Note: This takes place in the Kowalski season. It ties in with my story 'Interpretation of "Dead Guy Running".'
Francesca Vecchio was bustling around the station in
a tight pink tube dress, with a matching sheer tie-up shirt
over it. Ben was sitting at the desk with Ray K., going over
reports. Suddenly, a frantic-looking mountie came in, running
towards Fraser.
Turnbull: Constable!
Ben: (sighs)What are you doing here, Turnbull?
Curious about this man Fraser obvoiusly had animosity towards,
Francesca sidled over to easdrop.
Turnbull: Well, I have a message for---Hello, georgeous!
Francesca: Huh?
Ben: (sternly)Turnbull!The message?
Turnbull: (flustered)Oh. . . Inspector Thatcher says to tell you
the dignitaries are coming next week instead of this week.
Ben: You came running over here to tell me---(stops himself & sighs)Thanks,
Turnbull.
Turnbull: (nods & turns to Francesca)You are one pretty lady.
Francesa: Uh. . .
Turnbull: What do you say to having dinner with me?Tonight.
Ben actually looked like he was going to interject, but he said
nothing, waiting for Francesca to turn him down.
Francesca: (shrugs)Eh, why not?I get off at 6.
Turnbull: I'll be here. (leaves)
Ben looks at her hard for a minute.
Ben: Don't tell me you're actually going on a date with that. . . yutz
in a hat?!
Francesca: (shocked)"Yutz in a hat"?
Ben: Well. . .
Francesca: Is there a reason you don't like him?I mean, is he
evil?Is it not safe for me to---
Ben: (holds up a hand)I suppose it's perfectly safe, Francesca.
But. . . You should really be more careful about accepting dinner invataions
from guys you just met.
Francesca: (smirks)You're beginnin' to sound like a certain
brother of mine. (cups his face & stands up on tiptoe to kiss his
cheek)Thanks, Benny. . . Well, I've got some filing to do.
(walks towards the closet)
Ray K: Um, Fraze?
Ben: (absently)Hmmm?
Ray K: C'mon. . . let's go for a ride. . .
Ben nods & follows him.
They get inside his car and drive off.
Ray K: So, you're jealous?
Ben: Jealous?
Ray K: Yes, jealous. . . I've never seen you look that way, and
I've never heard you use the word "yutz"!
Ben: (looks down)Yes, I do suppose that was uncalled for.
Ray K: (smirks)Ya wanna go out to dinner tonght?
Ben: Well, I suppose. . . Did you have any particular place in
mind?
Ray K: (grins wickedly)How 'bout wherever Frannie and Mickey
Mountie are goin'?
Later that evening, Turnbull went to pick up Francesca. They went in
her car. Ray K. and Ben followed in Ray's car.
They ended up at this Hibachi/Karaoke bar. Before Ray could go
in, Ben pulled him aside.
Ben: Don't you think Francesca will get angry at us for being so
overprotective?
Ray K: (shakes his head)Not you. . . C'mon, no one sits alone in
a place like this. The tables have to hold about 10 or 12.
Ben: Ah. . .
They go in, spot Francesca & Turnbull, and step over.
Francesca: Ben?Ray?
Ben: Uh, hello Francesca.
Ray K: Fancy meetin' you 2 here. Me and Fraze were just goin' to
dinner, and thought we'd try out this place.
Francesca: Really?Well. . . sit down.
Ben takes the seat next to Francesca, and Ray takes the seat next to
him. They watch the dinner show and eat. Suddenly, they
announce the opening of the Karaoke stage. Throughout the
evening, Francesca had been fighting emotions and thoughts in her head.
She didn't know what was going on. . . Was Ben being
jealous, or just filling in for her big brother?Well, if it was
the latter. . . that was sooo not what she was needing right now. Suddenly,
Turnbull's voice broke into her thoughts.
Francesca: Hmmm?
Turnbull: Uh, why don't you go up and sing?
Francesca: Me?
Turnbull: Sure. . . I'll bet you have a beautiful voice.
Francesca: Well. . . Okay.
She gets up and goes to the stage. Shooting a look at Ben, she
picked a number on the list, grabbed the mike, and their eyes
locked as she started singing. . .
Francesca: Guess mine is not the first heart broken. My eyes are
not the first to cry. I'm not the first to know, there's just no
gettin' over you. Ya know I'm just a fool who's willin' to sit
around and wait for you. But, baby, can't ya see?There's nothin'
else for me to do. I'm hoplessly devoted to you. But, now,
there's no way to hide, since ya pushed my love aside. I'm out of my
head, hoplessly devoted to you. Hopelessly devoted to you.
Hopelessly devoted to you. My head is sayin', "Fool, forget
him". My heart is sayin', "Don't let go. Hold on to the end.
"That's what I intend to do. I'm hoplessly devoted to
you. But, now, there's no way to hide, since you pushed my love
aside. I'm out of my head. Hopelessly devoted to you. Hopelessly
devoted to you. Hopelesssly dovoted to you. . .
Turnbull: Perhaps I should join her for a---
Ben: (putting a stopping hand on his arm)Perhaps I should.
Francesca looked up in shock, as she started to leave the stage,
and Ben came back up.
Ben: (taking her hand, with a twinkle in his eye)May I?
Francesca: (nods)If you want to.
Ben nods and picks a song, lifting up the other mike. Francesca
has to fight hard to control her urge to laugh at the song he
picked out. . .
Francesca: Baby, seems we never, ever agree. You like the movies, and
I like TV.
Ben: I take things serious, and you take 'em light.
Francesca: I go to bed early.
Ben: And, I party all night.
Both: Our friends are sayin'
Ben: We ain't gonna last.
Francesca: Cos, I move slowly.
Ben: And, baby, I'm fast.
Francesca: I like it quiet.
Ben: And, I love to shout.
Both: But, when we get together it just all works out.
Francesca: Well, I take 2 steps forward.
Ben: I'll take 2 steps back.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. And ya know,
Francesca:
It ain't fiction.
Ben: It's a natural fact.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. Who'd'a thought
Francesca: Ahh.
Ben: we could be lovers?She makes the bed,
Francesca: and, he steals the covers.
Ben: She likes it neat,
Francesca: and, he makes a mess. I take it easy,
Ben: baby, I get obsessed. She's got the money,
Francesca: and, he's always broke. I don't like cigarettes,
Ben: I like to smoke.
Both: Things in common,
Ben: there just ain't a one.
Both: But, when we get together we have nothing but fun.
Francesca: Well, I take 2 steps forward.
Ben: I'll take 2 steps back.
Both: We come together cos opposites attract. And, ya know,
Francesca: it ain' t fiction.
Ben: Just a natural fact.
Both: We come together because opposites attract.
Francesca: 2 steps forward.
Ben: 2 steps back.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. And, ya know,
Francesca: It ain't fiction.
Ben: Just a natural fact.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. . . Ya know it. Baby,
babe. We come together. . . We come together.
Francesca: Baby, ain't it somethin' how we lasted this long.
Ben:
You and me provin' everyone wrong.
Francesca: Don't think we'll ever get our differences patched.
Ben:
Don't really matter cause we're perfectly matched.
Francesca: Well, I take 2 steps forward,
Ben: I'll take 2 steps back.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. And, ya know,
Francesca: It ain't fiction.
Ben: Just a natural fact.
Both: We come together because opposites attract.
Francesca: 2 steps forward.
Ben: 2 steps back.
Both: We come together because opposites attract. And, ya know,
Francesca: It ain't fiction.
Ben: Just a natural fact.
Both: We come together because opposites attract.
Ben: 2 steps forward, 2 steps back.
Francesca: 2 steps back.
Ben: We come together
Both: cos opposites attract. It ain't fiction,
Ben: you know it's a fact.
Francesca: It's a fact.
Ben: We come together because opposites, opposites.
Both: 2 steps forward, 2 steps back. 2 steps back, opposites
attract. We go together. Go together. Opposites attract. 2 steps
forward, 2 steps back. 2 steps back, opposites attract. We go
together. Go together. Opposites, opposites. Opposites attract. . .
Ben leaped gracefully down from the stage, and grabbed Francesca
around the waist to help her down. They walked back to the table, Ben's
hand still on the small of her back.
Turnbull: Francesca, are you ready for me to take you home?
Ben: Um, perhaps Ray could give you a ride?I think perhaps maybe
I'd better---
Francesca: Ben?
Ben: Yes?
Francesca: Do you want to talk?
Ben: Yes, I think perhaps we'd better.
Francesca: Okay. . . Um, thanks for bringing me, Turnbull. Oh,
and, thanks for driving him home, Ray. C'mon, Ben.
They go outside to her car.
Ben: Here, I'll drive.
Francesca: Ya sure?
Ben: Yes, I'm sure.
Francesca: (shrugs)Whatever. . . Heads up. (reaches in her purse
& tosses him the keys)
He drives for a bit, and they end up at his place.
Francesca: I thought you were driving me home?
Ben: I thought you wanted to talk?
Francesa: Oh, yeah. . . be a little hard with the family there, I guess.
. .
They lock her car and head upstairs. Diefenbaker greets her
warmly, and she sits on the bed(since there is so little else
furniture)
Ben: Um. . .
Francesca: Ya wanna explain today?Tonight, too, would be good. .
.
Ben: Well, I. . . I don't know. . .
Fracesca: (folding her arms in front of her)Benton Fraser!You are gonna
tell me what's gotten into you, and you're gonna tell me
now!
Ben: I---
Francesca: I don't want excuses. I want to know.
Ben: (looking down)I was trying to protect you. . .
Francesca: Protect me from what?Being bored?
Ben: What?
Francesca: Well. . . He's not much of a date, to be honest. You
wouldn't believe the odd things he was trying to make small-talk
about. . .
Ben: Oh?
Francesca: What's with the smirk?
Ben: (trying to sound innocent)Smirk?
Francesca: (sounding for all the world like a mother scolding her child)Ben.
. .
Ben: I. . . You can do better.
Francesca: Oh, really?In the time you've known me, have you seen
me get many offers?
Ben: I know of lots of guys who've wanted you. . . but. . .
Francesca: But?
Ben: They, um, knew better.
Francesca looks at him, quirking an eyebrow.
Ben: They. . . they knew what your brother would do if they tried anything
with---
Francesca: My brother?Just my brother?
Ben: (sincerely)No. If anything ever happened to you, Francesca,
I'd. . .
Francesca: (puts a hand on his chest & speaks gently)You'd
what, Ben?
Ben: I don't know what I'd do. . .
Suddenly, she got this fluttery feeling in her chest. She licked
her suddenly dry lips, drawing his attention to them. Cupping her face
suddenly, he pulled her into a passionate kiss.
Francesca: (eyes half-closed in contentment)Ben. . .
Ben: Stay with me.
Francesca: Wha. . . what?
Ben: Don't leave.
Francesca: But. . .
He silenced her by kissing her again. Lifting her onto the bed,
he started kissing her more intently. Suddenly, all the barriers
were gone. No more, "don't look, don't touch, don't even
think about", because she was Ray's little sister. No more,
he was just an unreachable goal, and she felt safe and content in that.
This was real. This was really happening. But, would it
last?Would it ever happen again?One look into those clear blue
eyes, and she knew. She was home.
The End