This was originally posted on The Closet on July 4, 1999. I was

watching the fireworks myself and got inspired, and whipped this out

in about two hours. Not much plot, but why let that stop me? :)

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Alliance, but as a member of the

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Cops and Mounties (SPCCM)

I've taken custody for now.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

"Hey, Benny. Ya going to the fireworks down by the lake

tonight?" Ray Vecchio tossed a folder casually onto his desk as he

greeted the Mountie he found waiting for him there.

"Well, Ray, I hadn't planned on it. The display is scheduled for

ten o' clock, which is rather later than I am usually awake. I

have an early shift tomorrow morning, and--"

"Aw, come on, Benny. It's the Fourth of July. Everybody watches

fireworks on the Fourth."

"Not in Canada."

"Are we IN Canada? Now, come on. We're having a barbecue over at

my place after work. Why don't you come on over and we'll go

together?"

"I--"

"Great. Pick you up at four? We'll stop by your place so you can

change, 'cause I guarantee you don't wanna be in uniform tonight.

Before I made detective, I spent every Fourth of July on patrol,

and you would not believe the sort of stuff that goes on out

there."

Fraser resigned himself to the inevitable. Besides, visits to the

Vecchio house were fun, if exhausting, and Ray seemed to be excited

about the fireworks. "All right, Ray. Are you going to lunch?"

"Nah, I've got this paperwork to catch up on and Welsh'll have my

hide if it's not in by the time I leave today. I'll catch you

later."

"Till four o'clock, then."

"Yeah. See you then."

If anything, the Vecchios were noisier than usual at the picnic.

Ray could tell that the strain was wearing on Fraser by the time

they reached the lake shore at eight thirty, so he waited until

his family had their assortment of blankets and folding chairs

set up and then made up a story about needing to check with the

patrol officers and escaped, taking Ben with him. The Mountie

relaxed visibly as soon as they were out of sight of the group.

They wandered aimlessly for a while, exchanging waves with the

occupants of various blankets along the way and occasionally

stopping to sympathize with the lower-ranking cops on duty.

After an hour, Ben turned to Ray. "Shouldn't we be getting back?

We promised your mother that we wouldn't miss the fireworks."

"Aw, don't worry about it. We'll be back in plenty of time," Ray

answered offhandedly, concentrating his attention on a blonde

walking by in microscopic shorts.

"Ray..." Ben said reprovingly.

"You can't tell me you weren't looking at that."

"Ray..."

"Hey, if she didn't..." they bickered amiably as they continued to

stroll ever farther from their own group. It was two minutes to ten

before they remembered the fireworks.

"C'mon, Benny, we'll never make it back in time. Let's just find

someplace to watch it from here and we'll catch up with 'em

afterwards."

They managed to find a relatively unpopulated patch of lawn, and

Fraser stretched out on the grass without hesitation, one arm tucked

under his head. Ray, however, steadfastly refused to lie on the

ground without a blanket. "This is Chicago, Fraser. You never

know what's been on that ground. I am NOT putting my head on that

grass. It's bad enough having to sit on it."

"Now, that's just silly, Ray. You'll get a better view if you lie

down."

"No way. Something might crawl down my shirt or something"

"Shhh. They're starting."

For about a minute, there was silence except for the pops and

whistles of the fireworks and the distant sounds of the band playing

"The 1812 Overture." Then: "I'm getting a crick in my neck."

"Well, if you'd just lie down..."

"Not without something between me and that ground."

"Ray..."

"No!"

After another minute of grumbling, Ben said, "Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around."

"Like this?" Ray turned slightly to the left, so that his back was

facing his friend.

"Yes." Before Ray could protest, Ben grabbed him by the shoulders,

pulled him down so that his head was resting on Ben's chest, and

held him there with one arm across his collarbone.

"Hey!!"

"You said you wanted something between you and the ground. I'm

something."

"Yeah, Benny, you're something all right. You wanna let me go?"

"No. Watch the fireworks. This is for your own good."

"All right, all right."

Ben allowed his grip to relax, but left his hand on Ray's shoulder.

After a while, Ray spoke again.

"They have fireworks in Canada?"

"Mm-hm. There are big displays on Canada Day and a few others, at

least in the cities. There were very few where I grew up. We

managed to be in Tuktoyaktuk for the celebrations when I was

twelve, and that was the first time I saw them. And the last,

until now. Well, except for one time, when Innusiq and I took

some of my father's gunpowder and--"

"Wait a minute. You've only seen fireworks twice in your entire

life?"

"One and a half, actually. But of course, in the far north we

have the aurora borealis, and the stars are far brighter than--"

"You're kidding, Benny." Ray sounded devastated.

"It's all right, Ray."

"It is not. Every kid should see fireworks."

"I'm seeing them now."

"But you wouldn't be if I hadn't made you come tonight. You were

going to go to bed early, remember?"

"I remember." Ben was quiet for a minute. "Ray?"

"Mm?"

"I'm glad you made me come."

Ray reached up and took the hand that still lay on his shoulder and

squeezed it gently. "Me too."

They lay comfortably like that, hand in hand and heart to heart,

while the shells burst overhead, filling the Chicago sky with a

million stars.

THE END

Sappy ending, I know. What can I say, fireworks always make me

sentimental. Happy first, fourth, fourteenth, or whatever of-July

you happen to celebrate.

Send flowers and otters to circuli2@hotmail.com. I love comments!