RayK finds courage and friendship in an unexpected place.

R for rape (not graphic), language.

Joy

By Chris BJ

He nodded at his waiting partner, and said quietly, "one. two. THREE", as the combined force of their booted feet kicked the cheap door right off its hinges. Ray entered first, gun straight ahead.

"Chicago P.D.!"

Fraser was behind him, but there was no one else upright in the dirty room. Above them, a low watt bare bulb, and on the floor, piles of fast food refuse and filth. In front of them, two pieces of furniture. A cheap dresser, and a bed. On the bed, a girl. Naked, bloody. Blindfolded, bound and struggling. Ray crossed to her swiftly, as Fraser moved quietly to the open window. He looked out and down, and then back to his partner, who was struggling to untie the thick rope holding the girl by her wrists to the bedstead, and by her ankles to the bed's legs. Ray took Fraser's offered knife and quickly cut the rope's connections from the bed. He lifted her up to a sitting position and looked around for something to cover her up. The room was freezing, and she was shivering with cold, and fright. Fraser slid off his blue great coat and Ray placed it around her, whispering soothingly, "it's all right, it's OK" over and over. He took the crude bandages off her eyes that the attacker had placed there, handing them to Fraser to keep for evidence, and did the same with the adhesive dressing over her mouth. She struggled against this further pain, even though Ray took infinite trouble over the task. He handed the knife back to Fraser.

"Easy now, shhh. We're gonna get the ropes off. Just hold still"

She rolled her eyes in fright, still struggling. "Help me, please! Help me!"

"Shhh, shhh, we are going to help you. It's all right, we're the police. You're safe now." As he continued soothing her, he nodded to Fraser, who gently sliced the ropes binding her hands. The two men both winced at the sight of her wrists, which were raw and bleeding. "It hurts," she moaned. Fraser released her feet. Ray held her around the shoulders. "Yes, I know it hurts. You're OK now, we'll get you to a hospital".

"Help me." she moaned again. Ray could see she was terrified, and held her securely with one arm, feeling the incessant shaking of her thin body under the coat. He fetched out his cell phone with his free hand and made the necessary calls.

Squad cars and paramedics were there within minutes, during which time the girl had begun to cry wordlessly. The paramedics opened their equipment boxes and tried to get her to lie down so they could see the extent of the damage. She clung to Ray, sobbing.

"Help me, Help me".

"Shhh. Honey, it's OK. Look at me, now, come on, look at me". She turned large, tear filled eyes to him, like wounds on her dirty blood streaked face. "What's your name?"

"J..J.. Jenny," she whispered.

"OK, Jenny, look, its all right. They just want to help you. I'll stay right here. Just let them help you."

She looked at him, hearing the gentle assurance in his voice. He could see she was not just hurt and frightened but exhausted too. Sensing her relax slightly, he signalled to the paramedics to begin.

"Do we know what happened?" the older paramedic asked Ray.

"Kidnapping, assault. She's got rope burns on her wrists, and some cuts on her body, one on her arm." Ray went to ease the coat from her, and she stiffened in terror.

"Jenny, it's OK. They just need to see..."

"No, keep them away from me," and she clung again to Ray, hiding her face against his chest.

"Rape?" the paramedic mouthed at him. He shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't going to ask her, not when she was in this state. The other paramedic sighed. "Well, she's conscious, and we sure as hell can't help her much when she's like this. We need to get her to hospital."

Ray took the girl's face in his hand, and looked at her, his heart breaking at the raw pain on her face. "Jenny. Jenny. Jenny, are you listening?" He took her silence for assent. "Jenny, we're going to take you to hospital now." Her hand gripped his coat tighter, and in response to her unspoken plea, said "I'll come with you." He let her grip his hand tightly as they moved her onto the gurney. He looked at the Mountie, who had been filling in the arriving investigators and police. "Fraser, can you get to the hospital in my car? I'll go with her." Fraser nodded. He knew that the terrified girl was going to have to be questioned, but pure mercy dictated that her physical well-being was attended to first. She seemed to have trusted Ray instinctively - maybe he was the best person to ask the hard questions that would have to be asked.

Ray sat next to Jenny in the ambulance, as it sped, without sirens, to City General. The movement of the vehicle, and sheer exhaustion had allowed her to doze for a few minutes, but as they arrived at the emergency entrance of the hospital, the movement of the gurney woke her, and she cried out in fright. Ray took her hand again, and whispered to her, soothing. She seemed to relax again, and the gurney moved inside to the ER. Ray was relieved to see that the doctor was female. She insisted he had to leave the room while Jenny was examined. As he let her hand go, preparing to leave, she became hysterical, and Ray stopped. He looked at the Doctor in mute appeal.

"Are you a relative, Mr..." the doctor asked. Dr Allen, he noted.

"Ah, no. Detective Vecchio, Chicago PD. We found Jenny a short time ago. She was tied to a bed. We think she'd been there a while."

"Do you know her, then?"

"No. She's scared to death though, she hasn't let go of me since we found her. Couldn't I stay with her for a while?"

The doctor seemed resigned. Letting a hysterical patient who did not seem to have any life-threatening injuries have someone close to her during examination wasn't going to break too many rules. She nodded. "OK, stay a bit. But if we need you to leave, you'll have to go." Ray agreed.

"OK, Jenny, let's get this off you." Ray was relieved that this time, Fraser's coat was removed without a struggle, and replaced with a hospital gown.

He took it off the doctor. "It's a friend's," thinking that Fraser would need to have it cleaned before he wore it again. Her blood had stained the inside.

"Jenny, what's your full name?" The doctor was noting her answers on a clipboard.

"J...J... Jennifer C...C...Caulfield". She was trembling again.

"How old are you, Jenny?"

"22." Ray was surprised, she looked about 14, so slight and boyish were her features.

"Can you tell me where you hurt?" The doctor asked as she pulled the gown away from Jenny's body to look at the bruises and cuts on her torso.

"My wrists, and m..m..my arm". The doctor looked at the cut on her arm, and the weeping raw skin on her wrists. She motioned to the nurse, who started to clean the cuts.

"Anywhere else?"

"No," Jenny whispered, and she started to cry again. The doctor looked at Ray, and back at the weeping girl. She asked her gently, "Jenny, I know this is hard for you, but I have to ask - were you raped?" Jenny's tears poured down. Ray and the doctor both saw the tiny, painful nod. "Oh God," thought Ray, but he could say nothing. The doctor looked at the miserable face of her patient with sympathy.

She motioned to Ray. "Detective, you will want to ask some questions I know, but I think we'd better do the rape exam straight away."

Ray 's stomach churned. He never got used to this. He knew he had to leave now, and spoke to Jenny softly.

"Jenny, honey? I gotta go. The doctor's gonna have to look at you properly, get you all fixed up. I'll be right outside."

"No!" she wailed, "Help me, please!" Ray's chest tightened. "Doctor, do you think...?"

The doctor frowned. "I really..." then stopped. The pain on both faces was unbearable. She made a quick decision. "OK detective, as the patient wants it. Just stay at the top of the gurney, and please don't interrupt. We don't want to make any mistakes here". The cop knew what she meant - they didn't want to miss anything, or contaminate anything. We're gonna nail this shit, he thought with sudden overwhelming anger.

Jenny had stopped crying, but she still clung to him with surprising force. He looked at the hand entrapping his own, and saw, with surprise, that though small, it was muscular, with calluses and a few old scrapes and cuts. Like Fraser's when he's been doing work on the neighbour's apartments. It seemed at odds with the rest of her.

The nurse erected a screen across Jenny's middle, to protect her privacy. The doctor had summoned a colleague, and they set about the grim task of collecting forensic evidence from Jenny's body. Ray watched the necessary tasks with distaste, as they scrapped under Jenny's fingernails and collected the fragments in sterile tubes. The doctor spoke. "Jenny, I'm sorry to have to ask you this. We have to do it you know - have you had sex with anyone in the past three days?" Ray almost yelled at her in disgust, but his training stopped him. The girl shook her head. "No. Never." Ray looked her in surprise.

"Do you mean, you have never had sex? You were a virgin?" The doctor asked.

"Yes," Jenny whispered, and Ray thought he was going to be sick. Having heard this, the girl's terror became even more understandable. The doctor made her notes, but looked at Ray, struggling to keep his features under control. She controlled her own, but she was no less shocked than Ray.

"Did you see who did it?" asked the doctor.

"No."

Ray roused himself. "She was blindfolded when we found her..." Jenny interrupted him.

"I didn't see anyone. I can't see. I'm blind" She said quietly. Ray looked at the dirty, teary face with shock. She had been looking right at him, he was sure. But she hadn't responded to any visual signal that he recalled. Blind, he thought. She's blind.

"Is that recent? - I mean were you blind before..."

"I've been blind for over ten years. He didn't need to cover my eyes. I begged him not to." She started to cry softly again. The doctor thought it best to leave it. The rest of the exam proceeded, with just brief comments between the doctors, noting and logging their findings, occasionally placing a scraping or hair fragment in a tube. Jenny clung to Ray's hand the whole time, and did not speak again. The doctor thought it best to give her a sedative before completing the dressing of her injuries, and Jenny fell asleep. "Thank God," Ray thought.

It was thought best that she should stay in for at least one night, maybe two, and she was taken up to a private room. Ray knew he was going to have question her about the rape, and kidnapping, and he recoiled at the idea. This surprised him. He was no stranger to violent crime, rape, assault, he'd seen it all. But somehow, this was so much worse. He could imagine her terror, not being able to see her attackers, not knowing what was going to happen, and then being left all alone in that filthy room, probably to die there. He realised that if he and Fraser had not been tipped off that something was seriously wrong in the apartment by one of Ray's snitches, Jenny would have starved to death, or died of the cold. He suddenly wanted to punch something, very hard, but controlled himself. He had to be strong, he had to help this girl, and he had to catch the scum who'd hurt her.

The room was strictly off bounds to all visitors, but Ray posted himself outside her room, ready for the long haul. Fraser found him there, in a chair, head between his hands.

"Ray. Is she...?"

"She's OK, asleep," gesturing towards the door. "No visitors. Welsh said to keep an eye on her"

"Do we know what happened? Has she said anything?"

"Not much." Ray fell silent, but Fraser could see by the way the younger man's face twisted, that some unpleasant thoughts were going on behind his blue eyes.

"Did she see who attacked her?"

"No." Ray swallowed. "Fraser, she's blind." Fraser was as surprised as Ray had been by the news.

"You mean, from the attack..." Ray cut him off angrily.

"No, like for good. She's been blind for years. And he still blindfolded her, and he still raped her!"

Fraser looked at his partner with profound sympathy. It was ugly then, and Ray was going to have to investigate it. He was going to have ask intimate questions of that, that child, and still be cool and objective. Fraser had been moved by the way the young woman had clutched his partner as if her life depended on it, and the gentle way Ray had soothed her. Knowing what had happened to her, that she could trust a stranger so totally, was remarkable.

Fraser knelt down, so he was level with his partner. He saw, with shock, that Ray's eyes were brimming. He placed his hand on his shoulder in comfort, and then stood up.

"Do you want me to stay here?"

Ray dashed the tears out of his eyes with the back of an impatient hand.

"Nah, I'm good. I want to be here when she wakes up. Someone's gonna have to talk to her. " He motioned to the plastic bag next to his chair.

"It's your coat. It's got blood on it." Fraser picked it up.

"Do you want anything - coffee? Something to eat?" he asked the seated man.

"No." The thought of food revolted him. Fraser decided to leave him be.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, Frase." Fraser gave the other man another uncharacteristic squeeze on the shoulder and walked down the corridor. Ray settled into the chair and waited.

He woke to a hand rocking his shoulder and his name being called. "Detective Vecchio? Detective?" He saw a nurse's uniform, and then a face. God, he felt stiff. What was he doing? ... then he remembered. He rubbed a hand over a tired face. "Yeah. What?"

"Sorry to wake you, detective. It's Miss Caulfield. She's asking for you. " The nurse looked at him expectantly

"Who?" he started to asked, before remembering that "Miss Caulfield" was Jenny. He got up, stretched quickly, uncricking shoulders and his neck, then followed the nurse into Jenny's room. It was morning, and the sun was attempting to force its way in behind strip blinds. The nurse opened them, then left the room and he could finally see her clearly. To his intense relief, she looked much better. Her face was clean, and free of tears for the first time since he'd found her. Her hair had been brushed and tied back and although she looked worn-out and sad, something of the fragility of her skin had disappeared. He guessed she'd needed a damn good night's sleep, apart from anything else, but the drip in her arm was also restoring the fluid she'd lost. She's gonna be OK, he thought.

"Hello, Jenny, " he said as he pulled up a chair to her bedside. Her head turned to his voice, and to his delight, a little smile lit her features.

"Hi." She put her hand out, and he took it gently. "It 's Detective V... Vec..?' she stopped in embarrassment, clearly unable to remember his name.

"Vecchio. Ray. Just call me Ray."

"Ray," she sighed. "That's nice, it's a nice name. All warm and sunny." Ray pulled a face which he was glad she could not see. He wasn't feeling much like a "ray" just now.

"How you feeling?"

"Better. Thanks."

"You probably got a better night's sleep than I did, that's for sure," Ray attempted a joke, but her face didn't change expression. "Jenny..." He stopped. He couldn't do this. He could not ask this child about the horror they'd freed her from. He sought another approach. "Do you have family here? Has anyone ...?"

"No, I don't have any family. My parents died last year, and I'm an only child". So much for that idea.

"What about friends? Can we call someone for you?"

"No. I don't want to see anyone. I just want to talk to you. No one else. " She spoke quietly, but Ray could see she was quite determined on this one.

"You know I'm gonna have to talk to you about... about..." Why was this so hard?

"The ... rape. Yes, I know" and Ray was dismayed to see the banished tears return, and fill her eyes.

"And the kidnapping. The whole thing. I'm sorry, I really am." Ray wished he'd never brought it up.

"No, I understand. It's your job."

"I can get a police woman..."

"NO!" She shouted, shocking him. "I don't want to see anyone else, do you understand? Only you." She was beginning to get angry. Ray raised a placatory hand, but dropped it again, realising the futility of his gesture. He took her hand in both of his.

"It's okay, really. It's all right. You don't have to see anyone else, not at the moment. Not until you're ready." She sank back against the pillow. Ray realised how hard this was for her, and recognised the courage it took for her to let him question her.

"Do you want to do this now? I mean, you're tired, I can come back..."

"Please, Ray. Don't go" She pleaded with her large, sightless eyes, every fibre in her body willing him to stay. "I trust you. You helped me. You saved me. Help me now." Ray thought his heart would burst with pain. He squeezed her hand.

"Okay."

They spent the next two hours talking, Ray asking questions, she answering them in a halting voice. They had to stop several times while yet another weeping fit overcame her. Once or twice, he thought he too was going to break down, but he fought hard to control himself, hoping she could not hear the change in his voice. Some professional cop I turned out to be, he thought, angry with himself. She'd really got to him.

It was an ugly story, and Ray would have given anything not to have had to hear it, especially not from the lips of a palefaced young girl. The man had attacked her at home four days ago. She was working late at night.

"You work at home?"

" I sculpt. I work best at night, for some reason."

He'd broken in and taken her by brute force, gagging and blindfolding her. She'd begged him not to hurt her, but he'd hit her across the face and cut her arm to make her shut up, and then the gag had stopped her making further protest. She'd been driven, a long way she thought, and taken up to the apartment where she'd been found. Ray had already heard from the precinct that the apartment had been empty for some time, and no leads had yet been made through it. Her attacker had stripped her, tied her to the bed and left her in that position for the four days until rescue, with no food or water. He raped her several times, cutting her in a semi-ritualistic way each time and leaving the room only to get food for himself. He never spoke to her. Then he had left for the final time, she guessed about a day ago. By that time, she was half-delirious with fright and thirst. No wonder she was in the state she was when we found her, Ray thought grimly.

When at last she had finished, she was crying freely, and Ray no longer bothered to hide the catch in his own voice. He moved to stroke her head, and hesitated. He knew some rape victims found physical touch revolting, but she was blind, he couldn't comfort her by looking at her. He gently placed his hand on her head, and when she didn't flinch, stroked it softly, whispering soothing nothings. She relaxed again, and then to his surprise, slipped into sleep. Ray drew his hand away, and went to the door, which opened in front of him. Dr Allen was on her way in, but he put his finger to his lips, and motioned her back outside. They closed the door behind them, and stood in the corridor, where Ray found Fraser had taken up his old post in the chair outside the room. Ray nodded acknowledgement to the mountie's enquiring look and turned to the doctor.

"She's asleep," he confirmed

"Have you spoken to her?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah. Got all the details. Poor kid. When can she go home?" Ray felt Fraser's eyes on him, but did not dare meet them. Fraser knew what "getting all the details" was likely to have done to his partner.

"Well, I'd be happier if she could stay another night. She doesn't have any family, so I understand, and she was badly dehydrated, and not a little distressed. I think another night without worrying about looking after herself would help." Personally Ray did not feel time spent in hospital equated with being worry free, but he didn't want his personal phobia to colour decisions about what was right for Jenny.

"I could get some clothes for her, from her home, if she'll agree. I can arrange transport back there tomorrow." Ray offered. The doctor readily agreed to this, and got Jenny's consent when she went in to check on her. She advised that left alone, the patient was likely to sleep the rest of the day.

"She wants to speak to you again". Ray looked at Fraser, who made it clear he'd wait for his partner, and went back into the room.

"Hey, you awake again?"

"Sorry about that" she apologised with a little grin.

"The doctor says you're going home tomorrow. Do you want a lift then?" Ray knew this had been the right suggestion, as the smile grew. "Okay, you stay here, get some rest. I'll collect some clothes an' stuff, and be back this evening. Right?"

"'kay"

Ray left her room again. Fraser looked at him. Ray seemed a little happier but he decided not to ask about the case just now. Ray would tell him soon enough. They got the information they needed from the hospital records, arranged for a security guard outside her room for the day until their return, and drove in the GTO to Jenny's home. It was a large house, in one of the smarter suburbs. Ray guessed it had been Jenny's parents. The back door had been broken into, but apart from some disorder caused from Jenny's struggles with the intruder, the house appeared to be undisturbed. The finger printing boys had already been over the door and the studio where she had been taken from. Jenny's works in progress lay around, mostly busts, Ray was surprised to see. Fraser offered to make enquiries with the neighbours about keys and keeping an eye on the house, while Ray went to find Jenny's things. He passed through large, spotless, stylishly furnished rooms, and wandered upstairs.

The only room which could have been Jenny's was easily found. Ray did not care for the task of rooting around in her personal items - it reminded him too much of searches he had made in the homes of murder victims, but all the same, Jenny couldn't come home in a hospital gown, and there was no one else she could - or would - ask for help. Fortunately, her clothes were well-ordered, and he chose what he hoped was a matching set of pants and blouse, a coat, underwear, and shoes. He thought suddenly that Jenny would probably welcome some familiar bath gel and her make up, and made a quick visit to the bathroom, where he made a selection. Returning through the bedroom, he spotted a small bottle on the dresser. Perfume - 'Joy'. He opened it, and the heady scent floated towards him. He thought it possible that it was just what Jenny could do with just now. He hesitated briefly, then grabbed it. At least having been married to Stella had one benefit, he thought wryly.

He came back downstairs and found Fraser, with an elderly woman who informed them that she could tidy and help them restock the house. After various housekeeping matters had been attended to, and the locks replaced, he left several hours later with Fraser, carrying Jenny's things in a small suitcase. On the way back to the hospital, his partner's silence finally got to Ray. He knew Fraser wanted to help.

"It's... It's not great, Frase..."

"I know, Ray. You don't have to tell me." Ray was surprised at the tact. Fraser could be quite insensitive, but not, Ray now realised, when it really counted.

"It's okay. You'll have to know some time, I mean, we're gonna catch the guy, right?"

"Yes." Fraser's affirmation, without any doubt in his voice, cheered Ray slightly.

"He took her Thursday night. He drove her to the apartment where we found her, and tied her up. He raped her multiple times, and left her over 24 hours before we got there. Fraser, if we hadn't got there, she would have died. He..."

"I know, Ray. And I also know, we got there, you freed her, and now she's safe, and one day, soon, she will be well."

Ray knew Fraser spoke nothing more than the truth, but he hadn't told him everything.

"There's something else. At the hospital, she... well, they asked if she'd ever, you know..." Ray didn't know how to tell Fraser. Hell, the man couldn't talk to women without blushing. Actually, Fraser had some idea of what he was trying to say, but kept his counsel. He knew Ray had to do it himself.

"She, uh, was a virgin. Fraser, the man took a blind, innocent girl, a virgin, and he raped her . Repeatedly. And he left her to die, to starve to death. Alone. Terrified and alone. Do you know what that must be like?" Ray gripped the steering wheel with whitening knuckles.

Fraser feared Ray might lose control completely, and chose his words carefully, speaking in a level, calm voice.

"No. I don't. I can imagine, but neither you nor I will really ever know what that's like. I do know this though. If we don't catch the man who did this, he'll do it again. And if he does it again, some other young woman is going to suffer like Jenny, and maybe next time, we won't be able to help, and some other young woman will die. " Ray winced at his words. Fraser continued.

"What you need to do now is your job. You're a good cop, go get your man." Ray grinned.

"I thought that was your motto."

"Well, Ray, as you know, the mounties' actual motto is 'Maintain the right..." Fraser recited his familiar speech, right on cue, as he knew Ray expected it. Fraser could see Ray's knuckles relax on the wheel, and knew then that his partner was not going to let himself, or Jenny, down.

They drove back to the hospital, discussing what they knew about the case so far, and what Fraser had been able to gather from the pathology boys. Not much. DNA results wouldn't be back for a week or so. The blood in the apartment was all one blood group - Jenny's. The room and fast food remains had been checked for prints, but nothing had come up. The outlet which sold the food could not provide a description, nobody else had seen anything there or at Jenny's place. Ray had hoped Fraser would get something from the snitch who tipped them off, but he know little more than what he had already told them - he'd seen movement in a previously empty apartment, and thought it was a drug deal, so had told Ray. He hadn't actually seen anyone clearly, but could confirm that the activity started on Thursday night. All in all, nothing to go on. Ray and Fraser both knew that unless the prints or the DNA turned up someone with priors, statistically they had virtually no chance of catching the man - unless he struck again. Much as he hated himself for thinking it, Ray hoped he would do so soon. He badly wanted to nail this guy.

Fraser waited in the corridor, in the chair. Back in Jenny's room, Ray's heart melted at the big smile his entrance earned him. She was definitely improving, he thought. She was delighted he'd brought the bath things, and makeup, and when he produced the perfume bottle, he knew that of all the things he could have done, this was the right one. She put a little on, behind the ear and on the heel of her hand, above the wrist bandages, and held it to him to smell. The scent was beautiful, and well named - he felt his heart lift with the sweetness of it.

"It's very nice," Ray said, and noticed her smile of pleasure.

"My dad used to buy it for me. He gave me a bottle for my 18th birthday, and said, every time I wore it, I must think of him. And I do." Her face turned sad again. Ray didn't know what to say. Jenny's neighbour had said the young woman had been alone in the house since the death of her parents in a highway car crash just over 12 months before. So much sorrow in such a short life, he thought.

"It smells like you look," he offered.

"Oh." She actually blushed. Ray was glad to have given her something pleasant to think about. Suddenly a yawn rose in him and escaped, unbidden.

"You sound tired," she said shyly.

"Yeah, well, part of the job, ya know." But he knew he had to get some proper sleep, he wanted to be fresh to take her home tomorrow. He had an inspiration.

"Jenny, I know you said you didn't want to have anyone else here, but I gotta get some shuteye. My boss wants you to have someone by the door until you go home. My partner is out there right now. Would you like to meet him? He's real polite and stuff, he was with me when we found you, so he know the deal..." He left the request hang. Did she trust him not to inflict some brute of a cop on her?

"Well..."

"He's a mountie" he said suddenly, and she giggled.

"He's what?"

"Honest to God, I'm tellin' ya. A real live, Nelson Eddy, horse riding mountie. He first came to Chicago on the trail of his father's killers and has remained ever since." He could see curiosity struggling with shyness, and winning.

"Okay."

"Great. I'll get him. Don't go anywhere," and he rushed out to get his partner. Fraser was surprised the girl had agreed to meet him, but the plan was sound. He could watch over Jenny for most of the night, and Ray would relieve him in the morning.

When Fraser entered the room, he, like Ray before him, was struck by the improvement in Jenny. When he had seen her last, she was a bleeding, shivering wreck, dangerously close to insanity, and here now was a smiling, rather pretty girl, with colour in her cheeks, and goodness, perfume. He deduced Ray's hand in that, and mentally congratulated his partner on his thoughtfulness.

"Miss Caulfield? Hello, I am Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I am delighted to see you looking so well."

"You're really a mountie?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"A mountie. Wow." She smiled, and leaned back on the pillows. "Ray?"

"I'm here." He moved closer to the bed.

"You'll come back tomorrow?"

"I'll be back before you wake up. I know you're gonna sleep well, cos' Fraser here, well, he's just got a whole trunk full of stories, and I guarantee you, every one's a real snoozemaker." He grinned at his partner, who smiled back, knowing he was only trying to make the girl feel at ease. Suddenly she asked, "Ray, what colour's your hair?"

"Blond" Ray said, surprised.

"And your eyes?"

"Blue, kinda" He was puzzled. She smiled.

"It's okay, I had vision until I was twelve, of a sort. 'Blond' and 'blue' do actually mean something to me. Can I ask another favour?"

"Sure."

"Can I feel your face? I mean, I want to put a face to your voice." Ray was a little taken aback, but Fraser nodded at him, encouraging him. He leant over towards her, and taking her hand, placed it on his cheek. She ran her fingers gently over his whole face, making him wish that at some point, he'd found time to shave that day. She traced her finger along his jaw, and up over his ears, then took it away. "Hmmm."

"What 'Hmmm'?"

"You don't look like your voice, you know". She smiled at him. He decided to play along and said with mock annoyance, "Oh yeah, and what do I look like?"

"I don't think I can describe it. Maybe one day I'll show you"

"Oh." Ray thought about it for a second or two. "What about Fraser, what does his voice look like?"

"Let me see," she commanded and Fraser likewise took her hand and put it on his face. Ray watched her hands delicately trace over the mountie's face, who, to Ray's surprise, seemed to take the whole process quite calmly. He's had this done before, Ray realised. Fraser had in fact often had blind Inuit women do exactly this. He suspected that he knew what Jenny was saying about the mismatch between Ray's face and his voice - the younger man was a bundle of contradictions.

"Well, your voice and your face, they completely match."

"That's a relief," Fraser joked. Ray knew now Jenny accepted Fraser, and he could go home for a rest with confidence. He took her hand, and surprised both her and himself by gently touching his lips to it. "Farewell, pretty maiden. Sweet dreams."

She took his cue, and gravely said "And to you Sir Knight" before bursting into giggles. Ray was glad to have the happy sound follow him out of the room.

Ray felt the good of a complete night's sleep, and knew he was in an entirely better shape to deal with Jenny's case. He shook his head at his emotionality of the day before. Getting soft, he thought. He hoped Jenny has also had a good night, and hummed softly to himself as he exited the lift towards her room. Fraser was there, looking surprisingly worn out. Did he get any sleep at all? Ray wondered. Fraser smiled in greeting. "Good morning, Ray. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, like a top. You?"

"Well, this chair is not that comfortable, you know," Fraser said plaintively. Ray nodded sympathetically - his neck still ached from the night before last.

"And Jenny. Everything okay with her?"

"Ah, well..." Ray interrupted him. " What, Fraser, is she okay?" His heart skipped a beat, as nightmare visions of Jenny dead or comatose swam in front of him. Fraser quickly reassured him.

"Yes. Look, she's fine. She's asleep now, don't shout, you'll wake her up."

"What's wrong then?" Ray calmed down slightly but he was still agitated. Fraser didn't want him worked up again, not after yesterday.

"She had a couple of bad dreams, that's all. The nurse called me in, and we got her settled. It's not that surprising, considering what she's been through. She's all right now. They gave her another sedative, and she's been asleep for about six hours".

Ray cursed himself. He should have been here. She needed to feel safe, and he had gone home to sleep, leaving her alone. He knew this was being slightly unfair on himself, but the need to protect this girl from the horrors of her experience was like a physical being inside him. He felt that he would do anything to erase her pain. Fraser could see the guilt cross his face, and shook his head. There was little he could do for his partner - this case had gotten under his skin and the only solution was for Jenny to get well, and to catch her attacker. He just hoped both events would come sooner rather than later.

Ray and Fraser waited in the corridor, until the nurse came in, checked on her patient, and let the two men know that she was awake and wanting to see them. Ray noticed that if anything, Jenny looked a little worse than she had the previous day. His heart sank, but he forced himself to put a cheerful tone in his voice. "Hey now, pretty maiden, how dost thou do, an' all that stuff?"

"Hello, Ray" She managed the tiniest of smiles. "Is Benton there ?"

"Right here, Jenny. How are you today?"

"I'm tired. Want to go home." Ray could understand the feeling.

"Well, the doc says, it's ok with her if it's ok with you, and if it's ok with you, it's ok with me."

"Then let's get out of here". She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and Fraser left in search of the nurse, to help get the IV out and process the forms. Ray came up to her side, and she reached for his hand. "You ok, honey?" She looked ill, and drawn. He wasn't at all sure that she should be going home in this state. She nodded. "Ray, I wanted to tell you..."

"What, Jenny? It's ok, it'll wait. Let's get you home." He was worried at the determined look on her face. What fresh horror was she going to reveal to him?

"The doctor came to see me again last night. They've run some tests. She told me that I'm not pregnant, and so far as they can tell, I haven't caught anything off, off..." She started to cry. Ray put his arms around her. Fraser was right, he thought grimly, we really don't have any idea what it's like. "Shhh, Shhh, you're ok, you're ok, you're beautiful, shhh."

Fraser came back with the nurse, and stopped in his tracks when he saw the weeping girl being cradled by his partner. Ray signalled "out" with his eyes, over the back of Jenny's head, and they crept out again. Jenny's sobs grew less, and he stroked her head until they stopped altogether. Finally she pulled away from him and drew herself up. Wiping the tears from her eyes with both hands, she managed a wobbly smile. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

Ray patted her hand. He thought he understood. She'd been secretly worrying about being pregnant, or worse, and the good news, while welcome, had revived the horror in her mind for her. He only hoped there weren't any other surprises left inside her by the loathsome creep who had done this to her.

She indicated she was ready to go, and Ray fetched the nurse from outside the door. The nurse took the IV out and helped Jenny to the bathroom so she could wash and change into her street clothes. A wheelchair was fetched, and Ray and Fraser waited while the nurse arranged Jenny into it, handing her belongings in the suitcase to Fraser to hold. Ray wheeled her out into the sunshine, and helped her into his car. She relaxed back into the leather seat, the sun streaming in onto her face. Ray watched as she put her hands up to touch the warmth, and his heart flipped over. She looks so young, he thought. He'd never had a sister, but he suddenly realised what it must feel like, to feel so protective and loving about a girl. Again he shook his head at his silly emotional state, and started the car.

Fraser came with them, after all. He'd arranged a couple of days off with the Ice Queen, and so had no need to hurry back to the consulate. Ray amused Jenny on the drive back by getting Fraser started on a tale of one of his more improbable North West Territories exploits. Fraser was happy to play the fool to cheer the young lady's heart. He could see why Ray was so caught up in this. The girl had a definite fragile sweetness about her that brought out the protective older brother in both of them. Fraser was as revolted by Ray by what had been done to her, and was as determined that no other should suffer the same fate. But for now, getting her home and settled would do all of them a lot of good. Fraser felt Ray needed to see Jenny's coping, surviving. Her success at this would determine much for the younger man.

Ray held Jenny's hand as she walked slowly up the path. She stopped suddenly. "What is it, Jenn?" he asked, with concern.

"My keys. My wallet. He's got them." Ray could see the panic rising on her face.

"It's ok. Fraser and one of the neighbour's organised a locksmith. All he's got is a handful of scrap metal".

Fraser chipped in . "I also took the liberty of contacting your bank and letting them know that it was most likely that your credit cards had been stolen. They've agreed to suspend them until you let them know what you want doing with them." He stepped up to Jenny and placed something in her hand. She opened it and Ray saw that it was a fresh set of house keys, attached to a key ring carving of a salmon. She traced its curve with her thumb. "Inuit?" she asked solemnly, and Fraser had to smile. "Taiwanese, actually" and they all laughed. Her panic forgotten, she led Ray up to the front door and opened it. Inside, in the hall, there was a big bouquet of the most scented flowers Ray could extract from the telephone florist. She found it by the smell, and buried her face in it. She lifted her head, looked at Ray and said "You?"

"Yeah, well, just a little welcome home, is all. You've got pollen on yer nose." She reached up and rubbed it, smiling. She walked back to them both, and reached for a hand from each of them. "Thank you" and kissed Ray, then Fraser on the cheek. "Thank you for my life." "You're welcome" they said together.

The next few weeks, Ray didn't see much of Jenny but he spoke to her nearly every night, usually late. He knew the nights were the worst. He could hardly blame her. The sicko was still on the loose, and she was alone in the house. He'd offered to provide some protection for her, even stay over, but she had been surprisingly firm about this. "I have to do this, by myself. I haven't got to where I am now by relying on other people when things get tough". Ray accepted her decision, but left her his cell phone number, which she took gratefully. At first, she rang to ask about the progress of the case, but he knew she didn't really want to hear the details, which was just as well because he had precious little to tell her. Gradually it came to be a little ritual, her call. Ray would tell her about the more amusing aspects of his day, Fraser's latest lunacy, and she would talk to him about her work, about the little events in her day. It made Ray realise what having a female friend was all about. He found himself talking to her about things he never even told Stella, or Fraser, and he shared with her the setbacks and triumphs on her road back from the attack. Each night, when he said goodbye, he imagined her lying on her bed, a little closer to happiness.

After two months, the break came. Ray drove around to Jenny's place. When she opened the door, he said simply, "We got him" and enfolded her in his arms. She wept and he cried too. Finally he coughed, and said gruffly "we gotta stop meeting like this" and her muffled giggle rose against his chest. She took him inside and made them both coffee in the kitchen while he told her the details. Another girl, abducted, just as she had been, late at night. This time, somebody saw something and called it in, and the pig was caught in the room with his victim. Semen analysis confirmed he was the same man who had raped Jenny. "It's over, honey, it's all over."

She was very quiet. "And the girl?"

"She's ok. Well, she's physically ok, if you know what I mean."

"Can I see her?" Ray wasn't sure this was such a good idea, although the motivation was as pure as the driven snow. She just wanted to help the other one, show her the way out.

"I'll talk to her, and ask her, will that do?" Ray asked, and Jenny nodded. He stood up and came over to her.

"I'm proud of you, you know that?"

"Why?" She was surprised.

"Because you beat this thing. You beat it on your own and you didn't let him win. Good for you."

"I couldn't have done it without you" she whispered.

"Nah," he said simply, and hugged her.

He spoke to the girl, and she was eager to meet Jenny. Fraser came with them to the hospital, and the two men waited for more than a hour outside the room. Finally Jenny emerged, tears streaking on her face, and leaned against the wall. Ray looked at her carefully, trying to assess whether she had been damaged by the experienced.

"Jenny?"

"I'm good to go, Ray. " The two men looked at each other, hearts too full to speak.

The trial took place just over a year later. Jenny, Ray and Fraser all had to testify, and even though the DNA analysis was conclusive, the defence still tried to make Jenny and the other victim go through hoops. Jenny toughed it out on the stand, and when she told the court, simply and clearly what had been done to her, what had been her experience of her first sexual encounter and how the man had blindfolded a frightened blind woman and tied her to a bed for four days, even the defence counsel was subdued. Ray saw one jury member wipe away tears. The man was jailed for twenty years, no chance of parole.

Jenny let Ray stay for a week after the trial. The nightmares came back, and they would sit though the night, talking together. She slept during the day. Then, just as quickly, she pushed him off again. "I'm ok. I can do this," and he knew she could. She continued to call him at night, and just as he had done, she pictured him curled up on the sofa, listening to her voice. A little closer to happiness.

A month later, Ray was delighted when she rang him and asked him to go out to dinner with her. He chose a restaurant he knew, where there was dancing also. When he picked her, she was wearing a long, blue dress, her hair was styled, and he could smell her scent, 'Joy'. She carried a small gift-wrapped box with her. She looked fabulous, and he couldn't help contrasting the sparkling woman next to him with the frightened creature he and Fraser had saved all those months ago. She chatted with him in relaxed fashion, and when she stepped into the restaurant on his arm, he saw the other patrons look at him with frank envy. He grinned at them, wishing she could share the moment. No matter.

They ate and talked. He sensed there was something she wanted to say, and that the box she had brought with her was part of it, but he let her take her time. Finally, over the coffee, she confessed "Ray, there's something I have to say to you". He smiled, she was completely transparent.

"Hey, honey, what so important you had to drag me all the way out here and squeeze me into these duds for?" He took her hand and held it. She suddenly looked sad, and his heart skipped. What could be wrong, after all they had been through together.

"This isn't easy. You know you're my best friend. I'm afraid you're going to be angry with me."

"Never." Ray said firmly

"It's.. I..." She stopped. He squeezed her hand in encouragement. "Come on, spit it out."

"Ray, I'm leaving Chicago. I'm selling the house and moving to Paris." Ray was astonished.

"What... when...?"

"In a month. I've applied to a art school over there, and the acceptance came a couple of weeks ago. I'm sorry. I should have told you, but I was afraid you would be hurt." Ray was astounded by this. "You, hurt me? You must be kidding. It's great, I mean, Paris, shit, that's wonderful."

He saw her jaw relax, where she had tensed up in anticipation of his reaction. "And you aren't angry with me?"

"Nah, course not. I'm gonna miss you though, I mean, I kinda got used to you being around." Ray was trying to be casual about it, but he was lying. She could hear the catch in his voice, but she decided to play it his way. "You've got Fraser," she pointed out.

"Oh yeah, I got Fraser. That's ok then. So, that's the big news? You could have told me on the phone, you didn't have to waste..."

"Shhh, Ray. The reason I wanted to have dinner with you was to say thank you for all you've done for me and," stifling his protests with a raised hand, "to give you this". She handed him the box. He opened it and inside, was a head. A clay portrait of himself. "How...?"

"I told you in the hospital I would show you how I saw you. It's taken me this long to get it right. I, uh, had to make several attempts." She blushed. Ray picked up the little head, and turned it round and round, marvelling at the skill. It sort of did and didn't look like him, but that didn't matter, it was how she saw him, and obviously she thought he was one handsome dude. He could smell something. He sniffed the figure. Perfume. She'd put her perfume on the clay.

"Jenny, it's terrific. I love it."

"Really?"

"Really." He placed it back in its box, and looked at her. He was not surprised to see the tears spilling from her eyes. His eyes were getting full too. He took her hand, and waited until she could look at him straight in the eye. He decided to lighten the mood. "Enough of this now. I know what we both need. Pretty maiden, do you want to dance?"

She coughed, and murmured "Well, I've never..."

"Well, you're gonna now. You just follow me" He led her out onto the floor, as a slow dance was starting, and held her in his arms, letting her feel the rhythm, leading gently, swaying back and forth to the music. With her head on his shoulder, he knew how he was going to feel. He'd miss her. Like hell, actually. And life was going to be tough for her, he knew, living alone in a foreign country. But when she had gone, he could still call her. And then he could lie at night and think of her, a little closer to joy.