Disclaimer: Not mine, not a one.

Author's Notes: For malnpudl, written in payment for her donation to the_fund on lj for the fandom friends affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Story Notes: Mild bondage. Did I mention the handcuffs?

~*~*~*

Constable Benton Fraser stared speechlessly at the sight before him, turned his head to stare equally speechlessly at the man standing next to him and then turned back to stare at the reason for his uncharacteristic silence.

Then he closed his eyes, counted to ten and opened them again in the hope that his sanity would return in the intervening time. It didn't.

He was still, without doubt, staring at an unconscious Ray Kowalski sprawled on his back wearing nothing but soft gray sleep pants and a white vest, handcuffed to the headboard of the bed in the Queen's bedroom at the Canadian consulate and with a piece of duct tape firmly in place over his mouth, pulling at his sleep flushed skin.

Fraser cleared his throat and said warily, "I trust there is an excellent explanation for this, Constable Turnbull?"

"Yes, sir!" Radiating eagerness and satisfaction, Constable Turnbull snapped to attention at Fraser's side and said happily, "At approximately eleven fifteen this evening I, along with Probationary Constables Fitzpatrick, Roberts and Phillips, took pre-emptive actions regarding certain disturbing information that had come to our attention and broke into Detective Vecchio's apartment and forcibly removed him from the premises to a more secure locale."

Fraser cleared his throat again and tried desperately to drag his eyes away from the strip of golden skin revealed on Ray's taut belly where his vest had ridden up and his pants down as he moved around on the bed in his sleep. "Ray..." He coughed to try and rid himself of the sudden hoarseness in his throat which he told himself was absolutely *not* a reaction to seeing his partner lying in such abandoned vulnerability before him and started again. "Detective Vecchio is in some kind of danger?"

"Oh no, sir!" Almost vibrating with righteous zeal, Turnbull shook his head and beamed at Fraser. "He was *never* in any danger. We were most diligent in our removal and subsequent caring of him."

Fraser turned heroically from his contemplation of Ray's bare feet -- which were turning out to be just as compelling to stare at as his naked belly -- and fixed his colleague with an impatient glare. "Constable Turnbull, you have a member of the Chicago police force chained against his will to a bed on Canadian soil. I demand an explanation *immediately*."

Turnbull gave a sober nod and visibly steeled himself. "Of course, sir." He looked at Fraser with sympathy flooding his grave eyes. "I'm afraid you may have to brace yourself, sir, it's not a pretty tale."

Unlike, Fraser couldn't help but absently notice, the unexpectedly pretty sight of Ray Kowalski chained wearing nothing but some flimsy cotton to a bed. Really, it was enough to render an already weary man insensible. And speaking of insensible..."Constable Turnbull, please just proceed with your report."

Turnbull gave a sharp nod in response to Fraser's brusque command and said, "Very well, sir. It started earlier this evening at about seven o' clock when I received a very distressed phone call from Miss Vecchio..."

~*~*~*

"Now, it may seem that your superior officer is at times more than a little...unreasonable," Constable Renfield Turnbull severely eyed the three RCMP probationary officers standing before the consulate reception desk, diligently taking notes as he talked, and continued firmly, "But no matter how outlandish their demands, or how harshly made, you must never, *ever* forget that..." He broke off as the phone on the desk rang and held up one finger. "Excuse me. Good evening, Canadian consulate, this is Constable...Miss Vecchio?"

Turnbull sat ramrod straight in his chair as he recognized the frantic voice screaming at him down the line. "No, I'm afraid Constable Fraser is still in transit from his visit to Toronto and cannot be...Miss Vecchio, please!" Turnbull held the phone away from his ear as the screaming increased dramatically and said slightly desperately, "Please, calm yourself, I'm sure that..." His eyes widened in horror as he listened. "Are you *sure*? There is no mistake?"

This time Turnbull held the phone at arms length and winced in pain at the sheer volume of Francesca's voice.

He waited patiently for her to wind down, ignoring the wide eyes of his audience and then, when Francesca finally ran out of breath, brought the phone back to his ear and said firmly, "I quite agree, Miss Vecchio, this situation must not be allowed to escalate. Are you at the station house now?" Turnbull swept assessing eyes along his probationers and stood decisively. "Very well. Please try and do all you can to gather any necessary information and contain the situation until I arrive. I shall be with you momentarily."

He placed the receiver down with a sharp click, incidentally cutting off Francesca's worried sounding reply and smiled grimly at the three junior officers. "It would seem that we will be moving our table of events around somewhat this evening, we shall have to conclude our discussion on the proper support necessary to a superior officer at a later date. For now I wish you to collect some appropriate outdoor clothing for the rather inclement weather this evening and gather outside the front door of the consulate, whilst I make sure the building is secured. You have two minutes." He watched as the three young men scattered and then called after them in an afterthought, "Pick non-descript clothing, please! We will need to be as unnoticeable as possible. Oh, and don't forget your notebooks!"

~*~*~*

Fraser stared at Turnbull. "You took three *probationers* to the Chicago police station? *Our* Chicago police station?" He thumbed his eyebrow in distress. "And encouraged them to take *notes*?"

Turnbull nodded grimly. "Yes, sir. I understand it was somewhat...unorthodox, but the situation warranted unusual measures and even though it was somewhat outside of normal parameters for what a probationary officer might expect for their working hours and duties, I felt fully justified in taking this action."

Fraser cricked his neck sharply. "But to the *station*?"

Turnbull frowned and said darkly, "Desperate times, sir, desperate times."

~*~*~*

Half an hour later, Francesca Vecchio found jammed herself in the supply closet at the police precinct where it was rumored she sometimes performed her duties adequately with four extremely large Mounties -- all, to a man, wearing long beige trench coats, Stetsons pulled low over their faces and shifty expressions -- and watching in bemusement while three of them faithfully recorded her every word in little notepads and the fourth smiled benevolently at her with his head jammed uncomfortably under the highest shelf.

"You couldn't have, I don't know, been a little less *obvious*, Turnbull?" Frannie eyed the trench coats and hats in disbelief and glared as hard as she could from where she was scrunched uncomfortably between the wall and a tower of boxed fax paper. "I was kinda hoping no one would notice you."

Turnbull smiled reassuringly at her. "I can assure you, Miss Vecchio, we entered the station with the minimum of attention."

"Turnbull," Frannie upped the wattage on her glare considerably, "The guy on the front desk thought you were *strippers*. And as the only cop here tonight with a birthday is Steve Marconi, the desk sergeant thought you were *gay* strippers."

Turnbull's smile barely faltered and he said brightly, "I can assure you that whatever measures prove necessary to solve this dilemma, Miss Vecchio, we shall undertake them with all the verve and resolve that has become synonymous with the RCMP."

Three pens stopped abruptly on three notepads before resuming their industrious work -- although somewhat more hesitantly and less enthusiastically than before.

Frannie blinked and tried to focus on the matter in hand and not miles and miles of naked, gyrating Mountie flesh, strategic maple leaves covering...she shook herself abruptly. The crisis, dammit! "Okay, well..." Frannie cleared her throat and stifled a whimper as one of her mental strategic maple leaves slipped and wafted gently to her mental strobe lit floor. "So, I'm working late, okay? Getting a jump on filing some of the reports that have building up while the Lieu is out of the office and I don't gotta worry about being interrupted by him yelling and screaming that I've done something to his coffee and screwed up the mess on his desk that he calls a *system*..."

Turnbull nodded approvingly and ignored the implied criticism of Frannie's superior. "Very commendable." He stared pointedly at the junior Mounties. "An excellent example to you all."

"Yeah," Frannie eyed the note-taking Mounties uncertainly and then shrugged awkwardly in the confined space. "So, anyway, I'm working at my desk and I look up and there *she* is," Frannie bared her teeth in a fierce snarl. "Looking right over at Ray like she's got something on him and I see this guy over her shoulder looking all smug and right away I know this ain't gonna be good, y'know?"

Turnbull nodded once more, this time in sage understanding. "Certainly. Whilst you can lecture and educate upon the finer points of law enforcement until you are blue in the face, there really is no substitute for being on the front line." He tapped the side of his nose and stared knowingly at his three subordinates. "Instincts, Probationary Constables, *instincts*."

The three junior Mounties looked suitably grave and hurried to record the words of wisdom.

Frannie eyed Turnbull thoughtfully and absently noted that for a pen-pushing, sometime duster-wielding fruitcake he wasn't a bad looking guy. And that hat did something to really bring out the line of his previously unnoticed strong jaw line. "So I keep my head down, but I'm watching what goes on, okay? She's struttin' across the room like she owns it and Ray's seen her and he's looking a little rattled, but not like he can't handle her, and she goes in real close and starts whispering in his ear and the next thing I know he's on his feet and shouting like he's going to bring down the *roof*."

Turnbull's mouth twisted and his eyes glittered angrily. "Understandable, I'm afraid. I've only met ADA Kowalski on two occasions and I must admit I find her rather...abrasive manner somewhat annoying myself."

"Yeah." Frannie's face screwed up in dislike. "She's a stone-cold bitch, alright." She met Turnbull's eyes in a look of mutual understanding and then flashed a grim smile as she got back to her story. "Anyway, the guy with her starts yelling at Ray, and they got him backed into a corner and I figure, hey, he's a pain in the ass but he's *my* pain in the ass, y'know?"

"Yes." Radiating approval once more, Turnbull smiled softly at Frannie and then flicked a glance at the avidly listening probationers. "Loyalty and support amongst co-workers, admirable and expected in *all* situations, no matter what the cost to oneself."

"Right!" Frannie's hands fluttered nervously in front of her as her lower lip began to tremble ominously. "And, plus, he's like my *brother* so I go running over, only they won't let me near him. Stella gets all in my face and blocks me while the guy with her grabs Ray's arm and just *yanks* him out from behind the desk and the next thing I know they got him in the Lieu's office and they got the door locked and I could hear Ray yelling for me and I couldn't get to him and...and..."

There was an abrupt and painful re-shuffling of Mounties as Turnbull hastened as much as he could through the cramped space and gathered Frannie into his arms. "Please, Miss Vecchio, don't distress yourself. I'm sure you did all you could. No one is blaming you for this." He produced a snow-white hanky and pressed it into her hands. "The blame here lies entirely with the dishonorable actions of other people and you have acted as swiftly and decisively as you were able to thwart them."

"But that's just it!" Frannie pressed into Turnbull's solid strength and began to wail in earnest. "Maybe I didn't. Maybe I could have done something, I don't know, *more*." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks and her breath began to hitch with the force of her sobs. "The bastards waited till they knew the Lieu and Fraser were outta the way, everyone's known for *ages* that they'd be away the same time this week, and there ain't no one else here that'd go to bat for Ray like they would if something went down and now they're gonna come back tomorrow and it'll be too late and he'll be gone and then what are they gonna think of me then, Turnbull?" Frannie abandoned the fruitless effort of trying to blot her tears and buried her face in Turnbull's broad, understanding chest. "I *know* how important Ray is and how he's gotta stay safe and in sight around here and I just let her come in and take him and, oh God, Fraser's gonna be so disappointed in me!"

"No," Turnbull gathered Frannie closer and said firmly, "Constable Fraser will be extremely proud of your quick thinking and keen grasp of the importance of the situation and will commend you on the speediness of your actions. Now," In a manner most unlike his normal hesitant self, Turnbull grasped Frannie's shoulders gently, but firmly, and pushed her away from him as much as he could in the closet to say, "I need you to tell me exactly where Detective Vecchio will be and whom he will be with before he is transferred. I promise you on the honor of the RCMP that I will not allow anything to happen to him, nor will I allow anyone to spirit him away into the night before Leftenant Welsh and Constable Fraser returns."

Frannie's eyes overflowed again and she clutched tearfully at the front of Turnbull's coat. "Really?"

Turnbull smiled heroically. "You have my word."

The three junior Mounties looked wildly impressed and a little envious as Frannie crumpled gratefully into Turnbull's arms.

Turnbull blushed and coughed as he became aware of the admiring scrutiny and ordered crisply, "Enter a new sub-heading under support of a superior officer." He blushed harder as Frannie snuggled closer and said in a strangled voice, "Office Politics; the recognizing and circumventing thereof."

~*~*~*

Turnbull paused in his recitation of the evening's events and peered worriedly at Fraser who had gone rather alarmingly red in the face and developed a sharp tick in his jaw. "Sir? Are you alright?"

Seething with anger at the thought of Frannie and Ray distressed and being taken advantage of by the wily Stella, Fraser nodded sharply and told himself that well-earned retribution could wait. Not long, but it could wait. "I'm fine, Turnbull. Carry on."

"Yes, sir." Turnbull eyed Fraser uncertainly for another few moments and cleared his throat. "Well, we soon realized that our only opportunity to regain the upper hand would not occur at the station house itself, but rather when Detective Vecchio was escorted to his home to collect a few essentials before being taken away. I insisted on seeing Miss Vecchio home and assured her once more that we had matters in hand before leaving her in her mother's capable company and setting out with the Probationary Constables for Detective Vecchio's apartment..."

~*~*~*

Turnbull tensed in his hiding place behind Ray's bedroom door as he heard the front door to the apartment open and glanced quickly around the room to make sure his three back-up men were in place and ready for whatever might occur. He was filled with pride that, although understandably nervous at their first 'official' duty for the RCMP, once he had explained the severity of the situation as best he could without divulging any dangerous information that might lead to either Detective Vecchios being compromised, his probationers had rallied superbly under the weight of their duty and had assured him of their determination to follow him as far as necessary to ensure the satisfactory conclusion to their night.

Although he was somewhat puzzled at the rather anxious pleading for his assurances that they would be fulfilling their duties fully clothed.

Turnbull shrugged to himself. Oh well, he remembered only too clearly the strange thoughts that ran through a man's head the first time he faced danger and uncertainty on the mean streets. He was sure they would be fine once they got some experience under their tightly notched belts. His head cocked as he heard Detective Vecchio speak in the main room of the apartment and he frowned in concern at the note of defeat in the normally confident voice.

"Look, Stell, you got what you wanted, okay? Just give me a few minutes to pack some clothes and we'll get out of here." The sound of a foot kicking something in frustration reached Turnbull's ears. "I just need a minute alone here."

"Honestly, Ray, you're acting like I'm doing this to *spite* you." Stella Kowalski's cool voice had Turnbull's face hardening and his teeth grinding together unconsciously as he listened. Oh he couldn't *wait* until Constable Fraser returned and he was able to inform him of the situation. Turnbull assured himself that he wasn't one to revel in other people's misfortunes, but in Stella's case he'd be prepared to make an exception and fully planned on being there when she was taken to task for her duplicity.

He might even attempt to persuade Inspector Thatcher that in trying to remove Detective Vecchio from their vicinity the ADA had purposely set out to undermine and subvert the excellent working relationship between the RCMP and the city of Chicago. That would most certainly be a fitting penalty for the American woman's actions.

The sound of an exasperated female sigh carried through the open bedroom door. "For God's sake, stop sulking! I've done you a *favor*. Your name was the first one I thought of when I was asked to assist in putting this operation together with the LAPD; this will do *wonders* for your career. Promotion's a certainty at the end of it!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I ain't all about the shining career, Stella, you ever think of that?" Ray's shout revealed all of his pain and frustration at what he obviously saw as some kind of betrayal. "Maybe I'm happy doin' what I do *now*. And it ain't just my life you're screwing with here. There's someone *else* you gotta consider in all of this and maybe it's more important that I stay right where I am so I can make sure that he makes it through *his* assignment alive!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ray." Stella's bright laugh tinkled on the air and Turnbull found himself hoping she choked on it. "You don't seriously think that anyone with half a brain ever bought that story, do you? I imagine when Welsh gets back tomorrow and is informed of the situation he probably won't even bother replacing you."

This time when Ray spoke, his words rang with hurt. "Jesus, Stella, when the fuck did you get so mean? Look, maybe it was a stupid story, okay? But I got people *relying* on me here and, God, you wouldn't even let me speak to Frannie before you dragged me outta the station and when she tells Welsh what's happened he's not gonna be happy."

Stella snorted. "Oh please, the ditzy secretary will forget all about you by the end of the week and your *boss* will do as he's told because he has no say in this and by the time he finds out you'll be deep undercover and there won't be a thing anyone can do about it."

"Hey, you watch how you talk about Frannie, okay?" For the first time, Ray's voice actually sounded as dangerous as Turnbull knew it was capable of and the hidden Mountie took dark delight in the swiftly stifled gasp of alarm from ADA Kowalski as she evidently realized she'd gone a step too far. "She might not have all your precious *education*, but she's got street smarts and she's a real good person. You talk about her with respect when you talk about her to me."

"Of...of course." Stella sounded a little breathless and a good deal less sure of herself than she had moments before. "I'm sorry, Ray, truly. Of course you've grown attached to her." There was a long awkward pause before Stella offered in a conciliatory tone, "She's obviously very fond of you, as well."

"Whatever." Ray's voice snapped out and then a gusty sigh sounded. "Look, Stell, can't we just hold off on this for a few hours? I don't feel right about leavin' without saying a proper goodbye to Ma Vecchio and...and there's Fraser. I can't just leave Fraser without..."

"Christ, Ray, forget about the goddamned Mountie, okay?" Stella's voice was back to being filled with anger and exasperation. "He's a big boy, he'll work through it! Jesus, all you've gone on about since we told you is goddamned Fraser this and goddamned Fraser that and, frankly, it's getting a little old." Her voice dripped with spite as Stella spat, "I don't remember you being this upset about leaving *me* for undercover work and we were fucking *married*."

"Yeah, well, maybe now I got someone that'll actually *notice* I'm gone I'm seein' things a little differently, you ever think about that, Stella?" Ray's voice sounded like a verbal slap and he continued in the same hard tone, "And, just so you know, Fraser's off-limits just like Frannie, okay?"

"Fine," Obviously out of patience, Stella laughed unpleasantly and Turnbull could almost picture the accompanying eye roll. "That's just fine with me, Ray. I'll give you fifteen minutes to get yourself together and then we're out of here. Get out of the way, I need to unplug your phone and make sure you can't contact anyone that might tip off our targets if they say the wrong thing at the wrong time."

"What? Jesus Christ, Stella, who am I gonna call, the deaf wolf?" The sound of something being yanked sharply from the wall was almost drowned out by Ray's loud and angry, "For fucks sake!"

"Fifteen minutes, Ray." Stella's footsteps echoed as she strode towards the door. "I expect you showered, shaved, packed and downstairs ready to go in fifteen minutes. I'll leave an officer outside your door so don't think about getting clever, okay? Just remember you don't have a choice in this; it's too important to far too many people to let go just because you have a bad case of going native on your current assignment."

The front door was heard to close with a sharp click and silence reigned for a moment before... "*FUCK*!" Several loud crashes and bangs were heard -- signaling, Turnbull summarized, the end of several knick-knacks that were already pretty marked by the years -- and then Ray's voice sounded again, this time infinitely more defeated and broken, "*Fuck*." Heavy footsteps approached the bedroom door and Turnbull held his breath, but at the last minute they veered off and entered the small bathroom and moments later the sounds of a shower starting up could be heard.

Turnbull took advantage of the few moments of grace and peered around the gloom of Ray's bedroom where his crack team stood ready to assist. "Are you all prepared?" Quiet murmurs and nods of assent answered him. "Very well. You all heard Ms Kowalski; we have a very limited amount of time. Be ready on my signal." Turnbull stared gravely at his subordinates. "I cannot stress enough the importance of this mission. Be prepared to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure Detective Vecchio's safety and well-being. Oh, and you may put away your notebooks."

~*~*~*

Turnbull broke off again and stared in outright alarm at Fraser's now purple face. "Sir?"

"I am quite alright, Constable." Fraser stared at the younger man blindly and didn't seem to realize that he was panting quite heavily, give him the appearance of a somewhat rabid animal. Or Diefenbaker unsupervised in a baked goods store. "Continue."

"Yes, sir." Turnbull's eyes flickered down to where Fraser's hand was clenched around the porcelain ornamental doorknob to the Queen's bedroom and was in imminent danger of shattering it. "Perhaps you might release your grip, Sir? Only I don't think it will help Detective Vecchio's state of mind when he awakes to find you have been injured, and it will be quite impossible to replace the doorknob. It's an antique, you know."

"Yes. Of course." With obvious effort, Fraser forced his hand to let go and nodded sharply. "Quite right."

Visibly relieved, Turnbull relaxed and smiled bracingly. "Thank you, Sir. Well, there's not that much more to tell..."

~*~*~*

Not five minutes after Ray had stepped into the shower, Turnbull watched as he walked dejectedly through his bedroom door, one white towel slung low around his lean hips and one covering his head as he rubbed his hair dry. Turnbull felt his throat tighten with pity as the other man sunk down at the foot of his bed without taking the towel off his head and abruptly curled over to wrap his arms around his wet torso and whisper almost silently, "Oh, man. *Fraser*."

Turnbull blinked. Although used to the, at times, almost symbiotic relationship between his senior constable and the Chicago cop, Ray's tone sounded almost like a man losing his lover rather than a man losing his part...Oh. Turnbull blinked again. *Oh*. Of *course*!

His heart further hardened with resolve as all became clear. ADA Kowalski was obviously acting under some kind of jealousy driven motive due to the relationship between Detective Vecchio and Constable Fraser and rather than let them be to live their lives together in happiness she had felt compelled to force them apart, maybe in disgust that her ex-husband now loved a man and...

Turnbull's lips pressed tightly together. Well, wasn't that *quite* beyond the pale? His eyes flashed furiously in his face. Constable Fraser was one of the finest men he knew and if he chose to love and share his life with another brave, honorable man then no treacherous -- he blushed to even think the word -- *witch* was going to force them apart on Turnbull's watch!

"Detective Vecchio!" Ray's head shot up at the hoarse whisper and he jumped up with a startled yell, the towel on his head falling to the floor unheeded. Turnbull quickly shut the bedroom door, promptly stumbling over his own feet and falling painfully to the floor as the faint light from the front room was cut off and then room was plunged into darkness. "It's me, Constable Turnbull! It's alright!"

"Huh?" Ray's voice sounded cautiously in the gloom. "Turnbull?"

"Yes!" Turnbull climbed carefully to his feet and reached out reassuringly to pat Ray where he estimated his shoulder should be. "If you could just locate the light switch..."

"*Turnbull*?" Ray's incredulous voice rose in agitation and he flinched back from the unexpected contact. "What the *fuck* are you doin' in my *bedroom*?"

"Please, Detective Vecchio, there isn't much time. The light switch?" Turnbull waited patiently until he heard Ray move and then hastily added as he heard a startled yelp when Ray evidently bumped into one of the probationers, "Don't be alarmed! I have people with me, they're here to help." He blinked rapidly as the overhead light came on and Ray was revealed by the head of the bed, practically in the arms of Probationary Constable Fitzpatrick and scowling fiercely in all his damp, rumple-haired glory. "Good evening, Detective!"

Looking even more shocked than he'd previously sounded, Ray did some blinking of his own and said blankly, "*Turnbull*?"

"Yes." Turnbull indicated the rest of the Mounties in the room and said brightly, "May I also introduce Probationary Constables Roberts and Phillips." A faint flush covered Turnbull's cheeks as he said delicately, "You seem to have already made your own acquaintance of Probationary Constable Fitzpatrick."

"I...what?" Ray frowned and then realized that he was still clutching at a tall, well-muscled Mountie that didn't look thrilled to be holding a wet Chicago cop dressed in nothing but a towel. "Jesus!" He let go like he'd been scalded and grabbed hastily for the towel around his waist as it slipped at the movement. "Uh, sorry there, guy."

Fitzpatrick nodded and kept his eyes firmly fixed over the top of Ray's head and away from any towel slippage. "Quite alright, sir."

"Well, now we've all been introduced, I think it's time to get you some clothes and then make our escape, don't you, Detective Vecchio?" Turnbull beamed at Ray and made little encouraging movements with his hands. "Time is of the essence, after all."

"Time is of...?" Ray shook his head and keeping a firm grip on the towel, strode down the side of the bed and up into Turnbull's face, saying urgently, "Look, Turnbull, I don't know why you're here, and right now I don't fuckin' care, 'cause you're right about one thing, okay? I ain't got much time left and you gotta...you gotta tell Fraser something for me, okay?"

Turnbull tried to interrupt the frantic words. "Detect..."

"No!" Ray flung up a desperate hand which turned out to be a mistake when his towel slipped again and he hastily grabbed at the material when it slithered over his hips, his voice dropping to a hoarse whisper in his urgency, "No, you *listen* to me here, 'cause this is *important*. They're makin' me go, it don't matter where, but the point is it won't be *here* and I don't gotta choice, 'cause, God, if I did then I wouldn't *be* going and Fraser...he's gotta...I want to make sure he knows..."

"Detective Vecchio!" Turnbull dared to reach out and shake Ray firmly by the shoulders. "Listen to *me* now. You shall be able to tell Constable Fraser whatever you wish as you are not going anywhere."

Ray squinted impatiently up at the taller man. "Turnbull, *focus*. I have to *go* and..."

"No, you don't." Turnbull smiled down reassuringly at the frazzled Ray. "We're here to rescue you!"

Ray closed his mouth with a snap and then scowled darkly, "Hey, I look like Princess Leia to you? I don't need fucking *rescuing*, okay? I can take care of myself."

"Well, whilst it's true that you bear no discernable resemblance to royalty at this particular moment in time, Detective, I think we can all agree that for this particular situation you may need more than what your own wits and cunning can provide you with." Turnbull eyes shone with gentle compassion and he lowered his voice discreetly to whisper, "And you shall be reunited with your loved one before the night is over, or my name isn't Renfield Algernon Turnbull."

"Loved..." Ray's mouth dropped open and he frowned in confusion. "What the hell are you...wait, Renfield *Algernon*?" He eyed Turnbull in a mix of pity and dark amusement. "Your mom named you before she got over the pain of the labor, huh? The drugs didn't quite cut it. Bet you were a big bastard."

Turnbull looked faintly perplexed. "Actually my mother didn't have time to take any pain relief when she was in labor with me. I arrived in just under thirty minutes and was born still twenty miles from the nearest hospital. And, yes, I *was* a big, er, ba...baby as it happens. Twelve pounds, nine ounces."

Ray winced and whistled through his teeth. "Yeah? I reckon you got off lightly after all, huh?"

"Sir!" Roberts shifted anxiously over by the far wall and tapped at his wristwatch when Ray and Turnbull looked his way. "Sir, six minutes, sir!"

Turnbull shook himself. "Of course; quite right, Probationary Constable. Detective Vecchio, I would be more than pleased to impart more anecdotes of my formative years at a more opportune time, but right at this instant we have to *leave*. Please, get dressed and hurry!"

A look of intense pain flashed across Ray's face so suddenly Turnbull could have been almost sure he had imagined it if it weren't for the bitter twist to Ray's mouth that was left behind. "I can't." He smiled somewhat crookedly up at Turnbull and stepped back, eyes filled with bittersweet emotion. "I gotta figure that Frannie called you, right?" He chuckled roughly as Turnbull nodded in confusion and turned his face away to stare blindly at the floor. "Yeah, she's a good kid. You tell her that I appreciate it, okay? Tell her that I knew she did all she could and that I hope it all works out okay on the, uh, *other* thing and that I'll miss her and Ma a lot. And you tell Fraser...you tell him..."

"Detective Vecchio!" Turnbull's voice was sharp and so unexpected that it had Ray and his towel snapping to attention before they knew what was happening. "I want you to answer me one question and one question only, alright?" He waited patiently for Ray's stunned nod and said, "Do you *want* to leave the life you have made for yourself here? Leave everyone that...cares for you?"

"It don't matter what I want, Turnbull!" Ray's fate was decided the moment Turnbull heard the agonized tone of his voice, no matter what his next words would be. "It's like...it's like this whole duty thing, okay? And you're like a Mountie, so if anyone can get that then it's *you*. I gotta..."

"Do you *want* to leave?" Being unforgivably rude, Turnbull cut Ray off and said firmly, "Yes or no, detective? Just yes or no."

Ray's head dropped again and he whispered, "No. Jesus, no, of course I don't want to go, but..."

"Yes, yes; you have to. I heard." Turnbull straightened his shoulders and eyed the top of Ray's head regretfully and then firmed his resolve. Goodness, who knew that when he had set out on his mission to save Detective Vecchio this evening he would end up saving him from *himself*? "Very well, you leave me no choice. Roberts, Phillips, help me restrain Detective Vecchio, please." Turnbull grabbed Ray before he realized what was happening and had him in an arm and neck lock even as Ray and the towel parted company for the last time.

"HE...mmphfh!" Ray's shout was cut off by Phillips' warm salty hand clapping over his mouth, and he twisted in furious rage against Turnbull's unbreakable grip. "Mmmpfh mmmfph *mmmpfh*!"

Turnbull smiled grimly. "Thank you for the timely reminder, Detective. Roberts, please be careful of Detective Vecchio's feet, he is rather fond of threatening to kick people in the head. Fitzpatrick," Turnbull glowered as he caught the last junior Mountie staring fixedly at Ray's naked groin as he fought his captors. "Fitzpatrick! Eyes forward and up, Probationary Constable! Find the detective some clothes and then make sure we have not been discovered." He shook his head reprovingly as Fitzpatrick startled and flushed guiltily and turned away, saying, "This will have to go on your report, you know. Honestly, Fitzpatrick, what would the *Queen* say?"

~*~*~*

"So that's it, sir. I regret it was necessary to resort to restraining Detective Vecchio in such a manner, but in the face of such mindless and admirable devotion to duty at the cost of his own and other people's desires I felt I had no other option." Turnbull looked closely at Fraser's sweating face. "Sir?"

Fraser blinked and thought to himself, 'For God's sake, stop putting images in my mind of a naked Ray and then using the word desires in the next sentence!'

Turnbull took the pained silence as condemnation and said hurriedly, "I understand I have overstepped my bounds somewhat, Constable Fraser, and of course I shall submit to whatever disciplinary measures you and Inspector Thatcher feel appropriate, the only thing I ask is that no action be taken against the Probationary Constables left in my charge. I'm afraid I made unapologetic use of their presence and they had no option but to follow my orders."

Fraser shook his head in a vain bid to try and clear it. "Pardon? Disciplinary measures? I'm afraid I..."

"Oh I know there will be consequences for my actions, Constable." The very epitome of a man facing the gallows, Turnbull stood at attention and exuded noble resignation. "I knew that from the start. However I feel when ADA Kowalski's motives are investigated in this debacle, I am confident that those in charge might be persuaded to look upon my decisions with a little more leniency."

Fraser's dazed expression hardened considerably at the mention of Stella. "ADA Kowalski's motives?"

Turnbull blushed a fiery scarlet. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Fraser eyed his junior warily and nodded. "Of course. Go on."

Turnbull blushed harder. "It is not my place to presume to know anything about my superiors' personal lives, sir, but it is my belief that this evening's events were precipitated in the main by jealousy on the part of Detective Vecchio's ex-wife for his new relationship." Turnbull stared hard at the wall over Fraser's head and missed the stunned dropping of the senior constable's jaw. "It was quite plain when we listened to Detective Vecchio tonight that he loves you very much and the thought of leaving you behind was causing him unimaginable pain. It was *also* quite plain that ADA Kowalski was taking no small amount of spiteful pleasure from his distress. Miss Vecchio was convinced that the timing of the attempt to remove Detective Vecchio from his position was no accident, in fact was probably *orchestrated* to coincide with both yourself and Leftenant Welsh being out of town on unavoidable duties. After considering all the facts, I am inclined to agree."

Fraser thought he was having a heart attack. "Ray...Detective Vecchio...loves me?" He leaned back heavily against the wall and said harshly, "I'm afraid you're misinformed, Constable. Myself and Detective Vecchio are certainly not in the kind of relationship you seem to assume, and I am *quite* sure that if he heard your suspicions he would react extremely negatively, possibly even *violently*."

"Oh!" Turnbull was flooded with mortification at his horrendous mistake and rushed to rectify it. "Sir, I apologize. I just assumed...I mean, Detective Vecchio was so *distressed* and you are so..." Turnbull paused and reconsidered both Ray's responses to his imminent departure that he had witnessed and Fraser's reactions when he had listened to the report of the evening's event and then concluded doubtfully, "Are you *sure*, sir? Please don't feel that you need to be ashamed or hide your relationship from your true friends."

Fraser straightened up and snapped, "Constable Turnbull, you are overstepping your bounds!"

"But, sir, it's so *obvious* how he feels about you, and..." Turnbull's plaintive protest was cut off by a muffled shout from inside the Queen's bedroom and both men turned to see a wide awake Ray thrashing on the bed and tugging fruitlessly at his handcuffs as he shook his head and yelled as best he could behind his taped lips for Turnbull to shut the hell *up* already!

Fraser's stricken eyes met Ray's across the room and in one astounding moment Benton Fraser had the kind of epiphany that comes just once in a lifetime and he saw everything in Ray's eyes that he had been fighting for so long in himself. Yearning, hopeless love, lust...and then Fraser swallowed hard as Ray gave a low moan of despair and abruptly sagged bonelessly back onto the bed, closing his eyes as he turned his head away.

"Con..." Fraser had to pause to clear his tight throat and then said firmly, "Constable Turnbull, I want to thank you for your aid this evening. Your friendship will not be forgotten and I can assure you that when I speak with both Inspector Thatcher and Leftenant Welsh I will be informing them that you were acting under my own standing orders to protect Detective Vecchio in whatever way necessary to maintain his cover and identity whilst he is with us." Without taking his eyes from Ray, Fraser asked, "I take it that the Probationary Constables have been sent home to their temporary barracks for the night?"

Turnbull stared with wide eyes between Fraser and the man lying helpless on the bed inside the Queen's bedroom. "Yes, sir."

"Very well then," Fraser finally tore his eyes from Ray and smiled briskly at Turnbull. "You are dismissed, Constable. I shall expect to see you bright and early come Monday morning."

Turnbull nodded. "Yes, sir." He started to turn away and then paused before saying hesitantly as his face burning brick red, "There are...I thought it best to lay in some supplies to aid in Detective Vecchio's comfort after your arrival. They are in the top drawer of the occasional table to the right hand side of the bed. If you decide that you...have need of them."

"Understood." Fraser watched the younger man walk away and then called after him, "Renfield?" A genuine, grateful smile lit his face and he said warmly, "Really, I can't thank you enough."

Turnbull's face flooded with pleasure and his eyes danced as he said, "I'll lock up behind me, sir."

Fraser waited until he heard the heavy lock engage on the consulate front door before turning and heading into the Queen's bedroom and shutting and locking the door behind him, courteously ignoring Ray's startled flinch on the bed. His hands rose to his neck and he began the task of making himself more comfortable. "I felt your absence a great deal whilst I was in Toronto, Ray." With a sigh, Fraser pulled off his lanyard and tossed it down onto a low Queen Anne chair before starting on his serge jacket. "Both yourself and Diefenbaker. Of course I greatly appreciated Mrs Vecchio taking care of him while I was gone, but I couldn't help but feel resentful that I was being deprived of both your companies." He stood for a moment watching Ray still determinedly ignoring him on the bed and then sighed, "Let's see what we can do about making you more comfortable, shall we?"

He approached the bed slowly, lowering himself down beside Ray carefully and frowning as the other man flinched away from him as much as he was able. "Easy, Ray. It's alright." Fraser reached for the drawer that Turnbull had said held supplies and opened it, mostly expecting some alcohol wipes to help with the stickiness from the duct tape, perhaps a bottle of water and a few granola bars to stave off any late night hunger pangs. "I'll just get something...to...help...with..." Fraser stuttered to a halt and stared at the contents of the drawer...which unless Trojan or Astroglide now made really small and cunningly disguised sustenance bars most *definitely* did not hold what he had been expecting.

Fraser blinked, slammed the drawer shut and flicked a quick glance at Ray, still rigid on the bed. Supplies to aid in Detective Vecchio's comfort indeed!

Fraser shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trying to reduce the sudden unwelcome restriction in his pants and dared to ease the drawer open again to take a more careful look. His eyes skipped over the economy sized boxes of both condoms and lubrication -- good lord, just how virile did Turnbull think they *were* -- and then thankfully found some wet wipes. Fraser preferred not to dwell on what kind of cleansing Turnbull had probably included them for and scooped them out of the drawer to reveal a small, metal key lying beneath them.

"Ray, I have the key to your cuffs, just give me a moment and you'll be free." Fraser turned with a smile to his silent friend and then faltered as Ray finally showed signs of life, turning his head to glare defiantly, eyes full of the intent to bolt the moment he could. "Ray, I..." Fraser almost backed down when Ray's eyes widened with desperate, helpless rage, but then shook himself. This was too important to let Ray go now, he had to *know*, once and for all, if there was the chance of a future for them. Fraser held up the key so Ray could see it and then deliberately placed it down on top of the table and out of reach, ignoring the loud angry grunt from his friend. "Well, first things first. Let's see about getting that tape off your face. I imagine that it must be feeling quite uncomfortable by now."

Fraser gently reached out to hold Ray's face with one hand, while the finger of the others plucked carefully at the edges of the duct tape. "Alright, Ray, I think it might be best to..." Fraser yanked hard and the tape tore away from Ray's skin, prompting a yelp of pain. "There. Always best to get it over with quickly, I feel."

"Fraser, you let me go right the fuck *now*." Ray wasted no time in starting to yell and suddenly discovered a burning desire to go along with Stella's previously abhorrent relocation plan for him. " I don't know what kind of crazy, fucked up game you fucking Mounties are playing here, but I ain't interested, okay? I got places to be and fucking Turnbull's crazy-assed stunt has probably cost me my fucking *job* here."

"I doubt it will come to that, Ray." Fraser ignored the foul language and focused instead on the panicked look in Ray's blue eyes. "Now hold still and let me just clean you off a little." He smiled reassuringly as he took Ray's chin in a solid hold and swiped gently with the wet wipe in his other hand at the tacky surface of his skin. "There, doesn't that feel better?"

Ray spluttered under the cloth and tried to shake Fraser off. "Fraser, let me go, you freak! Get *off* me."

Fraser ignored Ray once again and carried on with gentle passes with the cloth until he was satisfied that the skin was clear of any residual glue. He carefully folded the wipe before placing it on a coaster on the table; mindful of the damage prolonged exposure to moisture could do to the antique wood, and then raised a hand to thumb at his eyebrow. "Ray, we have to talk."

"What? No we don't!" Ray tugged at his handcuffs again and grunted as all his muscles strained to free him. "Just stop kidding around and let me go, okay? We'll forget this ever happened, I'll tell Welsh it weren't your fault and we can just forget this ever happened."

"Ray!" Fraser waited until Ray's eyes met his and said softly, "Ray, it's too late for that. I can't forget about it. I'm sorry."

Ray closed his eyes, his face twisted with sudden pain. "Knew you'd say that." He breathed deeply and then looked up at Fraser, total agony in his eyes. "Look, you just let me go and I'll vanish, okay? I'll go home and call Stella and I'll figure something out and you won't ever have to see me again. I'll just...vanish."

Fraser couldn't bear to listen to the broken words any longer and reached out to stroke one shaking hand over Ray's hair. He smiled almost shyly as Ray raised startled eyes to his and said, "If that is meant to be an inducement to me letting you go then I feel bound to tell you that you are not succeeding."

Ray blinked. "What?"

"Ray," Fraser took all his considerable courage in his hands and leant forward to brush Ray's lips with his own. "Don't ask me to let you go. I would do anything else in the world for you, just not that."

"Fraser?" Suddenly uncertain, Ray's eyes rounded in his face. "Fraser, did you just kiss me?"

Fraser pulled back sharply and looked at Ray in concern. "Did you hit your head when Turnbull brought you here? He didn't mention anything, but..." Warm, capable fingers probed anxiously over Ray's skull. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Fraser!" Ray jerked his head away as best he could and glowered warningly at his friend, "Fraser, you *kissed* me."

"Yes." Fraser stopped trying to capture Ray's head again and instead propped his fists on either side of Ray's torso, tilting his head to the side as he said with some trepidation, "Was that alright?"

Ray gaped unattractively. "Uh, yeah?"

Fraser's eyes lit up. "Good." He bent down again and this time took Ray's mouth with intent, muttering, "I plan to do it a great deal from now on."

It was hot, wet, slightly clumsy -- and unbelievably frustrating when Ray tried to raise his arms to pull Fraser close and remained chained to the headboard -- but it was without doubt a kiss that meant the world to both of them and both men were panting through joyful smiles when they parted. Ray swallowed and licked his lips, chasing Fraser's taste. "So, uh, you okay? You had a good trip?"

Fraser nuzzled at Ray's cheek, saying quietly, "I spent the entire time thinking of you and wishing you were with me. What about you?"

Ray sighed at the soft touch of lips on his face and closed his eyes in blissful disbelief that Fraser was touching him that way. "Yeah. Me too. Thinking about you, I mean. It, uh, kinda sucked when Stella tried to pull that shit earlier, but Turnbull kinda came through and, okay, so it was no fun getting carried down my fire escape in my jammies and shoved in a goddamned *cab* to ride over here, but I figure that it worked out alright, so I should just let it go maybe?"

Fraser smiled against Ray's jaw as he nibbled gently and whispered, "I think that's an excellent idea." He risked a glance from under his lashes at where Ray's wrists were cuffed and his eyebrows rose when he realized that the handcuffs in question weren't actually Ray's own standard police issue, but a rather subtle pair padded in what looked like black leather. Goodness, Turnbull really had thought of *everything* regarding Ray's comfort, hadn't he?

Then he hastily chased away the curiously unwelcome thought as to *how* Turnbull had managed to get his hands on a pair of padded handcuffs at gone midnight on a Friday evening. There were some mysteries that should *forever* remain unanswered.

"Ray," Fraser closed his eyes as Ray arched helplessly to his lips and said urgently, "Ray, have you done this before? With a man, I mean?"

Ray fought to uncross his eyes and drag his mind back north of his waistband. "What? Uh, no, but God I *want* to, Fraser. I really want to, okay? Just *anything*, alright? This is great. *Greatness*."

Fraser shuddered at the blatant desire evident in Ray's husky voice and pressed one last kiss to his neck before sitting up and reaching quietly for the drawer of Turnbull's supplies. "Alright." He smiled down at Ray. "Whatever you want, Ray." Supplies found, he placed them within easy reach on the table and deliberately ignored the keys to the cuffs still lying there to turn back to Ray and place his hand on a warm, muscled shoulder in reassuring caress. "This is going to be good."

Ray's eyes flickered to the key and then back to Fraser before nodding in wordless permission. "Yeah. It is." He sighed as Fraser slowly raised the hem of his shirt and pushed it up as far as it could go under his armpits. "It really, *really* is."

Fraser watched as his fingertips drifted lightly across the bared skin of Ray's torso and belly, smiling as the muscles beneath quivered at the light touch. "So beautiful." He glanced up and met Ray's wide eyes as the other man shook his head in automatic denial and his smile blossomed. "Oh yes, Ray. Quite beautiful." He lowered his eyes to watch his fingers stroke once more over Ray's skin and murmured, "When Turnbull opened that door tonight I thought you were the most beautiful thing I had seen in quite some time."

Ray tried to think past the ridiculously innocent touch that was making him think things no self-respecting partner to a Mountie should *ever* think and then had to bite back a sappy grin because now he *was* allowed to think those dirty, filthy thoughts and wasn't that the best fucking thing *ever*! Ray twitched as the maddening finger skirted his navel and swallowed to lubricate his dry throat. "Fraser, come on, stop kiddin' around. We're guys. Guys ain't beautiful. We're, uh..." He trailed off as Fraser started to trace the outline of one lean hip. "We're, uh...*Fraser*!"

Fraser hooked one finger in the soft material of Ray's sleep pants and dragged it slowly down until one hip and the barest hint of darker blond hair was revealed on Ray's lower belly. His eyes darkened as his maddening finger danced across the newly revealed skin and traced the edge of the hair reverently. "Yes, Ray?" His tongue darted out to flicker at his lower lip as he saw the bulge at the juncture of Ray's thighs twitch restlessly. His hand moved slowly across Ray's belly until he came to the other hip and then his fingers were slipping beneath the cloth and slowly easing that down until the other hip was revealed and the pants lay in tempting folds at the very top of Ray's groin.

Fraser's face flushed as he watched the bulge under the cotton twitch once again, the hard tip of Ray's arousal pushing desperately at the confining waistband of his pants and he placed the palm of his big, hot hand down on the contours he could see so clearly outlined. "Ray, I..." He swallowed hard as Ray gasped and pushed mindlessly up into his touch and said hoarsely, "Ray, I have to take them down now. I have to *see*, I'm sorry, I..."

Ray pulled against his bonds and moaned as he felt himself caught between his bound wrists and the heavy hand so gently cradling his groin. "Frase, please. Cm'on, you gotta..." His eyes widened as the heat of Fraser's hand suddenly left him and then the cotton was lifted quickly up and away, only to be pulled down to the middle of his thighs and settled there. "*Jesus*!" He blinked rapidly as he tried to focus on Fraser's face and then found himself turning his head away when the naked, helpless emotion displayed there made more than his groin ache with awareness.

"*Ah*." The quiet hiss of satisfaction echoed though the Queen's bedroom as Fraser let the elastic waistband snap down onto it's new resting place on Ray's thighs and his breath caught at the picture his partner made, lying so helplessly wanton on the bed. Unable to stop himself, Fraser began tracing patterns on Ray's skin once more even as his eyes feasted on the body he had bared.

Stretched taut, his hands still chained above his head and vest pushed up to reveal flat, brown nipples, every muscle on Ray's torso was thrown into stark relief as he shivered under Fraser's hungry gaze. He was all smooth line and hard planes; even the expected curve on the underside of his flanks where his naked buttocks moved against the coverlet was minimal. There was no spare flesh anywhere on him and Fraser found himself unexpectedly tender in the midst of his hungry lust for his partner. He smiled softly as he let his hand trail over the skin of one sparsely haired thigh. "You look..." The hand slipped between Ray's thighs and cupped him gently as he moaned low in his throat and spread his legs as much as the confining material of his pants allowed. "Stunning."

Ray fought to think past the light touches that were driving him insane and the niggling voice at the back of his mind that kept insisting that he didn't so much look stunning more completely fucking *stupid* with his top rucked up and his pants twisted around his thighs as he was chained to a bed while his partner groped him. "You don't need to sweet-talk me here, Frase, I'm pretty much a sure...*CHRIST*!" His back arched off the bed as Fraser dipped his head and licked one, wet stripe from the base to the tip of his cock.

"If you don't have anything pleasant to say, Ray, then please don't say anything at all." Fraser's hand covered where his tongue had just been and he began to gently palpitate and stroke the hot flesh in his hand with measured intent. "We've waited too long for this and I refuse for it to be made into something casual and unimportant by something as trivial as a few disparities in how we each see you." The hand not currently driving Ray out of his increasingly beleaguered mind glided over Ray's twitching, heaving belly and began to lightly skim around one nipple. "As I seem to be the one in the optimum position for viewing you at this moment in time, I'm afraid you really are going to have to trust my judgment and resolve to believe that there is no sight I would find more erotic or enchanting than you on this bed, responding to me so...eagerly."

Ray blinked dazedly up at the ceiling and absently noted that Fraser was the only man on the planet that could make dirty talk sound so much like an official report.

Fraser eyed the rather stunned look on his new lover's face with satisfaction and bent over Ray to whisper in his ear, "Partners, Ray. We're partners and partners do not lie to each other. You. Are. Exquisite."

The last three words were accompanied by three equally emphatic and firm twists of Fraser's hand and Ray cried out as the stimulation proved too much and he came all over his belly and Fraser's fingers. Ray gasped for breath as Fraser gentled him, dropping light kisses along his hair line, around his ear, ghosting over his open mouth and then finally along his jaw to the juncture of neck and shoulder where the light oral caresses turned into something a little sharper and he found himself shuddering as Fraser's teeth worried at his skin.

"There," Fraser pulled back eventually, looking down at Ray with contentment, evidently satisfied by whatever he'd done to Ray's pale skin as he said in a firm voice that brooked no disagreement, "*Beautiful*."

And Ray, despite being half-unconscious with sated lust and covered in his own come, looked into Fraser's dancing blue eyes and saw that he was.

He nodded, licking his dry lips and said hoarsely, "What about..." He tried to move his head to catch a glimpse of Fraser's lap and said with a ridiculous blush considering he'd not five minutes ago been coming all over his partner, "You, uh, didn't, you..."

Fraser smiled warmly and dropped a kiss on Ray's mouth. "No. I didn't." He stood up from the bed and looked vaguely puzzled as he stared at his sticky hand before giving a *most* un-Mountie like shrug and wiping the mess on his shirt. "But I'm going to." He kept his eyes fixed on Ray as he efficiently pulled down his suspenders and then yanked his shirt over his head to display what seemed to Ray to be acres of muscled, white chest. Fraser found himself gratified by the open desire that shone from Ray's eyes as he took his first look at what was usually so well covered by the serge and he smiled as he briskly used his soiled shirt to mop up the mess cooling on Ray's belly. That task done he dropped the shirt carelessly on the floor and brought one foot up to rest on the edge of the bed as he began to unlace his boots.

Ray forced himself not to lose all dignity and beg to the lick the shiny leather and instead rattled his cuffs against the wooden headboard. "Hey, Fraser, you, ah, gonna let me go here? Maybe get a little recp...recep...maybe let me do a little touching of my own now?"

The boot went flying over Fraser's shoulder and he switched feet to start on the other one. He smiled cheerfully down at Ray. "Oh I don't think so. Not just at the moment." Boot number two went airborne and thumped to the floor somewhere near the door. Hot eyes raked Ray from head to toe as socks, pumpkin pants and alarmingly white underwear scattered around the room and then Fraser was crawling onto the bed and over Ray, whispering hotly, "I think the only adjustment I need to make to your current position is *this*." A good grip was taken on Ray's sleep pants and they were yanked off his legs and tossed after Fraser's clothes to the floor. "Ah, yes, *much* better."

Ray was fairly sure he should be thinking up some pretty outraged and macho protests right about now concerning the indignities and arrogance of Fraser blithely assuming he'd be happy to stay chained on his back, vulnerable to whatever Fraser wanted to do to him, but unfortunately all he could come up with was a rather weak, 'Guh!' when his brain shorted out at the sight of naked Fraser looming over him and eyeing him like a big jar of jerky. Because...*Fraser*. Naked!

Fraser shifted position so he knelt just past center on the bed at Ray's side and then reached out with a reassuring smile. "Now, if you would be so good as too..." Gentle hands guided Ray over onto his belly and then checked to make sure the cuffs hadn't twisted beyond bearing and were cutting into tender skin. "Yes. That's right. That's..." Fraser swept a large, trembling hand from the nape of Ray's neck to the base of his spine in a rough caress. "*Wonderful*."

Ray blinked stupidly into his pillow and wished fervently he'd checked his butt for pimples in the shower earlier, because, really, he felt enough like the turkey at Thanksgiving as it was in this new, unfamiliar position and the thought that he was lying here waiting to be stuffed with *zits* on his ass was... "*FRASER*!"

Ray's shocked shout echoed around the room and Fraser lifted his head from between the cheeks he'd just separated and licked between to say reprovingly, "Ray, when we are together like this, I would like for you to call me Ben." He dipped his head and licked again as Ray yelped and wriggled helplessly under his tongue. "Do you understand?"

"I..." Ray's head tossed on the pillow and he bit down as a warm, wet tongue traced around his opening and then pressed down hard for a moment as though he were being branded. "Yeah, I...you gotta..."

"Good." Fraser's mouth sucked in a wet, messy kiss as Ray twitched under him and then he whispered, "Then let me hear you say it."

It took some time for Ray to oblige, mainly because the only sounds he was capable of making for a good long while were some absolutely humiliating whimpers and moans that Fraser seemed to take as some kind of bizarre challenge as he held him pinned to the bed, spread wide open and powerless before the oral assault on his body.

Ray twisted as much as he could against the firm hands pushing his buttocks apart and holding him down, but he was unsure whether he was trying to get away from the seductive torture or closer. Fraser's tongue seemed to be relentless. One minute jabbing wetly against the flexing muscle of Ray's opening, the next laving him with soothing strokes and tender caresses as his fingers petted the shivering muscles of his backside. The torturous tongue danced in and out of Ray's body, *owning* him in a way that had nothing to do with the strong hands and chains holding him immobile and Ray began to seriously doubt he'd live through the night when Fraser evidently decided that he wasn't quite being all he could be and upped the ante to include a gentle nibbling of teeth at the puckered skin and quite effectively blew the last of what was left of Ray's mind.

"*God*! Fra...Ben, *please*. Oh fuck. Oh Christ." Ray threw his legs as widely apart as he could and tried desperately to press himself back against Fraser's mouth as the tongue and teeth worked a deadly one-two combination on his self-control and left him nothing more than a shameless, needy mass of nerve endings on the bed. "Ben. *Ben*! Your name's *Ben*."

Fraser's heart stuttered at the desperate cry and he hummed his delight at Ray's capitulation against his skin.

Ray yelled at the added simulation and began to babble frantically, "Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben! Oh God. Please...I...Ben!"

Fraser pressed a last, lingering kiss against the twitching flesh and then slithered up Ray's back to press against him, pressing his own arousal in between Ray's cheeks as he nibbled at the nape of the neck bared so temptingly before him. "What do you want, Ray?"

Ray tried to turn his head to look at Fraser, but was incapable of doing more than twitching weakly and trying to focus on the pillow under his head. "That...you..." He gasped as Fraser rolled his hips in insistent encouragement against him and confessed hoarsely, "No one's ever...I ain't had that done to me before."

Fraser shifted his weight and slipped one hand up to twine his fingers with Ray's cuffed hands and slipped the other down to palm one firm buttock. "You liked it?" He shuddered at Ray's emphatic nod and said quietly, "There's so much more, Ray. It can be so much better. Will you let me show you?" He pressed hard against Ray once more and felt the shiver run right the way through the long body beneath his. "If you want to stop..."

"No!" Ray shook his head and pressed back hard against the warm hardness he could feel making his skin damp. "No, I don't want to stop. Just...*Jesus*, Ben."

"I know, I know." Fraser pressed kisses over Ray's shoulder as he reached for the tube of lubrication on the side table and whispered, "Just trust me, Ray. This will be so pleasurable for you if you trust me." He kissed Ray's shoulder one more time and then rolled away, blinking at the sound of protest from his partner. "It's alright. I just need to...for this first time I must have all my concentration and you're very distracting."

"Okay, okay." Ray drew in a deep breath and tried to force himself to come down off the high from Fraser's oral loving. "We're good. This is all good."

"Yes." Fraser carefully smoothed cool lotion over one finger and stroked Ray's flank soothingly. "This is good." He kept up a meaningless flow of soothing words as he stroked and petted Ray's body, trying to keep a hold of himself as he stared at the loose abandonment in the long limbs as Ray waited for whatever came next. This trusting, open sprawl was more than he'd ever let himself dare hope for, even in his most private fantasies, and Fraser was terrified that the one time in his life he needed his famously iron control it would desert him and leave him rutting at Ray as little better than a wild animal. Slowly, his lubed finger trailed down the crevice that separated Ray's buttocks and then stopped to trail in delicate circles over the puckered skin. "Ray, you may feel a little..."

Ray kissed goodbye to the last of his dignity and raised his hips pleadingly. "Ben, cm'on, I'm *dyin'* here. Just do..." He yelped and his eyes crossed as the finger stopped tormenting him and moved to push inside. "Oh man. Oh...*man*." The finger advanced and Ray shifted as a not altogether pleasant burning sensation started to rapidly overcome the expectant heat that he had been enjoying.

"It's alright, Ray." Fraser watched as his finger sank into Ray's body and bit his lip at the leap of reaction in his groin. "It's alright. Just relax. The feeling will pass." He turned his finger in Ray's body and then began a slow in and out movement that had Ray lifting his hips and moaning quietly as his buttocks flexed in time with Fraser's rhythm. "That's it." Fraser continued to work his finger until he felt the drag of the skin against him increase as the lubrication dispersed and then eased his hand away, absently stroking Ray's side as he muttered in annoyance at the withdrawal. "It's alright." More lube was squeezed out and then Fraser looked back at the slightly stretched opening and swallowed hard. "My God, if you had any idea how you look right now." He bent to place a soft kiss on each of Ray's buttocks as he lined up two fingers and pressed back inside. "I love you very dearly, Ray."

Ray made a conscious effort to concentrate all his awareness on the sensations in his ass and adopt Dief's selective deafness until this was all over, because between Fraser opening him so slowly and carefully and spontaneous declarations of love it was very nearly all she wrote when Fraser breathed those heartfelt words over his skin.

Then he added a mental footnote that he *never* thought about Dief when he was in bed with Fraser again because that was just too fucking freaky for *words*.

Fraser, unaware that Ray was determinedly no longer listening to him in sheer self -defense, carried on whispering as his fingers twisted and turned inside his partner. "I never thought, never *dreamed* that this could be possible. I want to give you so much, I've felt so lonely, so disconnected..." His fingers reached just a little bit higher and moved a little more firmly and Ray bucked and moaned as Fraser found the place that made male to male loving such a worthwhile experience. "Yes, that's it, just relax, Ray. Does it feel good?" He twisted his fingers once more and Ray yelped on cue and then began to rub frantically at the coverlet beneath him. "Oh *yes*." Fraser withdrew his fingers and kissed once more at Ray's backside. "Just a little more, Ray." He reapplied the lube and this time came back with three fingers, drawing distracting patterns over Ray's shivering buttocks as the other man groaned uncertainly at the increased pressure. "It's alright, you can do this, Ray. It's going to feel wonderful..."

Ray's eagerness was deflating somewhat as his ass stretched almost uncomfortably, but just as he was gathering himself to protest, maybe call the whole thing off for a couple of minutes and really *think* about whether he really wanted to see where all this was going. Fraser pushed, twisted and rubbed and he got the same rush he always got when he followed Fraser to where he was uncertain they belonged and all that came out of his mouth was... "Now! Ben, now! *Jesus*, this is...Just *now*, okay?"

Fraser nodded even though Ray couldn't possibly see him and pulled his hand slowly away, giving one last pass over the raised nub inside that had Ray almost squealing in reaction. "Of course." He reached for a condom and ripped open the packet to smooth it on, forcing himself to ignore the touch on his desperate skin and focusing on Ray jerking his hips mindlessly against the bed. More lubrication was smeared liberally over the latex and then Fraser eased himself between Ray's widespread thighs and reached down to position himself at the lube slick entrance to Ray's body. "You need to take a deep breath and relax for me, Ray." His breath caught as the tip of his erection caught and held the pucker between Ray's cheeks and he felt the muscle give slightly. "I'll go slowly, but..." He trailed off and watched greedily as Ray's body gave before his and slowly but surely he began to sink inside. "Ray, so...good..."

"Oh God." Ray shifted in sudden uneasiness as he felt himself forced open, unable to stop the steady press of Fraser's body into his and he gasped as he felt the delicate skin inside pushed apart to make way for the intruder, his body not his own as the lubrication made the way easy for something that was a *lot* harder and bigger than Fraser's fingers. "Oh *God*."

Fraser felt like he was not in command of his own body, like he was watching this mating happen to someone else as his hips moved with tiny jerks into Ray's heat. He bit his lip hard as Ray's body opened to him and more and more of his length disappeared inside and then finally he was left staring down the length of their bodies to where they joined and his pubic hair was crushed against Ray's buttocks. A stifled sound brought his attention from where they were joined to Ray's face and he lowered himself carefully along the sweating back beneath him to press his cheek softly to Ray's as he lay with his head turned to one side and his eyes firmly closed. "It's alright, I won't move until you tell me too." Fraser closed his own eyes and whispered, "This feels so good, Ray. *You* feel so good. I can feel you all around me and it's so much better than I imagined."

Ray's eyelids fluttered as he felt himself begin to relax around the unfamiliar hardness and he pressed experimentally back against Fraser. "You thought about this? About *us* like this?" He moved back again, pushing more firmly against Fraser's weight and grinned fiendishly as he commanded, "Tell me what you thought about."

"I..." Fraser groaned as Ray moved again and shivered as he felt the pull and drag of flesh against his own. "I thought about being inside you, you being inside *me* and..." He levered himself up on his hands and braced himself as he looked down their bodies once more and watched the base of his penis separate from Ray's body. "I thought of watching myself push inside you, finally being able to reveal my true feelings..." His hips rolled without conscious thought and he sank back into Ray with a heartfelt moan. "The feeling of your naked skin pressed against mine, the sounds you might make as I touched you, the..."

"Ben?" Ray's breathless voice cut through Fraser's husky monologue and he raised his hips in invitation as he hissed, "I think...I think that I need you to move now." He squeezed his eyes shut as Fraser stilled and said desperately, "Kinda like you been doin', but, just, more, okay? The talkin's good, but a little less conversation and a little more action, okay?"

Fraser tilted his head back and stared blindly at the ceiling as he muttered, "Oh thank *God*." His arms tensed and he pushed strongly forwards, his head dropping down to press against the back of Ray's skull. "*Thank God*." His hips snapped back and then forward again, Ray's encouraging grunt music to his ears. "Ray, you have no idea..."

Ray's toes curled as Fraser's next thrust passed over his prostate and he shivered in reaction. "Think...I...might."

Fraser felt the first trickle of exertion roll down between his shoulders and increased the pace of his thrusts, hopelessly ensnared in the steady rhythm they had found. "Ray, I..." He forced himself to slow and lowered his body, one arm braced to take all his weight as his other hand curled over Ray's hip and encouraged him to follow his motion back. "Come back, press against me." Fraser groaned as Ray rolled until they lay spooned together and he slipped just a little further inside. He curled one arm up and around Ray's neck and upper torso, pulling him close even as his other hand cupped his erection and began to stroke firmly. "Now, just let go, Ray. Let me do all the work."

Ray cried out as Fraser's thigh slipped between his legs and held him wide open as powerful thrusts began in earnest, but he was left with no recourse but to accept the pounding as Fraser's arm tightened around his chest and the hand stroking him worked him without mercy or pity. The pressure inside him was intense, made even more overpowering because of the pressure at his wrists, reminding him with each powerful stroke that he could do nothing to stop this, that he didn't *want* to stop this. Ray wanted to give Fraser everything he had and -- for possibly the first time ever -- Ray had found someone that *wanted* everything Ray had and wouldn't stop until he got it.

Stroke after stroke powered into him, Fraser's breath coming in harsh pants in his ear as Ray moaned and shuddered in the strong grip and willingly let himself be torn apart and remade as between Fraser's hand and cock he shouted once, twice and came hard all over the Queen's bedspread.

Fraser's control finally broke as he felt Ray contract around him and he shouted wordlessly as he plunged back and forth, his groin smacking hard against Ray with every thrust, holding him immobile as he mindlessly took his own pleasure and then finally feeling the flash fire in his groin that signaled the beginning of the end. He held Ray impossibly tighter as he ground against him and then froze as his release washed over him and he pulsed over and over inside his lover.

For long moments they lay there, gasping and shuddering against each other, before Fraser felt himself begin to soften and he reluctantly shifted to reach down and grasp the base of the condom to hold it in place as he eased from Ray. He pressed a kiss to Ray's shoulder at the quiet hiss of discomfort and whispered, "Just stay still for a moment. I have to make sure I did no harm." He disposed of the condom with a grimace, wrapping it in the discarded wipe that had earlier cleaned Ray's face and then carefully pulled Ray's buttocks apart and examined the skin there. "Just a little swollen." He pressed a kiss to the reddened skin and then sat up and reached for the key to the cuffs. "Here." A quiet snick and Ray was moaning again as his numb arms were released.

Fraser helped his lover roll onto his back and then quickly and efficiently tugged the soiled bedspread out from under him and freed the blankets, pulled Ray's vest over his head and then began to rub his leaden arms. "Ray, are you alright?"

An expression of peace unlike any Fraser had ever seen before crept over Ray's face as he smiled and said, "Oh *yeah*." He focused bleary eyes on Fraser's face and said seriously, "I can't remember whether I said it before, what with the whole screwing my brains out thing, but I love you, okay? I didn't want to leave you."

Fraser nodded. "Understood." He let go of Ray's arms and lay down beside him, tugging the bedcovers up and over them, and then turning Ray so he could spoon up tightly behind him and wrap his arms around him. "Sleep now. We'll sort everything else out in the morning."

"Okay." Ray snuggled back and relaxed into the mattress. "We stayin' here all night?"

"Yes." Fraser brushed a kiss over the nape of Ray's neck and said again, "Sleep." He lay listening to the sound of Ray's breathing evening out and then, just as he drifted off himself; he made a note to talk to Inspector Thatcher some kind of formal commendation for Turnbull. The junior Mountie may not be everyone's cup of bark tea, but when push came to shove there was truly no better man to have in your corner. Fraser's lips curled into a smile as he pulled Ray closer and he whispered, "Thank you, Renfield. For *everything*."

~*~*~*

The End.