Disclaimer: This story is written for the private entertainment of fans. The author makes no claims on the characters or their portrayal by the creation of this story. Fraser, Vecchio, et.al. belong to Alliance; the McKenzies and friends belong to me. No infringement of any copyrights held by CBS, Alliance, CTV, or any other copyright holders of DUE SOUTH is intended. This story is not published for profit, and the author does not give permission for this story to be reproduced for profit.

Drama/Romance Rated PG (a couple of swear words)

On A Collision Course

By SL Haas

(Copyright October 1996, Revised March 1999)

"Hello, Philippe McKenzie here."

"Phil, I was beginning to think I'd missed you." The voice continued, "We've got an emergency situation up here and could sure use your help."

Phil rounded the desk, plopped down in the chair, and removed her glasses. Massaging the bridge of her nose, she replied, "Jason, you know I'm off the active duty roster until school's over..."

"I know...I know...and, well, I wouldn't ask if we didn't really need you."

Shaking her head, Phil interrupted, "Calm down! You know I'm only kidding. I would love a chance to get away from here. You know how crazy the week before finals can be."

"Tell me about it! We've got "crazies" all over the backcountry trying to get in that first climb or hike or whatever before the snow even has a chance to clear. And, with this frontal system moving in, there should be more snow in the higher elevations by morning."

"How are the air currents?"

"Crazy as everything else. Can't get a rescue chopper in anywhere. That's where our problem lies. We have to do without chopper support until the winds settle down. We've got three teams out now on rescues and we just got a call for another."

"Who's left for a team?"

"Just the new guy. You know, the trainee from Canada."

"The Mountie?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"Is he any good?"

"He's pretty green, but Darryl says he has what it takes to get the job done."

"How green is he?"

"Well...I couldn't really say. But so far...well, he pulls his weight and he's definitely not a slacker. He stepped right in and took over when I broke my foot."

"Well, if you weren't so graceful..."

"Graceful! Look who's talking! Need I remind you of Spring Break?"

"Not at all, Jason!" They both laughed. "Now, about the Mountie--can I depend on him?"

"From what the others say...yeah, you can depend on him."

Phil leaned back in her chair and stared out the window to the mountains in the distance. "Okay...I'll take your word for him. What's the situation?"

"Best we can figure we've got three hikers stranded somewhere in Thunder Basin. It looks like they may be near Phil's Falls."

"Stranded? At the Falls? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure. The kid said they were taking a short cut and the slope gave way under them..." Phil closed her eyes and for a moment gave into the panic that coursed through her. "From what we can tell, there might be broken bones..."

"Might be?" That brought her back to the present.

"Their radio died before we could get a full account out of the kid we were talking to."

"So...all you know is that they're somewhere in Thunder Basin...maybe at the Falls... maybe hurt?"

"That's about it."

"Okay." Still staring out the window, Phil continued, "Let's see, I'll head home and get my gear and I'll meet the new guy...what's his name?"

"Benton Fraser."

"Benton Fraser, at Miller's Crossing in, say, three hours?"

"Better make it four hours. He doesn't know his way around as well as the rest of us."

A chuckle escaped her lips, "If he's a Mountie, I imagine all he needs is a compass and a map and he can find his way just about anywhere. I'll meet him in three hours. And, Jason, make sure he has a complete pack with a duplicate medkit with several inflatable splints for me."

"Everything will be ready for you."

"Good. I'll get going now. See ya."

"Yeah, good-bye and good luck."

Phil grinned and shook her head as she hung up the phone. "Well, I was wondering what I was going to do this weekend. This certainly beat's sitting at home grading papers."

* * *

Phil watched as the couple climbed out of the basket, removed their packs, and send the basket careening back along the cables across the river. She had helped four groups of hikers across the river in the time she had been waiting. The basket had reached halfway--now came the hard work. Gravity had brought it this far; muscle would have to bring it the rest of the way.

Reaching up, Phil pulled the basket in, hand-over-hand, slow, and steady. From behind her a voice said, "Here, let me give you a hand with that." Suiting action to words, a pair of strong-looking hands joined hers in pulling the basket to the platform.

Securing the basket, Phil turned and gazed into the clearest, bluest eyes she had ever seen. An eternity passed (well, it seemed like an eternity) before she was able to pull her eyes away from his. Blinking and taking a step back she told herself, 'What's the matter with you, Phil? You've seen handsome men before. You grew up with a couple of them.' True, but this one was not one of her brothers. Aside from being Adonis in the flesh, there was something about him that rattled her.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Is this Miller's Crossing?" Blue Eyes scanned both banks of the river as he moved closer to the edge of the platform.

While his back was turned, Phil tried to regain her composure. "Yeah, this is Miller's Crossing."

Blue Eyes turned to her, "Have you been here long, Ma'am?"

"About an hour."

He scanned the riverbanks again. "I'm supposed to meet someone here. Has anyone been by while you were here?"

She nodded her head. "Several groups have crossed since I got here. Are you looking for anyone in particular? If you describe them I can probably tell you if they've crossed while I was here." 'Just don't call me Ma'am again, please,' she silently pleaded.

Blue Eyes crossed his arms and leaned back against the platform rail. A sheepish grin appeared as he scratched his neck. "Well, that would be a little difficult. I've never met the man I'm supposed to meet here."

Phil turned and looked back up the trail. She closed her eyes and shook her head. 'I have a sinking feeling I know who he's looking for,' she thought.

"I admit that that sounds far fetched, but it is actually the truth." Blue Eyes emphasized. "I was directed to meet a Dr. Phillip McKenzie at Miller's Crossing around 2 p.m. Now I'm running late to meet a man I've never met who, I was told, would be waiting for me here."

'I should have recognized that Smoky-the-Bear hat,' she thought. Taking a deep breath, Phil turned around and stuck out her hand. "You must be Benton Fraser. I'm Philippe McKenzie."

With a disbelieving look on his face, Fraser took the offered hand and shook it. "Phillip?"

"Philippe. Spelled P-H-I-L-I-P-P-E. It's a long story."

"One, I think, I would like to hear." He chuckled and shook his head.

Phil grinned back, "I just might tell you sometime. You weren't expecting me, were you? Let me guess--Jason."

Fraser nodded his head. "I was expecting a man. Jason never told me you were a woman."

"Sounds like something Jason would pull. Let me give you a little tip...don't trust everything Jason tells you. He's a bit of a practical joker and loves to pull one over on you. You probably walked right into this one."

"I think I did when I assumed that Philippe was a man. Come to think of it, he did have a very large grin on his face."

"See, I told you." She smiled again and a mischievous look crept into her eyes. "We can deal with Jason later, however, right now we need to get a move on. Have you ever used a basket?"

"Yes, Ma'am, they are a common mode of crossing rivers and gulches and other similar obstacles in many backcountry areas." There was that "Ma'am" again.

They loaded their packs onto the floor of the basket and climbed aboard. Phil sat with her back to the river facing Fraser. With a tug on the pull line, Fraser started the basket across. As it began to slow, they both began pulling on the cable. Working together they soon reached the platform on the other side. Fraser climbed out first and Phil handed the packs up to him. As she reached to grab onto the platform, his hand captured hers. He gently helped her up onto the platform.

"Thanks, this side has always been a little higher than the other and I usually end up crawling out of the basket on my hands and knees." Phil knew she was babbling, but seemed helpless to stop it. 'Get a grip on yourself or he's going to think you're a complete idiot!' she chastised herself.

They shouldered their packs and started up the trail. Phil could feel Fraser's eyes on her back. It sent chills up and down her spine. 'Phil, what in the world is the matter with you? You act like you've never seen an attractive man before. Get a grip on yourself. You have a job to do. And...like it or not, Fraser's your partner in this rescue. He's just another guy like either of your brothers. No, not quite, Phil realized. This Mountie affected her like no other man ever had. She mentally shook herself. 'Just look at me, I'm talking to myself!'

They hiked until they reached a branching in the trail. "Which way do we go, Dr. McKenzie?" Fraser asked.

"Left...and it's Phil. My brother, Rob, is Doctor McKenzie. No one calls me Dr. McKenzie, yet."

"I see...and I suppose there is a story behind that as well?" Glimmers of humor leaked between each word.

"Naturally...what would life be without its stories." A half-shrug and a smile went with that declaration. "So...what do I call you, Mr. Fraser?"

"Most people call me Fraser. But...if you tell me your stories, you can call me Ben."

Phil stopped, turned, and gave Fraser a considering look and then turned back. 'He's a 'T'--definitely Trouble on two feet,' she mumbled to herself and continued up the trail.

Lightly, carried with the breeze, Fraser heard, "I'll take it under consideration, Fraser." He smiled at her retreating back then fell into step behind her.

* * *

The morning had dawned bright and clear; but senses honed in the vast expanses of northern Canada could sense a change coming. Staring at his reflection in the mirror of his small bath, his hand holding the cutthroat razor that had been his grandfather's, Benton Fraser spoke to it, "I don't know why but I have a feeling this weekend is going to be special." He rinsed the razor and ran it smoothly across his left cheek. He paused and turned his head to check the progress of his shave. He smiled briefly at his reflection and, on a whim, shook the razor at his reflection. "Benton Fraser, admit it. You like this rescue work and you'll miss it when it's time to return to Canada." Grinning, he rinsed his razor one last time, closed it, and placed it on the tiny shelf below the mirror. A damp cloth removed the last vestiges of shaving cream from his face. He grimaced slightly at his visage wishing once more that his looks weren't so 'classically' beautiful. He stared in disparagement at his deep blue eyes and his shock of dark brown hair. Running a hand through it, he decided it was time for another cut. He disliked the curls that appeared when he let it grow too long. Scratching his neck, he tried to remember the last cut he'd had. It must have been shortly after he'd received his confirmation for this training program.

In between postings, Fraser has taken the opportunity to train with Rocky Mountain Rescue. It had seemed too good to pass up. One never knew when backcountry rescue skills would be needed, especially if one was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Fraser learned of the training program from his father, had applied, and been accepted. The program lasted for six months (mid-April to mid-October). When the program ended in October he would return to Canada to again don the red serge of the RCMP. But right now, it was mid-May and he was a very junior member of a Rocky Mountain Rescue squad.

Throwing a jacket over his shoulders, Fraser left the sanctity of his motel room, climbed into the battered RMR jeep, and headed up the valley toward the RMR station and his temporary job. He hummed to himself as he traveled the now familiar stretch of road. Yes, he would definitely miss this posting.

The morning had been hectic. Even before lunchtime, everyone knew that this weekend was going to be bad. With the chopper grounded by the winds, things could only go from bad to worse. Darryl and Jack had responded to a rescue involving kayakers down on the river; Mike and Angel went after a couple of backpackers missing since yesterday; Stan and Dave were attempting to pull a stranded rock climber off 'Pancake Alley.' And these were just the latest ones.

"Well, Fraser, looks like it's just you and me. Let's hope nothing else comes up until some of the others get back." Jason was just a little testy. His broken foot kept him from participating in any rescues and he was relegated to being the dispatcher until his foot healed.

"If you cared to look on the positive side of your situation..." Fraser started but was interrupted by Jason.

"What could be positive about having a broken foot and missing out on all the action?"

"How about not falling and breaking your other foot?"

Jason glared at him. "You know, you're just so full of it..."

"Full of what?"

"You know!"

"I do not!"

Throwing up his hands in disgust, Jason turned to the radio as it began to sputter. Fraser couldn't hear everything, but could tell by Jason's actions that another rescue request had come in. When Jason turned again to Fraser, there was worry in his eyes. "I couldn't get all the message--their radio cut out. I got enough to know that there's some hikers in trouble up near Phil's Falls."

"Oh dear. I'll get my gear together and head out..."

"Hold on, Mountie. Do you know where Phil's Falls is?"

"I'm sure I can find it given the proper maps."

"Fraser, Phil's Falls isn't on any maps. It's a local landmark RMR uses. And, besides, you know the rules: NO SOLO RESCUES. You'll need a partner...and I know just the person..."

"But all the teams are out."

"Yeah, all the active personnel are out. However, we do have an inactive team member that I can call on in emergencies--Philippe McKenzie--teaches at the university--so when school's in session..."

Nodding in understanding, "...he's on the inactive duty roster. I see. Do you think he will be able to break away from his classes?"

Jason grinned from ear to ear. "I'm almost positive that he can break away. Old Phil would love the chance to get away from his classes before the pressures of finals week. I'll give him a call while you get your gear together." Fraser turned to go. "Oh, Fraser, pack an extra medkit with some of those inflatable splints. If I know Phil, he'll want them."

"Understood."

* * *

Three hours later, Fraser approached Miller's Crossing. Jason's description of Dr. McKenzie had been sketchy at best--scrawny, brown hair, medium height, glasses, no nonsense attitude. 'Sounds a bit like Dad--except for the glasses,' Fraser mused.

The final leg to the crossing was a steep downhill stretch. Looking ahead, Fraser could see the platform for the cable basket. A young man busily pulling the cable to return the basket to it occupied it. As Fraser moved closer he noticed the flannel shirt that flapped in the brisk breeze and the snug fitting jeans didn't fit the young man properly. They fit more like...

Fraser dropped his pack and climbed the platform. "Here, let me give you a hand with that." He reached for the cable and began pulling. When the basket reached the platform, the young woman secured it and turned to face him. Partially hidden by a pair of glasses, Fraser gazed into the softest brown eyes he had ever seen. 'Like a doe's eyes,' he thought. An eternity passed (well, it seemed like an eternity) before the young woman blinked and stepped back. Fraser turned away from her and scanned the banks of the river. Coherent thought escaped him and he was surprised when all he could say was "Excuse me, Ma'am. Is this Miller's Crossing?" Of course, it was Miller's Crossing--it was the only crossing for miles up or down the river.

"Yeah, this is Miller's Crossing." Her voice was low and slightly husky.

'She thinks I'm lost,' he thought. He turned to face the woman. "Have you been here long?" This was definitely a dynamic conversation.

"About an hour." He heard the inquiry in her voice.

He scanned the banks again and thought, 'I've got to think of something intelligent to say or she is going to think I'm a complete idiot!' He opened his mouth, "I'm supposed to meet someone here." 'Real intelligent, Benton,' he thought. "Has anyone been by while you were here?" he asked the young woman. He was definitely on a roll--right down the drain.

The woman nodded her head and asked for a description of the person he was meeting. Fraser crossed his arms and leaned against the platform side. A sheepish grin appeared as he scratched his neck. 'No matter what I say or do, I'm going to look like a fool.' He sighed. "Well, that would be a little difficult. I've never met the man I'm supposed to meet here."

Fraser watched as the woman turned and looked back up the trail. He saw the slight shaking of her head. A sense of resignation came over him, 'She thinks I'm an idiot. And, frankly, right now I would agree with her. Maybe if I explained the situation...' He spoke to her back, "I admit that that sounds far fetched, but it is actually the truth. I was directed to meet a Dr. Phillip McKenzie at Miller's Crossing around 2 p.m. Now I'm running late to meet a man I've never met who, I was told, would be waiting for me here."

He watched the woman, still shaking her head, take a deep breath, turn around, and offer her hand to him. "You must be Benton Fraser. I'm Philippe McKenzie."

Dr. McKenzie was a woman? His guard immediately shot up. With a few exceptions, he was uncomfortable around women. For some reason most women seemed to think that his good looks were an invitation for advances; most of which were sexual in nature. He only felt comfortable with his sister, Becka, and his good friend, Cat Madden. He stared at Dr. McKenzie as he shook her hand. "Phillip?" How dare she be a Phillip? She certainly didn't look like a Phillip.

"....spelled P-H-I-L-I-P-P-E. It's a long story."

'I bet it is,' he thought and said to her, "One, I think, I would like to hear." What made him say that? He shook his head in confusion and chuckled. Glancing at Dr. McKenzie he could see her grinning. She had an attractive, lopsided smile that lit her face. He felt himself relax a little.

"I just might tell you sometime..."

Violent thought directed at a certain RMR dispatcher flitted across Fraser's mind. 'Jason, my friend,' Fraser thought, 'you are in deep trouble.'

They crossed the river and hiked up the trail, Dr. McKenzie leading. Fraser found himself watching the way she moved--taking even, ground consuming steps--watching her legs move back and forth--his eyes roved upward. 'Torture is to good for you, Jason.' That thought caught him by surprise. Embarrassed, he pulled his eyes away from the slender form in front of him.

Dr. McKenzie stopped and waited for him at a fork in the trail. Quickly gathering his errant thoughts together, he neatly avoided stumbling into her. "Which way do we go, Dr. McKenzie?" Fraser asked.

"Left...and it's Phil. My brother, Rob, is Doctor McKenzie..."

Her name was Phil. He could handle Phil. Fraser smiled, "I see...and I suppose there's a story behind that as well?"

"Naturally..."

A woman of mystery, Fraser was intrigued. Especially since she wasn't making any moves on him. He relaxed a little more.

"...so what do I call you, Mr. Fraser?" Phil finished.

Mr. Fraser? No one had ever called him Mr. Fraser more than once. "Most people call me Fraser. But...if you tell me your stories, you can call me Ben." Somehow the thought of Dr. McKenzie...no Phil...calling him Fraser didn't sit well. Warning sirens wailed in the recesses of his mind.

Phil stopped, turned, and gave Fraser a considering look. As she turned back he caught a look of pure speculation in her eyes. She mumbled something, but all he caught was "T". As she started up the trail, he heard her say, "I'll take it under consideration, Fraser."

'Hmmm?' Maybe having Phil for a partner wouldn't be as bad as Angel. The other female member of the rescue squad was a blond-haired beauty that expected and generally received adulation from the men around her. Fraser had paid her the same polite indifference he gave to all women, which only caused her to pursue him harder. It was a relief that Phil did not appear to be interested in him. 'Yes, this weekend might just turn out all right,' Fraser mused as he fell in behind Phil.

* * *

They hiked steadily for several hours before Phil called a halt for a short rest. The weather continued to deteriorate. She drew a sweatshirt out of her pack and pulled it on over her head. "I hope those kids are prepared for a cold and stormy night. We won't reach them until sometime tomorrow." The worry was thick in her voice and the glances she threw at the sky and the mountains around them.

"Maybe by the time we reach them the winds will allow the chopper in..." Fraser's words trailed off as the look Phil gave him told him that she knew better.

"I'm the backup chopper pilot, Fraser." She reached into her pack and pulled out a couple of Snickers. She passed one to Fraser. "Chocolate, one of the basic food groups," she said as she grinned wickedly at him.

'She certainly has a warped sense of humor,' Fraser thought. Looking at the candy bar he remarked, "These things are disproportionately loaded with all sorts of chemicals and other unhealthy..."

"Just eat the damn thing and we'll discuss chemistry some other time!" Phil challenged but her eyes were full of mischief. He looked at the candy bar again, unwrapped it, and bit into it. 'Oh well, there's a first time for everything,' he thought as he chewed on the candy bar. It was actually quite good, a pleasing combination of chocolate, caramel, peanuts...

"You act like you've never had a Snickers before."

"Actually, I haven't. This is my first."

"You've never had a Snickers before. Where did you say you were from? The wilds of Borneo? Imagine no Snickers." She shook her head in disbelief.

"Actually, I'm from the Territories. And, yes, we do have candy bars. We're actually quite civilized..."

"I'm just kidding, Fraser. No need to be so defensive." She grinned to counteract the sharpness of her words. Finishing her bar, Phil reached into her pack again and retrieved a 35-mm camera. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She climbed to her feet and started away from Fraser.

"Where are you going?" Fraser called after her.

"There's a rock outcrop up here that I've wanted to photograph in a stormy setting for quite awhile. This is the perfect opportunity."

"Mind if I join you?" He was already on his feet reaching for the packs.

"No, come on up." Handing the camera to Fraser, she shouldered her pack, then took the camera from him as he did the same. They left the trail and began to climb the slope. Up ahead a stark rock finger pointed to the sky. On a clear day it would look intimidating and on a stormy day, with clouds rolling behind it, it looked positively menacing.

As they neared the pinnacle, they dropped their packs and Fraser watched Phil spend several minutes walking around staring at the pinnacle, the sky, and the ground. Finally, she made up her mind, moved closer to the pinnacle, and dropped to the ground. He simply stared at her as she rolled over onto her back and began taking pictures of the pinnacle upside down. Disconcerted, he found himself drawn to her and was soon standing over her.

Sensing his presence, Phil shifted the camera and looked up at him. Puzzled blue eyes stared down into cautious brown ones. As Phil lay on the ground staring into Fraser's face she felt her heartbeat begin to race and a strange, warm feeling began to flow deep inside. It was frightening yet exhilarating.

Fraser, as he gazed down at Phil, felt his heart give a lurch and a strange and exciting feeling moved in him--something he hadn't felt since Cat Madden. He leaned over and took the camera from Phil's unresisting fingers and set it on the ground. He then extended his hand to her. When she hesitatingly placed her hand in his he gently drew her to her feet and into his arms. He removed her glasses. They stared into each other eyes: his clouded with confusion, hers wide and wary.

Fraser gently stroked her chin and lifted it to meet his lips as he sought her mouth in a tentative kiss. He raised his face from hers and looked into her eyes only to see that she had closed them. He kissed her again. This time long and deep. He moved his tongue against her lips. They were as soft as velvet and tasted of chocolate and caramel. Those warning sirens in the back of his mind continued to wail.

With a strangled cry, Phil pushed against Fraser's chest. Confused thoughts filled her mind. 'What in the world am I doing? This can't be happening. I won't let it happen.' Fraser let her go and she stumbled back until she was several feet away from him. "I'm sorry, Fraser. This isn't right. I barely know you. I...I can't do this." She grabbed her camera and her pack and raced back down the slope to the trail.

Fraser stared after her remembering only the passionate and frightened look he had seen in her eyes before she pushed away from him--like a deer caught in a spotlight. He looked down at the glasses he still held. 'I bet there's a story there, too,' he thought. 'Something tells me she has lots of stories. I think I'd like to hear them.' He shook his head in confusion then gathered up his pack and moved down the slope at a slower pace than Phil had set. The sirens ebbed to a dull moan.

Phil raced down the slope, veered into the trail and continued running. A tree root that caught her foot and sent her sprawling face downward finally stopped her. Shaken, she rolled over and checked to see if anything had been damaged in her panic attack. To her relief she found only dirt, a bruised shin, and some skinned knuckles. Sucking on her knuckles, she picked herself up and continued down the trail to where a stream crossed the path. She found a large rock near the center of the stream and sat on it. 'I am twenty times a fool,' she silently railed at herself. 'I let him slip past my guard. He's nothing but trouble. I don't need that kind of trouble. He's temporary, remember. He's going back to Canada in a couple of months. Dammit! I am not going to fall for a guy I will never see again.'

She felt slightly better but considerably embarrassed by the way she'd reacted to Fraser's kiss. 'Why does he have to be so nice? Why did I feel the way I did when he kissed me? So what if he kissed me. It's not like I haven't been kissed before.' But deep in her heart she knew better and it frightened her. Never before had she felt the feelings she experienced when Fraser kissed her. She leaned over and dipped her hand with the skinned knuckles into the icy water.

That's how Fraser found her--sitting on a rock in the middle of a stream with her hand trailing in the water. She looked lost and forlorn. He slid down the bank of the stream and crossed to where Phil sat. As he placed his hand on her shoulder, she turned her head and looked up at him. "I made a real ass of myself, didn't I?" she whispered.

Fraser sat down beside her on the edge of the rock and handed her glasses to her. He looked sideways at her, "That makes two of us." He had never before just kissed a stranger. In fact, he had not kissed that many girls. He was uncomfortable around them. But for some reason, he didn't feel that way around Phil. That in itself caused those sirens to increase their cry of warning. Why was he ignoring his self imposed warning system? He glanced again at Phil. Her face was turned away from him so he studied her profile. He dropped his eyes when her face turned to him. What did he find so interesting in this woman? Maybe he should call Cat and talk to her. Then again, maybe he shouldn't. She was always telling him to enjoy life--not be afraid to 'test the waters'. If only she could see him now!

He began to chuckle and was surprised when Phil joined him. They shared a good laugh at themselves. Fraser shook his head. He had laughed and smiled more in the short time he had known Phil than he normally did in a week. Cat would say that Phil was a good influence on him.

* * *

The chill in the air increased. Both had donned jackets and Phil had pulled a Kansas City Chiefs stocking cap onto her head. "Cold ears," was the only reply Fraser received when he remarked on it. As the afternoon faded, Phil turned off the trail and headed up a small side valley where a small stream tricked down. They climbed steadily, crisscrossing the stream several times until the narrow stream cut opened out into a small, isolated park. Nestled in the trees to one side was a small cabin.

"Vicker's Cabin," Phil pointed out. "RMR maintains a series of emergency cabins throughout the state. This is one of my favorites. I spend a lot of time up here."

Unlocking the door, they entered and set about making camp. Fraser filled the woodbin and started a fire in the fireplace. Phil rummaged through a storage closet and pulled out a couple of sleeping bags, a teakettle, and a crate of MREs. Digging through the box, she grimaced and called to Fraser, "We're in luck. There's quite a selection this time. What's you pleasure...chicken-a-la-king, beef stew, turkey and dressing, and something that I can't quite make out--looks like meatloaf or," she paused as she tried to decipher the label, " mystery meat?"

"Let me look at that." The offending package was tossed to Fraser and he scrutinized the label. "It's...it's mystery meat!"

Making their choices, they settled down to eat their dinners. When the kettle began to whistle, Phil fixed them both a cup of tea. Fraser took his cup with him as he walked to the door, opened it, and moved out onto the porch. He stared out into the dark. The wind blew through the tops of the trees, but at ground level the worst was dampened.

"If those kids are where I think they are, they will be pretty well protected from the wind." Phil came up behind him and stared out into the night as well.

Fraser put his arm around her and drew her close. "Conservation of body heat," he mumbled. Phil stiffened then shrugged and drew closer to him. "Do you really think you know where they are?" he queried.

Phil nodded. "Something Jason said bothered me all day. It kind of pieced itself together as we hiked up here. Remember...Jason said the kids were stranded in Thunder Basin near Phil's Falls?" Fraser nodded. "Well, there are four waterfalls in Thunder Basin--Spirit, Cleft, Crystal, and Thunder Cascade. Phil's Falls is a local name for a very specific area. It's not on any maps and the only people who know about it are the people we work with at RMR."

"So?"

"So, how did those kids know about Phil's Falls if only a select group of people know about it? And since they mentioned it, it seems probable that that is where they are. Assuming they want to be rescued."

"That sounds reasonable." Fraser directed them both back inside the cabin when he felt the shivers racing up and down Phil's slight frame.

Phil shook loose from his arm and scurried across the room to the radio and answered the call coming over it. "Darryl, how are things down below?" There was an indistinct answer. "We're fine--no he's holding up well--we'll be there around 9, if the weather holds--stalled and moving north? That's good news. I'll radio after assessing the situation and let you know. McKenzie out."

"Good news, T, the front has stalled and is passing north of us. Darryl thinks the chopper can fly tomorrow. I hope so. We may need it."

"That is good news."

Phil moved to the closet, rummaged around in it, and removed a foam-rubber mattress. Without a word, she placed the mattress on the floor and spread one of the sleeping bags on it. "I used to be able to sleep anywhere without a pad of some sort, but not anymore. I injured my back several years ago and now if I sleep without some kind of cushion I wake up too stiff and sore to move. It takes days to get over it. There's another one in the closet if you want it."

"No, I can handle the floor. How did you injure your back?"

Phil grinned at him across her bed. "That's another..."

"...story. I've heard that line before. This time though, you're going to tell me the story." His eyes fastened on her lips and the crooked smile they wore. 'I love that smile!' Startled, Fraser tore his eyes away from her lips, and only then noticed the uncomfortable look in her eyes and the slight blush creeping into her cheeks.

"That's a story I'd rather not tell you," she hedged.

"Why ever not?" Evidently she hadn't noticed his reaction to her smile.

"Have you ever done something so careless and stupid and public that it haunts you for the rest of your life?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Well, I have."

"Your back?"

She nodded. Her cheeks were definitely rosy. A sigh escaped her lips. "You're really going to make me tell you?"

"Yes."

"What if I refuse?"

"I'll kiss you again." Silencing his warning sirens, Fraser grinned at Phil. The prospect of kissing her once more was enticing. He immediately moved toward her.

Phil held her hands in front of her in a defensive position. "Okay, okay. I'll tell." She hastily stood and wandered over to the window. Staring out into the darkness, she began in a small voice, "About 5 years ago I was hiking this area doing some preliminary ground-truthing for my doctoral dissertation. I was up here alone." She turned to face him then came over and sat down on her bed across from him. "You have to understand, I was younger, cocky, so sure of myself. I was also an independent SOB; I guess I still am." She grimaced. "Anyway, I thought I could handle anything." She shook her head ruefully. "Well, I proved myself wrong."

Not wanting to disturb her train of thought, Ben nodded and remained silent.

"I crossed the ridge above us here," her hand waved in a vague direction, "and entered Thunder Basin. The day was one of those that come along so seldom that you cherish the ones you are fortunate to experience. The sky was so blue, the trees green or golden, a slight breeze stirring the tree tops, the waterfalls thundering over the cliffs...I was totally engrossed in the view." She looked directly at him and smiled her crooked smile. "Understand, T, I was so enthralled I even forgot my camera. I never forget my camera!"

Ben nodded. "Then what happened?"

"I started down the slope, not paying any attention to where I was going. The next thing I knew my feet flew out from beneath me and I began sliding down a scree...a rubble covered slope. I couldn't stop. Every move I made only caused more rocks to slide. I finally managed to slow my descent but it wasn't enough. I shot over the edge of the cliff at the bottom and fell for what seemed like forever." She paused and brushed her hair back from her face. "I was lucky, I hit a ledge about 40 feet down. If I hadn't hit that ledge I'd be dead."

An image flashed across the landscape of his mind--Phil's shattered body at the base of a cliff. His breath caught in his throat and it seemed like forever before he could draw in another breath. Calming his rapidly beating heart, he was thankful that Phil was staring into the depths of the fire and had not witnessed his reaction to her story. He listened as she continued with her story.

"I don't know how long I lay there before I came to. I hurt all over, but what scared me the most was that I couldn't feel my legs, much less move them. I saw my pack lying up against the cliff face; so, I tried to pull myself over to it." She turned her face just enough to look Fraser in the face. "I may have been out alone, but I wasn't totally stupid. I'd brought a radio with me. I kept passing out but eventually I could feel my pack. I fished inside and found the radio. It was undamaged. I started calling for help. I don't know how long it was before I was answered."

"But it was answered," Fraser reminded her.

Phil turned back to the fire. Nodding her head, she continued, "Needless to say RMR found me and hauled my butt up the cliff, over the ridge, back to this park where a chopper waited for us. That's how I met Darryl and Jason--they were the guys who saved my life."

"Anyway, I keep coming back up here to that scree slope to face down my fears. When I began my doctoral studies at the university I also joined RMR. My experience with that slope in Thunder Basin became one of the running jokes with the RMR bunch. They dubbed it and the cliff at the base, Phil's Falls, in my honor." A look of chagrin settled on her features as she shook her head. "So, you see, I can never escape that one lapse of good judgment. The guys won't let me and, now, it looks like Phil's Falls is becoming more than just a joking reference at RMR."

Fraser listened quietly as her soft and husky voice recited the tale. He was discovering there was more to this woman than first impressions allowed. She was not like most of the other women he had met. He realized that she wasn't going to pursue him. If he wanted to get to know her better, he would have to do the pursuing. It was a new experience for him.

The warning sirens flared to life. Did he want to know her better? Yes...she intrigued him. And, truth be told, it piqued his male ego to finally meet a woman who didn't fall all over him. In some ways she reminded him of his good friend, Cat Madden.

When Phil finished her story, he reached across and took one of her hands in his.

Phil stared at their hands, watching the way he gently rubbed her fingers and the palm of her hand. Her breath shortened when he drew her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her palm. As if her hand was on fire she snatched it away from him. Her brown eyes were dark with some deep emotion.

His glacier blue eyes regarded her then he smiled. "We all have stories that reveal parts of ourselves to each other. You feel your experience at the cliff reveals a careless, stupid disregard for your own life. What it tells me is that you have an intense appreciation and awareness of the world around you...that you feel more at home out here than anywhere else...that you are independent and self reliant...that, even in adverse situations, you persevere until you achieve your goal. And..." his eyes sparkled, "you have a wicked sense of humor and a beautiful smile."

Phil's eyes widened. "A wicked sense of humor? How did you get that from my story?" 'A beautiful smile?' she questioned herself.

"Not from the story itself, but from everything that has happened today."

"Nothing happened today." Not much.

"Maybe not to you," Fraser spoke gently and reached for her hand again.

Drawing away from him, Phil climbed into her sleeping bag and turned away from him. "Get some sleep, T, we've got a long day ahead of us."

Fraser unrolled his bag and laid down on it. He stared at the ceiling and glanced over at Phil's stiff back. He had a feeling her indifference to him was a sham. It might be nice to pursue a relationship with her. He knew Cat would approve of it. He smiled to himself, rolled over, and went to sleep.

Phil wasn't quite so lucky. Long after Fraser's breathing had deepened in sleep, she lay awake. Her thoughts were a confused whirl of apprehension, laughter, panic, consternation, wonder...too many different emotions flowed through her mind.

'What am I going to do? He's driving me crazy. I don't know how to read him--I can't tell what he's going to do next. I'll be glad when this rescue is over. I wish now that I wasn't the supervisor for the training program. I have to work with him closely. Damn, I'll be glad when he goes back to Canada and I never have to see him again. Then maybe my emotions will settle back down.' Sleep didn't come for several hours.

* * *

Cresting the ridge, Fraser drew in a deep breath of wonder. If paradise existed then surely this was it! The storm had cleared and left the air crisp and cold. The brittle sunlight shown down on a mountain basin enclosed by cliffs. Three separate waterfalls were visible while a fourth thundered over the precipice far below them. Tall pines and aspens flanked the slopes and isolated clearings could be seen in the distance. Below them to the left lay a stretch of rocks, boulders, and other debris that had fallen from the steep slopes above it.

Fraser glanced at Phil and was immediately caught by the look of fear and dread on her face. "This is your rubble slope?"

Phil stared down at the rock-strewn area and slowly licked her lips. A short, quick nod signaled yes. "I come back up here several times a year just to face this stretch of ground. Sort of like getting back on a horse. It terrifies me--I can still see myself flying off the edge over there." She pointed to a spot almost directly below them. "This is my first time up here this year. The first time is always the hardest..."

A shout from below caught their attention. They waved their arms in acknowledgment and started down the trail. When the trail veered right Phil left it and continued toward the stretch of rocks. As they approached the boulder field, she edged forward and began searching around the base of a solid looking rock outcrop.

"I come here so often that I've developed a quick and fairly safe way to cross this field. Aha! There it is." She reached down and cleared debris away from a metal ring driven into the rock face. Removing one of the ropes she had taken from the cabin, she snapped one end onto the ring and the other to the harness she now wore. "I told you we would need these, aren't you glad you listened to me?" There was a definite 'I-told-you-so' look in her eyes.

Laying the coil of rope in an open area where it could not snag on something, she turned to Fraser. "Watch me and I'll show you how to have fun while being scared sh...witless." She glanced down the slope and back at Fraser. "It's really quite easy. Just think of it as skiing without the skis or the snow!" She stepped out on the rubble, carefully placing her feet at each step. It wasn't long before her foot slipped and she began to slide. Using the rope as an anchor, she angled her way across the slope, step-sliding to another solid rock outcrop. The rope played out and reached close to its total length just as Phil slid up to the side of the rock. She fastened the end of the rope to another ring mounted there. Removing another coil of rope from her back she attached it to the ring and attached her harness to it. Stepping back out of the way she motioned for Fraser to follow.

Fraser adjusted the straps on his pack and attached his harness to the rope. He looked down at the cliff at the bottom and thought of how quickly Phil had moved down the slope--how the rocks were still moving. He watched as a mass of rocks slid down and over the edge. They clattered far below. 'Just like skiing.' Taking a deep breath (just like skiing) he pushed his Stetson farther down on his head (just like skiing) and stepped out onto the slope. (Just like...) Immediately he lost his balance and began sliding downward at an ever increasing rate. He panicked until he saw that he was not heading toward the edge but was sliding directly towards Phil at the second outcrop, the rope guiding his fall. Phil reached out and grabbed him as he slid up to her.

"Have you ever experienced such an adrenaline rush? You were fantastic!" Admiration and glee showed in her eyes and voice.

"Holy moly!" Fraser exclaimed as he clambered to his feet and hugged the rock. He looked at Phil and at the slope he had just negotiated, "That was one of the most terrifying trips I have ever taken. Fun--NO! Exhilarating? I will let you known when my heart catches up with me." He took several deep breaths then leaned over and clasped his knees. "I think I peed in my pants!"

Phil looked him up and down and shook her head. "Nah, you didn't." She laughed at him. "Are you ready for the next leg?"

"No!! But I don't imagine that is going to stop us from going, is it?"

"Of course not, we are on a rescue, remember?"

Fraser groaned, "How many more legs are there?"

"Only two."

"ONLY TWO? You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

Phil just laughed, stepped out on the rubble, and began the next slide.

Despite the sheer terror he had experienced he was not about to let Phil go on alone. After two more "fun" rides they reached the stand of trees on the far side of the rock-strewn slope where the stranded hikers waited for them.

"Phil! Am I ever glad to see you!"

Startled, Phil recognized three fellow graduate students. "Todd, what in heaven's name are you doing out here?" she addressed the biggest of the two young men. "And Stephen, I thought you had better sense than to..." He voice trailed off as she looked at the third member of their party. "Kelly?" Phil knelt beside the girl seated against a tree. A weak smile was the only answer. "Todd, what happened?"

"Remember the after-class get-together last week? We talked about mountain climbing and schussing down scree slopes. After hearing you talk about your experience, we wanted to try your slope. We were roped off and everything was going fine until Kelly slipped. Stephen and I held the ropes but she went over the edge anyway. She must have hit her head as she swung back and forth. We pulled her up and called RMR. We've been waiting ever since."

Phil turned back to the girl, "Kelly? Talk to me. What's your name? Who am I?" She directed a steady stream of questions at the girl while checking her over for other injuries.

Kelly answered each question and added, "As I've tried to tell them, I'm okay, Phil. I only bumped my head but I think I may have cracked a rib or something."

Phil checked Kelly over then, using supplies from the medkit, immobilized her right arm. Kelly whispered to Phil as she secured the last bit of tape, "We're sorry, Phil. Don't blame the guys. I made them bring me. You know I'm as good a climber as either of them."

Rocking back on her heels, Phil looked at the concerned faces surrounding her. "It looks like there are no broken bones or internal injuries, but just to be on the safe side I've immobilized her arm. That should help if she has cracked a rib or two." Turning back to Kelly, she spoke to the girl, "You may have a slight concussion. We've got to get you out of here."

She rose to her feet then turned to Todd and Stephen, "What possessed you to come out here and to drag Kelly with you?" She was furious. "Someone could have been killed. I almost was!" She looked up at the two young men, and seeing the guilt in their eyes, she softened a bit. "I bet, you didn't expect to see me."

"No, we sure didn't. We thought you would be busy with Dr. Martin's classes, this being finals week and all. We didn't think you'd be part of the team that came for us, even though we knew you worked with Rocky Mountain Rescue."

"How did you know where this area was?"

"We put two and two together after talking with one of your friends at RMR and you telling us about your field work on your dissertation. We weren't sure, but this is Phil's Falls, isn't it?"

Phil stood and glanced at the slope and the cliff, and briefly closed her eyes. "Yeah, this is Phil's Falls."

Fraser watched Phil care for the injured girl. He contacted RMR for chopper support and was told to rendezvous at the cabin in four hours. Joining Phil and the three hikers, Fraser relayed his information. They discussed their strategy for attempting the return up the slope. Fraser would lead the way followed by Stephen, then Kelly with Todd, and, lastly, Phil, who would retrieve the lines as she moved up.

Phil stepped closer to Fraser and said in a quiet voice, "Just take it slow and easy. Use the line as an anchor. Aim for big rocks--they don't start moving as fast as the little ones."

He looked up the slope at the ropes he would follow. "Understood."

Phil watched with her heart in her throat as Fraser carefully worked his way up the first leg. She watched him unhook his harness from one rope and fasten it to the next in the series. It was taking longer than it should and she became concerned when Fraser didn't signal his safe arrival. She watched in disbelief as he turned toward them, lost his footing, and began to slide. She screamed when she saw that his harness wasn't secured to the rope. He was heading for the cliff and there was no ledge there to catch him.

It happened so fast, one minute he was trying to secure his harness to the rope and the next he was falling, sliding faster and faster toward the cliff edge. He tried to grab something to stop his fall but everything he touched skittered away from him and slid down, too. Somewhere along the way he lost his hat. Rocks of all sizes pummeled him. He was rolled over by a large boulder that smashed into his shoulder barely missing his head. He thought he heard someone screaming, but he wasn't sure.

The cliff edge was so close...

He couldn't stop...

He was going over...

Not stopping to think, Phil grabbed one of the remaining ropes, looped it around a tree, and hurriedly tied a knot. She fastened it to her harness as she ran along the edge of the precipice. Dodging the rocks carried down by Fraser's slide, she stumbled. Regaining her footing she realized she couldn't reach him before he went over. In one last superhuman effort, she flung herself at Fraser just as he rolled over the edge.

His strong hand frantically grabbed at her arm but could not find purchase. Phil watched in horror as his hand slid down her arm until he was hanging supported only by the clasp of her two hands around his wrist. She watched her glasses slide down her nose and tumble past their hands and the face swinging below her. Blue eyes, stark with fear, stared up into hers. The world narrowed to that small distance that separated them.

"T, reach your other hand up and grab my arm," she pleaded. 'God, don't let him fall,' she sent up a silent prayer. She watched as he slowly brought his other arm up, but the attempt sent a shaft of pain through him. "Please, Ben, just reach up and grab me." He tried again with no success. She could feel the weight of him pulling her forward, farther over the edge. She was crying now. "Ben, please reach up and grab me. I didn't have time to properly secure myself and still reach you. I'm slipping over the edge and if you don't climb up now we will both go over! Please, T, reach up."

As her words sunk in, Ben realized that his shoulder would not allow him to reach her before his weight pulled them both over. "I can't reach you, something's wrong with my shoulder." He watched her body slip forward a few more inches. He could see her straining to hold him. He could see the effort it was costing her to hold onto him. 'I can't let her die because of me,' he thought. He looked up into bottomless, brown eyes and saw the fear there and something else. His heart answered that something else. If only...he closed his eyes and opened them again. A calmness came over him. Everything would be all right.

Phil watched the changing expressions on his face. 'God help me. Don't let him die.' She stared into his beautiful blue eyes and watched a tranquillity replace the fear.

"Let me go, Phil" she heard him say. "Let me go before you're pulled over, too."

She stared at him. Let him go? Let him fall to his death? "I can't, Ben. I can't let you go." Her voice shook as she slid further over the edge.

"Please, Phil, let me go."

"NO, I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO. I CAN'T LET YOU GO," she screamed at him. Fraser looked up into her eyes and saw the determination there. She had never lost a person, much less her partner, on a rescue and she was not going to start with this Mountie. The thought of losing him sent a wave of panic and fear through her that settled in the region of her heart. She didn't understand why but she would die with him rather than let him go.

He closed his eyes then opened them and gazed into her eyes. He could easily loose himself in them. "Please, Phil, let me go." He took one last, hungry look at her and something caught his eye. He looked past her to the two pairs of arms reaching down for him. Todd and Stephen grabbed hold of him and pulled him up and over the edge then pulled Phil back up onto the edge beside Ben.

'We're alive!' flitted through both their minds as they looked at each other. Taking deep, shaky breaths, they climbed to their feet and carefully made their way back to the stand of trees where Kelly waited.

Phil shrugged free of all helping hands, moved to a fallen tree, and sat down. She put her face in her hands and tried to calm the shaking that racked her body. She felt the bile creep up her throat and swallowed convulsively.

Ben watched her struggle to gain control of herself. He wanted to help but could think of nothing. He held his injured arm close to his side as he knelt in front of her. He took her hands and gently pulled them away from her face. "Are you alright, Phil?"

The gentle concern in his voice was more than she could take. She stumbled to her feet, staggered a few steps away, and collapsed to her hands and knees. She heaved and heaved until there was nothing left in her stomach. And still she heaved.

Ben reacted quickly. He reached into his jacket and pulled a spotless, white handkerchief from the pocket of his shirt. He moistened it with water from his canteen and gently placed it on Phil's forehead. The look of sick misery she turned on him slowly changed to one of relief as he used the wet cloth to wipe her face. The look changed to one of concern when Ben flinched in pain as he accidentally jarred his shoulder.

"T, you're hurt."

"It's nothing."

"Let me decide if it's nothing. Undo your jacket so I can check your shoulder."

"I tell you, it's nothing."

"You're not going to let me check that shoulder?"

Ben should have listened to that quiet tone in her voice. But, he didn't know her that well. Todd, on the other hand, had known Phil for four years and had learned to walk softly when he heard that voice. "Is there anything I can help you with, Phil?"

"Yes, Todd. Fraser here is refusing medical attention. I think he may need some persuasion."

Ben sized up the kid. He was big and strong. He climbed to his feet in preparation to meet any challenge from Todd. He did not see the blow that felled him. As he straightened, Phil leaned behind him and hit the back of his knees. He went down hard. Before he could recover, Phil straddled his chest and stared down at him.

"We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way," was all she said as she undid his jacket. He thought he should object, but the weight of her body on his chest and the way she moved on him was doing things to his...his will to resist.

Phil expertly massaged his shoulder, felt the dislocated joint. Motioning to Todd, she said to Fraser, "Your shoulders dislocated. We're going to have to pop it back in place. It's going to hurt, but it will feel better afterwards."

"Understood."

Using her eyes she signaled to Todd to look at her hand where she was holding two fingers up. "Okay, T, we're going to do this on the count of three." Again she signaled two to Todd. Todd nodded his comprehension. "Todd, you take his arm, place you foot here, and on three--pull as hard as you can." Todd grasped Ben's wrist; Phil gently turned the arm and began to count. "1...2..."

Ben jerked and almost passed out when Todd pulled his arm. Weakly he complained to Phil. "You said on three..."

"I didn't want you tensing up on me." Phil rolled off his chest and climbed to her feet. Together, she and Todd got a very shaken Mountie to his feet. They turned and stared at the slope they had yet to climb. "This time, I'll go first," Phil said.

"No, I'll go first," Ben said as he massaged his shoulder. Phil started to object but Ben added, "It's the 'horse' principal."

She nodded in understanding. He had to face that slope just as she did. Phil moved closer to Ben, and told him in no uncertain terms, "Fraser...take it slow and easy. I promise you this, If you fall again...if you put me through what I just went through...if you survive, I will personally climb down that cliff and stomp whatever's left of you into the ground. It will take them years to find what's left of your body much less identify it. Understand?" She punctuated each point with a finger to his chest.

Ben grimaced in good humor. "Understood."

She stepped back and motioned him to begin the climb. As she watched him move up the slope, a sense of unreality settled over her.

* * *

The hike back was uneventful. Phil completed it in a fog--everything was distant and unreal. As they approached the cabin, the sound of a helicopter drifted up the valley toward them. "Right on time," Ben commented. Todd and Stephen carefully led Kelly to the porch of the cabin. They all stared skyward searching for the chopper. It appeared, low in the sky, then circled before finally coming in for a landing.

Ben was concerned about Phil and it showed in the glances that he sent her way. She had been unusually quiet on the way down from Thunder Basin. Even Todd and Stephen had mentioned that fact to Ben as they helped Kelly descend the trail. "It must be delayed shock. Sliding over the edge like she almost did must have brought back memories of her fall. I know I'll have nightmares about it." He tried to justify Phil's continued silence and the distant look she wore in her eyes.

Phil carried the ropes into the cabin and hung them on the pegs in the storage closet. With that task accomplished, she moved out into the main room and searched for something to do. Finding nothing she wandered over to the window and leaned her face on it, hoping the cool glass would help clear her mind. 'I don't believe it. I totally lost control of myself up there--my objectivity, my concentration, my ability to perform my job. All because I'm attracted to a man I barely know. I let my feelings get in the way. It must be the shock of seeing him--anyone--going over the Falls. What am I going to do? Why did I ever have to meet him? Why did he have to be so nice? Why do I feel this way?' She was angry with herself, at Ben, at the situation, and there was nothing she could do about it.

The door opened and the cornerstone of her thoughts walked in. "The others are on the chopper and we're ready to go. Are you ready?"

Phil stared at him. How dare he act so matter-of-fact after all they had gone through. Both of them had almost died and he wanted to know if she was ready?

"Phil, is something the matter? You seem awfully quiet." He strode over to her and tried to take her in his arms. "Everything's fine now."

Everything was not fine. Before she knew what she was doing, Phil pulled free of his embrace and landed a roundhouse punch to his jaw.

Ben went down like a rock. He tasted blood in his mouth and his tongue felt the split lip. Wiping blood away with the back of his hand, he looked up at Phil. She stood over him cradling her hand.

"Everything is not fine, Fraser. Nothing has been fine since yesterday. Why did you have to turn my world upside down? I was happy with my life the way it was. Why did you change that?" She shook her head. "Don't you understand? I don't know how to handle you. You're not like either of my brothers or any of the other men I know. Since the moment we met I knew you were trouble. Why couldn't you just leave me alone? Why did you have to kiss me? Why did it feel so good? So right?"

Ben stared in amazement. Phil had always seemed in control of the situation even when she was mad. Now she was almost incoherent. So...she wasn't indifferent to him after all. He had seen something in her eyes. He smiled up at her. He put all the feelings that had grown over their time together into the look he gave her.

Phil stared at Ben as he rose to his feet. The look of tenderness and understanding was too much. Tears of anger sparkled in her eyes. Her hand throbbed. She stood rooted to the spot as he slowly approached and stood only inches away from her.

She started to back away from him but Ben quickly captured her arms. His hands slid down their lengths until he was holding her hands. He looked into her eyes to see them glazing over in pain. "Phil, what is it?"

"My hand."

He gently lifted her hand. It was swollen and turning a vivid purple. "What happened?" he asked.

Phil stared at him in disbelief. "What happened? What happened? Your face is what happened." With her other hand she ran her fingers over the split lip and the welt that was forming on his jaw. "You have a hard head, T. I...I think I broke my hand."

Ben pulled her close. She rested her face on his broad chest. A sense of peace filled her. She felt his breath on her hair then a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I hate you, Benton Fraser." It was little more than a whisper.

A grin spread across his face. A little crooked due to the lip, but still a grin. He brought the injured hand to his lips and kissed it. His other roved up and down her back. Phil's free hand slid up Ben's back until she could thread her fingers in his hair. He looked down into her face and saw peace replacing the confusion in her eyes.

"Now, Phil, you know that just isn't true," and the kiss they shared proved he was right.

To be continued (?)

Copyright October 1996 by SL Haas

Revised March 1999

Comments are welcome at durango@ionet.net

1. On a Collision Course

2. Nocturnal Duet

3. Jumping to Conclusions

4. "In the Kiss of One Girl"

5. Real Conversations

6. Ichnites, Montmorillonite, and Bentonite, Oh My!

7. An Acquired Taste

8. "...A Dish Best Served Cold"

9. "Like Thunder When It Rains"

10. Steppingstones

11. "The First Consciousness"

12. An Answered Dream

13. "Since We Parted"

14. The Fine Line That Separates

15. Moments of Regret

16. Benton's Secret