Ray once more found his eyes wandering across the room to Frannie. He loved her, he knew it and she knew but nobody else was allowed to know it. They'd been together for two whole months, it started off as brother and sister going for a drink, but turned into much much more than that. First it had just been a lingering touch, then a hug lasting a moment longer than between siblings. Then it had gone on to kissing and touching in a very unbrotherly/sisterly way. Nobody knew, not even Fraser, and they had to keep it that way to protect the real Ray Vecchio. Ray was brought out of his reverie by Welsh calling him into his office. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and then followed his boss into the office.

"I have a job for you and the Mountie. Simple arrest. You go down to the bar, pick him up simple as that, okay?"

Kowalski nodded. "What am I busting him for," Ray asked, wanting to know the full facts.

"He shot a cop." This got Ray's attention.

"So how do you know he's gonna be in this bar?" Ray's unease increased.

"He always is at this time. He's dumb. He's not a pro, so you won't get any trouble from him."

"Okay, what time do I have to lift him?"

"One this afternoon, so get the Mounty and then get going."

"Yes, Sir."

"Oh, Detective?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Be careful," Welsh told him.

Ray simply nodded. As he walked past Frannie's desk he stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I have a present for you," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh yeah and what might that be?"

"These," he said, placing two tickets in her hand.

"Les Miserables?" She read the tickets.

"Yeah, don't you like them?" He looked worried.

"Yeah, it's brilliant! I just didn't expect anything so cultured that's all," she replied, and she immediately realised that she had said the wrong thing by the look of hurt that flashed through his eyes. "Ray I didn't mean it like that. Thank you." She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Look at the date," he whispered. She looked and gasped.

"It's the day before," she replied while looking down at the diamond ring on her finger. "I love you," she told him and she meant it. He nodded. She wished she could tell the World who she was engaged to, instead of pretending that it's some mystery man. She knew that Ray felt the same. He nodded.

"I gotta go and get Fraser. I'll see ya later."

She waved bye, hoping that she hadn't hurt his feelings. Ray walked straight through the precinct and jumped into his GTO. He was so nervous about his impending wedding, even Fraser didn't know. No one knew. He began the drive to the consulate. He had already decided to tell Fraser. When he arrived, he climbed out the car and walked straight into Fraser's office.

"Fraser?"

"Hello Ray. What can I do for you?"

"First, Welsh gave us an assignment and second, I need to tell you something."

"What do you need to tell me?"

"Okay here goes. I'm getting married." Ray told him without making eye contact.

"You are? Who to?"

Oh boy, now's the hard bit! "Frannie."

Fraser couldn't help it. He nearly choked on his bark tea. "Francesca Vecchio?" Ray nodded. "Well congratulations."

"You can't tell anybody," Ray told him.

"Okay, so shall we get going on the assignment?" Ray nodded and together they walked out of the consulate and drove back to the precinct. They rode in silence, both digesting the conversation in the consulate. They walked through the precinct together; Ray muttered something about reporting to Welsh then set off in the other direction, Fraser decided to talk to Frannie.

"Hello," he said.

"Oh hi," she replied, not in the mood to pretend to flirt.

"Ray told me your news. Congratulations." He waited for her reaction.

"Ray told you about the wedding?" They had agreed not to tell anyone, and she was quite hurt that he had told Fraser. Granted, she had told her best friend, but Ray had shown no interest in telling Fraser before, so it surprised her that he had done so now.

"Don't get upset with Ray. I think he needed to get it off of his chest," Fraser continued. Ray emerged from Welsh's office and saw Fraser and Frannie talking. He offered a silent prayer that Fraser hadn't mentioned anything to her, but he was almost certain that he had.

"Fraser you ready?"

"Yes Ray. Who is it we are going to arrest?" In all the excitement over the news, he was not totally certain of their current assignment.

"His name's John Proctor. He killed a cop from the 23^rd."

"You're going after a cop killer?" Frannie was suddenly concerned for her fiancé. Ray nodded, checking his clip in his gun. He tapped Fraser on the arm and the two set off. Frannie didn't like Ray not talking to her, and was concerned about the situation he was about to walk into. Frannie marched into Welsh's office.

"Sir, which bar are Ray and Fraser going to," she asked urgently.

"The Zone. Why," he replied, confused.

"I'm just worried about them, Sir. Couldn't we maybe go to back them up?" She prayed he'd say yes. She couldn't bear it if anything happened to Ray, especially after taking the mickey out of him earlier.

"Well I s'pose so, but we wait outside, you hear me," he said forcefully, and together they drove to the bar. Their conversation was limited, each deep in their own thoughts.

Meanwhile, Ray and Fraser had pulled up outside the Zone. Ray once more checked the clip of his gun before they walked into the bar. Ray recognised the man from his picture and approached with caution. Fraser stood by the door in order to prevent him from leaving. Ray walked straight over to the bar and sat down next the man.

"Hey, are you John Proctor?"

"Yeah. Who wants to know?" The man sneered.

"I do," Ray replied, pulling out his gun and badge. "You're under arrest for homicide," Ray began, but never got a chance to finish as the man pulled out a gun and grabbed Ray around the neck. Ray spun round trying to disarm the man, and a shot went off by accident.

Outside, Francesca heard the shot and lurched to run into the bar to check on Ray. Welsh grabbed her.

"You are not going in there, Ms Vecchio!"

She struggled away. "That's my fiancé in there," she told him just as heatedly before tearing away from Welsh. Welsh looked on in astonishment. Did she mean Ray? He shook his head to clear his thoughts, called for an ambulance then went into the bar.

Just as Ray was about to take out Proctor, his attention was caught by his fiancée walking through the door. He couldn't believe it when he saw Frannie out of the corner of his eye. He tried to ignore her so that Proctor wouldn't be aware that he knew her. He was too late. Proctor had already noticed. He changed the aim of his gun so that it was on Francesca. It was all Ray could take, and he launched himself down on Proctor. The gun went off in the process.

Ray felt a hot lance of pain tear through his leg and the butt of the gun making contact with his head. He shook his head to try to clear it, and came to enough to cuff the man. As soon as he had shut his cuffs, Fraser was by his side pressing down on the wound that had gone straight through the side of his leg just above the knee. Fraser's hands were slick with the blood of his friend, and Ray was having trouble staying awake. Welsh appeared behind them and shot an angry look at Francesca.

"Ray, you have to keep your eyes open. Do you hear me Ray?" Fraser talked to his friend, ignoring everyone else. Ray nodded, unable to speak through the pain. He tried to blink back the tears gathering in his eyes. "The ambulance will be here. Just hold on for a minute more." Ray tried so hard to keep his eyes open, and managed until the ambulance arrived. Then it was just all too much for him and he gave in to the darkness.

When he next opened his eyes he was in a white room. He had an annoying beep in his ear, and he couldn't quite work out what it was. Then it all came back to him and he realised that he was in hospital. He remembered Frannie, and the bullet. He closed his eyes. How could she be so stupid? He moved his arm up to rub his face, and felt a weight on his arm and looked down to find Frannie sound asleep on his hand. She was stirring awake, so he closed his eyes and prayed she wouldn't realise that he was awake. It was too late; she had felt the movement.

"Ray?" She asked cautiously. His eyes fluttered open.

"Hey Frannie," he said, surprising himself by how weak his voice sounded.

"Ray, I'm so sorry. If I'd known that by showing up I'd have put you in danger, I would never have done it. Can you forgive me?" Ray closed his eyes at the force of Frannie's words. He really wanted to say yes and forget it all, but he wasn't sure if he could.

"Frannie, I think that in time I could forgive you, but for now could you give me some space. I just need time, please?" He pleaded, begging her with his eyes to just let it go.

"Okay. I'll be back tomorrow," she replied hopefully.

"No, no Frannie. I mean more time. Not a day. I don't know how long, please Fran," he replied, no longer able to make eye contact. She tried to hide the tears in her eyes as she nodded.

"But we get married in ten days," she replied.

"I know. Please?"

"Okay. 'Bye Ray." She walked out of the room, hoping that one day he would forgive her. She looked back over her shoulder, and saw Ray staring up at the ceiling.

Ray waited until he was sure Frannie had left before he allowed the tears to fall. He hoped he hadn't made a mistake, but felt that he couldn't be with someone who had completely disregarded safety for no real reason. He wiped at his tears angrily. Why did it hurt so much?

End Getting it Together- Continued in On My Own.

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