input? Wasn't it that knight in a dark brown uniform that saved Ray's life, in so very many ways more than one, by asking for "Detective Armani"?

But when was it time to hang up the Sam Browne belt? In addition to Benny often staying late at work, the instances where his help was desperately needed in the neighborhood was also increasing. There appeared to be a proliferation of the destitute souls in demand for the Mountie, seeing as every other night contained another mission of mercy. One would think they hadn't moved from West Racine, even though they had their own apartment for nearly two years. At what point did their love for one another start to take the front seat? How many times had their evening together been interrupted by Ben's plans to fix an appliance of Mr. Mustafi's? Or their almost nonexistent lovemaking postponed due to a social function with the Dragon Lady or their dinners cancelled because Benny had to get Lucy's cat out of a tree? When did Ray become a priority?

The Italian tried to talk to his lover about this, except that the Canadian would slowly freeze the Detective out. First, Fraser would try logic, then appeal to Ray's sense of duty, then he would use guilt and or various methods of manipulation. This was the Mountie's normal way of getting help from his partner, but the times were becoming too frequent for Ray's patience. When none of the typical techniques worked, and Fraser could see the Italian was genuinely hurt, he'd stare in wounded fascination, like he had no idea he'd done something wrong or that he was at a loss as to how to resolve things. And so the Mountie would shut down until Ray gave in and called a truce.

He sighed. Vecchio looked about, at the place they both called home. It had two bedrooms, one of which had been converted into a den, a full kitchen and a fairly large bathroom. It was two point three miles from Racine. He loved it here...and Benny did too. As bad as he made it sound, it was his flaring temper that was currently coloring the happiness. There were plenty of good times that made the rest of it worthwhile. They could go a couple of weeks with only a slight skirmish and Benny would even periodically do special things for Ray, like bring him lunch or treat the American to his favorite Italian restaurant. He was reminded of the thrilled expression Fraser would have when he found out they both had the same day off and could spend it together. And that day would be damned near perfect and the Detective wouldn't even be concerned about their lack of physical closeness. In just a short while after that, however, something would infect the Constable and make him oblivious to the things that make Ray go nuclear, very much like tonight.

A call the Consulate resulted in no answer. He mused maybe Thatcher had established a new way for the trash to be removed and was personally supervising the execution of the plan to her apprentice. His stomach fluttered at the vileness of Meg doing anything personal to his lover. He grabbed his coat, blew out the candles and dashed out the door on his way to Fraser. Taking the stairs two at a time, he was about to bang on the door when it abruptly opened, the long face of a blond Constable appeared.

"Turnbull! What are you doing here so late?"

"Good evening, Detective." Rennie, backed off to let him in. "There were several duties I had to finish before I was allowed to leave for the day."

Ray felt a little better at hearing that. Maybe Benny was really being held up for some big diplomatic gathering. "Hmm. The Dragon Lady riding you guys pretty rough, huh?"

"Not any more than usual, sir. Constable Fraser is upstairs in his office."

Vecchio mulled this over and started up the carpeted steps, when he was met by the Mountie coming out of his office, surprise registering on his face.

"Ray...what are you doing here?" Fraser asked.

"I came to see why you hadn't come home. You said you would. I made dinner for us."

A shadow fell across the Constable's face, the guilt apparent. "I'm sorry, Ray. But, I did leave a message at the precinct earlier in the day, but I...guess you didn't get it. But it's not that late. We can still make an evening of it."

Vecchio's attempt to restrain his cruel sarcasm was slipping by the second. Once they were outside, he replied, "Okay, well, you're sorry. Now what, Fraser? Your thoughtlessness is becoming standard." They reached the Riv and got in. "This ought to interesting. I really want to hear about how you're going to make this up to me, but you certainly ain't in the mood tonight."

"I don't know what you want anymore, Ray. I did apologize. And I have said, in the past, when I seen how disappointed and upset you were about us not being together, I said we could retire to the bedroom then, but you wouldn't. Besides, I wasn't aware an ostentatious preparation of a meal also included sexual favors."

Ray gaped at the caustic comment. It wasn't in the least bit, however, laced with hostile intentions. Fraser was seriously intrigued! "Favors, Benny?! Is that what you consider it now?!"

"According to you, I don't consider it at all."

"I'm not far from the truth, though, am I?"

"You haven't given me much of a chance, Ray."

Ray bit his tongue. In a way, what Benny said was true. When Ray asked for sex, he wouldn't wait more than a short while before asking again. Given, work and life prevented it even more sometimes. So in Ben's eyes, only a week has passed by between the Italian's requests. But, to Vecchio, they had only done it one a month, or even less. All of which had been going on for a long time. Honestly, he was drained and had little fight left in him tonight. It wasn't compassion so much as weariness that prompted him to surrender. Again.

"Come on, let's go home."
END

End Blind Insight by LadyAna: LadyAna5@aol.com

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