Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, I just play with 'em and hand 'em back, none the worse for wear.

Author's Notes: Many thanks to everyone who posted comments or sent emails, I had no idea you all were enjoying this so much! I got positively mushy about it. Posted this a day late, my poor computer caught a virus (ugh!) and I had to send it to my tech support guy to steam-clean it's little hard drive.

Story Notes: Highlander/due South crossover, with a cameo here and there from Hellboy, and a few other cameos the sharp-eyed might spot.

SequelTo: Geometry: Chapter 12, Hunting Party

"Fuck, Frase, I hate moving!" Ray dumped the fifty-pound bag of Dief's kibble in the middle of the kitchen floor. He wasn't hauling it another inch. He and Frase had been moving all morning and afternoon, and Ray ached in places he barely remembered having. The apartment was full of cardboard boxes and assorted things too awkward to pack, like his bike and neon clock, and if it weren't for the spaciousness of the place, there wouldn't even be room to move. Ray couldn't believe he'd been worried about them not having enough stuff to fill up the apartment. The thought of all the unpacking made him quail. Packing had been bad enough.

Exhausted, Ray flopped down on their new couch and wished desperately for a beer. "Aw, shit, Frase, we forgot beer!"

In the kitchen unpacking Ray's cow-patterned dishes, Fraser forbore to lecture his partner about his language. The temperature soared to over a hundred again today, and Chicago was having a genuine heat emergency. With his higher body temperature and subcutaneous fat layer, Ray flatly forbade Fraser hauling boxes, grumbling he was not nursing his partner through a case of heatstroke, and assigned him unpacking duty instead. That meant Ray had done all the heavy lifting and carrying in this brutal heat, and even with the help of the freight elevator and a couple of moving dollies, his t-shirt and denim cutoffs were soaked with sweat and his wildly spiked hair was a wilted wreck.

It would have been worse, but after they'd got to the wharf with the rental truck, Dief greeted them enthusiastically, took off and showed back up twenty minutes later with a dozen of Marina's student tenants, Theresa leading the way, and between the kids they'd gotten the rental truck emptied out in short order. Theresa even offered to take the truck back. Ray slipped her a couple of fifties for the group in fervent gratitude and promised to fix her next traffic ticket. She grinned and took off with a lanky boy with spiked hair so similar to his it made Ray chuckle.

The stuff they'd picked out Saturday had been delivered, the mattresses and frames, Fraser's nightstands, the new couch, and the polished brass coat rack Fraser mysteriously took a liking to at the furniture store. Ray didn't mind; it made a handy place to hang his shoulder holster. The apartment might be a mess, but at least it wasn't as bare as Ray feared. And the air conditioning worked great.

He looked over at Dief, sprawled in the floor in front of the AC vent. "Ya suppose the Doc would spot me a beer, Dief?"

Dief raised his head and yipped once. Really, since Theresa clued him in about the yes-and-no trick the folks around the wharf used to talk to the big wolf, it made things a lot easier even if Ray didn't speak wolf.

The wolf heaved himself to his feet, trotted over to the door in the living room wall that didn't seem to go anywhere and barked twice. Frase and Ray exchanged startled glances as the lock popped and the door opened slightly. Dief nosed it open and disappeared through it. Ray got up, shoved his way past several boxes and his bike, and pushed the door open, looking through.

"Hey, Frase, this goes right inta Mina's apartment. It's that door by her bookcases. I thought it was a coat closet."

Fraser came around the breakfast bar and stood beside Ray, looking through the open door. "I don't think we should be in Doctor MacLeod's apartment without an invitation, Ray," he said dubiously.

Sweaty, sticky and frazzled, Ray looked exasperated at Fraser's doubts. "We're sleepin' with 'er, Frase. I think we're kinda past the by-invitation-only stage. If she didn't want us using th' damn door, she'd a taken it out. And fer cryin' out loud, she'd be pissed if she heard ya call her 'Doctor MacLeod' again, so quit it."

Still, Ray stuck his head through the door and called Marina's name before ducking in and making a beeline for her fridge. The remains of the six-pack were still there, and Ray was enormously pleased to see her fridge actually had food in it. Granted, it was probably for feeding him, Frase and Dief, but they'd make sure she ate her share, too.

He snagged two beers, lost a short battle with temptation and grabbed a third. Taking the last one would be lame, so he left it. Ray trotted back to their place but left the door open, as Dief disappeared off someplace in the back. He made a mental note to ask Mina for the full tour now that they were living here; his internal cop radar hated not knowing the layout of a place he hung out in frequently. He flopped back down on their new couch and handed Fraser a beer.

"To our new home. And don't give me any flack about drinkin' it. It's ceremonial."

"As you wish, Ray," Fraser said dryly, popping the cap. And tapped his bottle against Ray's. "To our new home."

Dief came trotting back, his tail waving happily, and flopped back down in front of the AC vent.

"Where've ya been? Ah, never mind." Ray got up, went into the kitchen and fished a donut bag out of the otherwise-empty fridge, and opening the bag as he flopped back down on the couch, tossed Dief a jelly donut.

"Ray, " Fraser said reproachfully.

"Hey, he gets ta celebrate our new place too, buddy. No fair otherwise."

"I suppose it does qualify as a special occasion," Fraser admitted.

"Greatness. Jeez, Frase, I'd kill for a swim, but the shore's wall-to-wall with bodies and we'd probably have to arrest somebody for a parking space."

Dief finished nibbling down the donut in his usual prissy style and licking his chops, rumbled amiably in his throat.

Whatever the wolf said startled Fraser a trifle but he took another sip of beer and translated obligingly.

"Diefenbaker says you can have a swim here if you like, Ray. Apparently the building has a small pool on this floor."

Ray perked up considerably. "No kidding? Terrific!" He collapsed back on the couch. "Aw hell, I couldn't tell ya where the boxes with my clothes are. Hey, Dief, anybody mind if I swim in my cutoffs?"

Dief yipped twice before climbing back to his feet and standing by the door that led to Mina's apartment.

"That way?" Ray shrugged. "Must be a short cut. C'mon, Frase."

"One moment, Ray." Fraser disappeared into his bedroom and came back out with two towels slung over his shoulder. "I unpacked the bathroom boxes first," he explained.

"Don't hear me complainin', do ya? Let's go. Lead th' way, Dief."

The wolf trotted off down that curving hallway that led past Marina's bedroom and Ray indulged himself a little by peeking into the open doors in daylight. Another library, much larger than the small one off her bedroom; an office or maybe it was a den, with a dual computer setup and a drafting table; a large studio crammed with paints, canvases, a loom, two big worktables, and several things Ray couldn't even identify; that Japanese dojo she'd been dancing in; a music room complete with baby grand, sweet, he'd have to ask Mina to play for them, he adored live music; a laundry room and two bedrooms that were obviously guest rooms.

"Jeez, Fraser, bet ya could fit a whole one of yer Inuit villages in here."

"Marina did mention she indulged herself 'disgracefully' when she renovated the apartment, Ray. Perhaps this is what she meant."

"Yeah, I guess. Wonder how she got the owner ta agree ta all this?"

"I would hypothesize it relates to her being the owner in addition to the landlord, Ray."

Ray chuckled, telling Fraser he'd been baited and fallen for it. "Figure that out too, didja?"

"Indeed. Why do you suppose she is so reluctant to tell us?"

"Gun-shy, I guess. She's petrified of scarin' us off, in case ya hadn't noticed."

"I had, in fact, observed that phenomenon, Ray. What do suppose is the causative motivation?"

"Dunno, but we ain't askin'. That's pushin' an' we ain't gonna do that. She'll tell us when she's ready an' we're not givin' her any shit about it 'til then."

"Understood."

They reached the last door in the hallway, like all the others pushed wide open, but Fraser caught the scent of water in heavy concentration. Dief trotted through and yipped the special bark Ray was coming to recognize as his way of greeting Marina.

A weary groan was his answer. "Whatever it is, love, I'm too wrecked. Why in hell did I agree to do a grade school lecture presentation? It's like trying to herd cats getting all those kids organized! Next time I do something so stupid, bite me on the ass!"

"Can I do it instead?" Ray said with a lecherous leer, peeking through the open door. What a weird old place, this relic of a pool obviously hadn't been renovated the way the rest of the building had, but he could almost see why, it was way cool in an Egyptian retro style. It looked like something from a "Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile" movie set. And with Marina floating in the water by the pool's edge -completely nude, that was a pretty great surprise right there- heck, what was not to like?

"Ray? C'mon in! Is Ben with you? How did moving go?"

Damn, but Ray loved the way Mina always sounded so glad to see him and Frase. It warmed his heart every time. He strolled over to the edge, sat down on the pale marble tiles by her head, leaned over and snagged a wet kiss before he started unlacing his sneakers.

"Coulda used your help," Ray teased, pulling a sneaker off, stuffing a sweaty sock in it and tossing it over by the tiled bench before starting on the next one.

Diefenbaker sprawled out on the cool marble and promptly went to sleep.

Marina wrinkled up her nose at Ray's teasing but blew Fraser a kiss. He was much less demonstrative than Ray, and his slight reserve always made her want to tackle him and smother him in kisses until he smiled, that sudden, shining, light-up-the-whole-room grin both she and Ray were utterly dotty about.

"I was gonna come over, but I ran into Theresa on the way to take the truck back and she said you'd finished. Come have a swim and cool off. I knocked on your door earlier but nobody was home."

"We were grabbing the last of Ben's stuff from the Consulate. He forgot Dief's bag a' kibble and heartworm pills. You send Theresa and the kids over with Dief?" Ray peeled his sweat-soaked t-shirt off and dropped it on the tile with a wet splat.

Marina nodded; wet hair drifting around her head like pale seaweed as she floated in the water. "Yeah, they're my scholarship students. Told 'em this was their community service for the month. Helping the local law enforcement."

"You didn't have to do that," Fraser said reproachfully.

She rolled her eyes. "Didn't cost me anything I wasn't already giving away, Ben. You guys needed the help, and I felt bad not being able to pitch in 'cause I had that wretched lecture today," she explained. "And it didn't do the kids any harm to help out, either. Good for them."

Fraser struggled to find a way to argue with her comment and gave up. Marina had learned his weak spots about honor and duty from Ray and wasn't above using them -on occasion- to get her way. He sat down on the tiled bench and took a good look around as he unlaced his sneakers. What an unusual place. The pool itself wasn't very large, about 25' by 40', perhaps fifteen feet deep, in a kidney-shape. He could take perhaps three or four good strokes, but it certainly sufficed to break the torrid, sticky heat.

This place had to be a relic from America's Roaring Twenties period, and it was oddly soothing in some mysterious way. Fraser was fascinated- what was it about this place? It had been built in an Egyptian-replica style very popular back then, and was almost perfectly preserved. The pool was lined in mosaic tile; and lotus flowers and papyrus reeds, separated by abstract patterns centered around ankhs and ibises, reflected the dim light shimmering off the water. The bottom of the pool was an immense Eye of Horus. The entire place soothed him on a visceral level.

It wasn't air-conditioned, even though there was a definite breeze flowing from Marina's apartment through the open door, but it was oddly cool anyway. Pale tan marble floor tiles and the dim, ancient skylights high overhead probably contributed to the cooling effect, and thick, wildly overgrown foliage spilled out of huge old ceramic Egyptian-style jardinieres, dense and green and soothing. The walls were covered with painted murals, depicting scenes copied from the walls of half a dozen different tombs; a bevy of scantily-clad temple dancers, a hunting party on the Nile, an entire ceremonial procession -Fraser hastily averted his eyes from the one depicting what suspiciously resembled an orgy- and lotus-style pillars supported the vaulted ceiling.

Returning his gaze to the pool made Fraser's mouth go dry. Inspired by Marina's unclad state, Ray tossed his cutoffs aside with his sneakers and was standing at the side of the pool stretching lazily. Dear Lord, but his partner was beautiful, sleek, sinewy and that gold-tinted skin stretched over lean muscle always made him think of bronze statuary.

Ray always gave him a sidelong disbelieving glance whenever Fraser complimented him on his appearance, despite his rigid policy of personal honesty; but since he and Marina started teaming up on bolstering Ray's shattered self-image, he seemed more willing to listen. Yet another way she had brought him and his partner closer together. The rush of love he felt caught Fraser off guard and he pulled off his sneakers, socks and t-shirt, braced his chin on his hands and just watched them playing together for a moment.

Marina sculled back in the water, supple and graceful as a dolphin, and after observing her yesterday at the lake and again today, Fraser fancied she was a much better swimmer than both he and Ray. Fraser himself was competent, and rather thought he might even be stronger in the water, but she was at home in it. Ray was watching her too, and his approval was being made plain in unmistakably clear fashion.

"Is that a weapon you're carrying, detective, or are you just glad to see me?" Marina teased.

"Come and find out!" Far from blushing, Ray leered comically, backed up a few steps and cannonballed right into the pool, surfacing a few feet away and paddling after Marina.

She laughed, slipped under the surface and was gone, a slim shape flowing through the water like it was her natural element. Ray spun around in the water, struggling to keep her in sight but the ripples in the water made her difficult to track.

"Dang, Frase, where'd she go?"

Fraser chuckled. "She's underneath you, Ray!"

Ray yelped and went under as Marina tickled his feet, then came back up spluttering. "Jeez, Fraser, yer partner needs help here! So get yer tail in th' water and help!"

Mina surfaced clear on the other side of the pool and batted her lashes at Ray.

"Catch me and I'll give you kisses," she called enticingly and Ray's expression sharpened with determination.

"I'll take more'n that if I catch ya," he threatened.

"Promises, promises," she said airily, waving a dismissive hand. "You have to catch me first!" She dove back under the water and Ray frantically motioned to Fraser to bracket her between them.

Fraser laughed, stood up and hesitated, biting his lip, then his jaw firmed and he shucked jeans and starched boxers, folding them neatly on the bench. Ray grinned and punched the air with his favorite nonverbal expression of triumph.

"An' th' Mountie joins the skinny-dipping party! Awright, Ben!"

Fraser narrowed his eyes as he paced around the edge of the pool. Marina obviously intended to surface just out of Ray's reach, and as she rose toward the surface Fraser knelt by the edge of the pool, timing it carefully. Just before she broke the surface Fraser dove, a flat shallow dive that placed him right behind her. As she spun around and tried to slip under the surface again to elude the unexpected pursuer, Ray caught her wrist triumphantly.

"Gotcha!"

She twisted her wrist and broke the hold easily, but Fraser's arms closed around her waist and pinned her solidly as Ray kicked hard and caught them both.

"Nice work, partner," Ray said breathlessly, and brought his mouth down on Marina's.... and got considerably more than he expected. Her mouth opened willingly under his and those long legs wrapped around his waist and oh, fuck, his hard-on went from half-mast to full-bore right there.

"Yeah," Ray muttered against her lips, diving in, his tongue going right to town on that pretty mouth. Fraser was keeping them afloat with slow, powerful kicks, so Ray let him worry about the whole not-drowning thing and concentrated on getting Mina wound up and hungry. It wasn't taking much, her hands were buried in the short hairs at the back of his neck and she was rubbing against his cock eagerly. The feel of her cool wet skin and the clean water was great; the sweaty salt itch that'd been driving him crazy was gone. Ray didn't know what she used to keep the pool clean but it wasn't chlorine, the water didn't stink of it and her skin tasted delicious.

He fisted a hand in her floating, tangled hair, careful not to pull, and eased her head back. Mina moved willingly with the soft tug -Jesus, it turned Ray on so fucking hard that she just let him lead so easily, so trustingly- and as her breasts rose to the surface as she floated back a wicked idea hit him. Ray kissed his way down her throat, over her collarbone, listening to the sultry purr humming in her chest, grooving on her eager response.

He pulled his mouth away long enough to reach over Mina's shoulder and drag Fraser into a wet, hard kiss, chewing on Fraser's lower lip and hearing his friend's breath skip and hitch as his heartbeat suddenly accelerated. The way Frase was sucking on his tongue told Ray ol' Frase was getting pretty damn turned on by watching them together... he wouldn't have pegged Ben for the kind who liked to watch but maybe it made sense. When would Mr. 'Maintain the Right' ever have gotten to see porn? He and Mina were Fraser's personal skin flick, live and in color, a real-time sex-education film complete with lab exercises.

And didn't it just figure Frase learned at warp nine? Time for another lesson. 'Positional Variations in Going Down, with Special Attention to Water Applications' Ray thought, laughing to himself as he frenched Fraser's wickedly talented mouth.

"Need the water shoulder-deep, buddy," Ray whispered, biting on Ben's lower lip as he pulled away. And Fraser didn't ask, didn't argue; just followed Ray's lead as trustingly as Mina did. Christ, that was so fucking hot. Ray was getting off so damn hard on being the one leading this dance...

Fraser kicked twice and guided them over to the shallow end of the pool, and Ray reached for the bottom and set his feet, glad he and Fraser were the same height, this worked perfectly.

"Relax and enjoy, baby," Ray teased, flicking his thumbs over Mina's nipples, feeling them harden and rise under the friction. She leaned forward and stole a sharp, eager kiss, urgent and demanding, nipping as her legs tightened around his waist, rubbing against his cock with a hard shove before she let go.

"Have fun kissin', buddy," Ray chuckled, guiding her head onto Fraser's shoulder so he was supporting Mina's neck and keeping her head above the water.

Fraser merely quirked an amused, curious eyebrow at Ray before sweeping his tongue over Mina's cheek and taking firm control of her mouth. Mina moaned and went limp, reached back and locked her arms around Fraser's neck. Just like Ray wanted, that left her breasts free for Fraser to touch and he did, rolling the nipples between his fingers as her body floated up to the surface.

Ray chuckled evilly and moved between her legs, pulling her thighs up over his shoulders, putting her pretty pussy at just the right height for him to devour. He wrapped his arms around her hips and grinned down the length of her torso at Fraser, who was staring at him with a delighted, aroused stare as he figured out Ray's intention.

Take notes, old buddy, Ray thought at his partner, class is in session.

He could hear Fraser's silent 'understood, Ray' clear as a bell and reveling in the connection, the closeness, the sheer thrill of being plugged in so heavily to not one but two people, Ray bent his head and nuzzled Mina's thighs further apart. They parted willingly and Ray felt her lock her ankles loosely together behind his head. The water buoyed her hips up and Ray stroked his hands along her belly, watching the water droplets run off her skin and merge with the surface of the pool.

Ray rested his head against her thigh and licked lazily, parting the damp folds of her labia, separating and stroking along every soft surface. The moisture under his tongue began to change flavor as she responded to his slow, deliberate teasing. He nipped at her, feeling her spine twitch just a bit as a brush of sharper tang ran over his tongue. Ray smirked, shifted back and bit her inner thigh, pressing down until she trembled and sighed against Fraser's lips. The muscles over his shoulders flexed and tightened and Ray shifted back to nipping at her, alternating with long, slow, penetrating licks and short, sharp sucks.

When she gasped and started writhing, Frase wrapped one arm around her upper body completely to anchor her against his broad shoulder and really went to town on her mouth.

Damn, Ray thought in delighted, giddy pleasure, it was fucking amazing how fast that Mountie reserve went out the window when you got Frase wound up and convinced him it was actually a good thing to give in to his emotions. And it was so hot... Breathing in her hitching cries and whimpers as Marina's fingers twined into the wet hair at his nape, Fraser felt her pulse beat faster against his neck.

"Ben," she murmured, her eyes half closed in pleasure.

Fraser breathed in his own name and ran his fingers along her jaw, marveling at how his life had changed, how much of his soul was bound up in her lovely blue eyes. Only two weeks ago, Diefenbaker led Marina into the precinct bullpen. He would never, could never have predicted how precious and vital she would become to both him and Ray. How Marina with her weird clarity of vision and broken, aching heart could show him Ray's love, offer him a home, give him the courage to tell his partner what he felt.

"Marina," he murmured, kissing her harder, pouring everything he felt into those kisses, needing her to know how infinitely dear she was to him. For all his vaunted vocabulary Fraser was all but mute when it came to saying how he felt, but at least he could give her this. He kissed her again, letting his need and longing and his love sing through that connection, caressing her lips with barely articulated Inuktitut. Once before he'd whispered 'I love you' to her, couched in a language it was impossible she could know. Perhaps if he could get accustomed to telling Marina he loved her this way, one day he could say it in a language she understood...

Fraser buried his hand in the silky wet strands of her hair and devoured her mouth, realizing he needed more, needed that connection he only felt inside her, inside Ray.

Marina suddenly bowed up in an arch that lifted her body free of the water as she cried out against his mouth, and the thick spicy sharp smell he recognized as her come filled the air. Ray lifted his head and grinned between her taut thighs, his lips wet and shiny and his grin insufferably cocky.

Fraser growled and surged forward through the water, hungry and unwilling to wait any longer. Marina gasped and clung to his neck, her body curling around him instinctively as Fraser grabbed Ray and erupted out of the pool, his brief surge of strength carrying all three of them right up the steps. Fraser fell to his knees on the wet tile, bearing Marina and Ray down his arms, and watched as Ray gaped in amazement at the wild, hungry gaze Fraser fixed on their naked bodies. Mina just grinned and bit her lip in breathless delight.

Mina and Ray lay side by side, pressed against each other in his arms, her wet blond hair spilling over Ray's chest and clinging to Fraser's shoulders as he tried to decide which to ravage first.

"Fuck, I love Alpha wolf," Ray muttered, and solved the problem by grabbing Marina and pushing her into Fraser's arms. He slithered around and rolled Fraser over onto his side as Mina swarmed Ben, arms and legs wrapping around him as she pulled him close. Laughing as she kissed his neck, Mina reached down and grasped Fraser's cock with one hand, stripping the excess water away with one firm quick stroke.

Fraser snarled and threw his head back. Shaking his head in dizzying lust, he pinned Marina under his body but she was quickness personified and in one lithe slither and jerk she impaled herself on his erection, those long legs locking around his waist.

Shocked mindless by the sudden tight heat wrapped around his cock, Fraser howled at the top of his lungs, planted his hands on the wet tile beside her shoulders and began moving, sliding in and out of her welcoming body. Ray watched, just mesmerized, as the heavy muscles in Fraser's chest and arms rippled as he moved, all that power and strength in motion and yet Marina was cradled protectively under his body, safe and sheltered. Her slim hips took the fierce thrusts gladly, her hands clinging to his forearms; and the urgent hunger in Fraser's howl met its match in her blazing eyes, all blue flame and wild heat.

Ray cursed and rummaged through the pockets in his discarded cutoffs and grinned fiercely when his fingers found the little tube of cherry lube he jammed in there that morning. He snapped the tip off with his teeth and spit it out, skidded back across the tiles and dropped to his knees behind Fraser.

"My turn, buddy," he muttered, and coated his fingers with a thick glop of clear liquid. He braced one hand on Fraser's hip and slid wet slick fingers down the curve of Fraser's ass. Fraser reared back and flung a half-maddened glance at Ray, and the last vestige of sanity went south as Fraser realized what Ray was about to do.

"Yes," Fraser growled and spread his legs, and Mina's breath simply stopped as she watched Ray slide the first finger into Fraser's ass.

Fraser shoved back hard, no finesse, no subtlety, all driving power and urgent need. Another shuddering guttural snarl ripped out of Ben as he shoved forward into Mina, then back against Ray's hand.

Ray swallowed hard, fighting to ease his way into his partner gradually, but Fraser was all about yes and more and now, thank you kindly. Just like Ray last night, actually. Remembering how good it felt, Ray tried to twist his finger the way Fraser had, but it was tight and smooth and slippery in there and he really didn't know what he was looking for... but Ray knew when he hit that spot. Fraser roared.

Marina felt it too, deep inside her body Fraser's cock went even harder and she sucked in a ragged breath at how good it was. Fraser shuddered all over, head thrashing back and forth as he moved, sinking deeper into Marina as Ray pushed deeper into him. He got lost in the movement, the tight clutch of Marina around his cock and the tight clutch of his ass around Ray.

Ray's second finger sliding in came with a frisson of pain but Fraser was long past caring about that, all he wanted was to be pinned between his lovers, penetrating and being penetrated. Being linked, being together. Nothing else mattered and he clawed enough control back to fling a hungry, desperate glance full of unspoken longing back at Ray as he exerted inhuman control over his muscles and relaxed more.

Ray read that look like print and despite his misgivings about not being gentler Ben's first time, his partner knew what he wanted. Ray wasn't as thick as Ben anyway and Frase had that muscle control thing going on, it was seriously weird and wicked hot to feel that ring of muscle around his fingers move like that.

Ray coated his cock thickly and worked another dollop into that pretty, tight ass just to be safe and panting, rose up on his knees behind Fraser. He figured he didn't have to push; he set the head against Ben's opening and waited. Fraser did the rest, supported his weight on one hand and reached back with the other, grabbing Ray's hip and pulling down in one steady tug.

Ray moaned as he slid inside. Fuck, was this what Fraser felt last night? He fell forward, wrapping his arms around Ben's waist and dimly realizing Ben was insanely strong to support both their weights on one arm. Fraser eased down on Marina, resting his weight on his elbows with Ray wrapped as tightly around his back as Mina was clinging to his front.

"Yes," Fraser said hoarsely, finally right where he wanted to be. Pinned between his lovers. Perfection... when he began to move again, there was no way to move that didn't feel glorious. Marina reached up and wrapped her hands over Ray's, locking those wide, vulnerable eyes with his. Ray shifted his grip around her fingers and kept staring right back as Ben rode her, slow and deep, the same way he was riding Ben. Watching pleasure wash over her face, reading each individual reaction as Ben kissed her collarbone, murmuring... something Ray couldn't puzzle out. One of the bazillion languages Frase spoke, he guessed.

Listening to Ben whisper French in his ear last night was all kinds of a turn-on, and Ray dragged Mina's fingers up to his lips and kissed each fingertip, kissed her palm, then sucked her fingers into his mouth. Her grasp tightened on Ray's other hand and she arched up against Ben's covering body. Fuck, but it turned Ray on when she did that, when her spine curved up in that beautiful arc and her head fell back exposing that long fragile throat. Turned Frase on too, he turned his head and was about to bite along it gently when he suddenly froze.

Both Ray and Mina immediately turned their gazes on Fraser as he stroked a hand along the twin small blue bruises marking the side of her neck. His face was filled with baffled, vulnerable heat as he caressed those bruises with shaking fingertips then turned her head gently to expose the matching marks on the other side. Ben struggled to clear his throat as he stared down at Mina, stroking those evocative bruises.

"He marked you," Fraser faltered, overwhelmed. "Diefenbaker marked you as his, marked you as pack. Our pack."

Realization crashed down on Ray at what Ben meant, those bruises were the precise size and spread as Diefenbaker's fangs. At some point last night Marina had let Dief clamp his jaws around her neck... and Ray watched Discovery Channel all the time, he knew what those bruises meant.

Mina bit her lip and she suddenly looked so vulnerable and frightened in Ben's embrace Ray's hand tightened on hers in instinctive reassurance. There was no way any woman he was making love to was gonna be that frightened, that lost. No fucking way. Reassurance spilled out of Ray as automatically as it had for Ben last night.

"Sssh, s'alright baby," Ray crooned, reaching over Ben's shoulder with his other hand and stroking her cheek. "Don't be scared."

Abruptly realizing what kind of mistaken impression he was giving Marina Fraser was aghast at his thoughtlessness and inadvertent cruelty. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing those bruises and whispering horrified apologies.

"I'm sorry," Fraser choked out, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I didn't." Marina's body was stiff under his, all that marvelous pliancy and trust all gone, and Fraser could have wept at his incredible stupidity. How could he have done that to Mina, with her already broken heart? How could he have been so unfeeling? He rained kisses down on those wonderful, marvelous marks, and it came to Fraser how he could apologize for his mistake.

Leaning back so he could look Mina in the eye, Fraser murmured, "May I do the same?" He feathered a hesitant kiss over her mouth. "Let me mark you for ours." Fraser tightened his grip on her, holding on desperately, afraid she would run if he let go. "Please," he pleaded hoarsely. "I want to, I need to."

Marina took a ragged breath and let go of her wariness, it was hard as hell but she nodded slowly, stroking Fraser's face with trembling fingers.

Her eyes were still so shadowed with rejection and hurt it made his heart ache, Fraser was positively compelled to drive that sadness away. He fastened his mouth over hers with exquisite gentleness, parting her lips and reaching deeper as the tension seeped out of her limbs. Fraser cradled her close and let Ray ease him down on his side, rocking Mina against his chest as he stroked her tongue with his. To his joy Marina let him remain buried inside her, if she had pulled away it would have hurt like a knife through his heart.

Mina shook herself internally as Fraser continued his gentle assault on her senses, soothing her. Stop being such a wimp, she scolded, it wasn't like having a wolf for a boyfriend wasn't plenty weird. So Ben got a bit freaked out seeing Dief's fang marks on her throat. No big deal... so why was she so damned upset? Why did she feel so rejected, so like an intruder? So unwanted?

Ray eased out of Fraser and snuggled up on Marina's other side, cuddling her between them and nuzzling her neck. Damn, trust Diefenbaker to get it right even if he and Fraser were screwing up. Ray nipped at the fang marks on the left side -wicked turned on that Mina would let a goddamn wolf do that- fastened his mouth directly between those two small bruises and sucked, hard. Hickeys were so high school but he could give a flying fuck...

Fraser watched Ray brand Marina with a mark to match Dief's and knew his partner and his wolf were handling this far better than he was. Still feeling guilty for hurting Mina, Fraser kissed his way down her neck until his mouth was hovering between Dief's fang marks just opposite where Ray left his brand and settled down, sucking gently at the soft flesh. It was indescribably erotic marking her this way, where anyone could see the bruise and comment on it, and his softened erection began to harden as Fraser rocked against Mina. Sliding in and out, watching her eyes haze as the increasing heat and friction erased that hurt expression was powerfully sensual and Fraser sucked harder, pushed deeper until she was panting and her hands were clutching him close.

Fraser gasped out 'I love you' again in Inuktitut as he trembled on the edge of coming, his face pressed tight against her neck.

Ray caught how close Ben was and kissing the red suck mark perfectly centered in Dief's fang marks, he slid right over their linked bodies. When Ray was lying behind Frase he had to stop and just fucking stare... Jesus H. Christ they were so damn beautiful together. Marina's red-brown skin stood out against Fraser's milky white as his damp dark hair contrasted with her pale wet locks; not to mention watching them move together, watching them be together was crazy, mind-meltingly hot.

Ray swallowed hard, reached out and caressed Fraser's back, running his fingers along his partner's spine from neck to tailbone. It felt like a month since yesterday. He and Frase and Mina made love -like, nonstop- since then, he moved out of his post-Stella apartment with all its crappy memories... jeez, he had a whole new home, kind of a new life, even. And Vecchio was so not getting it back when he finally bothered to show up again... the babe, the wolf and the Mountie were his, thank you kindly, Ray Kowalski's, and he was keeping 'em.

Not to mention he couldn't keep his freakin' hands off 'em, Ray thought, all he had to do was look at Ben or Mina and he went half-crazy with lust. And he was zoning out when his partner was hanging on the edge. That was so not buddies. Not partners. Not lovers.

Ray growled and bit Fraser's shoulder, snuggling up to that big, warm back. Mina's hands were buried in Ben's hair -she had the same fixation with that plush mink pelt Ray did- and he kissed her knuckles, braced a hand on Fraser's hip and eased back into his partner, biting his lip as Mina reached out and caressed his face. Her touch trailed over his lips, his cheekbones, his eyebrows as Fraser gasped, pushed back and his muscles contracted almost painfully around Ray's cock. Ray ignored it, reached around and pulled Fraser and Mina close until they were all plastered together, legs tangled and hands clutching.

And Mina and Fraser, both uncertain and unsure but trembling with longing, let Ray lead, let him set the pace and the rhythm until it all just clicked, snapped into place again and they were moving in harmony, that three-way circuit singing with pleasure and need. But Ray kept the melody of their trio just a beat too slow for the longest time, brought Mina and Ben right up to the edge and held them there until Marina was crying out and Fraser was practically howling.

Then Ray just let go, grabbed Mina's hips and fucked Fraser hard and fucked Mina with Fraser and through Fraser and that was the craziest, hottest, sexiest thing ever. Ray shoved in one last time and came his brains out, jerking and gasping; felt Fraser come a beat behind him, and Jesus Christ, buried inside Fraser he could actually feel the jerk and spurt of Fraser coming, and just to totally destroy his brain he felt Mina come around Fraser, and it was like he and Ben were one person, 'cause Ray could swear he felt the pulse and the wet heat of her orgasm on his cock...

* * *

Ray woke up slowly, stiff as a board from sleeping on marble tile, and he still felt fucking great. Fraser was asleep, lying on his back in that rigid position he usually slept in but instead of arms folded over his chest, one arm was wrapped around Ray and the other wrapped around Mina, holding them close. Marina was curled on her side, one leg draped over Fraser with her ankle locked around Ray's, because he was sleeping sprawled all over Frase too. Diefenbaker was snuggled up on Mina's other side, his head resting on the curve of her waist.

Ray chuckled, Frase better like sleeping in the middle 'cause it looked like he'd been elected mattress and pillow and electric blanket all in one. And it made Ray positively soppy to realize Mina's fingers were twined through his where his hand was resting on Fraser's chest. Yup, Ray figured he could wake up like this every day for the rest of his life and that'd be just fine, thanks.

Diefenbaker cracked an eye and looked at him, and Ray slipped his hand out from under Mina's and scratched the wolf's head.

"Hey, Dief?"

The wolf rumbled, opening the other eye and watching Ray curiously.

"Congratulations, buddy. Great choice fer a mate. Best ever. Thanks fer sharing."

Diefenbaker's tongue lolled out in a smug, wolfy grin and Ray knew Dief understood what he was trying to say.

"Ray?"

Ray shifted his head and glanced up at Frase. His partner was watching him and Dief talking and Ray could tell Ben had something to say too.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Congratulations, Diefenbaker," Fraser said seriously. "I think you are very lucky to have found such happiness."

Dief licked his chops smugly and rumbled in his throat.

"What'd he say?" Ray asked idly.

Fraser blushed, embarrassed, Ray could tell, but he cleared his throat and answered. "Diefenbaker said judging from our... enthusiastic response... while he is quite pleased we find his mate so obviously acceptable as a part of our pack, he will thank us kindly to remember he saw her first."

Ray laughed so hard he woke up Mina, who blinked sleepily and smiled in drowsy perplexity.

"What's so funny?" she murmured, trailing her hand down Fraser's ribs to stroke Dief's ears. Dief's tongue rolled out in another wolfy grin.

"Just guy talk," Ray chuckled, reaching out and running his fingers through her damp, tangled hair. "Hungry, babe?"

With a start, Marina realized she was hungry. Ravenous, in fact... that hadn't happened in a while. And that was probably a good sign...

"I'm starving," she confessed, pillowing her cheek on Ben's chest. "You too?"

"I could eat a horse," Ray answered, stretching gingerly. Then he shot Fraser a wary look. "Not that I'm suggestin' that or anythin'."

Fraser refrained from commenting. "I do believe according to the terms of our agreement, it is our turn to provide dinner, Ray."

Ray sat up and stretched unselfconsciously, working out the kinks in his back. "It is? Cool. Thai okay with you two? I'm cravin' curry."

Mina ruffled Dief's ears and kissed Ben's nipple as she sat up, which made him flush. It would, Fraser reflected, probably take him quite some time to get used to her absentminded, friendly demonstrations of affection. It had taken him no time at all to crave them like a street junkie in need of a fix, however.

"Can we get satay skewers with peanut sauce? And pad thai? Fried wontons maybe?" Mina asked, cracking her back and neck. She stopped and blinked, remembering. "Oh dear."

"What?" Ray stood up, grabbed up his shorts and t-shirt and looked around for his sneakers.

Mina blushed as she rose to her feet. "Er, well... ummm..."

That uncharacteristic blush and stammer triggered Ray's curiosity. "What?"

She blushed harder and shook her head.

Ray dropped his clothes and grabbed her around the waist, kissing her cheeks and neck, nuzzling her ears as he swung her in a circle teasingly.

"C'mon, tell me," Ray coaxed, kissing her repeatedly until she laughed.

Fraser watched, amazed, as she gave in, giggled and wound her arms around Ray's neck.

"I forgot great sex makes me eat like a pig," she confessed sheepishly. "Can I order half the menu?"

Ray roared. Hugged her tighter and kissed her so hard Fraser felt frankly envious at Ray's freedom to be so demonstrative.

"We'll get two of everything an' I'll feed ya myself," Ray promised her. His grin softened as he leaned forward and kissed Mina until she was breathless. "Just be you, 'kay, babe? I don't care if ya snore or eat Thai like a pig or french the damn wolf in the middle of th' precinct bullpen. Just be you. I can't fuckin' stand that if-ya-love-me-you'll-be-somebody-else-for-me bullshit. Stella did that all the damn..." Ray stopped abruptly. Dammit, he wasn't gonna do this. He wasn't dragging all that old, bad shit into his new life. Fuck it all, he just wasn't...

"Ex did that all the time, huh?" Mina said sympathetically, finishing Ray's sentence for him, startling Ray out of his angry reverie. "She must have been psycho to let you go, Ray. Not that I'm not grateful she did, 'cause we've got you now, and we are sooo not giving you back."

Ray stopped staring angrily at the floor and when he looked back up at Mina his face was so open and naked and vulnerable Fraser blinked back sudden stinging tears.

"Not gonna throw me back?"

Marina kissed Ray's nose. "No. Never. You're ours, and she can't have you, and I'll kick her ass if she ever tries to hurt you again."

"Marina," Fraser felt compelled to say.

Ray and Mina turned his way, smiled and both reached out a hand for him.

Swallowing, Fraser walked over and allowed them to pull him into their embrace. It almost hurt it felt so good to see Ray shed some of the bitter anger and self-loathing Stella inflicted on him. Yet he could not, in good conscience, allow her threat to stand.

"Yes, Ben?" Mina replied, leaning against his chest. The rejection and hurt he'd put in her eyes earlier shadowed them again even as she tried to hide her gaze.

An echo of his father's ghostly words when he and Ray were trapped in that tiny sub rang in Fraser's ears. You're too logical and dispassionate. You can't force your standards on other people, come on now... His protest died in his throat. He would not put that angry self-hatred back on Ray's face or that unhappy rejection back in Mina's eyes. He would not.

Fraser cracked his neck. "Perhaps you might permit me to hold your jacket while you do?"

Mina dissolved into delighted laughter. "You got it."

Fraser tipped her chin up gently so she was looking right at him when he leaned down and kissed her thoroughly. He took his time, savoring the fact he was holding a naked woman he'd just made rather unbelievable love to with his equally naked and entirely loveable partner grinning as he watched. When he finally lifted his mouth from Mina's the only look in her eyes was dazed, smoky heat.

"Wow," she murmured.

She was too lovely and he'd been denied love too long. The wave of longing that crashed over Fraser was a tsunami and he dragged Mina up in his arms and kissed her again, urgent, hungry, wild. Devouring her mouth in greedy, desperate gulps for long minutes... and she didn't fight, or pull away, just snuggled closer and freely offered up everything he wanted. Everything he needed. The hunger tore at Fraser, ripped at him savagely, but she kept giving, the emotion kept flowing from her like live current until the terrible pressure in his chest eased, the strangling tightness in his throat relaxed and he could breathe again.

Fraser didn't have the slightest clue what to say when he finally let go and tucked her head under his chin, still holding her tightly. The appalling lack of self-control he'd just demonstrated stunned him. And Ray thought he was the needy one... Fraser was discovering depths of need in his own soul that boggled his mind.

Ray had gathered up all their scattered clothes and was sitting on the marble bench ruffling Dief's ears as detective and wolf watched in blatant interest. Exceedingly blatant interest.

"You okay, buddy?" Ray asked, elbows braced on knees and totally unselfconscious about his naked state.

Fraser skimmed his fingertips over his eyebrow. "I am now, Ray, thank you."

"C'mon, time fer dinner, you two."

* * *

Mina leaned back into her couch and tucked her bare feet under Dief's shaggy bulk. She had the AC set a lot lower than she usually did and her toes were cold. Ray whispered to her in the kitchen Fraser and Dief both suffered from the oppressive heat, so she'd dialed down the temperature after they decided to eat at her place since Ben and Ray's was still pretty much a disaster area. So after an extended shower in her bathroom they'd ordered a ridiculous amount of Thai food, sprawled on the couch all over each other and eaten like, well, wolves.

The shower had been fun, to Ray's amazement Frase had no idea how erotic soapsuds could be, which was obviously a crime. Since her walk-in shower stall had two showerheads and was plenty large enough for three, Mina took the front and Ray took the back and they soaped Frase down leisurely with citrus basil shower gel. By the time he was clean Fraser was trembling and hard again and Ray reached around and jerked him off expertly; which turned Marina on to the point she pushed Ray up against the shower wall, slid down his body and gave him a lightening quick blow job that impressed Fraser so much he lost all his embarrassment and asked eighteen kinds of questions about technique while washing Mina's long hair.

Ray eavesdropped on the lesson while scrubbing his spikes -ya never knew when you could learn something new- and indulged himself counting the different kinds of scented shower gel that sat on top of the glass wall enclosing the shower stall. He'd been wondering about that ever since he met Marina. There were twenty-eight altogether and he even recognized a few that he'd smelled on her skin. Ray used coconut lime verbena on himself and washed Mina down with cinnamon pumpkin, which smelled so good he kept pulling a Fraser as they were drying off and licking her when she wasn't expecting it. Stella would have thrown a screaming fit. Marina just laughed and tickled his ribs and demanded kisses.

When they were dry and comfy in t-shirts and faded old sweats Ray grinned to himself; his sweats had the Chicago PD logo, Fraser's had the RCMP seal, and Marina's had the MacLeod crest on them. Their clothes were was so individually characteristic it was funny.

Once the food arrived, Ray lived up to his word and fed Mina curry and naan and satay and grinned like a fiend every time she licked his fingers. Fraser watched in amusement until they tackled him, held him down and fed him sticky rice balls for dessert.

Now, with the food gone down to the last dumpling, they were sprawled on the couch watching the Cubs loose badly to Philadelphia, and during the commercials Ray and Frase entertained her with a hilarious story of undercover work in a minor league baseball team being sabotaged by an unscrupulous local politician.

"And you hit the winning home run in the ninth inning?" Mina asked Ray, delighted by the tale.

"With Fraser's coachin', yeah." Ray grinned self-consciously. "I got a tape of it, ya wanna see it once we git unpacked?"

"Yeah." She snuggled her toes deeper into Dief's fur. "Want some help unpacking? I've got classes on Mondays but not in the evenings."

"That'd be great," Ray agreed from where he was sprawled on the other side of the couch by Fraser. "We've got legwork to do fer th' case on Monday but we shouldn't be too late unless somethin' breaks."

"How's the investigation coming?" she asked.

Ray sat up, remembering the photo they'd gotten off the parking garage security camera.

"Damn, I meant ta ask ya." He turned to Fraser. "We got a copy of that security camera photo here?"

"Certainly, Ray," Fraser replied, getting up and heading into their apartment. "I had several with me from doing interviews Friday. Just a moment."

"We'd been goin' over th' tapes from the security cameras at th' garage where th' body was found an' we got lucky," Ray explained. "One of the cameras caught a guy going in carrying the saber under his coat. The camera only got a three-quarter shot but we've got every flatfoot in the city lookin' fer the guy. Dunno if he's the murderer or the frame-up, but if we could find the guy, it'd probably be just th' break we need..."

"No luck with a positive ID?"

Ray shook his head, the lines around his mouth deepening. "Nothin'."

Fraser returned with a manila folder in his hand and gave it to Marina as he sat down beside her.

"Do you recognize this person?"

Mina flipped open the folder and her mouth fell open. Fuck, it was Saladin! Bloody screaming hell, she was too warm and comfortable and relaxed, she hadn't even thought to put a game face on before looking, and Ray and Ben had to be able to read her recognition like words on a page.

Sure enough, Ray thumped his feet on the floor as he sat up in shock. "Fuck, you do know him!"

Mina nodded, thinking furiously. How much to tell them? How much to hide? How much danger could she justify putting them in? Would the rogue Watchers view police involvement as a threat and move against Fraser and Ray? Were they setting up Saladin and using the cops to flush him out so they could hit him? Had the dead Watcher been a rogue? Or a dupe? Damn, damn, damn! Too many unknowns! Too many possible risks! What to do?

"Yeah, I recognize him... remember I told you I had a few private sources I could check? One of them sent me some info on a guy he knows who might own a saber like the murder weapon and I think this is him." She stood up and handed Fraser the photo back. "Hang on a minute..." She darted down the hall, pathetically grateful neither Ben or Ray followed her.

Fraser and Ray swapped speculative glances as they waited. Marina's help in this case was proving invaluable, but both were beginning to worry about putting her in danger. The same ugly thought was lurking in their minds; Mina's lovely body they'd come to know so well inside and out... to see her hacked up like the victim would be unbearable. Unthinkable. Yet that same thought was vibrating on their partners' connection like a shared bad dream.

Mina opened the safe in her private library and quickly flipped through the information Joe had sent her on Friday. Security considerations were too heavily imprinted on her after decades of working in the intelligence community, she'd printed out all the information, wiped every trace off her computer and locked the only copies in her safe.

Flipping through the file she pulled out the most recent picture Joe sent together with the pages listing Saladin's current identity, and checked quickly to make sure the information she was about to give Ben and Ray contained no trace of Saladin's Immortal identity or any references to the Watchers. It didn't, to her relief it looked like a standard press file that could be pulled from any newspaper archive in the western hemisphere. She'd have to remember to compliment Joe on that the next time they talked...

Marina shoved the rest of the file back into her safe, pushed it and the portrait closed and ran lightly back down the hallway to the living room, plunking down on the couch between Fraser and Ray.

"Take a look," she said, spreading the pages out on the coffee table. "A friend of mine in Vancouver sent me this. The guy's a private collector in Buenos Aries. I thought it was kind of a long shot since the guy's got no criminal record and hardly ever leaves Argentina, but..."

"Shit," Ray blurted out, snatching up the picture. The guy was wearing a tux, holding a champagne flute and smiling in that bored-but-polite society way Stella did, but it was the man from the security photograph.

"Language, Ray," Fraser replied on automatic, he was speed-reading the press release and committing the information to memory. "There's a name and a current address, Ray," he said urgently.

"Fuck," Ray said succinctly, vaulting over the couch back and grabbing the extension off the hallway table and punching buttons. Once the desk sergeant on duty picked up Ray started snapping out orders. He braced the phone under his chin. "Mina, you got a fax here?"

"In my den, Ray, on the credenza. Second door on the right," she answered. She turned to Fraser. "Crap, Ben, I'm sorry, I should have showed you this when I got it."

"If we had showed you the picture on Friday you would have recognized it then," Fraser corrected. "You are not a police officer, Marina, this is our responsibility, not yours." He tugged his ear. "Ray and I are already beginning to be concerned about your involvement."

Mina planted her fingers squarely in his chest. "Don't you think you're going to start shutting me out now, Ben. Don't even start with that shit."

"Language, Mina," Fraser chided, but stared down at her fingers. Wrapping his hand around them, he brought her knuckles up to his mouth and kissed them.

"As you wish," he sighed. Fraser was fast becoming addicted to the feel of her skin under his lips, fast becoming addicted to her, touch, smell, taste, sound... she had gotten under his skin in a way only Ray had done before. And Victoria, but he refused to place her dark soul in the same category as his lovers. She was not worthy of the comparison and he knew now she never loved him. Only used him, hurt him.

Ray leaned over the couch and grabbed the rest of the pages, kissing Mina's cheek on the way by. "Thanks, babe."

She brushed a caress over his forearm. "Anytime."

Mina and Fraser sat silently until Ray came back. He jumped over the couch and ruffled Dief's ears.

"I've got 'em runnin' the guy's name ta see if he entered the country legally and checkin' all the local hotels and rental car agencies ta see if he's stayin' anywhere or has a vehicle we ken track. If we get a lead they'll call me on my cell." Ray stared at Mina, his face troubled as he picked up on her agitation. "You okay, babe?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry, Ray, I can't believe I forgot to tell you that."

"Hey," Ray slid an arm around her shoulders. "We're th' cops, not you. Don't sweat it, babe."

The grandfather clock in her hallway rang ten.

"You, uh, want us ta stay with ya tonight?" Ray asked Marina hesitantly, glancing at Fraser for confirmation.

The Mountie nodded. He was quite sure both he and Ray would feel better not leaving Marina alone until the case was solved.

"If you don't mind," Mina replied, blushing a little.

"Lemme get my cell," Ray said, standing up.

Fraser followed Marina around as she checked the front door and shut off most of the lights. Ray came back tossing his cell in his hand and followed them down the hallway to Mina's bedroom.

Marina disappeared into her walk-in closet and Ray and Fraser took turns using the bathroom before stripping down to boxers and tees, turning down the covers and staring uncomfortably at the bed. Diefenbaker hopped up on the end of the bed and pointedly ignored Fraser's frown, stretching out across the bottom with a contented sigh.

Ray and Fraser exchanged awkward glances. It was one thing to tumble into a woman's bed when you were laughing and holding her in your arms, it was something else to climb into it and wait for her. It felt... presumptuous.

"Feel weird to ya, buddy?" Ray muttered, running his hands through his fuzzy hair. It bristled in all directions without gel and he hadn't bothered doing it up after their shower earlier.

Fraser cracked his neck. "I must admit to some... uncertainty as to the protocol involved, Ray."

Mina wandered out of her closet wearing another thigh-length tank top, apparently her usual sleepwear, this one was candy-apple red with little cherries scattered across it. She braced her hands against the small of her back, cracked her back and yawned.

"I'm wrecked. Not used to working on Sundays." She regarded Fraser and Ray with a perplexed expression. "Something wrong, guys?"

Ray shrugged, covering for their loss. "Jes' trying to figure out who gets ta sleep in the middle."

Mina cocked her head and regarded them both with that disquietingly perceptive stare. "You don't have to stay with me, you know. I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself. Dief can keep an eye on me if that's what you're worried about."

Mina was, Ray reflected, getting better every minute at hiding when he and Fraser were hurting her. He fucking hated it. Pretty soon her facade would be so seamless they wouldn't even be able to tell when they were kicking her in the heart. Well, screw that shit. Ray Kowalski did not play those games.

"It felt weird climbing into yer bed without ya," Ray said bluntly, catching Fraser's surprised start. "Like we were bein' pushy."

"Ray..."

He'd managed to surprise Marina and that smooth armor fell away, leaving a weary woman with as many scars on her heart as he and Fraser carried around. This at least he knew how to handle, Ray reached out and pulled Mina into his arms. To his secret relief, she didn't resist; and when she smiled up -tired and unsure but not hurting- Ray kissed her nose.

"You want the left, right or the middle, babe?"

"Sleeping between you two sounds pretty great to me," she confessed.

"Middle it is," Ray said, jerking his head for Fraser to climb in on the opposite side. He picked Mina right up off her feet and waited until Fraser was sitting in the bed regarding him curiously.

"Catch," Ray joked, tossing Mina right at his partner. She yelped and bit her lip but even in mid-throw Ray noticed she moved like a dancer. Frase fielded her handily and Ray was glad to see Fraser smiling again when he eased her down on the bed. He could get used to see that wide, unguarded grin on his too-serious partner's face. He could get real used to it.

It triggered a thought. "Hey, Mina," Ray commented thoughtfully.

Fraser was tucking her under the covers but she turned to Ray as she slid her feet under the sheets.

"Yes, Ray?"

"Wouldja dance fer me and Frase tomorrow?"

Both Ray and Fraser got a shock like jamming their fingers into an electrical socket at the way that question just lit her up from the inside. Ray wondered dazedly if he'd ever truly seen her smile before this, then realized, no, he hadn't. Not even when they made love. Fucking-A, it was like Mina was really alive for the first time since they'd met her.

Fraser caught Ray's eloquent glance over her shoulder.

We don't know her at all do we, buddy?

No, Ray, we don't.

You scared?

A trifle. We can hurt her. Terribly.

She ken hurt us, too.

We're partners, we have each other... I don't think she has anyone, Ray.

Diefenbaker growled sharp and angry at the end of the bed and both Ray and Fraser turned to stare in surprise at the wolf. Dief's ruff was bristling and he was lying with his head draped possessively over Marina's legs.

Ray and Fraser suddenly grinned broadly.

Understood, Fraser and Ray thought together at Diefenbaker.

The wolf rumbled and closed his eyes, settling back to sleep.

"You guys done?" Mina asked, watching with her brows drawn together in puzzlement.

"Yeah," Ray said around a yawn as he slid down under the covers, reaching out a hand for Frase to pull his partner closer. "C'mere an' gimme a kiss goodnight, you two."

"As you wish, Ray," Fraser replied, pulling the covers up around them all.

"With pleasure," Mina murmured, snuggling into the circle of their arms as she pressed her lips to Ray's.

Marina was so thin she fit between them easily, and resting his chin on her soft hair, Fraser realized he could kiss Ray merely by turning his head a little further toward his partner.

"Lights off," Mina murmured, her voice already drowsy with sleep against Ray's chest.

The apartment went dark and Fraser reached out and caressed his partner's face, exchanging long, slow, drugging kisses with Ray as they slid down into sleep together, drifting into dreams with Ray's mouth warm against his...

* * *