This one is dedicated to Turnbull lovers everywhere (especially Annie and Katrina). Oh, fling otters if you must, but I couldn't help myself. Besides, you knew it was only a matter of time before one of us wrote this.

I'd better stop before the introduction is longer than the story itself.

To Annie: I'm sore-y, I prefer James to John.

Title: Just Once
Author: Mrs. Fish
Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Fraser/Ray Vecchio
Rating: R
Warnings: Implied m/m sex and relationship.
Status: Completed
E-mail address for feedback: mrs_fish@hotmail.com
Summary: Fraser is unfaithful.

Disclaimer: This story is written for the private entertainment of fans. No infringement of any copyrights held by Alliance Communication or CTV is intended. This story is not published for profit, and the author does not give permission for this story to be reproduced for profit. The author makes no claims on the characters or their portrayal by the creation of this story.

The green 1971 Buick Riviera pulled up in front of the Canadian Consulate and parked. Normally, Constable Benton Fraser would just get out, give his friend a brief good bye and walk upstairs to his office. Today the two men sat.

"Benny, are you sure you don't want me to come upstairs with you? I'll talk to him if you want."

"No... I can do this, Ray. Besides, I think he'll be more comfortable if I bring it up. I think he's afraid of you."

"If he's afraid of me now, just wait and see what happens if that video starts showin up around town. I'll show him afraid."

"Ray, just let me handle it, OK?"

"All right, Benny. I'll pick you up for lunch. Love you." The detective reached over and squeezed Fraser's hand.

"I love you too, Ray. See you at 11:30." Fraser opened the door and got out, turned and walked into the building.

The reception area was empty when he got upstairs, but then again, he was early. Fraser made coffee and looked over the duty roster before attacking the stack of paperwork on his desk. At 9:00 he took a deep breath, straightened his uniform, and walked to the reception desk. This was one time Fraser was grateful the Inspector was out of town on business.

"Constable Turnbull, could I see you in my office please?"

James Turnbull, age 25, junior RCMP officer and Constable Fraser's assistant, dropped the stack of papers he was filing and turned a shade darker than his uniform. He bent down to retrieve the filing.

"Just leave the papers, Turnbull."

"Yes, sir," he said softly.

Fraser waited as the young man entered his office, locked the door, then sat down. He gestured for Turnbull to do the same. Fraser looked over at the young man. He reminded him of a deer caught in a car's headlights on a dark road. 'Was I ever that young and naive?' Fraser wondered.

Fraser opened his desk drawer, removed a videocassette, and handed it to the younger mountie. "I believe this belongs to you. You left it in the video camera when you returned it."

Turnbull reluctantly took the cassette with trembling hands. He didn't meet the older mountie's eyes.

"Sir... I... I can explain."

"I don't need an explanation, Turnbull, however, I would like my videocassette returned. You do have it?"

"Yes, sir. I must have if this one is mine. How did you know it was a copy?"

"Copy!? You made a copy of my video?" Fraser rose out of  his seat. Turnbull's eyes grew wider.

Fraser closed his eyes and took a deep breath before sitting back down. He didn't want to frighten the young man. "Let's try again, shall we? The cassette I handed you was not a copy of mine. It was a very detailed and explicit video of you and the Inspector mimicing the one Detective Vecchio and I made."

"Oh, dear..." Turnbull pitched forward onto the carpet.

Turnbull woke to a pair of crystal blue eyes staring into his. A cold cloth was on his forehead and his uniform jacket had been removed.

"Are you all right, James?"

"Yes, sir, I believe so. What happened?"

"You fainted." Fraser placed a hand on the young man's chest to keep him from sitting up. Turnbull gasped at the contact.

"Are you hurt?"

"No..." Turnbull cleared his throat. "No, sir, I'm fine." He turned his head away from Fraser's gaze and blushed.

There was more going on here than Turnbull let on. Fraser shifted his gaze down the junior officer's body and stopped at his groin. 'So that's it.'

"James, look at me. I'm going to ask you a question and I want an honest answer. I promise there will be no repercussions from this. All right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you gay?"

Turnbull closed his eyes and started to babble. "Oh, god... I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to cause all this trouble. I saw your video and... and I wanted you... no, I wanted a copy... and then I... I... the Inspector... oh, damn." The junior officer covered his face with his hands and began to cry. "I'm sorry, Ben. It's just that... I love you."

Fraser's heart went out to him. He pulled the man's hands away from his face, and stroked his cheek and hair. "Shhh... don't cry, James. It's all right, really. I'm flattered." Ben gave him one of his best smiles.

Turnbull gazed up at that beautiful face and saw... something in Fraser's eyes. "Ben..." James pulled his superior officer down to him, pressing his lips against Ben's, gently at first, then more forcefully. His tongue slid into Fraser's mouth, exploring, then dueling with Ben's, sucking lightly. He slid his hands over Fraser's ass, kneading the firm flesh. Ben moaned as Turnbull pressed his thigh against Fraser's groin, feeling his arousal there.

"James... we shouldn't... I... Ray and I..."

"I want you, Ben... Please... just once."

"Just once."

Fraser sat staring at the phone. He'd been staring at it for the last fifteen minutes, trying to muster the courage to call Ray. He nearly jumped out of his skin when it started ringing.

"Deputy Liaison's office, Constable Fraser speaking. May I help you?"

"I sure hope so, Benny. How'd it go with Turnbull?"

"It went... well, Ray."

"Well? What the hell does that mean? Does he have the video or not?"

"Yes, he said he did. Ummm... we have a slight problem though."

"Yea, what kinda problem? And we better not be talkin blackmail or anything like that, Benny, cause I'll come over there and kick the sh..."

"No! No, it's nothing like that, Ray. I don't think this is a good place to be discussing it. Instead of picking me up, why don't you meet me at my apartment for lunch and we can discuss it then?"

"OK, I'll meet you there. Love you, Benny."

"I love you, too. Bye." Fraser hung up the phone with a sigh.

Ray ran up the stairs to apartment 3J, opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks. Fraser was sitting at the kitchen table, head buried in his arms, sobbing.

"Benny?..." Ray put his arms around his lover and held him tightly. "Benny, what's wrong? Are you OK?"

"Oh, Ray... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me? Please..."

"Benny, what the hell are you talkin about? Forgive you for what?" Ray grabbed a chair and sat down facing his friend. "Look at me dammit. Tell me what happened."

Fraser glanced briefly at Ray's face, then shifted his eyes to a spot on the floor. In a soft whisper he said, "I was unfaithful to you."

"You were what, Benny?"

"Unfaithful. I... made love to someone else today."

"Who? Just tell me who and why."

"Does it matter? The damage has been done. I'm sorry. I didn't intend for it to happen. It just did. But I assure you it will never happen again. You have my word of honor. I love you, Ray."

"I know you do, Benny. That's why this is so hard for me to believe." Ray suddenly grabbed Fraser's arms. "They didn't force you, did they?"

"No, Ray, it was mutual consent."

"Was it the Dragon Lady?"

"She's out of town."

Ray gave a half-chuckle. "It wasn't that moron Turnbull, was it?"

Fraser didn't answer. He got up and walked over to the window, placing his head against the pane.

Ray followed the mountie, molding himself against Fraser's back and gently kissing his neck. "Why, Benny? You musta had a reason."

"After watching the video he and the Inspector made, a lot of things came together. I realized he was attracted to me, so today I asked him if he was gay. He started to cry. My heart went out to him, Ray. The next thing I knew we were kissing and... I was aroused. He said 'just once'. That's all he wanted -- to make love to me one time -- and I let him." Fraser turned into Ray's arms. "Can you forgive me?"

"How did you make love, Benny? I need to know."

The mountie looked into Ray's eyes. "We... we used our hands on each other. Nothing else. Oh, and we kissed."

Ray smiled and kissed Fraser's forehead. "I forgive you, Benny. Just don't let it  happen again. Capisce?"

"Yes, Ray, I understand."

"Good, let's eat. I'm starved."

Fraser was late returning to work. He and Ray 'made up' after lunch -- several times -- before he was dropped back at the Consulate. He walked upstairs to his office, closed the door, and went over to his desk. Sitting on the chair was a single red rose with a note attached: 'Thank you. You'll never know how much this morning meant to me. I will always cherish it -- and you. JCT' Ben smiled. 'A romantic as well,' he thought.

Fraser busied himself with paperwork for the rest of the afternoon. The knock came a little after 5:00. "Come in."

"Will you need anything else before I leave, sir?"

"No, thank you, Constable. Good night."

"Sir... may I speak with you?"

"Of course. Please sit down."

Turnbull handed Fraser two videocassettes. "The one on top is yours. The other one is of the Inspector and I."

"Thank you, but it really isn't necessary. I was just interested in the one Detective Vecchio and I made."

"I don't want it, sir. The Inspector really isn't my type, if you know what I mean." Turnbull smiled.

"Yes, I believe I do, Constable. Mine either."

"If there's nothing else, I'll say goodnight."

"Goodnight, James. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, sir." Turnbull closed the door behind him and headed down the Consulate stairs. "And I'll see you in my dreams, Ben." The young mountie adjusted his Stetson, walked out the door, and headed home.

The end.

OK, OK, it's done. Fling away. Just let me adjust my goalie pads here. All right, I'm ready for the onslaught.

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