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

Author's Notes: FYI: Two chapters this week, enjoy!

Story Notes: Highlander/due South crossover, with a cameo here and there from Hellboy.

SequelTo: Geometry: Chapter 6, Phone Calls & Dancing

The next morning, after stopping at Dief's favorite donut shop for a box of morning sugar fix for the squad room, Ray punched the speed dial on his cell phone for Marina and to his perplexity her phone rang several times then went to voicemail. He frowned as he stopped the GTO for a red light.

"That's funny."

"What is, Ray?" Fraser noted his partner's frown with concern.

"Mina's not answering. I told her we'd be by in the morning. I thought we'd check in at the station first, but..."

"You think something's wrong?"

"Dunno. Dief's there, but..."

"Perhaps we should go by and check? She is, after all, in custody of an important piece of evidence in a murder investigation."

"Good excuse, Frase. We'll bring her the donuts and pretend like we were coming by for breakfast."

"It's hardly an excuse, Ray. Why could we conceal the fact we're concerned about her?"

"Tough girls are funny, Frase. Never even imply they might not be able to take care of themselves. They go from zero to pissy in a heartbeat."

"Ah. Understood."

Fifteen minutes later they were standing in front of the doors of her building and stymied. Without Dief, how to get up to Marina's apartment? He was the one with the security clearance for the building. Fate intervened in the form of Theresa, who came rattling down the staircase with an armful of books on her way to class. She gave them a smile in welcome and pushed the security doors open.

"Hey you two. Stuck without Dief?"

Ray rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah. Any suggestions on how to get up to her place?"

"No problem. Follow me." Theresa walked them over to the elevator and punched the 'up' button, and when the doors slid open, she leaned in and said, "Fourth floor override. Theresa." She grinned at them. "There you go."

"Thank you kindly, Theresa." Fraser told her politely.

"No sweat. Remind Doc Mac to put you on the security grid. She always forgets stuff like that, one of her guys used to take care of it." A car horn honked outside and all three looked over to see a red Honda Civic with Lotus at the wheel. Lotus waved a hello when she saw Fraser and Ray through the glass doors. They waved back.

"Oops, gotta go! Hey, stop by Heather's, will ya? We're all missing Dief!" And Theresa ran out the front door with a last wave.

"Sure!" Ray called out as the elevator doors closed. But when they reached the fourth floor and got to Marina's door, before they could knock, Fraser's sharp hearing caught a scrabbling of claws on polished wood and Dief's double-bark. The electronic lock clicked and the wolf nosed the door open, wagging his tail in welcome with his gaze fixed on the donut box.

"Those are not for you, Diefenbaker," Fraser said severely. "Is Doctor MacLeod at home?"

They got an answer when a small moan came from the direction of her blue couch. Marina sat up, a throw blanket falling off her shoulders, and rubbed her eyes dazedly. "Dief? Baby?"

"Not exactly," Ray hedged. Damn, but she was beautiful, even three-quarters asleep and with a case of bed hair that rivaled his in the mornings. She was adorable so rumpled, groggy and disoriented. Ray wanted to cuddle her and kiss the sleep from her eyes.

Marina tried desperately to get her eyes to focus, but they were full of sand and sticky, half glued shut. "Ray? Don't you ever knock?"

Now that was smooth, MacLeod. Nice thing to say to a guy you were starry-eyed and sentimental with last night. Tough shit- that was what they got for waking her before noon. Gods, she hated mornings. She and Dief must have fallen asleep on the couch again. Well, that was why she'd bought these couches, wasn't it? Because they were big and comfy enough to sprawl out on?

Ray's chuckle was smug. "Naw. Spoils the fun." He was having a hard time not bursting out laughing. He'd never seen anyone who woke up so hard. It looked painful.

Marina pushed the purple throw off and swung her feet over the end of the couch. A sharp gasp came from the front door. She tried to focus on the sound but the bright blazing red shape filling the doorway was too vivid and hurt her eyes, so she shut them quickly.

"Omigod, turn him down. That hurts."

Diefenbaker was patient with her complete and utter inability to wake up in anything other than an incoherent fog. He had a system for shepherding her through mornings down cold by the fourth night he slept over. She adored him for it.

Dief jumped the couch back, wiggled right between her legs and nuzzled her face with his furry muzzle, licking it enthusiastically. He was the nicest alarm she ever had, even if it did leave her cheeks sticky. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled right back, rubbing wet sloppy kisses into his face fur. Playing smashface with the wolf did reduce the evilness quotient of mornings quite a lot.

Fraser and Ray exchanged surprised glances at the kissing session. Dief was positively fixated on Marina, even more so than his liking for all females in general. There was a very special bond here, something more than his fondness for Francesca, or the affection he displayed for females he met in passing, like Luanne Russell and Lady Shoes. Ray was beginning to have his suspicions about Dief's convenient provision of an expert in this case; he was starting to think the wolf was just waiting for an excuse to introduce them to this female he wanted to add to their pack permanently.

"Morning drill, Dief," Mina mumbled. Bless him, the wolf went right into his seeing-eye dog routine, and as Marina struggled to stand up she tried to look down enough to see if she'd worn anything to sleep in. Her skin wasn't lavender so she supposed she must be wearing something... and she didn't give a rat's ass if she fell below Mountie standards of decency. She sank her fingers into his neck ruff and let Dief lead her to the kitchen, not caring if Ben and Ray came in or kept standing in her doorway. They were cops; they could take care of themselves.

Morning routine. She could do this, she could. She and Dief had a system. They could hack it together.

First step, Dief led her to the coffee maker. Check. The bottled water was in the cupboard above it. Take down jug, fill to line on coffeemaker marked with lurid pink Hello Kitty stickers for morning zero-visibility. Check. Dief trotted over to the refrigerator and opened the freezer -good thing she had a bottom one- and brought her the bag of coffee beans. Pour frozen beans into little hopper thingy. Check. Close lid. Push button. Check. Loud, annoying noise, beans were grinding. Check. Close bag, give back to Dief. Check. Stand in a fog while Dief returned the coffee beans to the freezer. Double check there.

Second step, Dief's ruff back under her hand. Hold onto the fur while Dief led her to her bathroom. Break in routine; peek to see cops and Mounties hadn't followed her in. It appeared safe to pee, even as she cursed them for breaking her routine. Pee. Wash hands. Check. Run washcloth under hot water and unglue her eyes. Check. Wash face. Check. Tie back bed hair with scrunchy in basket next to right hand. Check. Reach for Dief's fur again, right by her side where it belonged. Check.

Third step, let Dief lead her back to the kitchen. Coffee ready by now. Check. Two men-type things sitting at her dining room table as they padded by. Kiss both. Check. One black and blue, must be Ray. One blue and tan? Thanks be to the maker, Ben ditched that appalling red tunic. Wonderful. Suspenders on someone that young and cute would be funny, if she were conscious. She wasn't. Moot point. Too much thinking. Where was the coffee?

Fourth step. Dief stopped in front of the coffeemaker again. Oversized mugs on rack right next to coffeemaker. Take one down. Check. Turbinado sugar in plastic tub next to bottled water in cupboard, measuring spoon already in it. One spoonful in mug. Check. Full mug three-quarters full, replace coffee carafe in warmer. Check. French vanilla chocolate coffee spoons in the drawer by right hand. Peel off wrapper and drop in coffee. Stir. Check. Dief retrieved the half and half from the fridge by now, reach down for it. Fill up coffee cup. Check. Fill Dief's Wedgwood china bowl by her feet half full with remainder, give empty carton to Dief to put in trash. Check.

Strange whimpering noise coming from blue and tan man-thing. Not part of usual routine, ignore it. Check. Pick up coffee cup. Check. Reach down for Dief's ruff, right by her side as always. Check. Let him lead her to kitchen table. Sit down in chair. Check. Morning routine over, double check. Thank God. Suck down coffee and wait for caffeine to jumpstart brain...

By the time she reached the bottom of the first cup Marina was nearly capable of coherent speech. She focused on Ben and Ray, watching her with expressions that mixed inordinate amusement with faint puzzlement.

"Want coffee?" she asked groggily, vaguely aware sucking it down on her own was rude. "Over there." She waved a hand in the general direction of her entire kitchen.

"Sure," Ray said, having watched the process with great interest. Her morning coffee ritual rivaled his for concentrated weirdness, but she went high-end with it. A coffeemaker that ground the beans fresh, bottled water, turbinado sugar, chocolate coffee spoons and half and half? Ambrosia, as far as Ray was concerned. He helped himself to a huge cup and out of curiosity, made his coffee the way she made hers. Fortunately there were two more containers of half and half in her fridge. He sampled it and his eyes nearly crossed. Shit, if he hadn't fallen in love with her last night this would have done it. So good he wanted to lap it up the way Dief was lapping up the half and half in his bowl as a reward for his morning seeing eye dog duties.

Fraser was having a polite conniption fit at Dief glugging down his bowl of half and half, but it was pathetically obvious asking Marina anything right now was an exercise in futility. When he had finished the bowl and licked his jaws thoughtfully, Dief padded over to Marina, laid his head in her lap and did his 'aren't I the cutest puppy ever?' routine he pulled on Ray all the time when he wanted food.

Marina purred and buried her face in the soft fur between his ears. "I love you, Dief," she murmured gratefully. She started to struggle to her feet for a second caffeine dose but Ray reached over her shoulder and picked up her coffee cup.

"I'll get it." Ray topped hers off the way she liked it, and set it down.

"You're my hero, Ray," she mumbled gratefully. "Feel free to be part of my morning routine anytime."

Boy, that was a jolt after last night. Granted Mina was half-asleep and groggy as hell, but what reason did he have to doubt that she didn't mean it? Other than his own insecurities, which thanks to Fraser, Ray was almost managing not to drag along into this new relationship.

"You'll love me more in a second." Ray pushed a white bakery box in her direction. "Dief's favorites."

Marina dragged herself up another notch toward consciousness. "Donuts? You brought donuts? I do love you more." She opened the box and whimpered happily, going straight for the molasses crullers. She broke one in two and began munching down half while she fed the other half to Dief in her lap.

Fraser made that strangled sound again and she managed to orient on it.

"Something wrong, Ben?" She fished out a jelly donut and repeated the process, eating half while feeding Dief half. The wolf licked her fingers clean leisurely, cocking an eye to see if his human partners were watching him and his girlfriend's shameless morning cuddle-fest.

Ray felt jealous. Did they do this every morning? No wonder Dief liked staying over. Ray wouldn't mind licking powdered sugar off those pretty fingers either.

Fraser looked at Marina, half asleep, at Dief, deliberately luxuriating in her lap in an orgy of affection, at Ray, patently jealous of the extravagant attention the wolf was flaunting, and shook his head.

"Never mind, Marina." He got up and made a cup of coffee, minus the chocolate, triple helping of sugar and used the 2% milk in her fridge instead of the half and half. It was delicious. And it was going to be impossible to keep Ray out of her kitchen if she did this every morning.

Hummn, that triggered a thought. He and Diefenbaker habitually rose earlier than Ray and apparently Marina as well; perhaps if he made breakfast for three each morning he could get Marina and Ray to eat before they woke up enough to realize it? Their bargain for sharing meals had not included breakfast beyond Sunday brunch, and he would very much like to contribute something to keeping his painfully thin friends fed. It would be worth the attempt, at least. He'd try.

After her second cup of coffee and third half-donut, Marina yawned enormously and stretching her arms back over her head, cracked her neck, both shoulders, upper and lower back, blinked twice and rejoined the living. "Morning," she said, completely awake at last.

Having derailed both men's train of thought with that lazy stretch that showed off every curve of her body under the skimpy thigh-length pale purple tank top she was wearing, Ben and Ray both had to swallow and fight to answer politely.

Ray recovered first. "Not much of a morning person?" he teased. It was a little weak for a jibe, but it would do.

"You could say that," she chuckled. "You could also say I hate, loathe and despise mornings with a passion beyond anything else in life."

"May I ask you a personal question, Marina?" Fraser asked politely.

"This early? I guess so. What is it?"

"Do you always kiss your guests in the morning?"

"Kiss my guests?" Marina stared at him, baffled, and reran what fragments of memory she could recall from the last twenty minutes. "Two men-type things sitting at dining room table," she murmured. "Kiss both. Check. Oh, dear."

"Kiss both? Check?" Ray said incredulously. "Kissing us is on your morning checklist?"

"Not exactly," she admitted. "But kissing my guys in the morning was. Sorry, Ben. Sorry, Ray. I really operate on autopilot before coffee."

"Kisses from beautiful women do not require apologies," Ray said dryly, and shot Fraser a meaningful glance.

"It was very nice, Marina."

Ray rolled his eyes; obviously as a compliment it left a lot to be desired.

Fraser tried harder. "As much as you love 'your guys', it's very flattering you were subconsciously comfortable enough with Ray and I to accord us a tribute reserved for them."

Ray shrugged and seesawed a hand. Passable. Fraser would have loved to ask Marina more about 'her guys', but feared triggering another grief attack. He would let it go for now, as Ray was doing the same. Theresa seemed to know something about it; perhaps they could ask her to explain at a later time.

"So to what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Marina asked, nibbling delicately on a second molasses cruller.

"What, we can't come by for breakfast?" Ray bluffed. He did not want her thinking about that file folder he'd left the night before, not before she'd even finished her breakfast. Feeding Marina would be useless if she puked it all up looking at mutilated corpses over coffee.

To his surprise, Marina went wistful. "That'd be nice. But no, I don't think that's why. I could wish it, but I don't think it." She blinked at their startled expressions. "Oops, too much honesty there. I shouldn't talk before my third cup." She got up and walked over to the coffeemaker, and Fraser's, Ray's, and Dief's eyes all followed her long, lean legs moving under the edge of that tank top shift.

Ray bit back a groan. He was getting as obsessed as the wolf with her bare feet. She was wearing one of those blue toe rings from last night, and Ray wanted to pull it off with his mouth. And he really, really, really wanted to know if he could make her moan with nothing more than his tongue teasing her toes.

Dief growled under his breath as Ben and Ray both licked their lips unconsciously.

"Really, Diefenbaker," Fraser reproved quietly. "After that shameless display you put on for our benefit earlier, you have no justification for such a reaction."

Dief pointedly ignored him and when Marina sat back down, he snuggled back into her lap. She leaned down and kissed his nose. "My big bad wolf," she crooned, one hand smoothing his ears lovingly. She cocked her head at the two men. "I've been hogging him a lot lately. It's not a problem?"

"The wolf's his own guy," Ray jumped in before Fraser could. "Just don't be surprised if we start hanging around a lot too once we're neighbors."

Marina laughed wryly. "I should be so lucky. Three adorable males with hearts of gold hanging around lonely little me. Let's all feel sorry for Mina. Puh-lease."

For once, Ray blushed as red as Fraser.

"I rest my case," Marina teased.

Just to torment his partners, Dief lay down at Marina's feet and began leisurely licking one slim foot, sliding his tongue slowly over her toes. She made a soft, happy little moan and her eyes slid shut.

"Don't stop, Dief," she mumbled in delight, letting her head sink down on her folded arms next to her coffee cup.

Fraser and Ray shot Dief twin dirty looks. Determined to get some of his own back at the wolf, Ray reached over oh-so-casually and laid his hand on the back of Marina's neck and began rubbing it gently. "Little stiff from dancing last night?"

"Try in misery. I can't believe I tried courtesan dancing after a year of no practice." She made another of those happy little moans. "Don't stop, Ray."

Ray swallowed hard to keep his voice normal. "You sure yer not part cat, Mina? You really dig bein' petted."

"Entirely possible," she murmured contentedly. "With mongrels like us later generation MacLeods, who can tell?"

What a strange comment. Fraser did feel a little left out now, everyone was petting Marina except him. So, why wasn't he doing something about it?

"Ray remarked your dancing skills were quite extraordinary, Marina. Very unusual." Fraser got up, walked around and sat down on Marina's other side and stretching out a cautious hand, held it over Ray's. Ray obligingly shifted his massage to the shoulder nearest him and let Fraser have the other shoulder.

"Perhaps you might demonstrate some time? I confess to being very intrigued by his description."

"Sure, Ben." Marina whimpered in sheer delight as Fraser's strong fingers closed over her knotted muscles and kneaded. "As long as you and Ray promise to do this the morning after." Dancing last night left her stiff as a board and a bundle of knots... and it felt great. Like everything else she'd left behind, she missed it. "Don't stop, Ben... boy, you three have this teamwork thing down."

"That OK?" Ray kidded.

"I love teamwork. Especially when it's used on me."

Ray's brain nearly fried from sensory overload at the mental images that double-entendre conjured up. Even Fraser looked a little off balance... fuck, Frase was turned on. It wasn't an absolute first, but it was a damn rare thing. Did Marina mean that the way it sounded? Please, please let her mean it... Marina's head was pillowed in her arms so it was impossible to see her face. Dammit, why was it whenever he and Frase got their hands on Mina, it was when they couldn't see her face? Made it so damn hard to suss out what she meant... and fifteen minutes ago she'd barely been capable of speech. Ray hadn't realized how much emotional content he read in people's eyes until now, when he kept being deprived of it.

"We do have some time before we're due at the precinct, Marina," Fraser offered hesitantly. "You are in marked discomfort, if you would like another backrub before we leave...?"

Ray goggled in amazement at his partner and Fraser gave him a panicky 'what, you don't want to?' look. Ray shook his head violently. Of course he wanted to! Inspiration struck.

"It might help, Mina," Ray told her as his hand skimmed lower down her back, dipping under the shoulder straps of her tank to knead muscles that were, in fact, a mass of twisted knots. "Since we gotta hit ya with somethin' pretty nasty, we oughta make up to ya first, ya know?"

She chuckled. "And I thought I was incoherent in the morning. Would you care to explain that again, Ray? Mayhap making sense this time?"

"What didja do with that file I left here last night?"

"It's right where you left it. You said not to bother with it until this morning, so I didn't."

Both Ray and Fraser exchanged startled glances over her shoulders. Trust, again. There seemed to be an awful lot of that coming their way from her, and not a whole lot going back. If perpetually suspicious Ray was beginning to feel uneasy about that, what the heck must trust-everyone-on-first-sight Fraser be feeling?

"Finish yer breakfast first, the pics aren't too pretty."

"I'm tougher than I look, Ray."

"I know, I saw ya swing that sword, remember?"

"Point taken. So how do you want to do this?"

Ray's face twisted up. Aw shit, he couldn't hold it together if she kept saying things like that. Fraser wasn't doing much better but felt it incumbent on him to assist his partner.

"Ah, perhaps we might relocate to your living room, and you can examine the pictures while we..." Fraser stalled out, and Ray jumped in.

"While we fix yer back."

"Whatever you say, guys." Both Fraser and Ray jumped back as she sat up and finished the last of her cup. "I'll get the fil..."

"I'll get it," Ray said hastily, rising out of his chair like he'd been levitated. "You can get that whaddayacallit stuff from last time."

"All right. Be right back." She got up calmly and walked off down the hallway, Dief at her heels. They got as far as her bedroom and remembering Ben's exceptional hearing, Marina prudently closed the bedroom door before collapsing against it in a fit of giggles.

"You're right, Dief," she whispered to the wolf. "This is fun."

Dief yipped once and positively smirked.

Back in the living room, Fraser and Ray were having a fast, pointed conversation of their own in whispers.

"I'm not sure this is entirely appropriate Ray, we are here on official business."

"You wanna tell her no now? After you offered?" Ray stared at his partner in disbelief. "I never thought you were a tease, Fraser. I mean, that's low. Really low."

Fraser went distressed. "Oh, dear, is that what I'm doing?"

"It will be if ya back out now."

"Obviously that's not an option, Ray. We'll just have to be... medical about this. It's therapeutic, after all."

Ray ran a hand through his hair. "Jeez, Frase, that's not the kind of doctor I wanna be playin' here."

"Ray!" Fraser shot his partner an appalled glare.

"Don't give me that innocent-Mountie routine. I saw you look at her, Frase. You got turned on."

"I certainly did not. I merely find her company... stimulating."

"You were turned on, Frase."

"Intrigued, certainly."

"Turned on."

"Excited, perhaps."

"Turned on."

"Turned on," Fraser admitted in defeat.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Fraser shot his partner an exasperated stare. "Must you do that, Ray?"

"Yes, I must. Now put a sock in it, she's comin' back." Ben and Ray's jaws sagged as Marina came back. She'd changed, into a cute little green and yellow tropical flower bikini that covered... barely enough to not get arrested. Barely. She tossed the bag of massage oils to Fraser.

"Thought this might be easier to work in," she offered.

"It's cute," Ray said, startled that suddenly he wanted to take her, Frase and Dief to the beach and do goofball beach stuff. Make sand castles. Play in the waves. Have water fights. Flop on beach towels and snooze in the sun. Roast hot dogs over a fire in the sand. Throw sticks for Dief to chase, not the wolf would probably ever do anything so trite. But Dief loved chasing baseballs during the undercover assignment in Willison, and he still liked watching the vid of Ray's game-winning homerun, so maybe he shouldn't be so critical.

Stella had hated going to the beach, disliked the sand and untreated water and the sheer messiness of it. A sterile Jacuzzi or chlorine-laced resort pool was her speed. Thank Christ he didn't have to cater to that rich-bitch attitude anymore, Frase, Dief and Mina were a lot more fun.

Ray jerked himself up so fast it was a shock. Where had that thought come from? Fuck, but he'd come a long way if he could see Stella's faults as well as her good qualities. And the words spilled out of his mouth without conscious volition.

"Hey, Mina. You wanna go the beach this weekend?"

She grinned. "Sure, Ray."

Ray looked over his shoulder at Dief and Fraser. "You guys in?"

Fraser looked startled in turn but agreed readily. "Certainly, Ray. That sounds very enjoyable." Dief barked once and wagged his tail, clearly pleased with the idea too.

"Awright. Sprawl, girlie."

Marina laughed, vaulted over the back of the sectional and landed on her tummy.

Fraser was mystified. Her movement should have been graceless but it wasn't, it was like watching otters romp in the water, fun and lighthearted but never a clumsy movement to be seen.

Likewise, the sexual tension level in the room should be awkward, and it wasn't. It was there, and all three were aware of it, but as none felt the need to push it... it hovered, a comfortable little frission under the skin, just a light thrill adding an anticipatory spice to a pleasurable experience. Baffling. Fraser hadn't been aware that was possible. Sex and attraction were always tied up with awkwardness and uneasiness with him before. Which was manifestly unhealthy, now that he considered it from a neutral standpoint. Odd he'd never realized that before...

Dief leaped the couch back, curled up by her feet and started his lazy licking. Ray tossed the file folder in front of Marina and shrugged out of his leather jacket, cracking his knuckles.

"Left or right, buddy?"

Distracted by his thoughts, Fraser blanked at the question. "I'm sorry, Ray?"

Ray lifted his eyebrows and gestured at Marina's back. "You want the left side or the right?"

"Ah. The right, please." He'd already shed his tunic, but Fraser rolled up his sleeves and sat down gingerly opposite Ray, Marina sprawled between them. Really, these were very well designed sectionals; this would be an impossible maneuver on a regular couch. He'd never taken a good look before and as he waited for Ray to finish reading the labels on the aromatherapy oils -just as he had, Fraser was amused to notice, the ingredient lists were quite intriguing- he took the opportunity to examine them closely.

The configuration on this gray sectional differed from the setup of the blue one in front of the TV. The blue sectional was shaped like three sides of an open rectangle, with the side facing the TV open and a coffee table in the center. Arranged so one could sit anywhere and have a perfect view of the TV, and reach the table comfortably.

This gray one in front of the fireplace was different. In addition to the open rectangle, there were two... ottomans? Was that the correct term? Square squishy cushioned pieces without any backs- good for footrests, or alternatively, if pushed into the open center of the sectional, turned it into almost a king-sized bed. Fascinating. It would be quite useful if one had guests... or wanted to make love in front of the fire. Fraser flushed. There was ample room for two on it, or even three if they were... friendly. Since his conversation with Ray, his imagination was getting increasingly risque about what three willing participants could do with each other... and to each other.

He forced his attention back to the matter at hand. That really wasn't any less enticing, considering the matter about to be under his hands -and Ray's, which only made it more tantalizing- was lithe and charming and only wearing about two ounces of cloth. One of the ottomans was placed back against the wall; the other was pushed up in the middle on the couch, turning it into a capital E, providing Marina with plenty of room to sprawl while he and Ray could sit on either side of her comfortably.

Ray picked an unopened sample bottle and cracked the cap on it, sniffed and grinned, looked down at Marina and yelped.

"Jeez, Mina, ya weren't supposed ta be lookin' at those yet!"

Marina had the file folder open and was leafing through the autopsy photos, and she turned her head back and regarded him quizzically.

"You did set them down in front of me, Ray."

"I was gonna, like, warn ya first, ya know? Dead bodies are gross." Ray tugged gently on the strings of her bikini that crossed her back. "Ya mind, they're in the way?"

"Nah, go ahead. This corpse is particularly gross, Ray. I don't think a warning would have accomplished much. This is that murder case Channel Six is running all the lurid footage of? Were these... pieces all they found?"

Ray shrugged at the truth of her statement, untied her bikini back and slid the strands down by her sides, poured a little oil in his hand and gave Fraser the bottle.

"Yeah. Damn reporters, I can't stand 'em. The whole frickin' city's screaming about this, and we've been on the case over a week now. And no suspects, and no positive ID on the body. It's a disaster." He rubbed his palms together and began to run his hands over her neck and shoulders gently, feeling out the knots. "If it weren't for you IDing the sword and giving us some leads to run down, we'd have nothin' at all."

Fraser followed Ray's example and began tracing out the lines of tension in Marina's lower back, set his thumbs against the first knot and pushed firmly.

"Where was the sword found?" She sank a little deeper into the couch cushions as Fraser's hands joined Ray's and sighed in relief.

"Jammed in the breastbone so deep Mort had to use a bone saw to cut it out."

"Mort?"

"Mort is the Medical Examiner at the 27th, Marina," Fraser explained helpfully. "Mort is, sort of a nickname."

"Mort is so frickin' weird they need a new word for him," Ray grumbled.

Marina frowned. "This is weird," she said, tapping the photos of the arm and leg fragments. "You do realize most of these wounds couldn't have been made with the saber, right?"

Fraser and Ray stared at each other over her prone body. "What?" they said together.

"Don't stop, please?" Marina waited until the caresses restarted before she continued. "There's no way these wounds could have been made with the saber. The blade's too long and that edge would cut air. The blade that did this was a lot shorter and heavier, and it must have an edge like a butter knife. Some of these wounds are practically bludgeon marks."

She pulled two pictures out and laid them out side by side on the gray fabric in front of her and raised herself up on her elbows. "Look, here, and here, see how wide the incision is? And how blunt and bruised the edges of the wound are? No way this was done with the saber. A wound from that saber would be narrow and sharp as a razor cut, and much deeper. Weird..."

"What is?"

"The cuts that severed the limbs from the body... those probably were done with the saber. The blade that made these blunt cuts wouldn't have been able to slice through bone as cleanly as these obviously were."

"And you can tell all that by lookin' at these photos?"

Marina cocked an eyebrow at him. "Ancient weapons are my specialty, Ray."

"Right, sorry, sorry."

She grimaced. "Sorry right back, I shouldn't have gotten snippy. This is important." She yelped.

"What?" Ray and Fraser said together.

"Whoever's got their hands on my left shoulder hit a sore spot."

"That's me," Ray said, gentled his touch and began working around the large knot, breaking it up a little at a time. "That better?"

"That's heavenly." She began flipping slowly through the rest of the pictures. "You know, guys, the more I look at these, the more I think the saber wasn't the actual murder weapon."

"What leads you to that conclusion, Doctor MacL..." Marina and Ray shot Fraser twin annoyed looks and he bit down on the rest of his words. "Marina."

She smiled a little and snuggled back down on the couch, her chin resting on her folded hands.

"I'd have to take a closer look to be sure, but judging from these pictures, it looks like most of the killing wounds were inflicted with a different weapon, and the saber was used to dismember the body shortly after death. When you checked out the murder site, what did the blood spread look like?"

"A great big pool of blood," Ray said with a shrug.

"Roughly circular, perhaps forty feet in diameter," Fraser added.

Marina frowned. "I'd say your murderer's clever, then."

"Why?" Ray asked.

"He's hiding his tracks well. Try this on for a theory. He could have killed the victim anywhere within a ten mile radius of the parking garage, bagged the body, brought it to the garage and used the saber to dismember the body in a matter of minutes. Coagulation of the blood in the veins doesn't kick in right away post-mortem. Then he left the saber behind as a red herring and counted on the spreading blood pool to obliterate any traces of his tracks. He could have dumped the bloody bag anywhere to dispose of it; wadded up it would just look like trash. Smart, and definitely premeditated. Very well planned, in fact. It almost implies this wasn't a first-time thing."

Fraser went on alert. "Would a closer examination of the corpse reveal any more information, Marina?"

"Possibly. I can't say without seeing the remains."

Ray was hyped with the air he wore when he was having one of his frequent hunches. "Can you come down to the station with us now?"

"What time is it?"

Ray checked his watch. "Nine-thirty. Why?"

"Let me call Janey and see if she can take my eleven o'clock class. If yes, no problem, if no... hell, I'll cancel this one. Won't kill the class to get a day off."

Ray rubbed a hand on his jeans and dug his cell phone out of his jacket. "Here. Use mine."

Marina took it and dialed. "Hey, Janey? It's Mac." She waited a moment, listening, then replied, "I need a favor, can you take my eleven o'clock class?" She smiled at the response. "You're a lifesaver. I owe you one." A spate of concerned sounds on the other end followed. "I'm sure this isn't going to be anything like that, Janey. But I'll be careful, I promise." More worried noises. "Not to worry. I'm in very good hands. I'll tell you about it later. Bye." The phone clicked off and she handed it over her shoulder to Ray. "Thanks, Ray. All set. That was my only class today, I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

Ray swallowed hard at the images that phrase conjured up in his overactive imagination, given his hands were currently on Marina's mostly-naked body. "Greatness. Wanna head down to the station now?"

Marina bit her lip and glanced back over her shoulder hopefully. "Would you finish rubbing my back first? Please?"

Ray and Fraser both laughed. She looked like Dief begging for a treat.

"No problem."

Twenty minutes later Ray ran an exploratory hand over her back, neck to hips, and couldn't find a single remaining knot. Apparently he and Fraser made as good a backrub team as they did in everything else. Figured.

"Better?"

"Perfect." She stretched and sighed happily. "Tie me up, please?"

Ray's brain crashed, dead in the water right then and there, at that comment. Images so vivid and erotic tsunamied through his mind's eye it left him paralyzed with incipient lust.

Smothering a grin less than successfully at his partner's frozen state, Fraser reached down and tied a neat bow in her bikini strings.

"Thanks, Ben." She sat up. "Give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Take your time," Fraser said politely, standing and offering her a hand up. As she disappeared down the hallway Dief nudged Ray's hand and whimpered questioningly at Fraser.

Fraser assessed his partner. "I think the only thing that might help now is a bucket of ice water, Diefenbaker. Unfortunately I don't have one handy, not to mention it would prove very detrimental to Doctor MacLeo..." A warning growl. Fraser lifted his eyebrows. "You too? Very well. Very detrimental to Marina's couch. I imagine he'll come out of it on his own in a few minutes. If not, we'll try the ice water."

In her bathroom, Mina dumped her bikini in one of the vanity sinks to deal with later and bolted through the shower, giving her hair and skin a fast scrub. A quick check confirmed yesterday's shave of her legs would suffice for today, but her pits got a speedy scrape with a razor as she didn't have any intention of wearing anything other than sleeveless in this weather. She'd remember a jacket -not that Ben's arms didn't make an excellent coat- but she didn't want to look obvious. Not yet, anyway. But flirting with Ben and Ray was such fun. She'd even gotten under Ben's skin once already today. It was so good to feel alive again!

Marina whistled one of Duncan's favorite arias as she dried off and ran a comb through her wet hair, threw on a thong and jeans then paused for a moment. What did she have that still fit that wasn't a tank top? It certainly narrowed her choices, but the short black Greek-style tunic top left her arms and shoulders bare, and she could wear Methos' black pearl triple-strand choker with the black diamond pendant and matching earrings and bracelet. That would look great but not too fancy, as the ancient settings were very plain. Her wet hair could get tied back with her black, white and gray silk scarf, and her black denim jacket shouldn't have anything lurking in the pockets to cause a breakdown.

She pulled the top off the hangar and shrugged it on, slid her feet into black sandals and ducked into her library to retrieve the pearl set from the safe, and remembering, pulled off her sapphire toe ring, replaced it in its case with the rest of the set and substituted the little silver one she wore for everyday. Tying up her hair took seconds, her silver everyday watch matched well enough with the black pearls and she was done. Sixteen minutes to get ready by the clock. Not bad at all... even Duncan, the paragon of effortlessly elegant style, would be proud of her.

Out in the living room, Ben was fastening up the bewildering number of laces and buttons and straps on his tunic while in the kitchen Ray was munching the last donut while downing the remaining coffee.

Dief yipped a welcome as she came out and Ray whistled in admiration.

Marina curtsied. "Thank you for the compliment, kind sir," she said jestingly. "Shall we go?"

* * *