Title: Look No Further Author: Lys at lystykds@comcast.net Rated: G and Humor Pairings: Benton/Francesca

This story is based solely on the song that I love. In the 50's and 60's Nat King Cole had many wonderful hits. This song I cannot remember the title too, (though I think I have the 45 rpm downstairs in storage somewhere) but I do remember him singing it...Here is the story.

Look no further, Be still, Don't move an inch away, Stay, Stay with one who loves you, Look no further dear.

Why must you wander? Heaven isn't far, I'm the nearest star, Stay where you are...

Look No Further

Ben kicked the water cooler once more; the sound filled the quiet hallway with a tin echo. He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands on the water fountain before turning to see that the hallway was empty and he was very alone. He looked down at his feet, and then straightened his shoulders remembering the look in Francesca's eyes as she had refused an escort home. Those soft, doe eyes had been holding back tears, he was sure of it. She had answered him with a softness of voice he wasn't used to hearing from her. His own expression was now one of sadness and bewilderment. Dief trotted up to him and sat quietly looking at his alpha male with an intent stare.

When Benton Fraser finally noticed his wolf sitting at his feet, he sighed. "Yes, I know. It is late."

The wolf cocked his ears and made `grring' noises deep in his throat.

"Well, yes. I did offer."

Dief lifted a paw and looked down at the floor. A deep growl issued forth through his teeth.

"I suppose you could have done better?"

Ben knelt by the animal he loved and roughed up the hair on Dief's ruff around his neck. Dief licked him by way of comforting his alpha male, but made another `erfing' sound in his throat.

"You're right, she's an excellent female."

Dief suddenly stood up and jumped back from Ben. He bounced, jumped, and made noises. With a final whirl into the air, Dief landed at Ben's feet.

"Yes, perhaps I should ignore her around Ray." Ben stood up, fixed his lanyard, and brushed one of thumbs across an eyebrow. "I will not give you jelly donuts to help me in this endeavor." Ben smiled, "I suppose I could use some assistance though."

Dief trotted ahead of Ben down the hall and turned back when he heard Ben's last comment. The wolf dropped his head and lowered his ears. The tiniest of sounds vibrated out of his throat.

"I do not become tongue tied around Francesca. I merely do not have the same energy level she has when it comes to conversation." Ben walked past the wolf in severe military fashion and made a military style turn to go through the hall door into the nearly empty squad room. He went to Ray's desk to retrieve his Stetson.

Ray Vecchio watched his partner, Benton Fraser, walk across the squad room and pick up his Stetson. He smiled and began to walk towards his Mountie friend. Ben was oblivious to all sounds and sights as he stood staring into the crown of his prized Stetson. Ray couldn't help but notice that he was seeing a look of abject dejection on the Mountie's face. He walked up and clasped an arm around Ben. "Hey, don't let Franny bugging you get you down. I had a talk with her and she won't be bothering you again. I made sure of that." Ray's face looked unequivocally joyous at his accomplishment.

"Ray, I-" Ben was too embarrassed to tell Ray that was not exactly what he wanted.

"Naw, don't thank me. She won't be bothering you for awhile." Ray grabbed his coat off the rack behind his chair. "Hey, want to stop for some pizza. I'm buying"

"Well, Ray that would be nice." Ben placed his Stetson firmly in his right hand and followed Ray out of the area, down the hall and out into the night air.

"What a night, hmm?" Ray smiled as he unlocked the RIV and slid inside behind the wheel.

"Yes, Ray it is some night." Ben settled back into the passenger seat as he placed his Stetson on the dash. As the car pulled away, visions of Francesca with her eyes softly filled with tears standing in the hall near the water fountain in that beautiful, Prussian blue suit filled Benton's mind. Ben closed his eyes and saw another vision of her in his doorway dressed in that provocative black leather outfit. Both images filled his mind so fully that he never heard Ray ask, "Hey, Chicago style or Italian?" as they drove down the street.

The sunrise moved through the windows of Ben Fraser's apartment like a sweeping wand, dust moats floating in its rays as Ben slept with Diefenbaker curled on a soft rug near the window. The sleeping man lay stretched out in his red long john's, his feet hung out of the covers, his toes moving slightly in the cool morning air. Dief yawned and rose to stretch his long body, rearing his bulky front up front down before finally resting his head between his paws. A moment later, he rose daintily as wolves move and trotted over to the bed. Dief stood next to the bed watching his sleeping alpha and then plopped his head down on the bed in direct line with Ben's face. He made a very quiet `woofing' sound deep in his throat.

Ben's sleep fogged mind responded to the sound Dief made near his ear. He moved and swatted with one hand towards the wolf's head. "'Woof', you said `woof'?" Ben smiled and rolled over towards the animal.

Dief opened his wide lupine mouth and let his tongue loll out to the side. Little noises from Dief's throat rose, filling the sound path to Ben's ears.

Rising on his elbow, Ben laid a gentle hand on his friend's head. "OK. OK. I will get up. I really don't know why I slept so late anyway." Ben sat up and let his feet over the side of his bed. The cold morning floor did not bother him as he rose and gathered his clothing.

The wolf trotted along beside him, continuing his inarticulate sounds as he moved.

"Yes, I do realize I was awake far latter than normal last night. Moreover, no, I was not brooding about Francesca. I do not brood, nor do I sulk."

Dief opened his mouth and let his jaws open wide in a wolf smile. "Efff, Errrf,"

"That's most unfair of you; I do not prevaricate in matters of great importance."

"EFFF, eeerf." Wolf talk and wolf bouncing filled the room.

"Shhh, be quiet. Others do not rise as early as we do. And no, I will not agree that Ray is selfish and pigheaded. He's just protective of his sister and me."

Dief plopped down by his water bowl as Ben dressed and cast him a look of disdain as he waited for fresh water and food.

Ben dressed in his uniform pants and boots plus t-shirt then poured a glass of juice for himself and put food in Dief's bowl before refilling the water dish. "I will allow, mind you, that Ray can be manipulative, even rather demandingly shallow in his methods. But that does not mean that he doesn't care about the important things."

Dief gulped some food and took a quick drink of water before entering the conversation again with more plaintiff errfing.

"Well, I daresay, you are being a little nasty aren't you. And you think that of the man that feeds you jelly donuts against my wishes. Really Dief, I don't think Ray is the kind of man who would behave as if he owned Francesca or me."

Sitting up and pawing the air with one paw Dief gave the appearance of asking forgiveness, but the sounds emitting from his throat were not conciliatory.

"I assure you Ray does not want to be charge of all of us. He is not a petty king."

"Woooorf!"

"Well, yes. He does run his family and is considered to be the head of the household."

"Wlllrw"

"That does not necessarily make him a controlling person. No, Dief. You are wrong in this. You must watch him closer. You will see." Ben commented as he finished the last of his juice, buttoned his collar and put on his brown uniform coat. "Come on, Ray will be downstairs in a moment or two." The two friends left the apartment in high fettle and went out to wait for Ray.

When the RIV pulled up, Ray leaned over and opened the door for Ben. He gave a serious look at Dief. "What's with him this morning?"

"He got up on the wrong side of the bed." Ben said with a smile as he held his seat forward for Dief's entry into the car. "He didn't sleep well."

"Oh you didn't sleep well. What's the problem Benny?"

"Ray, I didn't say I didn't sleep well, I said Dief didn't."

"Yea, sure Benny. Whatever you say." Ray laughed and pulled out into traffic.

Back at the Vecchio home, Francesca woke feeling blue. She stretched and got out of bed and pulled on her robe. By the time she was downstairs in the kitchen, she was almost fully awake.

Rosa Vecchio smiled as her daughter walked into the kitchen, got a cup of coffee and sat down. Her smile faded as she noted the look on Francesca's face. She pulled up a chair and sat down, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "What is making you so sad?"

Francesca's calm broke down and tears filled her eyes. "Ray ordered me to leave Benton alone, Ma. He ordered me. I told him I am my own person with dreams and goals. He doesn't listen Ma. Why does he think he can order me around? He does it all the time. He orders Benton around too. Doesn't he think we are grownup?" It all came gushing out in a rushing torrent of words. She paused, "I know he loves me. I love him. But I am not sitting back and taking it Ma. He doesn't own me or Benton."

"You are his little sister. He wants to protect you. He will never let another Gino happen to you." Rosa's loving eyes swept over her daughter's face. "Benton, he feels responsible for. He's a stranger here, in a foreign country. In many ways, Benton is a man, but he's also innocent like a young child. You've heard Ray talk about the lonely way Benton grew up."

"Ma, he was lonely because he didn't get to be around a lot of kids his own age. He grew up with lots of other things; he just didn't have many friends."

"I am sure Benton could take care of himself in the most vicious snowstorm around, but this is a big city. That is much different. It worries Ray that Benton lives in a very bad place. I know. He's told me he worries that Benton is not safe there."

"Ma, according to Ray, Benton is not safe anywhere. Ben's a lot smarter than Ray, Ma. He's just quiet about it."

"Benton is a nice person. And he has such nice manners. His grandmother must have been a good lady."

"Ben is a good man Ma. Ray seems to think I need protecting from him. He's wrong Ma."

"Francesca, if you feel that strongly about him, do not give up. Don't hurry things. If it's meant to be, it will be. But don't be a shooting star, Francesca."

"Ma?"

"Shooting stars can only be seen by those who are looking for them."

Franny's head popped up and she smiled. "Yea, I'd rather be the North star Ma."

"Then be strong and steady, Francesca." Rosa smiled and with a pat of her hand on her daughter's shoulder, she rose and went out of the room.

"Follow the North star, first star on the right." Mused Francesca as she drank her coffee with a smile.

Francesca waited in the RIV for Ray and Ben. If it weren't for the fact that she had needed to run errands for Ma and her own car was in the garage, she knew Ray would never let her behind the wheel of his precious RIV. She sat tapping her fingers on the steering wheel and watching the traffic whizzing past the parked car. Across the street was a new restaurant that she was just dying to go see; it was one of those places you wouldn't dare be seen in without a date or at least what looked like a date. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel in an increasingly loud tap of her fingers.

Ben preceded Ray out the revolving door and lowered the Stetson deftly onto his head as he came out into the sunlight. He was laughing at Ray, but his eyes were on Francesca. He noted her softly curling hair blowing a little in the breeze and her lovely little blue suit. Too bad, he couldn't actually see her ankles from where he stood. Oh well, here goes another ride in the back seat with not a chance to take a fleeting glimpse at Francesca's legs. He kept walking but turned to see Ray as he came out the door.

Ray had a self-satisfied smile on his face as he carried a small brown box under his arm. Yep Ma was going to love this present for her birthday. Good thing Ben had told him about seeing it. Ray smiled to himself and barely heard Ben's comments as he walked to the RIV.

So preoccupied was Ray that he never noticed the split second delay Fraser made as he pulled back the passenger seat and then slipped into the rear seat. "Franny, this is the best present ever for Ma. And we owe it to Fraser."

Francesca turned dazzling eyes first to Ben and then to Ray. "What color did you get Ray? Don't tell me you got yellow or puce? Ma hates those colors."

"I assure you Francesca that Ray bought a quite tasteful shade of eggshell." Ben beamed. "It will look quite well wherever your mother places it."

"Hey, I know class when I see it and this has class. This Lladro statue is something Ma's gonna treasure." He held the box lovingly in his lap. "I know it."

Franny started the Riv and pulled out into traffic. She gave the Riv a generous kick of gas and joined the flow of traffic.

"Hey, watch what your doing to my baby." Ray complained in his normally high, shrill whine. "This is a classic you know. She needs to be treated with care."

"Ray, I really don't think Francesca was doing anything hurtful to the RIV." Ben offered from the back seat.

"You drive dog sleds, what do you know about classic. Huh Frase."

Ben smiled, "Well, I admit it has been awhile since I have driven, but I do drive Ray."

"Yea, I know you do." He turned his head back just in time to see a car sneak in directly in front of Franny. "Hey, slow down."

Francesca popped her chewing gum in Ray's face and kept on driving. And every chance she could she would meet Ben's eyes in the rear view mirror. She raised her hand to adjust it better and the mirror came off in her hand. "This sure is a classic Ray." Her snicker and twinkling eyes were not lost on Ben. He smiled and looked quickly down at his hands.

They arrived at the precinct where Ray and Ben climbed out of the car quickly. "I'll hide this in my desk drawer until the weekend Franny. I'll bring it home wrapped for the party."

"Just be sure you don't drop it, OK." She smiled at Ben. "See you Friday Ben. You are coming aren't you?"

"Why yes Francesca I will be there. I quite look forward to it." He tipped his hand to his hat shading his face from Ray's view and gave her a brilliant smile.

"See ya Frase." Her smile back at him was genuinely warm and inviting, but altogether very fleeting.

"Come on Benny. We gotta meet with Welsh in five minutes." He began walking towards the entry door of the 27 building. "She was bothering you again? Cause you know, if she has I'll put a stop to it."

"No Ray. Francesca has not been bothering me. There is no need for you to intercede on my behalf." Ben said it with a slight smile while his brain raced on memorizing the smile she had just shown him. He followed Ray inside and closed the door behind him, his thoughts more on Francesca than the meeting he was about to attend.

Franny carefully closed her bedroom door and wandered around her room in a daze. He had smiled at her behind his hat, actually smiled at her. She held on to the tall post of her bed and hung there a moment in happy oblivion. Her eyes strayed to the small picture of Benton she had plastered to her vanity mirror. Sinking down gently, she lay back on the bed and broke out into laughter. Rolling over she grabbed her pillow and hugged it to her in delight as she remembered every detail of his smile behind the Stetson he used to block his smile from Ray.

Rosa Vecchio was passing her daughters room with laundry. She stopped by Francesca's door as she heard her daughter's mirthful laugher muffled closed bedroom door. With a smile, she continued on to her own bedroom and she gave a small laugh as she heard a great wail of laughter filling the hallway from Francesca's room.

Ray trudged into the house and flung his coat on one of the hall chairs. He closed the vestibule door and listened to the sounds of his house. He filled his lungs with Vecchio house air, the air his mother filled with generous cooking smells every day from dawn until dusk. He listened carefully for sounds in the kitchen and when he realized his mother must be upstairs, he went to them and began climbing them.

"Hey Ma! You up there? Ma, Benny's coming to dinner tonight. Ma!" Ray took the steps two at a time, rapidly ascending the staircase.

Ben entered his apartment with a smile of remembrance on his face. He tossed his Stetson carelessly on the table and began unbuttoning his uniform jacket. Her smile, her face, her hair filled his imagination as he walked towards his closet. He pulled out his best jeans and his dark-blue Henley and tossed them to his bed. Pulling out a hanger, he settled his uniform jacket on it and hung it up.

"Errrf" Dief lay at Ben's feet in a disgruntled mound of fur.

"We are dinning at the Vecchio's tonight." Ben smiled with a goofy smile down at his best friend.

Dief stood up and practically danced on his hind legs and yelped with glee.

"Your manners are despicable. Nevertheless, you may go tonight. I think the walk will do you good."

Dief plopped down and put his head on his weary paws. He'd been out walking all day.

"She smiled at me today Dief. She really smiled." Ben began undressing so he could dress again in his favorite casual clothing.

"WRRR"

"Well, yes. I do know that Ray frowns on any association Francesca and I might have. But I must be resolute about this and maintain a certain distance from Francesca. It may take time, but I have hopes of winning Ray's approval."

Dief rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Scoff, if you must, but she did smile at me today. I must admit, I smiled back." Ben said his words the way children say, "So there." "I will admit it, I smiled back behind the cover of my Stetson, but I did smile back."

Dief stood up and went to lay be the apartment door. Moments later Ben stood near the door by Dief. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Dief scrambled out quickly and pranced down the hall.

Francesca opened the front door and marched straight to the kitchen carrying a huge grocery bag. "Ma, don't ask me to pick up meat anymore. He tried to hug me this time, Ma. It's so revolting what I have to do to get meat for this family."

"He's a lonely old man Francesca."

"Lonely my eye. The man thinks he's a gift. He's a Lothario."

Rosa laughed with genuine amusement. "He's known you since you were five,"

"Yea, I know."

"Don't forget, Benton is coming to dinner tonight."

Francesca's eyes closed and she looked sick for a minute. "I forgot. Do I have time to change?" She turned and ran out of the room.

Rosa watched her daughter's disappearing back with approval. She whispered to the bag of groceries as she put her hands inside, "She loves him."

Ben stood at the edge of the Vecchio property. His palms were sweaty and his stomach roiled biliously. "I can do this. I can. It is just dinner after all." He took his Stetson off and ran a nervous hand through his immaculately coifed hair. Dief danced around his legs making long, low sounds in his throat that barely reached Ben's ears. "Well, it is and it was very nice of Mrs. Vecchio to invite us."

"Wrrrrfff"

"Yes, I am quite ready to knock on that door." Ben listened carefully and blushed as he listened to Dief. "No, I am not a coward. I am just making sure that I do not arrive beforehand." He looked down at Dief. "Well, I am. An early guest is sometimes an unwanted arrival you." Dief leapt into the air, sun fished his body, and landed on all fours, his head tilted toward Ben. "Well, yes, I do know that tardy guests ruin meal planning too."

Ben took a deep breath and marched in military strides up to the porch. Dief leapt up the steeps and sat down to wait. Ben took up a stance of rigid shoulders and correctly doffed his Stetson and raised his hand.

"Errf"

"Well, I am going to knock on the door." He rapped lightly on the wooden door and stood back closing off the expectant look he knew was in his eyes.

Ray paced to the front door yelling over his shoulder, "I'll get it Ma. It's probably Benny."

Rosa Vecchio wiped her hands on the nearest dishtowel and turned to look at her daughter, Francesca. The girl had been helping set the serving dishes out and her lovely smile had warmed Rosa's heart. That smile had frozen in place as she listened to her brother's bellow from the front hall. Francesca had become too quiet of late. Rosa walked quietly up to her daughter and gave her a hug. "I can finish this, you go greet Benton. I am sure he would like to see your smiling face."

Francesca threw her mother a quick grin and threw off her apron. She ran to the kitchen door and peaked around the doorframe. Ray was opening the door as she watched. With a quick glance back towards her mother, she tried to walk down the hall slowly. As she moved closer to the front door, she could feel the blood pounding in her head and feel her heart thudding.

Ray stood back as he opened the door and grinned. "Hey, Benny. You and the wolf have a nice walk?"

"Yes, Ray. Dief certainly had a lot of energy to expend today after being shut up in the apartment all day."

Dief lowered his head and looked more wolfish than usual. He was tired; he'd been out scrounging through the neighborhood all day. All he wanted was some of what smelled good in tall man's kitchen and a place to lie down for a while.

Francesca walked up behind Ray and smiled around Ray's tall form towards Fraser. "Hi Frase."

"Francesca." Ben smiled shyly with his head turned a little aside so that Ray could not see directly into his eyes.

Francesca's face lit up behind the safety of Ray's back and she returned Ben's shy smile. "I'm glad you could come tonight Benton."

"Leave him alone Franny, he didn't come here to be ogled by you." Ray put his hand out and took Benton's Stetson. He quickly placed it on the hall tree and grabbed Ben's arm to pull him into the living room. "Come on, dinner's not ready yet."

Benton had no choice but to follow where Ray dragged him by his arm. He threw a glance back over his shoulder at Francesca and tried to smile and shrug his shoulders at the same time he was being dragged bodily out of the hall.

Rosa watched her daughter return to the kitchen and knew without the least bit of doubt that Ray had taken over again. "Francesca, will you and Maria start taking serving dishes into the dining room."

"Sure, Ma." Francesca picked up the huge salad bowl and headed towards the dining room and shouted, "Maria, Ma wants us to set the table now."

Sitting in the chair, Ray had almost literally pushed him into; Benton tried to remain politely attentive to his friend, but could not help straining his ears for sounds in other parts of the house. Thus, he heard every movement Francesca and Maria made as they set up the meal on the family dining table.

"There, that's everything but the main dish." Maria sidestepped around Francesca who stood near the chair that she knew Benton would be seated for the meal. "Hey, when are you goanna tell Ray to stuff it?"

Startled, Francesca turned her crimson face towards her sister. "What do you mean?"

"Play it that way if you want, but I ain't blind. You like Benton and I think he likes you." Maria gestured with her right hand towards the living room. "Ray has no right treating you like this."

"Maria..."

"Don't Maria, me. He's as bad as Tony."

Benton listened to Ray with one ear and to the goings on in the dining room with the other ear. He blushed as he heard Maria's very astute observations. He castigated himself for listening to conversations not directed at him. He turned his full attention to Ray and missed Francesca's reply.

She turned her head away from Maria,"Have you been talking to Ma?"

"No." Maria rolled her eyes.

"Oh." Francesca's whisper was nearly inaudible. "Ray says I'm not Benton's type."

Maria's exasperated sigh filled the room as she turned to return to the kitchen.

When Maria was out of earshot Francesca whispered towards the dining room windows, "Oh, I like him."

Rosa untied her apron and picked up the dish containing the main course. "Maria, call the children." She sailed through the kitchen and into the dinning room. She watched proudly as each member of her family marched in and sat down. She stood blocking two chairs near her chair and motioned the chair's usual occupants to other places. When Francesca entered the room, she found her usual chair occupied by one of Maria's children. Rosa smiled and pointed to the two empty chairs next to her own. Francesca sat down and looked at her plate certain her face was flaming brightly.

Ray and Benton were nearly the last to enter the dining room. Rosa pointed Ray his usual place at the head of the table and put her hand on the back of the empty chair next to Francesca. Benton took the offered seat quickly and failed to notice Ray's squinted expression. Rosa sat down and watched Ray take his seat.

Making sure he kept his mind on the conversation flowing around him, Benton tried to keep his mind off the fact that he was actually sitting next to Francesca. He smelled her, was aware of her and feared that he would soon look totally bereft of reason.

The nearness of him kept Francesca talking giddily throughout the meal. She was sure she sounded like an idiot.

Scooping more polenta onto his already well-filled plate, Ray narrowed his eyes and watched Francesca and Benton at the opposite end of the table. Maria noticed Ray's intent look and picked that moment to pick a light squabble with Tony. The resultant banter of husband and wife broke Ray's concentration, he missed the look Francesca, and Benton gave each other. It was a fleeting, downward look cast sideways at each other, but it was definitely a `look'.

Rosa smiled at Maria and turned the conversation at her end of the table towards the children, giving Benton and Francesca a moment's peace. By the time everyone had full plates, the sounds of eating took over the dinning room and Rosa's smile broadened. She watched and listened.

Sweaty fingers held forks that shook slightly as Benton and Francesca both tried to eat casually. Their chairs were so close together that Benton could feel their combined body heat forming a thick conduit between them. Benton gulped and just knew that his face must be turning red. He managed not to tug at his collar though his fingers started to stray there several times. Francesca felt lightheaded and knew if she looked directly at Benton she would begin yet another mindless conversational quagmire of words.

"Hey, Benny!" Ray tried to get his friend's attention at the risk of irritating his mother. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Rosa sat taller in her matriarch's chair and scowled at her son. Ray blushed, but didn't back down, though he did take a quick glance at his plate. "You want to take Dief for a walk after dinner, maybe shoot a few hoops?"

Benton's grandmother had spent the better part of his life, while he lived with her, instilling a firm, unshakable set of etiquette rules into her grandson's very soul. He sat a little straighter and turned his head towards Ray, though the words Ray had spoken seemed to rake his being like screeching chalk on a chalkboard. "That would be delightful Ray." His body relaxed, as he realized no one was going to castigate him for his faux pas in answering Ray at so great a distance.

Rosa took things in hand and quickly made things difficult for Ray. "Ray, please go to the kitchen and get some more bread."

"Sure, Ma." Ray pushed his chair back and moved quickly out the door to the hall at his back.

Benton relaxed for a moment, turned to face Francesca, and tried to think of some comment that would not tumble inanely out of his mouth. Francesca's large, thickly lashed eyes meet his gaze squarely, and she smiled with a pixyish grin. They each drew in a slight breath and quickly returned to eating, both aware that the room seemed to be lacking in breathable air.

Ray returned quickly, set the bread down and slid into his chair. When he looked down the length of the table, he smiled. Ben looked nervous. Ray vowed to get him out of the house as soon as dinner was over. He scooped up another forkful of his mother's cooking not even aware of what it was he was shoving into his mouth.

Smiling, Rosa watched quietly as both Benton and Francesca reached for the vegetable bowl in front of them. Their fingers touched and each jerked back. She watched in amusement as they each offered to let the other one have first access to the bowl. She nodded her head and her smile broadened.

While Benton and Francesca tried to out jockey each other in politeness, Francesca's napkin fell off her lap to the floor between them. Two heads atop bodies in motion almost collided under the table as they both sought to pick up the errant piece of linen.

Their fingers met on the pure white linen and their eyes turned quickly towards each other. "Thank you, Benton."

"My pleasure, Francesca." Benton whispered somewhat hoarsely as he let his fingers lay gently over her hand.

Ray caught the flicker of motion at the end of the table as he ate, but by the time he actually looked up, both Benton and Francesca were sitting silently looking at their semi-eaten dinner. Ray didn't notice that each was sitting quite properly, their forks in their right hands, their left hands held below the cover of the table.

The fingers of his left hand trailed softly over the fingers of her left hand that he held gently under cover of the table. Her heart was in her throat and she felt giddy. The pit of his stomach roiled, but he persevered and won the slight pressure of her fingers back towards his palm. They both sighed.

Rosa beamed at the couple then glanced at Maria. Maria was talking to one of her children as she caught the glance from her mother. Maria snickered and swept her eyes to her right towards Ray; she snickered again, Ray was oblivious. Maria and Tony's middle child sat quietly watching the interplay among the adults. With a quick flip, the child dropped his spoon on the floor, dove off his chair, and looked around under the table. He saw tapping feet, twitching feet in gym shoes, and Dief waiting patiently at the door behind Ray's feet. He also saw that his Aunt Franny and Benton were holding hands under the table. He grinned and retrieved his spoon.

The child sat quietly once he retrieved his implement and watched the adults. He was so silent that his mother gave him a look and felt his forehead. "Are you OK?" she asked in the whispering tone mother's often use. The child nodded happily and returned to eating his dinner.

When the meal ended, Ray and Tony got the shock of their lives. Rosa asked them to clear the table. This wasn't a request that hadn't happened before, so Tony wasn't astonished. But Ray was flabbergasted and grabbed his plate and utensils harshly for Benton was his company and it was unheard of in the Vecchio family for the person entertaining company to clear away the dishes after a family meal. "Be just a few minutes Benny."

Benton smiled at Ray, "That's quite all right Ray. Let me help."

Rosa put her hand out and touched Benton's arm. "Tonight you are a guest. Francesca, Maria, take Benton and the children to the living room and relax."

Benton and Francesca dropped their hold on each other's hand and turned red. Rosa smiled at them and waved them out of the dinning room.

Tony and Maria's children began a riotous and raucous exodus towards the family living room, each claiming that it was his or her night to chose the first program to watch on television. Tony, the last to rise from the table, watched Ray begin scooping up plates and utensils in a hurried effort to clear the table quickly. Tony grabbed a toothpick from his shirt pocket, probed at one of his teeth and turned to face the dinning room doorway. Tony was an obtuse sort of person usually being the last to know when anything was going on around him. The sight at the doorway was obvious even to Tony's unromantic turn of mind. He grinned for as Ray worked feverishly to clear his end of the dining table Benton and Francesca were just exiting the room after Maria. Even Tony could plainly see the heightened color of the couples' faces as they edged through the doorway nearly in the shape of one person. He plopped his toothpick back into his pocket and began picking up his own place setting with a grin.

When the dining room was empty with the exception of Ray and Tony, Tony let out a little chuckle.

Ray looked up from stacking the second best set of dishes that Ma owned and said, "What? What's so funny?"

"Actually Ray. You are. You can't see further than that nose of yours. Some detective you are." Tony then proceeded to stack dishes at his end of the table.

Soon both men were carrying a load of dishes towards the kitchen where they found Rosa Vecchio running dishwater; no dishwasher for her second best dishes. Tony set his stack on the counter and headed back to the dining room to retrieve glasses and utensils. Ray set his stack directly in the sink under the foaming water.

Ray turned to his mother and noted the smile on her face, broad and smug that she carefully changed when she turned her head to look at him.

"Please remove the table cloth from the table and bring it in here. I noticed one of the boys spilled some marinara on it." She stuck her hands into the dishwater and began working on the dishes.

Ray wasn't fooled. He knew something was up, he just couldn't quite figure it out. He returned to the dining room and gathered up the tablecloth as requested being careful to keep whatever crumbs were on it inside the soft bundle.

He heard loud and happy laughter coming from the living room and smiled. Ray often complained about living in a house where extended family with children lived, but he secretly wouldn't have it any other way. He knew he whined and complained and was generally a pain in the proverbially tush, but he figured that he needed a bit of distance at times to keep up his head of the household image. The man was really a soft touch at heart. He happily carried the tablecloth back to the kitchen and placed it on the table.

"Need any more help Ma, cause I'd really like to rescue Benny from that circus out there, you know. Besides Franny makes him nervous and she's probably all over him by now."

Rosa wiped her hands off with a kitchen towel and turned to look her son directly in the eye. `Ah, those lovely green eyes,' she thought, `his best feature.' She placed the towel firmly on the kitchen counter and said, "Sit down Raymundo."

"Ma, I don't have time, I need to rescue Benny."

"I am not so sure that Benton wants rescuing."

Ray's jaw dropped open and he laughed. "Sure Ma and Dief don't like donuts. Of course he wants rescuing, he doesn't like Franny."

"Sit."

Ray sat but the look on his face was defiantly mutinous. His mother sat down next to him and fingered the soft cloth lying between them. "There are times when you do not see what is in front of your face. I know, it is your job to detect things, but sometimes I don't think you see so well with those beautiful green eyes of yours."

Ray sat back in his chair and wondered just what she was hinting at.

"Francesca has healed Ray. She does not need you to protect her from the Gino's in life anymore. You cannot see it, maybe because you do not want to. You have been such a good brother to her. But she doesn't need you to run her life." She let her words sink in a bit before she continued. "And Benton, he's such a good boy. When he first came here, he was so lost and alone. A stranger could see how lost he was, you know that. However, he is not a child. He came to us with a broken heart, sick with the pain of losing his father. Protecting him from danger is not the same as protecting him from your own family!"

"And this is leading where Ma. He is not right for her. Heavens knows I love her Ma, but she is not in his league. And before you yell at me, I know Franny's special. But she would drive him nuts. She drives me nuts!"

Rosa smiled and placed her right hand on the hand Ray had splayed on the kitchen table. "All I am asking is that you give them a chance. Open those beautiful eyes and take a look around you. You'll see I'm right."

Ray knew when he was beaten and he knew the better part of valor in dealing with his mother was at least to pretend going along with her. He rose, smiled at her, leaned over, and dutifully kissed her cheek. "I'll try Ma."

She patted his arm, rose, and went back to her sink of dishes. Ray watched her lift a plate out of the soapy water and then left the kitchen totally secure in the thought that he was right and she was wrong. Oh, was she wrong.

Maria being the smart lady that she was had maneuvered Tony to the large, overstuffed chair in the corner of the room, had picked up the littlest of her children, and placed the child on her lap as she sat directly in the middle of the sofa. And she had done this all quickly and efficiently. She hadn't grown up in her mother's household without learning a few things. She was very capable of handling the logistics of directing any number of people, at any given time. She was after all, the mother of more than four children. She contently ran her fingers through her child's hair and waited for Francesca and Ben to realize that their only option in seating was the love seat by the window. Maria knew Ray would choose the recliner by the doorway and that her mother would sit near her on the large sofa. She tilted her head down so that her child's hair covered her mouth and grinned.

Francesca put a hand to her suddenly constricted throat and gestured toward the sofa with a very, very slight turn of her hand. Benton, true to form, put his right hand up to his face and rubbed his eyebrow before turning back to her with a self-conscious smile. They both walked over and sat down, making sure that they sat just far enough apart to suit Ray's sense of propriety should he walk into the room.

Benton felt the material of the t-shirt that he wore suddenly burning his skin as he also became aware of the tell tale heat of embarrassment beginning to flush his face. But, he valiantly refrained from clearing his throat or running a jittery hand around the collar of his best flannel shirt. He gamely let his right hand lay softly on the sofa in the open space between their bodies.

Francesca placed her right arm across her waist and brushed at her hair nervously with her left hand before dropping her hand to let it set nearly skin to skin next to Benton's.

Maria turned her head and noticed the dearth of space between the two dissimilar hands on the cushion of the loveseat. She cleared her throat loud enough to draw Francesca's attention and gave her a nod of approval.

Two hands slid towards each other on the cushion until little finger touched little finger and small smiles of satisfaction appeared on Francesca and Benton's faces. The little boy who had seen them holding hands under the table noted both gestures and turned back quickly to the television set for he had not desire to be on the receiving end of his mother's wrath. He was very well aware of the fact that his mother and grandmother approved. That was all he needed to know. All was right with his world.

It wasn't long before the room was filled with laughter as the group watched the program unanimously voted on earlier. Under cover of the noise and seeming disinterest of the other members of the living room, Francesca and Benton slowly let their hands touch until Benton had covered her small hand with his and squeezed it gently within his hand. They both held a long breath and hoped that their movement had not been noticed. When, after a long moment of indrawn breath, no one seemed to mind that they were actually holding hands in the Vecchio living room, both parties to the handhold finally released the hold they had taken of their breathing. Becoming bolder, Benton drew Francesca's hand onto his thigh and held it protectively there.

As Ray walked down the hallway to the living room, he heard the laughter amidst of the television sound. Halfway there, he decided that his mother was wrong. She couldn't be right; because if she was right, then he was hurting his little sister and his best friend. And it wasn't in him to do that, not consciously anyway; at least he hoped he wasn't that stupid.

As he rounded the doorway to the living room, he grinned down at his nieces and nephews and noted the seating arrangement in the room. He frowned and moved to his favorite chair. He sat down and then stared across the room. It didn't bother him that Francesca and Benton were seated together on the loveseat. That wasn't an issue, not if Francesca was behaving herself. But, he wasn't prepared for seeing the couple brazenly holding hands in his living room nor was he prepared to realize that neither his sister or his best friend had any idea that he had entered the living room much less taken up a position in his favorite chair.

Ray placed his hands on the arms of the chair and gripped them tightly. He was about to rise to his feet and call attention to the fact that he was in the room and just what did Francesca think she was doing. But, he remembered his mother's words and took a second look. He took a long, hard look and began to realize just how wrong he had been. He felt sick with it, with the feeling that he had been controlling people like his Pop did all those years of his growing up. And suddenly it hit him, he had wanted to protect the people he loved best because he had seen the hurt in them; had seen what other people could do to them. He had figured that they each needed someone who hadn't lived through those kinds of hurts in their lives. But, now, considering the situation from a new perspective he began to see that maybe what they did need was someone else in their lives who could understand those kinds of hurt. Perhaps they needed to heal each other. He reconsidered his mother's words and relaxed the grip he'd held on the chair.

She sailed into the living room as the beloved matriarch of the family, as someone who was content and knew their place in life. Rosa Vecchio took a moment, stood next to Ray's chair, and watched her daughter and Benton across the room. She patted her son's shoulder softly and moved across the room to take a seat next to Maria. She and Maria exchanged satisfied grins.

A rather quiet commercial came on the television screen and Benton finally noted that Ray had come into the room. He nearly dropped Francesca's hand, but after an initial weakening of his hold, he held her hand securely again causing her to look up first at his face and then follow his gaze across the room. Francesca opened her mouth to do battle, but felt Benton's fingers slightly pressuring her own. She held her peace, but remained ready for an attack.

Ray pointedly ignored the couple for a few minutes. Let them suffer a little bit he thought...might do them some good. Then he stretched and began to rise from his chair. He noted that Benton was about to rise as well. "No, you stay there Benny. You walked all the way over here. Enjoy yourself. I'll just take Dief and go for a walk." He turned and called out Dief's name giving Benton time to recover his poise.

Dief trotted in from the hallway where he'd been coming to join the family after finishing a bowl of leftovers that Rosa had put down for him. The animal could smell the difference in the room before he even took note of Benton's position in the room. He turned to Ray as the alpha of this den and looked up at him with a wolfish grin.

"Come on fur ball, let's go walk off some of that pasta." Ray rose to his feet and walked over to the doorway without looking back at Ben. He crossed the hallway and grabbed a light jacket off the coat tree with Dief dancing at his heels. They left the house together, Ray commenting to the wolf that, "Things are about to change. Now to some people that might be bad news. What do you think Dief?" He grinned when Dief bounded ahead of him and raced back to stand up against Ray with his forefeet on Ray's jacket.

"Yea, I think so too. Come on." Ray then walked down the sidewalk enjoying thoughts of the turmoil he must have left behind him in the family living room. His laughter rang out over the quiet night air.

Inside the living room, Rosa Vecchio leaned back into the sofa cushions and reached for her knitting, which she kept in a small basket on the table next to the sofa. She wondered how long it would be before she would have to cross another emotional hurdle with Ray, say when Francesca and Benton decided to marry. She began making plans on just how to handle that should it happen.

Francesca and Benton sat dumbfounded; their fingers playing gently over each other. They turned their heads towards each other and grinned. "You think he really is OK with this?" She asked the question but kept her eyes focused on their entwined fingers.

Benton chose to answer her silently and removed his hand from hers, which caused Francesca to feel tears rising in her eyes and to want to take Ray apart limb by limb. She was startled when she felt Benton's arm settled across the back of the love seat and his hand touch her shoulder to pull her in closer to him. She relaxed into his hold and let herself be pulled over towards him. He hadn't answered her with words. She knew how hard that was for him. He had answered her in a simple way, yet comforting way. She leaned into him and grinned.

Tony had fallen asleep in his chair while the world changed around him. He was therefore startled when his middle child finally took his chance during a lull in the conversation to voice a question to the room at large.

"Does this mean Aunt Franny and Benton are getting married?"

Benton turned several shades of red, but he didn't pull back from Francesca. And no other adult in the room answered the boy, so he voiced his own answer, "Yep, that's what I thought."

Tony opened his eyes wide and stared at the couple on the sofa.