Author's disclaimer: Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Smiles

"I don't believe this!" Ray threw himself into the chair behind his desk with absolute frustration.

"Ray?" questioned Elaine, on her way past his desk with an arm full of files.

"That damned deposition took all morning, and I was going to call Benny about meeting me for lunch, but, did I have time? Nooo! Now I have to question six robbery suspects who all claim to have an alibi, probably their mothers, and then I have to talk to Lieutenant Welsh and I know that he's going to ask me why my reports are so late, and then, tonight, I'm stuck at a stake-out with..."

"Detective Vecchio?" Welsh's voice cut through like a knife. "My office, please."

Ray moaned, and looked at Elaine as she gave him a sympathetic smile and whispered, "Good luck."

Ray entered the Lieutenant's office, and stood nearly at attention.

Welsh looked up, fingers intertwined on the desk in front of him. "Detective, would you care to explain to me why your reports from last week are not on my desk?"

"Yes, sir, I can explain."

"And is this explanation going to involve Mounties, deaf wolves, or tasting mud?"

"Well, yes, sir. You see..." Ray began, but stopped as Welsh lifted up one hand.

"Detective, I expect your reports on my desk, neatly typed, and double-spaced, by five o'clock this afternoon."

Ray groaned, but quickly muffled the sound. "Yes, sir, I can do that, sir."

Welsh restrained a smile as Ray turned and marched out of the office.

"Great, just great," Ray muttered on his way back to his desk.

"Ray, your robbery suspects are waiting," Elaine informed him.

"No, it won't be their mothers, it will be their *dogs*..."

Fraser stood at attention outside the Canadian consulate in the warm sun, with his eyes focused on nothing. After several minutes of listening to the sounds of traffic and people, he had decided to keep his mind occupied by reciting, to himself, first the RCMP official handbook, then, every Inuit tale that he could think of, and last, the lyrics to all the Bee Gee's songs.

Inspector Thatcher had placed him on sentry duty again, the third day in a row. 'Stopping to pull that man out of his burning car *did* make me five minutes late to work on Wednesday,' he had reminded himself.

Two more minutes, just two more minutes until his shift would be over and Ray would be there to pick him up. He had called Ray at lunch time, hoping that his friend would meet him for a bite to eat, but Ray had been unavailable. 'Maybe dinner,' Fraser thought to himself, as he relaxed his stance and turned at the familiar sound of the Riv approaching the curb.

The Riv pulled in, and Fraser stepped over to open the passenger door.

"Dief," he called. Dief came out from under the bench where he had been sleeping, and climbed into the back seat, then Fraser settled himself into the front.

"How was your day?" Fraser asked innocently.

"You won't believe the day I've had!" Ray began. "First, I had to give a deposition that took all morning, then, Lieutenant Welsh called me into his office to explain why I hadn't turned in last week's reports, then, I wasted two hours interviewing six robbery suspects who all had rock-solid alibis, then, I spent the rest of the afternoon typing, and now tonight..." Ray stopped his second tirade of the day when he saw the broad smile on Fraser's face.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Nothing, Ray," Fraser responded, a hint of a smile still on his face, wondering how Ray had managed to say all that without taking a break for a breath of air, and how he had managed to keep his eyes and his mind on his driving.

Ray frowned, but then an answering smile lit up his face. "Sorry, Benny, but this day was..."

"It's ok, Ray."

Fraser looked at Ray as they pulled up outside the apartment building. "Ray, would you like to stay for dinner, or go out somewhere to eat," he asked.

Ray sighed, he hated to turn down his friend's invitation. "I can't, Benny. That's what I was starting to tell you. I've got a stake-out tonight and no, you can't come, Welsh will kill me if I let you go on another one."

Fraser tried to hide his disappointment, but didn't succeed.

"How about dinner tomorrow instead?" Ray suggested with a smile.

Fraser nodded, and returned the smile. "That would be great, Ray."

"Hi, Benny!" Ray called out as he entered apartment 3J.

"Ray? I thought you said you'd be busy tonight." Fraser was surprised, but warmed to see his friend.

"My stake-out was cancelled. I know it's too late for dinner, but I thought I'd stop by anyway."

"I was just getting ready to take Dief out for a walk in the park. Want to come?"

Ray laughed. "Sure. I've got nothing better to do, and after the day I've had, escorting a wolf on his potty run could be the *highlight* of my day."

Fraser grabbed his jacket, and they made their way out of the apartment building, then down the street to the park.

After an hour in the park, the sun was completely down, and the two friends and Dief headed back.

"Bye, Benny," called Ray, heading for the Riv, as Fraser and Dief walked toward the apartment building.

"See you tomorrow, Ray," Fraser called back. He had almost reached the apartment building entrance when Dief let out a growl.

"What's wrong, boy?" Fraser looked down at Dief, who continued to growl. Fraser started to reach down to his wolf, when suddenly Dief took off back toward the street.

Ray had just rounded the front of his car when he heard the quiet voice.

"Hand over your wallet."

Ray looked up to see a tall, blond man pointing a gun at his chest.

"Take it easy," Ray said in a calm voice.

He reached for his wallet with one hand, and kept his other hand in a non-threatening upraised position, then he held the wallet out. The wallet was quickly ripped from his fingers, but the thief didn't move. Ray looked at him, and then followed the man's gaze. The badge that was still pinned to his waist was clearly visible even in the dim light. Ray looked back up as the man tightened his finger on the trigger.

"You shoot me, you'll have every cop in Chicago after you."

"So."

Ray took a step backward and raised both hands in a desperate attempt to protect himself. Suddenly a white form rushed past him, and Dief jumped on the thief, knocking him over. The gun fired as he fell. Ray cried out as he felt a sudden burst of pain, and then grabbed his arm and sank to the ground.

The thief hit the ground hard, and the jar of the fall knocked the gun out of his hand. He tried to reach for it, but the loud growl in his ear convinced him to keep his hands on the ground.

Fraser's eyes widened in shock as he heard the gun and Ray's cry of pain. He rushed back toward the Riv, coming around the front of the car at a full run. There were two figures on the ground, he saw, a man flat on his back with Dief sitting on him, and...Ray.

"Ray?" Fraser called frantically, voice shaking.

"I'm ok, Benny," Ray responded, holding his arm and sitting up with a slight gasp of pain.

"Let me see," Fraser demanded, as he scooped up the fallen gun, and then dropped to his knees beside Ray.

Fraser took Ray's arm, and examined the wound closely, then sighed with relief. "It's not too bad, Ray. As soon as I take care of him," he nodded to the thief still on the ground with Dief perched on his chest, "I'll call for the police and an ambulance."

"I'm ok, Benny, I don't need an ambulance," Ray protested.

"You were *shot*, Ray..."

"No kidding," Ray said under his breath.

"...and I'd feel better if the paramedics looked at your arm," Fraser finished.

"Benny..."

"Ray, I insist," Fraser said firmly.

"Ok, Benny." Ray gave in, seeing the concern in his friend's face.

Fraser turned and looked at Dief, still triumphantly sitting on the man's chest, and smiled.

"Ray, may I use your handcuffs?"

"Sure, Benny," Ray tossed the handcuffs over and smiled in satisfaction as Fraser secured the man's hands.

"Ok, Dief, you can get down now," Fraser told the wolf. Dief obediently climbed down, and moved over to sit next to Ray. Then Fraser made the call that would bring the police and the paramedics.

"I don't believe it," moaned Ray, as he looked at the pile of paperwork on his desk.

"What's the matter, Ray?" asked Elaine, stopping at his desk.

"I thought I finished most of this stuff yesterday."

"You did," Elaine answered with a grin, "That's all *new* paperwork."

"Great." Ray put a piece of paper into his typewriter, sighed loudly, and then looked back at the stack of papers in disbelief.

"Hi, Fraser," Elaine called out, as the Mountie entered the room.

"Good morning, Elaine," Fraser responded quickly with a smile, and then made his way to Ray's desk, Dief at his heels.

"How is your arm this morning, Ray?" Fraser asked, noting the slight look of discomfort on Ray's face, as his friend banged on the typewriter keys.

"It's ok, Benny, just a little sore."

"I thought perhaps you could use some help with typing your reports this morning."

"That would be great, Benny, thanks."

"You know, Ray, I don't believe that your sling is going to do much good unless you wear it."

"I know, Benny, but..."

"Hey, Ray," called Huey, "Did you diagram your injury for the insurance company like you did last time?"

"Ha, ha, real funny," Ray snarled. He looked at Fraser and muttered, "See what I have to put up with?"

Fraser's eyes were focused on the floor, and Ray followed his gaze to find Dief sitting next to his desk, eyes intent on him. No, not on him, he realized, intent on the bag of donuts on top of his desk.

"What's with him?" Ray asked.

"Ray, you *do* realize what you've done?" Fraser asked, seriously.

"What do you mean, Benny?"

Fraser looked down at Dief, and then back at Ray meaningfully. "You let a wolf save your life and you..."

"Oh, no," Ray interrupted, "No, no, no..." He grabbed the top of the donut bag and held it tightly.

Fraser darted a look at Dief. He would swear that the wolf was smiling.

Carole Seegraves
cseegraves@hotmail.com