Disclaimer: Not mine; this is just for fun

Story Notes: Immediately post CotW

Synopsis: Before he and Fraser take off on their adventure, Ray feels he must make a confession.

The Northwest Territories Canada

Part I

Why he was standing outside, stamping his feet and shivering, when there was a warm stove in the cabin just a few feet away, Ray didn't have a fucking clue. Other than the fact that the place was chockful of Turnbull clones. Nerves, maybe. Fear, mostly. Fraser would be back anytime now, and depending on what he said, Ray's life was going to change, at least, for the next few months. And there was an outside chance that it was going to change forever.

Thinking back, he figured he must have been delirious to bring up going on an adventure and Franklin's Hand and all that. Being inches away from dying a cold and painful death made you do things like that.

Because what did he know from adventure, the kind that didn't involve police work, anyway? Ray Kowalski was Chicago, born and bred, and just because he'd had a Mountie and a wolf as partners for the past two years, that didn't make him Paul Bunyan. Or, you know, one of those wilderness guys who could make a silk purse out of a caribou's ear. Of course, there was probably a law against that.

Ray clapped his hands together and paced around in circles, listening to the snow crunch under his feet. He squinted against the glare that bounced off the snow and his eyes started to water. He was already feeling a little crazy, surrounded by so much frigging white stuff and a quiet that was only broken up by an occasional round of dog barking. What was going to happen when he got out on the tundra? And permafrost? Somehow, Ray just didn't like the sound of that.

Perma made him think of permanent and permanent made him think of commitment and he was sort of making a commitment to Fraser here and that freaked him out more than he could ever let on. Fraser was...well, his best friend. The best friend he'd ever had and he was the best guy Ray knew but Christ, he was so much more than that. He had to come clean with himself, even if he couldn't come clean with Fraser.

He could tell that something was building up between him and Fraser. They were buddies and partners, yeah - but there was this other thing, too. This thing that made Ray drag Fraser home with him nearly every night, after spending all day with him. They were always getting into each other's space. He couldn't prove it, but Ray was sure that Fraser had started smelling his hair on a pretty regular basis. And whenever Fraser licked the corner of his mouth, which was all the fucking time, Ray's face got hot and one day not too long ago, Ray had had to go into the john at the precinct and jerk off.

They were possessive of each other (how Ray had NOT slugged Lady Shoes in her smug face, he still wasn't sure. And that kiss between Ray and Luanne Russell that Fraser had interrupted? Yeah, like that was an accident). And, strangest of all, the arguments he and Fraser have sometimes feel like the kind of fight he used to have with Stella in the old days. When just before they completely cooled off, they'd end up in bed, fucking each other hard and fast and angry.

Ray went still, then, getting a picture in his head of he and Fraser, back in Chicago and hugely pissed off. Ray grabbing Fraser by the Henley and shoving him down on his bed, crawling on top of him before Fraser had the chance to get up. Forcing Fraser's hands down when he tried to push at Ray's chest and kissing him roughly, feeling the slide of Fraser's tongue against his and groaning into his mouth. Fraser's hand on the back of Ray's head, in his hair, on his ass, their erections pressed together beneath their clothes ...

This is not good, Ray thought to himself, wondering as he did so how the fuck he could be so cold and his dick could be so hard at the same time and thanking God for his coat. Fraser doesn't know, doesn't have a frigging clue about how I feel. This is false fucking advertising here. How could he go off with Fraser into the frozen North without telling him that the first time he bent over to tend to the fire, Ray was going to nail him?

Standing there, sweating the flop sweat of the damned-to-hell-forever, Ray gave a couple of seconds thought to finding Fraser and Frobisher and telling them he'd changed his mind and he was taking his American city-living self back over the border. But it was at that moment that Diefenbaker came racing around the corner of the cabin, followed closely by Fraser. His partner was grinning like the lunatic that he was, his cheeks all red and his eyes bluer than blue and as Ray looked at him, a helpless dread spread into the pit of his stomach.

Oh, Jesus, I'm so screwed here.

"So?" Ray blurted out, willing his erection to deflate. "What did he say?"

"Sergeant Frobisher is more than willing to accommodate our needs, Ray. It will take some time to get us properly outfitted but we could be on our way in less than three days. And in the meantime, he's offered us the use of his cabin on the MacKenzie River, about an hour's ride from here." Fraser stopped talking and tilted his head to one side. "Ray? Are you feeling all right?"

"Um, yeah, why do you ask?"

"You look rather flushed and you're perspiring slightly." Fraser lifted one hand, like he was going to touch him, and Ray flinched back.

"Fraser, do not do that!" Ray snapped, all the guilt and horniness rising up in him in a flash of temper. "We haven't even left yet and you're already treating me like your idiot sidekick! If I was sick, I'd tell you, all right?" A little of the joy went out of Fraser's expression and Ray felt like shit for being the cause of it.

"Understood. I didn't mean to..."

Ray raised a gloved hand to stop him and removed all the annoyance from his voice. "I know. I know you didn't mean to. Just... don't treat me like the city boy, okay? I know that's what I am but...I'm fine. I'm capable. Because if fucking Vecchio can do this, I know I can do it." It was that possession thing again, that put that edge in his tone but Ray couldn't help it. Maybe they were partners before he came along, but Ray had decided that he'd happily rip Vecchio's throat out if he started making any noises about partnering up with Fraser again. Benny, my skinny Polish ass!

"Of course, you can, Ray. But, Ray Vecchio didn't do anything resembling what we are about to do. He merely..."

"Good, I'll be one up on him. So what do we need to do first? And Fraser? Enjoy this because on this trip, whatever you tell me to do, I'm gonna do without an argument."

Fraser laughed that goofy laugh of his and Ray's heart pounded his ribs from the inside. Jesus, but the guy was so fucking happy that he was almost vibrating. It occurred to Ray that no matter what happened with the two of them that he would probably be leaving Canada alone and oh, man, he did not want to think about that.

"This, indeed, marks a special moment in our partnership. And I have every intention of taking advantage of it." Fraser moved forward and put one arm around Ray's shoulder, pulling him forward. "Ray, my very good friend, the time has come for you learn the fine points of hitching up a sled team."

He had on three shirts, a jacket and a coat, but Ray felt Fraser's touch in his bones, in his blood. He had major stuff to deal with, he knew this, but he'd do it later. For the moment, Ray grinned back at his friend and decided to enjoy every minute they had left.

"Then, let's get at `er."

~*~*~*~*

As Ray said when they arrived, it was apparent that Buck Frobisher had been holding out on them. The cabin was actually a house, with a bedroom, an office, indoor plumbing and a main room with a stone fireplace big enough to stand in.

Ray dropped his pack and executed a graceful 360 degree turn in the middle of a lovely oriental rug. The fireplace occupied one interior wall and there was a long, wide sofa with big, puffy cushions nearly a foot thick and behind that, a square wood table. "Now, this is what I call a cabin, Fraser. Is Frobisher the heir to a maple syrup fortune, or something?"

Fraser took a turn around the room, noting as he did so that his father's old partner must have been in residence recently for there was only the thinnest skin of dust on the furniture. Through a wide threshold, a small kitchen was visible. "It appears so, Ray. These are quite nice appointments for a peace officer of over 40 years."

"Well, maybe under all that gas, he's a financial genius or something. I don't really care, so long as we're warm tonight."

"Yes, you have a point. And to that end, if you would fetch some firewood from outside, I'll have a fire going before you can say..."

"...double lead tug," Ray finished with a wink, using one of the terms he had just learned. Then, he went out the front door, Dief going with him.

Fraser looked at the door for a while after Ray was gone, a blend of joy and anxiety wound tightly in his chest. Since they had arrived, he had felt unusually tense for a reason he could not fathom. He was happy to be back in the North and even happier to be here with his best friend. And yet...and yet, something was amiss and Fraser could not put his finger on exactly what that was.

It wasn't until he, Ray and Dief sat down to eat that Fraser understood the reason for his melancholy. The three of them had shared so many meals in the past two years and now, their time together was coming to an end. After their adventure, Ray would go back to Chicago and Fraser would find another posting and their "duet" would sound its final note. Despite what he'd told Ray about his father and Buck Frobisher being partners no matter how far apart they were, Fraser knew those words were empty ones. Nothing would fill the chasm that Ray's departure would leave in his life. His manic energy, his flashing temper, his generosity, his fierce loyalty. He'd never met anyone like Ray Kowalski and he dared say he never would again.

Fraser looked up and across the table at Ray, who was hungrily intent on his meal. The lantern on the table made the pale stubble on his chin glisten like gold and Fraser tried to smile but the gesture felt more like a grimace.

He would miss Ray. He would miss Ray immensely.

In fact, he missed him already.

"Something wrong with your Moose stew, Fraser?"

"Pardon?"

"What's with that sour look on your face?" Ray sat back in his chair, fixing his sharp blue eyes on him.

Fraser licked the corner of his mouth, carefully arranging his silverware next to his bowl. "It is, of course, venison stew, Ray and I was just curious - what do you think you'll do after our adventure comes to an end?"

Ray frowned at him. "Well, it's not as if I have a lot of options there. I have a job in Chicago if I want it. My parents are still there." As he spoke, Ray's voice grew edgier. "And if I know Stella, she's not gonna stay in Florida for very long. She'll be back."

"That's important to you, isn't it? That you be near Stella?" He tried to speak lightly but judging from the way Ray's eyes narrowed, he imagined that he failed.

"Did I say that? All I said was that she'll be back. Me and Stella are over. Doneski. I know that but I still care about her, Fraser. I always will."

Fraser swallowed with some difficulty and he rose from the table. "I believe I'll clear away these dishes. You may take the first turn in the shower, if you like, Ray." He needed to get away from these ridiculous thoughts for a while, to recenter himself.

"Fraser?"

He straightened, dishes in hand, to see that Ray was still in the room, had taken only a few steps away from the table.

"Do you...want some help with those?" There was an odd quality to Ray's voice, one that he couldn't successfully identify.

"No, thank you, I can manage. You go ahead." He carried the dishes to the kitchen and set them down carefully into the sink. He braced his hands against the counter and breathed in deeply, thinking that a healthy infusion of oxygen was what was needed to clear his head. And it worked - his head was clearer but that only brought into sharper focus the reasons for his pensive mood.

It was Ray. Everything began and ended with Ray.

~*~*~*~*

Part II

By the time Ray was done with his shower, Fraser had a fire going in the den that could burn down a rainforest. They had decided that they'd camp there, in sleeping bags, instead of going to the trouble of lighting another fire in the bedroom. And despite the fact that there was a soft, American-style mattress free, once he was laying there, with nothing but the sound of the wood crackling and hissing to interfere with the quiet, Ray was so relaxed that he started to doze before Fraser returned. He tried his best to stay awake because he had that confession to make. But Ray's eyes kept closing and he drifted off.

The next time Ray woke up, it was still dark and the fire had burned down to a glowing heap of coals. He needed to go take a piss but it was cold and he burrowed deeper into his sleeping bag for just a few more minutes. He looked over at Fraser, on top of his sleeping bag and on his back, laid out like a corpse and Ray couldn't help but smile a little. How the hell Fraser managed to sleep so soundly like that, Ray had no idea. But there he was, even snoring a little, dead to the w...

Ray blinked drowsily and lifted his head off his bag. Whoa. Unless his eyes were playing tricks, Fraser had a hard-on. Not a "hey, get up and take a leak" kind of erection but a full-fledged, "Jeez, somebody blow me already" kind of thing.

Slowly, he pushed himself up onto one elbow to get a better look. Damn, that must be painful, Ray thought. Fraser was so hard that his dick was tenting the front of his red longjohns. One little shift to one side or the other and that thing was going to pop off a button and be out there, all uncut and smooth and hot...

Ray shuddered and lay down again, not cold anymore, no, not at all. He closed his eyes but he couldn't get that image out of his head. If he had any guts at all, he would crawl out of this sleeping bag and stretch out on top of Fraser, and before Fraser was completely awake, Ray could get in a three or four good, long strokes against him, against that big cock of his, and maybe, if he was lucky, Fraser would be okay with that.

Fraser would half open his eyes and see Ray and without saying a word, Fraser would put his hands on Ray's hips. Fraser would lift his hips and begin to move, rubbing against Ray's rigid cock, watching Ray with those serious, blue eyes. Fraser would lick at the corner of his mouth and Ray would have to kiss him then; how could he not kiss him, once that happened. No one could blame Ray for lowering his head and licking that corner of Fraser's mouth himself, lightly. Like a test, a warm taste of something that he thought he would never have.

Ray could almost hear Fraser breathe his name, into his mouth, and Ray would wait, hold off a few more seconds, until Fraser's head came up, Fraser's mouth trying to get to his. And then, Ray would kiss him, shoving his tongue into Fraser's hot mouth, tongue-fucking him while their dicks moved faster, harder until they...

Oh, fuck, Ray groaned and struggled out of his sleeping bag. He picked his way carefully around Fraser's body and stumbled into the bathroom. Once the door was shut, Ray shoved the waistband of his long underwear down and bracing his weight against the wall with one hand, he took his aching dick in the other. Four good strokes and Ray was coming, gritting his teeth and trying to keep quiet while he shot streams of come onto the towel that was conveniently hanging off the nearby rack. Once he was done, Ray leaned weakly against the wall, gulping down air as quickly and silently as he could.

He had to wait a while for his erection to go down so he could finally take that piss that had woken him up in the first place. Afterward, Ray frowned at the mess he'd made on Frobisher's towel and didn't know what the hell else he could do but steal it.

~*~*~*~

Fraser heard Ray close the bathroom door and he shut his eyes until he heard Ray settle. Once the room was quiet again, and even for a time after, Fraser avoided moving, studiously avoiding any undue friction against his raging erection. He was so fiercely aroused, he thought that the slightest move would make him ejaculate. And despite the fact that Ray was his partner and best friend, to do so would no doubt cause Ray untold discomfort.

He'd been dreaming, of hands moving over his skin, a rough palm against his nipples, a tongue licking a moist stripe up his neck. A soft pair of lips brushed against his shoulder, then dragged across the middle of his chest, and there was the feel of stubble against his lower abdomen, just above his pubic hair and the feeling was so foreign to him, so wonderful that Fraser, in his dream, arched up toward it, and groaned heavily. That callused hand reached up, soothingly stroking his face and before he could catch his breath, something hot and wet and tight engulfed his cock, sliding up and down its length, a delicious suction making his balls draw up and his groin tighten. His hand moved down and clutched blond hair and Fraser looked down into Ray's blue eyes...

Unfortunately, the dream had ended there, when the sound of Ray scrambling out of his sleeping bag woke him. And now, he lay there, uncomfortably warm and almost unbearably hard, listening to Ray breathe. Once he had deemed it safe to move, Fraser turned onto his side away from Ray. Fraser closed his eyes, wanting to lay on his stomach and rub his cock on his sleeping bag. That would feel so good. The sleeping bag would be wet in no time and he would move slowly and steadily, imagining Ray's lean body beneath him.

He would imagine Ray's long fingers, skimming his skin. He would envision putting Ray's fingers in his mouth, as he had imagined so often. He would suck on them, lick them and he would come, so hard...

But Fraser did none of those things. He did as he always did, the proper thing, the correct thing and ignored the need pounding inside him. Ignored the one thing he wanted and was increasingly fearful he would never have.

~*~*~*~*

Somehow, despite his discomfort, Fraser managed to fall asleep again. And when he woke up, it was to the dichotomy of an aching head and the wonderful smell of coffee. He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes and promptly started when he saw Ray, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to him.

"Sorry, Fraser. Didn't mean to scare you."

"Think nothing of it, Ray. I enjoy waking up with my heart in my throat." Fraser frowned at his partner and sat up. "You're up early." Fraser caught himself trying to comb down his hair with his fingers and stopped abruptly. As if Ray would care if his hair were out of place.

"Couldn't sleep. I made coffee."

Ray held out a ceramic mug and Fraser took it, watching Ray with curiosity. There were deep creases in his forehead and his eyes were bloodshot and narrowed. Ray looked troubled. But mindful of their conversation of the previous day, Fraser did not question either his health or his mood. "Thank you." He actually was grateful for the coffee. He had gotten more and more used to the taste and begun to look forward to a strong cup in the morning .

An oddly tense beat of time passed, during which Ray stared at him, hard. Then, Ray nodded and scooted back, so that he could stretch out on his sleeping bag on his side. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

Fraser took a sip of the steaming hot liquid before answering. "We need to drive into Yellowknife to get you outfitted properly. As long as the weather holds, it should only take two hours, give or take."

"Round trip?"

"One way."

"Fuck," Ray hissed, tipping over onto his back and closing his eyes. "I just really want to spend four hours in a car today." Ray's head swiveled and he looked at Fraser. "Do we have to?"

Ordinarily, Fraser would have ignored Ray's irascible complaining, and would have, most likely, found it somewhat endearing. But today, owing to his lack of restorative sleep and the serious dilemma hanging over his head, Fraser was not amused. He found himself glaring at Ray. "No, Ray, you can just trek across the tundra in what you have on. I mean, what's a few frostbitten limbs later if we can save you some inconvenience now?"

Ray rose up on one elbow and glared back. "What's with you this morning?"

"What happened to your pledge to do whatever I say without an argument?"

"I said I wouldn't argue. I didn't say I wouldn't complain!"

Fraser set the mug down on the floor and got to his feet. "Thank you for the clarification," he said darkly, and went to the bathroom.

Ray's voice called after him. "Well, I can see this is gonna be a fun day!"

~*~*~*~*

His head swimming with all the info Fraser was trying to jam into it, Ray sat down on a corner of the sale table in the back of Expeditions Plus! in Old Town Yellowknife and wondered, again, if this trip was the right move for him.

Never mind the telling Fraser his big secret - although, yeah, that was a huge deal - he could easily go broke here. Fraser had history with the guys who ran the place and he was getting Ray hooked up with used gear whenever possible. But still, Ray didn't want clothes that had been on anybody else's body and Fraser was talking multiple layers. And wool versus polypropylene? Even after the detailed explanation from both Fraser and one of the store owners, Ray still wasn't sure which choice he was supposed to make. All the gear he'd been using since he and Fraser had fallen out of that airplane technically belonged to Muldoon's goons so Ray had to buy a backpack (went with the cheaper one on that) and a sleeping bag (sub-zero rated all the way).

Fraser had been right about it being a two hour drive to Yellowknife and they'd spent every minute of it ignoring each other. If Dief had been along, at least, Ray would have had somebody to talk to because keeping his mouth shut had never been one of his strong suits, even when he was pissed. But the wolf stayed behind and once he and Fraser got to the store, they had to communicate. They started off exchanging one or two words and by the time they got around to lunch, things were pretty much back to normal. Normal for the two of them, that is.

Ray slapped the bottom of the ketchup bottle and looked up at Fraser. "You still pissed at me?" Ray asked under the noise of the crowded diner.

Looking up from his grilled cheese sandwich with surprise, Fraser then gave him a lopsided smile. "Of course not, Ray. Unless you're still angry with me, in which case, yes, I'm still angry with you."

"Oh, good. I think." Ray grinned and went back to rebuilding his hamburger. "Thanks for getting me some deals on that stuff."

"The cost of getting outfitted for an Artic trip can be prohibitive. And there's nothing wrong with utilizing previously owned equipment whenever possible, as long as it's in good repair. Plus, when we return, I'm sure we'll be able to find buyers for most of your equipment and you'll get some of your money back."

Ray gave a satisfied nod, even while he got a twinge deep in his gut when he thought about the end of their adventure. He looked around the busy restaurant. "I didn't think that Yellowknife was going to be such a happening place."

Fraser looked around as just noticing the crowd. "It is, indeed. It's the largest city in the Northwest Territories, the capital, in fact, and a prominent center for culture."

The corners of Ray's mouth twitched. "Culture, huh?"

"Don't scoff, Ray. There are concerts and museums. And of course, there's the annual Caribou Carnival, which unfortunately, we'll miss by a couple of weeks. Too bad, too - it's quite a memorable event."

Fraser went back to his sandwich and Ray stared at him helplessly. He didn't know who was the bigger freak here - Fraser, for the things that he thought were fun or himself for wanting Fraser so fucking much. It occurred to Ray that if this whole thing worked out somehow, the rest of his life was going to be filled with things like bark tea and festivals devoted to four-legged animals and stuff treated with desiccant, whatever the hell that was. And why was he, even for a minute, even considering it?

Their waitress came by to check on them and Ray listened to Fraser go on about the excellent service and Sir John Franklin and Christ, the woman was LISTENING and...maybe it was just his imagination but she was sort of smiling at both of them like they were a couple. And all of a sudden, it hit Ray like an upper cut, all but snapping his head back.

What in hell was he doing? Ray picked up his glass of Coke and the ice clinked and rattled because his hand was shaking. Yeah, he had to tell Fraser that he was attracted to him before they got out into the wilderness - that was only fair, but what then?

He had been so worried about confessing that Ray hadn't stopped to think about Fraser's reaction. He thought the chances were pretty slim that Fraser would haul off and hit him but Ray could definitely imagine him walking into the woods and never seeing him again.

On the other hand, what if Fraser was okay with the idea? How far was Ray prepared to take this? Were they gonna set up a little house on the tundra? Would Fraser expect him to become Ray Ingalls Wilder? He didn't know shit about putting up preserves or canning vegetables and he'd never skinned a rabbit in his life. He'd spent his whole life getting the stuff he ate in the grocery store, already killed and cut up and wrapped in plastic and Ray would just as soon stick with that program. Besides, he didn't want to be Fraser's fucking wife, he just wanted to be able to touch him whenever he wanted and to sleep next to him at night.

Ray put his glass down and looked down at food that he didn't want anymore. Clearly, his brilliant plan had a few gaping holes in it.

~*~*~*~*

PART III

Fraser slapped the deck of cards down on the table between them and Ray looked up at him as if he had just sprouted antlers. Although, as Fraser considered that look further, it was, in truth, not much different than the way Ray usually looked at him.

"Fraser, I'm not in the mood to play cards tonight," Ray stated with a definite edge to his voice. It was a sound that went very well with the expression Ray had been wearing since their lunch in Yellowknife. The ride back to the cabin had been just as quiet and tense as the drive out this morning. Ray had turned moody before they even left the restaurant and had remained somewhat uncommunicative since, though the partial unloading of their new equipment and a dinner consisting of the sandwiches they'd bought at a grocery store on their way out of town.

Fraser took a seat opposite Ray at the square table they had been using for their meals and picked up the deck. "I know you asked me not to inquire after your state of being anymore, Ray, so I won't," Fraser said, hurrying on when Ray started to speak. "However, I believe I know what the problem is without asking."

Ray watched him warily. "Yeah?"

"Yes. It's not at all unusual for one who is about to embark on a life-changing journey such as the one we're about to embark on, to feel..." Fraser waved one hand in the air to emphasize his words. "Overwhelmed. Overpowered. Overcome ..."

"Quit using words that start with `o'," Ray said with a glare.

"What I'm trying to say is that I understand. It's perfectly normal to be preoccupied. To be honest, I have also felt somewhat ...well, never mind that. I believe what we need is something trivial and yet entertaining to concentrate on. So to that end, I challenge you to a brisk game of poker. Shall I deal you on, Ray?" Fraser smiled inwardly as his deliberate misuse of the term provoked Ray as he had hoped, causing his wiry body to straighten and one hand to gesture in that oddly elegant way Ray had of doing.

"Okay, first of all, Fraser, its deal me IN. And second, there is no such thing as a brisk game of poker. Poker requires deception and that takes time. Like I was trying to tell you before..."

"Deal you in, Ray?"

"Fine!" Ray snapped after a moment. "Deal me in."

Fraser dealt them each a hand. "What shall we wager?"

"No air this time. This time I want something...what's that word...tangible."

"Ah. You have something in mind?"

"Give me a minute. Besides, we can't make a bet once we've seen our hands. Wouldn't be fair."

Fraser looked down at his cards. Three jacks and two queens. "Yes, I see what you mean."

They played a few hands in relative silence, the sound of the fire and the click of Dief's nails as he wandered around the cabin underscoring the slap of the cards. Even though it was past six, there was still at least five more hours of daylight left and there was enough of it coming through the window in the den to see. He felt very content and Fraser couldn't help but think about how closely this very moment would resemble the moments that he and Ray would share if they were to live together. Instead, they had only weeks left together and Fraser felt powerless to change that.

After he won another couple of hands, Fraser asked, "Have you decided on a wager yet?"

He was certain it was his imagination but the look that Ray gave him was quick and ...Fraser wasn't sure how best to describe it but it made him feel warm from head to foot. "Not yet."

When Ray took the deck from him and began to shuffle, Fraser looked up to see a ghost of a smile play across Ray's lips. Without wanting it, his heart began to beat faster. Somehow, Ray looked positively wicked, even though his expression had barely changed.

"Is that your poker face?" Fraser asked quietly.

Ray looked up. "Huh?"

"You were smiling thoughtfully."

Ray grinned, his eyes still on the cards. "When I was a kid, I thought the best thing in the world would be to play strip poker with a girl. Because, you know, girls know nothing about cards and I would cheat and make up rules and I'd have them naked in no time."

Fraser's lips twitched. "Shocking. Did you ever get the chance?"

"Nah. There was only just Stella and by the time we got to the point where she would agree to something like that, we were getting naked anyway, so what was the point? We could cut out the middle man and just get right to it."

Fraser looked down at the table, picturing a younger version of Ray and Stella, kissing, moving together and his chest began to hurt. He disliked Ray's former wife with an intensity that he was ashamed of but which grew every time her name passed Ray's lips. It was such a sharp injustice - that Ray's had been hers for the taking and she had pushed him away. While Fraser himself...well, what he wanted, what he had dreamed of the previous night was impossible. He needed to face that. When was he going to stop torturing himself? He was wasting his time.

Although why should this be any different? Fraser thought bitterly. Wanting what he couldn't have was his specialty. Fraser rubbed at his eyebrow with his thumb and he struggled for something to say to fill the empty space that followed. "Well... I-I hope strip poker is not what you had in mind. Because really, Ray, it's a little cold to ..."

An oddly nervous laugh came from Ray then, one that made Fraser look up curiously. It was a little difficult to tell but it looked like Ray was blushing. Ray. Blushing. How odd. What reason would Ray have...

"Well, no, don't worry about that. Besides, with your luck, I'm the one who would end up naked..." Ray swallowed and his eyes widened.

And they started talking over each other in their haste for deniability.

"Uh...not that that's what you'd want...b-because..."

"No, of course not. Although..."

Ray stopped talking and frowned at him. "Finish your thought. Although...?" he repeated.

"Although aren't you the man who said 'I'll try anything?'"

"Well, yeah, I said that...what? Are you...do you want to play strip poker with me, Fraser?" Ray sounded as if his collar was too tight, even though he was wearing a white teeshirt under a baggy dark gray sweater.

Fraser put his hands on the table, splaying his fingers, feigning great interest in the state of his cuticles. "I'm just saying that if I were to see you naked, it wouldn't be a hardship in the least."

Ray was silent for so long that Fraser looked up and he and Ray blinked at each other from opposite sides of the table.

"Uh-huh. Well," Ray asked with a tenative smile, "what do you mean?"

Fraser laughed this time, a more unnatural sound than he had ever heard come out of his mouth. "I just meant that you're my partner and my friend and seeing you without clothes..."Dear God, what was he doing? Ray was watching him, his mouth half open, and Fraser put his hands under the table, balling up his hands into fists that he pressed on his thighs. "For the next several weeks, we'll be living in close proximity to each other and there will be..."Fraser cleared his throat, which was trying to employ a self-protection reflex to keep him from embarrassing himself more than he already had. "...ample opportunity to see...that is, we'll be sleeping together and...privacy will be..."

"Fraser..."

"..., well,truthfully, Ray, you have a fine body...actually very lean and ...h-hard, oh, dear, how did we get on this subject?" Fraser laughed again, but it sounded more like he was choking, and well, wasn't he just.

The cards spilled out of Ray's hands and his eyes went from Fraser to the cards and then, back at Fraser as he gathered them back up again. "Uh...well, there was the strip poker thing...and Stella...and then...you think my body is fine?"

His mouth dry, Fraser answered Ray in the only manner he could - honestly. "Yes, Ray. I think there are many things about you that...are very fine." The direction of the conversation had him suddenly, achingly hard and Fraser couldn't stop looking at Ray's mouth. His bottom lip was too full for a man, too lush and pretty, and it made Fraser wonder what Ray would taste like if he kissed him. If he just shoved the table out of the way, grabbed him up and kissed him. He wanted to. He wanted to do just that. And not just that.

Ray ducked his head in an endearingly shy way and began to shuffle the cards again. Ray's lashes were very long. Why hadn't he noticed that before? "I think I'm too skinny. Most people do, but you don't. And that's nice, Fraser, real nice."

Fraser made a last, desperate lunge for normal, trying to even out his breathing. "Actually, you probably could stand to put on a few kilos." Ray looked up. "Some weight training wouldn't be amiss, either. And the benefits of cardiovascular exercise..."

"Okay, enough already! You're ruining the moment." Ray said with a scowl. "Jeez, I can see now why you don't have a girlfriend, if this is your technique."

"Ray, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't they have the phrase, 'Quit while you're ahead,' up here in the Northwest Areas?"

Suddenly, his nerves got the better of him. The tension was thrumming through his body like an electrical current and he had to let it go or explode. "Well, pardon me if this whole conversation has my head swimming," Fraser returned with irritation. "I ask you to play a simple game of cards, and the next thing I know, you're talking about getting naked and wanting to know if I like your body."

"Hey, you were the one who brought up my body, not me!" Ray was leaning forward with his elbows on the table, breathing as rapidly as Fraser was. His skin looked flushed and...and at first he thought it was a trick of the dull light, but Ray's eyes were dark and dilated.

Ray was aroused.

The knowledge sent blood rushing to his already hard cock and made it throb fiercely. Adrenaline, Fraser told himself, or just plain anger. Ray's body language didn't necessarily have a sexual component. It could very well be wishful thinking on his part. Still, the possibility made Fraser a little dizzy. Even if it had nothing to do with him, and realistically, Fraser had to believe that it didn't, Fraser wished that Ray would stand up so he could see for himself...

His lascivious thoughts came to an abrupt end when Ray slammed his hands down on the table. "Okay, that's it. This has gone on long enough. Fraser, I've got something to say." Ray sprang out of his chair and start to pace, rubbing his forehead with the fingertips of his right hand. Fraser watched him stop suddenly in front of the fireplace, turn and look at him. He inhaled deeply, looking as if he were going to say something. But, he apparently thought better of it and started pacing again.

"Ray?"

Ray halted a second time, standing in front of the fireplace again. The sofa and the table separated them and yet, Fraser could feel every breath that Ray took. "I can't go on this trip. I'm sorry, but I can't do it." He crossed his arms tightly over his chest and looked back at Fraser, shifting his weight restlessly from one leg to the other.

Slowly, Fraser got to his feet, keeping one hand flat on the table to support his suddenly wobbly legs. "Why would you say that? What's wrong?"

Ray's eyes looked huge and startled, as they had that day on the waterfront, in the aftermath of that punch that had nearly ended their partnership. "I've got to tell you this, Fraser. I wish like hell I didn't have to, but...you gotta know the truth."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, of course."

"Don't interrupt me, okay, because I'm only going to have the nerve to do this once," Ray snapped at him, and then, drew in another of those deep, bracing breaths. "I'm...I figured out something. Well, I figured it out a few months ago. It's something important about u-us or rather, about me and...I just hope that you'll want to go on being friends once I tell you."

"Nothing could change the way I feel about you, Ray," Fraser said tautly, bracing his body for whatever was to come.

"Well, this might, because..."

"Oh, Ray, for God's sake, out with it!"

"I'm attracted to you!"

A flush went through Fraser's body, heat and panic and something that squeezed his heart in a most delightful way. But oddly, for a time, he couldn't make himself move and Ray started to babble, looking nervous and pale.

"That's why I can't go. I know I should have told you before now, but you know how bad my timing is. And listen, you don't have to worry about me getting fresh, okay? Because I'd never do that. In fact, if you want me to move my sleeping bag out to the kitchen..."

Fraser stopped listening; he didn't need to hear any more and he didn't need to think anymore. He was going to act.

He crossed the space that separated them in four long strides and without saying a word, he took Ray's face in his hands and kissed him. He went on kissing him until Ray made a wonderfully lewd sound in the back of his throat and wrapped his arms around Fraser. As Ray moved against him, trying to get closer, his dick brushed hard against Fraser's zipper. The contact made his own erection twitch, especially when Ray's tongue slid into his mouth, especially when Fraser closed his lips around it and sucked until Ray pulled back, panting for air.

"Fuck, Fraser, you're gonna make me come in my pants," Ray gasped.

Fraser dropped one hand down to catch in the belt loop of Ray's jeans, giving him a rough yank that brought them closer. He brushed his lips across Ray's cheek, ending up with his tongue in his ear. "Is that a problem?" Fraser whispered, still holding tenderly to one side of Ray's face, biting his neck lightly, licking his way slowly along the scenic route back to his mouth.

"Yeah, it's a problem, you freak," Ray replied roughly, tilting his head so that Fraser could get at more of his skin. "I want to get naked for this." Fraser could feel Ray's pounding heart against his own and it sent a surge of hot energy through his body. It was if he were waking up from a long, barren hibernation and his senses had been kick-started into full awareness - the taste of mustard and soda in Ray's mouth; the sting of stubble against his chin; the slight saltiness of Ray's skin; the tropical scent of hair gel; the long, hard heat of Ray's body.

"Too late," he said roughly, rubbing his cheek against the stubble on Ray's face, wanting to rub his whole body against Ray. Fraser shivered and kissed Ray again, struggling to breath, as it seemed Ray was doing as well. Fraser turned Ray around and started walking him back toward the sofa, their mouths still fused and moving against each other. Ray pulled at Fraser's shirt, pulling the teeshirt that he had under his flannel button down free of his jeans and slipping his warm hands underneath to glide over his skin. Fraser's breath caught at the raw pleasure that simple motion evoked. It had been so long since he'd been touched like this. He hadn't realized how starved he was for something as element as that.

The back of Ray's heels made a sound when they hit the sofa and Fraser broke off their kiss and shoved Ray down onto the cushions. Ray watched him with dark, glazed eyes, as Fraser climbed on top of him, pressing him down, shifting over him so that their cocks were lined up beneath the barrier of their denim. Ray spread his legs so that Fraser would have room to thrust and after just a couple of movements, Fraser knew that he wasn't going to stop for anything. "We're not going to make it to naked this time, Ray," Fraser grunted, getting his arms underneath Ray, holding him, rapidly losing what little control he had left, his feet braced against the arm of the sofa so he could thrust harder.

"Jesus, you're hot," Ray muttered against Fraser's neck, his hands on Fraser's ass, stroking up with his hips as Fraser stroked down, "so fucking hot...oh, yeah... Fraser..."

The urgent timbre in Ray's voice was all it took to blow Fraser over the edge and he was coming, spurting so many times that he was lightheaded and gasping, so that he had to struggle to find the coordination to give Ray a sloppy kiss. And by the time, Fraser started to regain some equilibrium, Ray was jerking hard up against him, his head falling back on the cushions, the most erotic sounds Fraser had ever heard rumbling in his throat and chest.

They lay there for a few moments, trying to quiet their breathing, holding on to each other, trembling and sweaty. Even as Fraser shifted off to the side to take his weight off of Ray, they didn't let go. Fraser dropped his head against Ray's shoulder and threw one leg over Ray's thigh. "God, Ray," he sighed, closing his eyes against the emotion welling up in his chest. He slipped one hand under Ray's sweater and teeshirt andmoved it over his smooth flat stomach.

"Yeah," Ray returned, drawing out that single syllable until it was a very, very satisfied-sounding three. "You're a wild man, Fraser. I knew you would be."

Fraser smiled. "After two years of foreplay, I have a tendency to get a little agitated." He could feel the vibration of Ray's laughter under his cheek.

"Yeah, I kinda got that." One of Ray's hands came up to cup the back of his head, his fingers sliding into Fraser's hair. "So, just to clarify..."

His head still pillowed against Ray's shoulder, Fraser looked up at him curiously.

"...you're okay with this? Me...liking you, making out as much as we possibly can...and everything?"

Fraser was still for a couple of seconds and then, he slowly untangled his limbs from Ray's. "Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray," he said in a reproachful tone, pushing himself to his feet and standing over Ray's prone body. "If you need to ask that question, then I must have done a very poor job communicating my feelings." His eyes never looking away from Ray, Fraser started to work on the buttons of his flannel shirt.

Ray raised up on his elbows. "Is that a 'yes'?" he asked with a grin.

"Stand up, Ray," he ordered seriously, in a voice he didn't recognize. "It's naked time."

~*~*~*~*

PART IV

If he had had time to think about it, Ray might have freaked out a little. Because, really? For an almost forty year old cop, Ray had led a pretty sheltered life. And yet, here he was, in a maple syrup king's cabin in the Northwest Territories, with a naked Mountie. Who would have thought it?

The second time Fraser pressed him into the cushions, Ray couldn't hardly believe how turned on he was. Even though he had come his brains out just a few minutes before, he was ready to go again. Well, truthfully, it took his dick a little while longer to catch up to the rest of him, because of that almost forty thing, but Fraser and his "proper preparation" took care of that. Once he got an eyeful of Fraser's pale, muscular body and that big, uncut dick of his and once Fraser was kissing him some more, all hungry and impatient, Ray's dick was there.

They had wiped off the mess they'd made on themselves from their first time, but Fraser kept groaning and moving and tongue-fucking him and Ray could feel Fraser's dick leaving a wet trail across his thigh. God, but it felt good, knowing that Fraser wanted him. Ray's heart was pounding so hard that he wondered if he could have a heart attack right here. Fraser's tongue swirled against Ray's shoulder, then against his collar bone and then, Fraser lowered his head and began to suck on one of Ray's nipples. Huh, Ray thought as he arched up at the sensation, his erection throbbing against Fraser's hip, how come I never knew that was a turn-on? It felt like there was a direct pull on his cock with each gentle tug and Ray reached blindly for Fraser's head, holding it against his chest, moving his fingers through his soft, thick hair, loving this, fucking loving him with an intensity that he hadn't thought he was capable of.

"Fraser," Ray said, his breath catching when Fraser pinched his other nipple and kept on sucking the other, "if you don't blow me in, like, the next eight seconds, I'm going to have to kill you."

Fraser chuckled quietly and lifted his head, shooting Ray a look that was heavy with intent. "I wouldn't want you to do that, Ray." He was hardly through speaking when he started kissing his way down Ray's body. He pressed his lips against Ray's breastbone and then, lingered on his stomach. Kissing, rubbing his chin against his skin, licking his belly button. "Fuck," Ray groaned, squirming under Fraser's weight, rubbing his rock-hard dick against Fraser's chest as he slid down further down Ray's body. Ray pushed at Fraser's shoulders, trying to speed him along until at last, Fraser's mouth was hovering just over Ray's groin.

Ray looked down, watching him, saw him breathe a hot, wet breath onto Ray's dangerously twitching dick. It felt fucking incredible, but not nearly as incredible as what Fraser did next. Which was take just the head of his cock into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue for a few, scorching seconds before releasing it with a pop. Ray tried to thrust up, desperate to get his whole cock back in that hot mouth but Fraser grabbed either side of his hips and held him down hard, not letting him move. And that turned him on even more.

"Fraser, goddammit, do it," Ray ordered through tightly clenched teeth, using every ounce of self-control in his body to keep from coming because, God, he wanted to, wanted it so bad and he was so close. He wanted to come in Fraser's crazy, talented mouth, he'd never wanted anything more. Ray kept watching until, without warning, Fraser took him in, all the way. Ray made an embarrassingly loud noise and started to thrust up, and Fraser was letting him, and oh, Jesus, it was so good. Fraser wrapped his hand around the base, and used his other hand to rub Ray's balls. Fraser moved his head up and down, sucking and letting his tongue drag along the underside of Ray's dick.

He's a porn star, Ray though numbly as he felt that amazing tension in his groin building. Fraser moaned around his dick and yeah, that's it, its all over, Ray thought, as his body began to hum. He put his hand on Fraser's head and arched up once, twice and Ray started to come, making more noises that were even louder and more embarrassing than the last, his muscles cramping and come shooting out of him in a scorching rush, again and again, until, at last, Ray lay back again, shuddering with blissful aftershocks.

Ray had never felt so totally fucked out in his life and they hadn't even got to that yet. He couldn't move, even when Fraser climbed back up and curled up besidehim. Ray felt fan-fucking-tastic. His freak-out at the restaurant had so stupid. He didn't care what it took - he and Fraser would make it work. Maybe it was the orgasm talking, but Ray would buy himself a frilly apron and some pearls, if that's what it took.

He snapped back to reality as soon as he realized that Fraser wasn't waiting for him to recover. He was laying next to Ray, with his face pressed into Ray's neck, moving his hand rapidly along his own dick.

"No, Fraser, wait." Ray reached down to stop him. "I'm gonna take care of that."

"Ray, you don't have to..." Fraser looked back at Ray with hard, lust-glazed eyes.

"Hands off, Fraser. This is mine," Ray said huskily, sliding down Fraser's panting body. He lifted Fraser's cock off his stomach, where it was laying, all red and unbelievably hard, and gave it four good strokes. Ray hadn't given a blow job in years, not since he was a kid, but somehow, it all came back to him. Fraser didn't fidget and squirm like he did, he just lay back, his big body perfectly still. Ray got up on his knees between Fraser's legs, watching Fraser watch him from between half open eyes. He rubbed his hands over Fraser's slick, muscular thighs, his thumbs kneading into the tightness on the inside and leaning forward, Ray flicked his tongue at the wet slit of Fraser's dick. Then, Ray took him halfway in, letting his lips glide snugly over that hard, silky smooth flesh and then, he pulled off again. A sort of growl came out of Fraser's chest then, and Ray smiled as he went down again.

Fraser liked it. Alot. "Oh, God... Ray," he said, drawing out the words, like he was dying for this, like he was already on the verge of coming. Fraser gave a little, controlled thrust up into his mouth and then another, and Ray hummed with satisfaction at that move, which Fraser seemed to like even more. And then, Ray started moving in earnest, sucking as he did so, making Fraser groan and mutter things that Ray couldn't even understand. And even though Ray wasn't anywhere near recovered enough to get hard again, the sound of Fraser's deep voice made him breathe faster. "Yes, Ray," Fraser said, softly, almost in a whisper. "That's... good. That feels so good." And when Fraser grabbed at his hair, his spent dick actually tried to twitch.

Ray cupped Fraser's balls gently in his hand and then, it was Fraser who was twitching. And groaning and hissing and shooting into Ray's mouth and Ray almost felt like he had come for a third time. It was that much of a rush, having Fraser's body beneath him, straining for him. Ray didn't want it to end. He didn't ever want to leave this cabin. He didn't ever want to let go of Fraser.

When Fraser started to settle again, Ray climbed up his loose, sweaty body and kissed him hard on the mouth. And then, once they were comfortably wrapped around each other, they fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*

He was sleeping the sleep of the well and thoroughly fucked when Ray felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Ray? Wake up."

Ray grunted and burrowed deeper into the cushions, keeping his eyes closed. Fraser had unzipped one of their sleeping bags to use for a blanket and Ray was warm and there was no way he was going to move.

The hand on his shoulder jostled him rudely. "Ray?"

Through the fog of drowsiness, Ray realized that it was Fraser who was bothering him. "Go away, Fraser, I want to sleep."

"I'll carry you if I have to."

"Fuck!" Ray sat up and glared up at Fraser. The room was dark, except for the embers in the fireplace. "What is so damned important to get me up out of a sound sleep?"

Fraser was looking down at him, dressed in an unbuttoned flannel shirt and jeans, watching him with this soft kind of look - not a smile, just...soft. It was nice. Ray's heart went kind of lopsided all of a sudden and he wasn't mad anymore. "Something wrong?"

"I want you to come to bed, Ray. I put sheets on the bed and made us a fire."

"Oh. Yeah, okay." Ray got up, pulling the sleeping bag around him because he was still naked and followed Fraser into the bedroom. He'd seen the room when they arrived but with a big fire going and the bed piled high with blankets and their other sleep bag, it looked like heaven. Fraser was getting undressed when Ray dove under the covers and it felt like he'd fallen into the MacKenzie River.

"Damn, these sheets are cold!" Ray groaned, curling up on his side with his arms crossed tight across his chest.

Fraser climbed in and spooned up behind him, wrapping one arm around him. "They won't be for long," Fraser said against Ray's hair. "Go back to sleep."

Ray squirmed and shifted and closed his eyes because he really did want to go back to sleep. But he felt like he was laying on a sheet of ice and he was in bed with Fraser and he was starting to get a little distracted. Oh, this is good, Ray thought to himself, feeling Fraser's breath on the back of his neck. He kept rubbing his thumb over Ray's wrist and Ray was surprised at how nice that was, something as simple as that. It had been a long time since anybody had been affectionate with him in a physical way. He had missed it. Then, Fraser kissed him on the place where his neck met his shoulders, a real slow one. Sort of like getting felt up with lips and Ray groaned out loud.

He really wanted to go back to sleep. But his dick was already waking up, and unless he was mistaken about what was jabbing into his left butt cheek, so was Fraser's.

"Sleep well, Ray." Fraser's deep voice had always been a turn-on for Ray, but hearing it against his skin, when they were both naked, well, just how was he expected to ignore that?

With a grunt, Ray turned over. "Yeah, like I'm going to be able to sleep with your dick poking me in the ass." He grabbed on to Fraser's ass and gave it a squeeze, shuddering with pleasure when their cocks rubbed together.

The firelight flickered on Fraser's face. "Its just a reflex. It will go away," Fraser tried to explain but since he was staring at Ray's mouth, Ray suspected that he didn't really mean it.

"Shut up," Ray whispered and kissed him. Fraser kissed him back and by the time they had wrinkled the sheets up good and jerked each other off, Ray and the sheets were nice and warm.

~*~*~*~*

The next time Ray woke up, he was alone again and he wondered what he was going to have to do to keep Fraser in bed. Ray smiled sleepily and stretched. What the hell am I thinking? I KNOW how.

He needed a shower because he had a tendency to get a little ripe after coming three times in one night. Fuck! Three times!

Fraser had brought their backpacks in from the other room so Ray pulled on jeans, a teeshirt, a sweater and some socks because even the walk to the bathroom was chilly. But hey, you weren't chilly last night, Kowalski.

Ray got a hold of himself before he started giggling, grabbed his shaving kit and walked out of the bedroom and into the den. Fraser was standing at one of the windows, holding a mug of something that Ray could see steaming from across the room. Fraser turned and smiled at him. Ray grinned back as Diefenbaker bounded over to greet him.

"Hey," Ray said, his voice sounding raw and scratchy, absently stroking Dief's head when he nudged his hand.

"Good morning." Fraser's voice was the same as always. But the way that he looked at him...that was different and Ray thought that was pretty cool.

Ray walked over to him and Fraser put his free hand on the back of Ray's head and kissed him. He smelled like soap and and tasted like coffee. When he pulled back, Fraser's eyes were more silver than blue. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a top, which for a reason that I don't understand, is supposed to be good."

"Actually, Ray," Fraser started, handing Ray his mug of coffee, " the origin of the phrase dates back to the 1600s. And as you might imagine, it refers to the child's toy. When a top spins, it appears to be standing still. Stillness is associated with sound sleep, thus we have 'sleep like a top'."

Ray sipped at the coffee and nodded. "Hmm. Interesting."

"Do you think so?"

"No. Fraser, what's with the weather? It looks kinda hinky out there." The sky was a deep slate gray and snow was hitting the window in uneven wet stops and starts.

"Hinky?" Fraser dropped his hand from Ray's neck and faced the window with a frown.

"Yeah. Weird. Strange. Unusual."

"Ah, yes. Well, you're right, Ray. It is indeed hinky. I used the radio this morning and spoke with Sergeant Frobisher." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the window frame. "It seems the weather conditions are rapidly deteriorating. He advises, and I am in total agreement, that we should stay put until this blows over."

Ray straightened and he thought that the reason his face felt hot was that he was blushing. "You and me? Stay here? For how long?"

Fraser tilted his head, just a hint of a smile around his eyes. "Two, possibly three days."

"Uh-huh. We got enough food to last us?"

"Oh, yes. The pantry is well stocked."

Ray nodded seriously. "I see." He put the coffee cup down on the window sill, dropped his shaving kit on the floor and cracked his neck. "You had a shower already?"

Fraser licked the corner of his mouth. "Yes, I have."

"You want another one?" Ray grabbed the front of Fraser's dark blue Henley and pulled him slowly away from the window frame. "I'll help this time."

"Sounds like a plan, Ray."

As it turned out, it was one of their better plans.

~*~*~*~*

Epilogue Three Days Later

Fraser was compelled to stop the team at the first rise, to recheck the tuglines and the stability of the gear they were carrying but also, to give Ray another chance to settle. He expressed some annoyance at being forced to be "chauffeured around" and was eager to learn to drive the team. Fraser promised that he'd have his first lesson by the end of the day. All signs pointed to it being a glorious one.

Fraser walked around the perimeter of the sled, checking the strength of the bunge cords and the bridle, talking to Ray as he did so. "By the way, I found out the source of Sergeant Frobisher's apparent wealth."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Sewers."

"You're kidding?"

"I'm very serious. It seems that his grandfather was the Refuse King of the Yukon. He was an engineer who designed sewage treatment facilities and waste disposal plants and he patented his ideas. According to Sergeant Frobisher, he gets a monthly stipend that allows him to live quite comfortably." Fraser straightened and smiled at the look on Ray's face.

Ray shook his head, squinting against the glare of the sunlight on the snow. "Sewers, huh? I think I liked it better when I thought he was a maple syrup king. Listen, did you tell him about...?" Ray inclined his head, his voice trailing off.

Fraser watched him fondly. "About what, Ray?"

"Come on, Fraser, you know what I'm talking about."

He squat down in the snow next to Ray, feigning interest in the steering rope. "Oh, you mean, did I tell him that we spent the last three days naked in his bed?"

"The way you put that just grossed me out a little."

Fraser met Ray's gaze, grabbing onto the strut to keep balance. "Oddly enough, the subject didn't come up. Would it bother you if he knew?" Fraser asked quietly.

Ray's response was, thankfully, fast and without hesitation. "Hell, no, it's just that...this is weird. I don't know what to expect. On one hand, I want to walk up to the next person I see and say, 'Hey, my name is Ray and this is my boyfriend.' But on the other hand, I just want to keep this safe, you know? Protect it from the world." Ray's chin dropped to his chest. "Jeez, I sound like a chick, don't I?"

"No, you most certainly do not." Fraser put his gloved hand on Ray's arm and squeezed. "I want the same thing, Ray. We'll find our way together. All right?"

His head lifted and Ray grinned at him. "Freak," he said affectionately.

Ray's hair was glinting gold in the sunlight, as were the little stubbles on his handsome face. Fraser stood up, pressing his mouth hard against Ray's for a moment before taking position behind the sled and taking up the lines.

As an afterthought, Fraser looked down the rise, toward the depot and saw Sergeant Frobisher still watching them. His father's former partner raised his hand and saluted. Fraser did likewise.

Then, he patted Ray's shoulder and they took off, the Hand of Franklin in their sights.