Love And Bullets

by Iris M Gray

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Alliance, not to me.

Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio

Rating: G

Love And Bullets

by Iris M Gray

Ray Vecchio half-ran, half-slid down the corridor of Inuvik Hospital until he saw Stanley 'Ray' Kowalski standing with a young blonde woman "Kowalski!" he yelled.

"Hey, Vecchio. Glad ya could get here so quickly," said Kowalski.

"How's Benny?" asked Vecchio anxiously.

"He's in surgery. Doctors say there's about a fifty-fifty chance he'll be paralyzed," replied Kowalski.

"What happened?" demanded Ray Vecchio.

"The bullet in his back shifted. Doctor says it's probably 'cause since he got back up north he's been doin' stuff he wasn't used to doin' in Chicago," Stanley explained.

"The bullet...." whispered Ray. "My bullet, you mean?"

"Yeah, Vecchio," sighed Kowalski. "Your bullet." The blonde woman nudged Stan. "Oh, sorry. Maggie Mackenzie, this is Ray Vecchio - the real one. Vecchio, this is Fraser's half-sister, Maggie Mackenzie."

"So you're Ray Vecchio," said Maggie pleasantly. "Benton has told me so much about you, it's wonderful to finally meet you."

"I didn't know Benny had a sister. It's good to meet you, too. Wish it was under different circumstances."

"I do too, Detective," said Maggie sadly.

"Ray," said Ray.

"Right, Ray. Sorry, I always think of *him* as 'Ray'," said Maggie, indicating Stanley.

"So, Kowalski, how did you know I was back in Chicago?" asked Ray.

"Frannie told me. I called yer house. Frase is practically a member of your family, I thought they'd wanna know about his - condition."

"Thanks, Kowalski. That was - decent of you."

Stan shrugged. "Least I could do. They were my family for almost two years, too. So - things didn't work out with you an' Stella," he said, changing the subject.

Ray sighed. "Stella's a great woman, Kowalski. She's just not the one for me."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that," said Stan cryptically.

Ray stared at Stan. "What's *that* supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Kowalski turned to Maggie. "Maggie, would you leave me an' Vecchio for a few minutes?" Maggie nodded and gave Stan a quick kiss before excusing herself to go get some tea.

"Okay, now tell me what you meant when you said you 'figured' that Stella isn't the one for me? Does that mean that you're the one for her?"

"No, Vecchio, you doofus. I don't know who's 'the one' for Stella. Hell, maybe nobody is. What I meant is that Stella isn't the one for *you.* An' I know that 'cause I know who *is* the one for you."

"And who would *that* be?" asked Ray defensively.

"Fraser."

Vecchio went pale beneath his Florida tan. "How...how did you know?" he finally asked.

"Vecchio, even in the short time I spent with you an' Frase before you got shot an' he and I ended up here, north of everywhere, it was pretty obvious how the two of you felt about each other. Frase an' I got pretty tight when we were looking for the Hand of Franklin, and we talked a lot." Stan hesitated at the look on Ray's face. "No, Vecchio, we weren't like *that*. There's only one person for Fraser, and that's you. For me, it's not Fraser, it's his sister."

"Benny - he talked about me?" asked Ray.

"Constantly. Got kinda boring after awhile," said Stan with a smile.

"Did he say anything about the time that - that I shot him?" asked Ray hesitantly.

"He did."

"What did he say?"

Kowalski thought for a few minutes. Then he started slowly,"Well, I saw the scar on his back - lighten up Vecchio, when two guys share close quarters like Frase an' I did, they're gonna see each other with no clothes on - an' I asked him about it. He told me about Victoria Metcalfe. Oh, I'd already read the reports, but you an' I both know that lots of stuff doesn't get put in reports."

"And the shooting?" asked Vecchio.

"He said that he'd been runnin' after her train, and she was holding out her hand, an' that you thought it was a gun, so you fired. He jumped in front of her and took the bullet instead. He said if you hadn't shot him, he'd have gone with her. And he said that he could forgive you for shooting him, 'cause he betrayed you. You bailed him out of jail with a mortgage on your house, and he was gonna run off on ya."

Ray nodded, not trusting himself to speak at that moment. He'd always felt enormous guilt for having shot his best friend, but he hadn't realized that Fraser felt guilty over the way he'd treated Ray.

At that moment Maggie returned with a cup of tea for herself and coffee for Ray and Stan. Diefenbaker was with her, and he broke into joyful barks when he saw Ray Vecchio. Ray had to laugh as he petted the wolf. "Hey Dief, you big mutt, I missed you too."

Finally, a doctor appeared. "Constable Mackenzie?" he inquired. Maggie stepped forward. "I'm Doctor Tudjaat. I operated on your brother."

"How is he, Doctor?" asked Maggie.

"He's going to be fine. I was able to remove the bullet with no complications. Everything went very smoothly," answered the surgeon.

"Will he be - paralyzed?" she asked fearfully.

"No, the bullet did not sever any nerves. He may be a little unsteady for a short time while he is recovering, but he should be back to normal very soon."

"Thank goodness," breathed Maggie, and hugged Stan. Kowalski shook hands with the doctor. "Thank you, Doctor," he said, then asked, "Can we see him?"

"He's still asleep, but it would probably be good for him to see a family member when he awakes. He was rather disoriented before the surgery, and having a familiar face nearby should reassure him."

Stan whispered something to Maggie, and she nodded. As the doctor left, the two of them turned to Ray. "Vecchio," said Stan. "Why don't you go in. We'll wait out here."

"Are you sure?" asked Ray.

"Yes, Ray," said Maggie. "You mean a lot to Benton. He'd be very happy to see you."

"Thank you," Ray said. He turned to go in to Fraser's room, then stopped and asked, "Hey, when's the wedding, anyway?"

Maggie smiled. "Whenever Benton is well enough to give me away," she answered. "You'll be there, I hope."

Vecchio smiled back. "Wild caribou couldn't keep me away," he said. He entered the hospital room and sat next to Fraser's bed. It reminded him of another vigil he'd kept for Benny, and he shuddered.

He didn't know how long he'd sat there when Fraser's eyes fluttered open. He jumped up. "Benny?" he said.

Fraser looked at him with surprise. "Ray!"

"Hey, Benny. How are you feeling?"

Ben shifted in the bed. "A bit uncomfortable, but I think I am fully functional," he replied. "It's good to see you, Ray. What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see you too, Benny. What am I doing here? Oh, I got tired of the hot weather in Florida, so I thought I'd come up here to the frozen north and visit you."

"Is Assistant States' Attorney Kowalski with you?" asked Benny.

"Stella? Nah, she decided to stay in Florida. We broke up, Benny."

"I am sorry, Ray. I believe you were very fond of her."

"Well, we weren't right for each other. Running a bowling alley isn't my thing after all, I guess."

"I must admit I am not surprised to hear that. Ray, I have missed you! How long will you be staying?"

Ray swallowed hard. "For as long as you want me, Benny. Forever, if you're willing to put up with me."

"What - what do you mean, Ray?" asked Fraser, surprised and hopeful.

Ray took Ben's hand in his. "Benny, the reason it didn't work out with me and Stella is that I didn't love her. I - I love you, Benny. I want to be with you, even if it means staying up here in the Arctic Circle."

Benny squeezed Ray's hand. "I love you too, Ray," he said. He could hardly believe his good fortune. Ray, *his* Ray was here with him, and he was staying.

"I'll never leave you again, Benny," Ray whispered. He leaned forward and gently kissed Benny on the lips.

Eventually Ray left long enough to allow Stan and Maggie, and Diefenbaker, to see Fraser as well. Then he returned to his partner's bedside.

"Ray," said Fraser. "I'm afraid I am not up to full strength yet..."

"That's okay, Benny. I understand. Get some rest."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Always, Benny."

Fraser smiled and drifted off to sleep, still holding hands with the man that he loved.

END