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

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 8, Not Again

"Good morning, 27th Precin... oh, hi, Stella," Frannie grumbled, dropping the polite tone as soon as Stella interrupted her greeting. "Yeah, Ray's sorta calmed down, if you count flames not shooting out of his eyes anymore 'calming down'." Francesca rolled her eyes as she sat back in her chair, toying with the civilian aide badge on her half-shirt. "Yeah, I'd say he's still pissed about yesterday."

In her office at the city courthouse, Stella Kowalski's expression tightened. "I thought so. Listen, Frannie, I think you're as suspicious of 'Doctor MacLeod' as I am, and I don't believe for a second that woman worked for the federal government in any capacity. I think we should run a more thorough background check."

Frannie sat up straight and checked to make sure no one was paying her any attention before lowering her voice and continuing. "I totally agree with you, Stella. My woman's intuition says something's really weird about her."

"I agree." Stella forced herself to keep the scorn out of her voice. Francesca Vecchio was a complete and utter ditz, as far as she was concerned, but under the circumstances Stella figured the enemy of her enemy was her friend. Besides, when it came to the 27th Precinct, Frannie was the perfect spy, she stuck her nose into everything and one and all habitually ignored her unless they needed her to do legwork.

"So what do you want me to do?" Frannie sounded like a little girl being asked to play Harriet the Spy.

"Start running an in-depth check on her this weekend, and see if you can find out if she's really worked for the feds, and if so, what she did. I'll start looking on my end; see if she's ever been in trouble with the law before. Either of us finds anything, they call the other. Right away."

"You got it... Stella?"

"Yes?"

"You don't really think Fraser likes... her better than me?"

Stella forbore to mention the only reason she didn't like Marina better than Frannie was she hated the woman's guts already. The Vecchio twit's penchant for witless blather and blatant trollop wear grated on her nerves unbelievably, but for the moment she was the only ally around.

"No, of course not. Ray's overreacting, as usual. Just act natural for now and when it turns out the woman's a liar, we can get rid of her and everything will get back to normal."

"Ok, Stella. I'll talk to you as soon as I find out anything."

"Likewise." Stella hung up.

Time to start digging into Doctor Marina MacLeod's past, and when she proved the witch was a fake and a fraud, Ray would be begging for a chance to apologize. Not that she'd give it to him... not until she was sure he'd suffered enough not to doubt her judgment again. Ray was very predictable that way, make him feel like he'd done you wrong and he'd crawl for weeks to make up for it. That tactic had worked exceptionally well all through their marriage, there was no reason it wouldn't work well now. It should balance out her slight misjudgment in the matter of that idiot Councilman Orsini -what a setback that had been for her career- and put her firmly back in control. And keeping control was vital...

* * *

Picking at the remains of her lunch of cream of cheddar and broccoli soup and hot jalapeno cornbread from Heather's, Marina sprawled comfortably in her plush desk chair, painstakingly sorting through the mass of information on Saladin that had arrived from a typically bland Watcher email address. She'd bet her favorite sword half an hour from now that address would be dead and any trace of its origin wiped right off the entire 'net.

Not that it mattered, as Duncan was fond of teasing Joe and Methos, Watcher files were notorious for their completeness if not for their accuracy. She happened to know Methos had updated her own file considerably over the last few years, revising some of the more egregious errors... and at her request, deleting a few things she didn't think the Watchers needed to know.

But the information on Saladin was intriguing, she'd never done an in-depth study of the Saracen prince before but like many Immortals, he'd been a man ahead of his time. After faking his own death -Mina wondered idly what anonymous body was actually buried in his sarcophagus- he'd done what most Immortals did and gone on a wanderjahr, traveling the world. He'd even known Darius, been one of his students. Ye gods, but that hurt to read; according to the file, Saladin hadn't been near Paris for almost ten years, he might not even know Darius was dead. Information traveled through the Immortal grapevine slowly, as half the time meetings between two Immortals resulted in only one Immortal walking away.

That Saladin had known Darius was vital information; Mina didn't particularly fancy killing this guy if she didn't have to, and she wasn't above using her lost mentor as leverage if it kept them from battling. Darius would have approved of using his memory in such a way; he had loathed the senseless combat so many Immortals lived for. And if Saladin loved Darius the way she and Duncan had, as a fellow student she owed it to him to break the news of Darius' tragic death... and to hold him while he cried, if necessary.

Finding Saladin was fast becoming her top priority, if he knew nothing of the rogue Watchers he was horribly vulnerable to attack, and while Marina had issues with a lot of the Watcher's Guild policies, there was no denying there were far worse choices for the One than Saladin. Sighing, she continued to read...

* * *

By four Friday afternoon Ray was so impatient to be gone from the stationhouse he was having a worse time that usual waiting for Fraser to show up. Even his mercurial personality was willing to call it quits for the day. Yesterday's argument with Stella and Frannie still rankled, although Frannie seemed willing to return to their normal adversarial routine and was hitting on poor Fraser so hard he'd probably have bruises. Finding out Fraser was interested in another woman had Frannie in a seriously competitive mood and Frase was taking the brunt. Too bad, Ray had the feeling if Frannie went up against Marina instead of Fraser the situation would be resolved damn quick.

The Stella was going to hold a major grudge, but tough shit. He was doing what she wanted, right? She had no call to bitch. Or be one, either. That Gold Coast snob attitude Stella hated as a kid was showing up in her a lot since the mess with Orsini and it was pissing him off hard.

But the case was finally coming along, even Welsh was pleased. An exhausting perusal of the security tapes in the parking garage security system finally paid off, on the third time through the last fourteen days' worth of recordings, one sidewalk camera had caught a glimpse of a slight, dark, dapper man in a stylish long coat that flared open a trifle too far in only one frame, revealing a sword hilt that exactly matched the one now residing in Marina's safe. The camera caught a three-quarter profile of his face, and Ray had that picture circulating through every precinct in Chicago with a top priority level.

Fraser took Dief and a dozen copies of the suspect's picture and was interviewing the employees at the parking garage a second time, hoping someone would remember seeing him. And he should have been back by now, damn it. Ray wanted out of there and over to Marina's so bad he could taste it. To his private amazement Fraser calmly, steadfastly refused to let Marina and Ray out of the impromptu, backwards offer of a spin-the-bottle party. So he and Fraser had a date to get tipsy and smooch with a beautiful woman, and Ray was increasingly eager to get started on it. On second thought, maybe he better check to make sure his best buddy hadn't been replaced by a podling...

Ray hadn't looked forward to a date so much since high school dances with Stella, and he could think that thought without pain, which was a small miracle all its own. He and Fraser were as infatuated as Dief was; and their joint friendship with Marina was turning out to be a major turning point in his and Fraser's friendship, and he sure as hell liked where it was going. Granted, Ray didn't let himself think too hard about where it all might lead eventually, that was unexplored territory and there were definitely dragons there; but for now, what was growing between them was so comfortable and fulfilling he was more than content to let it grow at its own pace.

Fraser hadn't slept at the Consulate once since that weird night of hockey and massages. He'd sacked out companionably with Ray since then and to Ray's secret embarrassment, his sleep kept improving with that big, warm body to snuggle up to at night. Even more, he and Fraser never once woke up without being tangled together in some way. Good morning and good night kisses became a regular, comfortable habit. Reassuring, for cripes' sake. How whacked out was that? Wonderful, amazing, way better than words could say, sure... but weird as hell. Ray would have never figured Fraser for bi- or the experimental type. Himself, he'd try anything once and if he liked it, who gave a damn what the conservative folks thought? As far as he was concerned, they missed out on a lot of fun for no good goddamn reason.

Ray was almost regretting their new place had two bedrooms... he'd miss having Fraser sleeping beside him and he was honest enough -privately- to admit it. But they'd each need their own turf, and getting a one-bedroom would open up a can of worms nobody sane would want to deal with. Homophobia was alive and well behind the "wall of blue" and while he and Fraser chasing the same girl, or even catching her, would cause ribald comment and some fairly merciless ribbing it would still be good-natured. People thinking he and Fraser were queer would be a whole different -and much, much uglier- situation. But nobody thought anything weird about his and Fraser being roommates, so they were flying under the radar for now. Good. Dancing with two partners was complicated enough without having to deal with anything else.

Fraser'd let the Ice Queen know he was moving out and apparently gave her the impression he was staying with Ray to help him pack before they both moved into their new apartment. Ray got the story from Turnbull, and according to him, her disappointment had been thoroughly funny. How obvious it had to be for Turnbull to notice made Ray snicker whenever he thought about it.

Ray wasn't surprised- he always thought Thatcher liked the way she occasionally stumbled onto Fraser undressed. Tough luck for her, they were interested in Marina and Ray didn't have the slightest inclination to share Fraser with anyone else. He'd wondered if being interested in two people would mitigate that possessive streak he had. It hadn't. He was that possessive about both Marina and Fraser. What that said about him Ray didn't examine too closely. He was happy. He didn't need to analyze it.

"Hey, earth to Ray? Earth calling Detective Vecchio?" Frannie waved a hand in front of his face, breaking Ray's reverie.

"What?" he said irritably, swatting at her hand.

"Jeez, that happy look on your face sure left quick," Frannie snapped, annoyed in her turn. "Fraser's on his way in, I thought you'd want to know. I won't bother next time."

Time to mend a few fences. Ray moved quickly, caught Frannie's wrist and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. "You are a paragon of sisters, dear Francesca. I am unworthy."

That earned him a look like he'd taken leave of what precious little remained of his sanity, but as Frannie snatched her hand away she couldn't help smiling.

"You're acting weirder than usual, brother," she retorted, but the nudge she gave him toward the door was gentle. "You're working too hard on this case. Go blow off some steam this weekend."

"Yes, ma'am." That ready agreement earned him another baffled stare, but as Ray caught sight of Fraser coming down the hallway with Dief, his partner already in civvies, he realized what had delayed Fraser. "I'm outta here."

Ray didn't let Fraser get as far as his desk, Frannie would ambush the Mountie coming in and they'd never get out of here. Ray snatched up his coat and met him in the hallway.

"C'mon, Frase. You can tell me how it went in the car."

Fraser gave in with so little fuss Ray half-suspected his partner was as anxious to get started on their evening as he was. And there was another small miracle. Or maybe not so small.

"It's not like I have anything to report, Ray," Fraser said regretfully as they walked back down the hallway. "None of the garage employees remember ever seeing that man before."

"Another dead end." Ray sighed in frustration. "This case is full of 'em, dunno why I'm surprised." He shoved open the stationhouse door and blinked a little in the bright sunlight, fumbling his sunglasses out of his t-shirt collar on the walk to the car and donning them with a sigh of relief as the glare dropped to a manageable level.

"We haven't had all bad luck, Ray, " Fraser pointed out reasonably as he held the car seat so Dief could jump in the back.

"Yeah, I guess." As Ray pulled the GTO's door shut and could be sure they weren't being overheard, he turned to his partner.

"No more shop talk until Monday, Ben," he said firmly. "I made that mistake with Stella too often, not letting the job go when I needed to. We are going to have a night off with a friend and move into our new apartment. That's it."

Fraser hardly thought anything having to do with the lovely but intensely perplexing Doctor MacLeod qualified as merely 'it', but he could see Ray's point.

"Understood, Ray. No shoptalk around Marina."

Fraser was rather proud he'd finally managed to break himself of calling her 'Doctor MacLeod' in private. He liked thinking of her that way, though. It was sexy. An academic turn-on. Maybe Ray was right; he really was hopeless if a couple of PhD's after a woman's name did it for him. Then again, both his grandparents were librarians, so maybe he came by it naturally.

Ray searched his face briefly, to make sure his partner really did understand, and nodded. "Good."

"Might I suggest we also attempt not to inadvertently trigger another one of those disturbing grief reactions in Marina?"

Remembering those incidents brought a frown to Ray's face as he waited at a red light.

"Yeah, that second time was weird. It felt like she was ready to fly apart again for a minute there. Finding that picture of her foster brother triggered the first one, but what caused that one? What was it she said?"

Fraser searched his memory for her exact words. "She said, 'Can you keep doing this for the next nine years?'"

"Nine years," Ray repeated. "That bugged me at the time, I remember now. Why nine? Why not five? Ten? One? What was so significant about nine?"

"I don't know, Ray. Is it significant?"

"Yeah. Don't know why, just a gut feeling. Something about nine years from now is important to her. Real important."

Fraser had learned to trust Ray's gut feelings. They were seldom, if ever, wrong. "Do you think we should attempt to find out?"

"Naw. She's got a right to her privacy. Besides, you saw how much those crying fits hurt her. It might be something else that's too painful to talk about yet." Ray shot his partner a rueful glance. "Not like we both don't know all about that."

Fraser could hardly argue with the truth of that conclusion. Not by half. And they'd reached the wharf. When they dropped Mina off yesterday, she'd tossed them both small key remotes programmed for the parking garage under the building and assigned them each a parking slot. Fraser protested he hardly needed one, but Ray squelched that by pointing it out was handy to have a spare for visiting guests.

As the automatic door rattled open, the heavy galvanized steel panels clinking on their chains, Ray pulled the GTO inside, drove down the underground aisle and parked.

"About moving. Frannie reserved us a U-Haul for Sunday fer my apartment, what about yer stuff?"

"Er, actually, Ray..." Fraser shifted uncomfortably in the seat beside Ray. "Those three boxes we brought over to your apartment last week are the entirety of my possessions. Stopping by the Consulate with the moving van would be superfluous."

It appalled Ray to realize his partner spoke nothing more than the absolute truth. Fraser came to Chicago with nothing more than what he'd carried on his back, and he'd lost most of that in the arson fire that destroyed his apartment building. Knowing it would only upset Fraser to mention it, Ray took a different tack as he punched the elevator button.

"Look, Frase, I know it'll be tough, but try to pick up a little packrat instinct, OK?"

It worked; Fraser was taken off guard by the comment. "Why, Ray?"

Ray deliberately shot Fraser one of his 'you're unhinged' looks. "Have you taken a good look at our new place, buddy? Between the two of us we don't have enough to fill one room. From now on, if somethin' catches your eye, pick it up, buy it, bring it home, and stick it in a bare spot. I'll do the same thing. It's not tough."

That was a new idea. Not an altogether unappealing one, either. "I'll try, Ray."

Ray shot him an apprehensive look. "Start with books. We have plenty of empty bookshelves. No stuffed moose heads or anything... dead."

"Understood, Ray."

Shit, Fraser didn't even have a bed, Ray realized. Nothing. How to get around this problem without distressing his friend? Inspiration hit.

"We're gonna have to pick up some new furniture, too. We'll take some time Saturday and go shoppin'. I'm ditching that old mattress and box spring and getting a new one. I'm not lugging that pile of lumps up another set of stairs. Maybe a new couch, too."

"They have a freight elevator, Ray," Fraser pointed out.

"No, Fraser," Ray said pointedly. "I'm buying a new bed. A comfortable one. We'll pick one up for you at the same time and have them both delivered. We won't even have to set 'em up. Heck, we might even get 'em ta knock off one of the delivery charges."

Sometimes it was easier to give in when Ray had one of his impulses.

"Whatever you say, Ray."

"Sheesh, that's an improvement. Try to use that phrase more often, Frase."

"Whatever you say, Ray."

"Better."

The elevator chimed as it reached the fourth floor and slid open. Dief shouldered them both aside and loped down the hallway, then stopped halfway down in puzzlement. Both doors to the hallway were ajar, and the plastic sheeting protecting the marble floors was gone. The hallway shone like a cleaning crew finished not five minutes ago. Dief nosed the unfamiliar door open and yipped inquisitively.

Marina's voice floated out into the hallway. "Dief? Come on in, love. Come see your new home!" The wolf barked happily and bolted through the door.

"Hey, Frase, does it seem funny to you Dief has no trouble hearing the Doc?"

"I asked him about that, Ray."

"What'd he say?"

"He said that wasn't how they communicated."

"So how do they communicate?"

"He said the human language doesn't have words for it."

"Figures. Makes asking the Doc futile." Ray pushed the door the rest of the way open and walked through. "Welcome home, Ben."

Another hammer blow against the iron walls Fraser kept his emotions inside... and he was detecting a definite pattern to Ray's use of his first name as opposed to his last. The implications warmed his heart. And those surges of warmth were happening quite frequently of late. Fraser squared his shoulders and stepped through the door.

It was full of light. That was his first impression. An expanse of the friendly warmth of maple wood floors, boards sanded and refinished smooth as glass, stretching to a bank of windows nearly as large as the one in Marina's apartment. Through the windows, water as far as he could see. The lake stretched to the horizon, and the meeting of water and sky were twin hot clear summer blues shimmering in the heat haze. The orientation of the view made him glance to his right, realizing Marina's living room had to be on the other side of that cream-colored wall. Curious. There was a door in that wall.

Other things pulled at his attention. On the wall opposite the windows, bookshelves, built-in floor to ceiling ones very similar to the ones next door. That figured, if the landlord was renovating all these apartments one after another. The bookshelves were finished in maple, like the floors. Ray noticed more about their new place on the trip here earlier in the week, Fraser's impressions were of tarps, dust, and workmen, with a bewildering plethora of large cardboard boxes stacked everywhere. Ray mentioned he'd worked construction, he'd seen beneath the clutter to the substance beneath. Always perceptive, his Ray.

Different from Marina's apartment, which had a separate kitchen with pantry opening off the dining room, theirs had a large open kitchen with a breakfast bar separating it from the living room. Less formal, and he liked it. The kitchen was painted and tiled in a bright red and green chili pepper pattern. Fraser thought of the chili-pepper lights that hung in Ray's kitchen and knew Ray would like it too.

"Damn, Fraser, come see this place!"

Fraser marked the sun's position through the windows, oriented on magnetic and true north and fixed the layout of his new home permanently in his head. Ray's voice had come from the west bedroom, so that was the way he headed. Entering, he noticed the room was painted in a different color than the subtly variegated ivory of the main room, an interesting shade of luminescent gold that was very close to the color of Ray's hair. He wondered if Ray wanted this room. It certainly suited him.

"In here. Each bedroom has its own bathroom." Ray stuck his head out of the right-hand inner door. "Heated towel racks, an' a Jacuzzi tub, buddy. And rent-controlled! We have, for some unknown reason, utterly lucked out with this place. The wolf's forgiven fer every last lousy thing he's ever done to me!" Ray's enthusiasm was infectious.

"I'm glad you like it, Ray."

"Come see the other bedroom. It's blue. Almost the color of your eyes. Weird, huh?"

"Coincidental, as I noticed previously this room was painted a shade very similar to the color of your hair, Ray."

"Think the Doc's tryin' ta tell us something?"

"What do you suppose she's trying to imply, Ray?"

"We could just ask, Frase."

"That would be easiest, I suppose."

Fraser followed Ray back out into the main room, wondering how he missed the brick fireplace on the wall opposite the bedrooms before. There was a wood box built right into the wall, even split hardwood stacked in it. Fraser was beginning to wonder precisely how much control Marina had over the renovations. He could see Ray's point; he was starting to see her subtly understated touch in everything.

"Marina?" Ray called out as he walked into the other bedroom; a cool slate-blue version of the previous one, and when Fraser peeked into the bathroom, soothing pale grays and more blues met his eyes. There was someone behind the wavy glass block wall of the shower stall.

"In here, Ray."

The glass shower door was wide open, and when Ray and Fraser peered in, Marina was frowning up at the showerhead, which wobbled uncertainly on its lopsided hook.

"I'm sorry about this guys, I'll get the plumber back on Monday. You're moving in Sunday, right?"

"That is correct, but having it fixed Monday will be fine," Fraser reassured her. "I'm sure the plumber will be happy to rectify his error."

"He damn well better be, or he doesn't get his final payment. I hate sloppy work."

"Language, Marina," Fraser said reprovingly.

She shrugged, distracted by the movement as she rotated the showerhead to judge how loose it was. "Nothing more to be done about it tonight, I suppose. You guys eaten yet?"

Ray refused to be distracted. "Marina... did ya pick the paint colors in here?"

She continued to poke interrogatorily at the fixture mounting. "What? Yeah. Why? Don't you like them? I can change them if you want. It'll take a day or two."

"They're perfect. Did you pick the colors fer any particular reason?"

She twisted a brushed nickel wall fitting. "Hummn? Yeah, I did."

"What reason?"

Dissatisfied, she spun the fitting the other way. "I picked colors you and Ben would like. Blue for him, honey with ochre for you."

Ray figured. "Any reason why ya picked one bedroom fer him and the other fer me?"

Mina braced the showerhead with one hand and spun the fitting with the other. "Sure. Ben's a morning person and you're a night owl, so I figured he'd want the east bedroom and you'd want the west one. That way he gets the morning sunlight and you don't."

"You thought a' all that? An' picked bedroom colors we'd like personally?"

Still not giving Ray her full attention, Marina straightened the showerhead partially. "Yeah."

"What else?"

"What else what, Ray?" Her tone began to be vaguely exasperated as she realigned the fitting back flush with the tile wall.

"What else about this place did you do with us in mind?"

"Pretty much everything." The showerhead straightened a hair more.

"Everything?"

"Something wrong, Ray?" Another fraction straighter.

"Jeez, I thought Fraser was single-minded." Ray stepped into the shower stall, wrapped his hands around Marina's waist and picked her up bodily.

"Hey!"

Ray set her down between him and Fraser. "You did all this for us?"

Fraser could barely contain his laughter as he watched Marina rewind the last few minutes of absent-minded conversation and look utterly disgusted with herself. Busted, she refused to give in with good grace and stuck her chin out pugnaciously.

"Yes, I did. So what?"

Ray prudently curled his hands over her fists and eased them down to her sides before placing a cautious kiss on her forehead. "Thanks."

"Oh." Her ire collapsed and a wry grin emerged. "You're welcome."

Fraser thought that looked like fun and stepping behind Marina, trapped Ray and Marina's hands under his larger ones and waited until she looked up curiously. Very aware of the solid wall of Mountie behind her, Marina smiled ruefully.

"Hi, Ben. Like the place?"

"Assuredly. May I offer my thanks for your efforts on our behalf as well?"

"Sure."

"Good." And Fraser threw caution to the winds, leaned down and covered her mouth with his. It was delicious to feel Marina's body soften against his, to feel Ray move forward to support her weight between them. She was warm and alive and feeling Ray's wiry strength behind her lovely lean lines was doubly alluring. Why was it the light heat of Marina and Ray's bodies drew him so? They were cool compared to the permanent furnace that burned inside him. And yet he had the strangest certainty both would like nothing better than to sleep sprawled on his chest, soaking up that ridiculous heat so excessive for Chicago in the height of summer. Not that he would ever suggest such an outrageous thing. Not right at first, anyway...

Iron self-control was second nature for Fraser but even so drawing away from Mina and Ray taxed his limits severely. For the first time in his life he hungered to spend an evening tasting the differences between two sweet mouths. In truth, he might as well admit it right down deep in his soul where it mattered. He wanted Ray, and he wanted Marina. He wanted them both, and by some bizarre twist of fate it seemed Mina and Ray felt the same way; and found it no cause for alarm, or anger, or spite. Merely good reason to... grow closer. Amazing. Again.

"You promised me a party," he reminded Marina in a murmur, his lips brushing over her cheekbone. All he had to do to meet Ray's eyes over Marina's head was lift his chin slightly, and watching Ray's gaze smolder into his, feeling Ray's thumbs stroke his and Mina's together, Fraser knew without asking Ray was going to be right beside him whatever happened. Partners.

"Next door," she whispered unsteadily. "But you might as well finish looking around first. Do you like your deck?"

"We have a deck?" Fraser and Ray's inadvertent chorus made Marina laugh, and she caught Fraser and Ray's hands and danced toward the bedroom door.

"Come and see!"

Caught up in her infectious enthusiasm, Fraser and Ray exchanged glances and knew exactly what the other was thinking. One quick, precise step together, and Marina had two strong arms around her waist, lifting her right off her feet. She yelped in delight, sounding surprisingly similar to Dief, and wrapped her arms around their necks, letting them carry her as Ray and Fraser ran out into the living room. Closer inspection revealed one of the large windows that faced the lake was a set of French doors paneled to matching the surrounding windows. Marina dropped lightly to her toes as they stopped in front of the door, but slid her hands down their arms and twined her fingers through theirs.

"Tell me what you think of the garden, Ben. I designed it especially for you and Dief. The wolf and I had a blast putting it together."

Ray and Fraser each grabbed a French door handle and opened the two doors wide. Ray's jaw dropped. On the other side was a miniature wilderness, complete with waterfall and pond. What the hell? It was a perfect rectangle of Fraser's freaky Canadian pine forest picked up and dropped neatly onto a city roof. How the fuck had she managed it?

The square brick landing they were standing on led down a wide flight of red brick stairs into... a forest. There were fir trees, little ones, sure, but real ones. Granite boulders, for crying out loud. Ferns. Carpets of moss. Tons of plants Ray didn't recognize but he was sure Fraser knew and -being Fraser- would probably be snacking on in about five minutes. Even the surrounding walls were green, the red brick walls bounding the garden on three sides crawled with thick green English ivy, and on the fourth a waist-high brick wall, topped with a slate shelf, overlooked the lake.

Dief was sauntering down the brick stairs with a casual familiarity that confirmed he'd played a part in designing this space, and Fraser released Marina's hand and followed the wolf with a suspiciously calm expression.

Standing by Marina at the top of the stairs, Ray tucked his hands into his rear pants pockets and glanced over at her.

"Hey, Mina?"

"Yes, Ray?"

"Ya know that fer doin' this fer Fraser, there's nuthin' I wouldn't do fer ya?"

Marina sat down on the stone ledge and drew her feet up, crossing her arms on her knees, watching Fraser stroll among the fir trees. She loved the way Ray's Chicago accent got sharper when he was touched to the heart. "Really, Ray?"

"Really. Why'd ya do it?" Ray strolled over and sat down next to her, watching her eyes. He wasn't letting her hide those mirrors into her soul this time.

"You want the real reason?"

"Yep."

"It's a shameless attempt to get you both to like me." She cocked an eyebrow and offered a wry smile. "Is it working?"

"I liked ya the second I saw ya," Ray said offhandedly. "Took me a week ta be totally stuck on ya. But if I weren't already crazy 'bout ya, this woulda done it."

The corners of her mouth turned up. "Then there is something you could do for me, Ray."

"What's that?"

"You could put your arm around me."

Ray just looked at her for a moment then flashed that irrepressible cocky grin. "I ken do that." She leaned back against his chest as Ray's arm slid around her waist and she breathed out a contented sigh.

"Just let me rest here for a while?"

Ray's heart twisted oddly. All his life he'd wanted this... someone who found resting in his arms a refuge, a sanctuary from the outside world. Stella only sought his arms when the outside world got too rough to handle, and then it was his department only until the bullets stopped flying. Marina simply rested there, content as long as he was holding her. Peaceful. Ray sighed and rose to his feet, eased Marina to hers and enfolded her in his arms.

"Dance with me," he murmured into her hair.

"I thought you'd never ask."

It was so sweet to float on the movement, disconnected from the world but so intimately connected to Ray. Everything blocked out except the electric thrill of body to body. His breath brushed over her ear and she nestled closer.

"I hope he likes it," she murmured as they watched Fraser thread his way through the postage-stamp sized forest.

"Me too. I bet he does."

Mina chuckled. "I gamble occasionally. What're the stakes?"

Ray chuckled too and nuzzled her ear. "Tease..."

* * *

Fraser wondered how they could possibly think he wouldn't like it. It even smelled right. How on earth had she gotten it to smell right? Diefenbaker must have gone all out to help, he was certainly strutting enough.

"Did you tell her when it smelled right, Diefenbaker?"

An affirmative yip, smugly self-satisfied, was his answer.

"That was very thoughtful, Diefenbaker, and I appreciate everything you both did on my behalf." Stilted, formal, but Fraser knew his wolf companion understood.

The waterfall spilling down the granite boulders was just loud enough to drown out the background noise of the city without being so loud it was annoying. Pale brown sand dotted with river rocks floored the small, two-tiered pool it spilled into, and Fraser identified nearly a dozen species of water reeds, cattails and even a few varieties of the rare water lilies that would flourish in such a cold climate growing along the edges. Shapes darting in the water distracted him, and to his amazement Fraser recognized brown, rainbow and steelhead trout fingerlings. Marina even stocked the pool with fish. Fish he knew. Fish that swam in the waters of home.

Never in his entire life had anyone gone so far to make him feel welcome. It was unbelievable; he was overwhelmed, stunned, that Marina would go to such trouble and expense for his benefit. This garden must have cost hundreds... no, thousands of dollars. Why? How on earth had she gotten the building owner to agree to it? What could have prompted her to make such an extravagant gesture? What motivated such a wealth of kindness for virtual strangers? They had not even known Marina two weeks and yet she was so dear to him already... and Ray was flat-out in love with her. Fraser wouldn't recognize true love if it bit him in the ass, to use his partner's blunt terminology, but he hoped this feeling was it. Love.

And she had done all this for him. Only for him... and Diefenbaker, of course. How she loved the wolf. He no longer doubted Marina's odd assertion that Diefenbaker was her dearest friend here in Chicago. He and Ray would try to be as good a friend to her too. She deserved friends. The more he and Ray got to know Marina the stranger it was she was so lonely and sad, when she had a personality that was meant for friends -close friends, loving ones- and laughter and merriment and silly, happy fun.

Fraser glanced up at the stairs where she and Ray were waiting... and had to blink back tears. She and Ray were dancing, arms around each other and moving to music he could almost hear, watching them sway. How blissful Ray was with her blond head pillowed on his shoulder. Fraser never saw such unadulterated happiness on his partner's face. Ever. Even dancing with Stella there had been an undertone of pain vibrating through Ray. Not now. Ray was perfectly happy... and to his astonishment, Fraser realized he was, too. Perhaps happier than he had ever been since he came to Chicago.

He sat down on the stone wall that bordered the fishpond's lowest level and trailed his fingers in the water, feeling a faint current moving under the surface. It was temperature-controlled to be so cool in this sweltering weather, and Diefenbaker trotted over and lapped at it thirstily, tanking up on the fresh water. Clumps of purple and white dog-toothed violets were growing out of cracks in the stone wall and he recognized periwinkle vines climbing down the waterfall face.

It was the little clumps of violets that undid him; the small purple and white flowers were so familiar, so homey. Fraser bent his head and a single tear ran down his cheek and splashed into the pool.

"It's remarkable, son. She must really like you to do all this. Amazing woman. Vast improvement on the last one."

Fraser wiped away the telltale tear track before he looked over at his father's ghost, resplendent in his red serge dress uniform.

"Yes, she is," Fraser agreed quietly, being careful to keep his voice low enough it wouldn't carry over the sound of the waterfall.

Fraser Senior strolled around the garden, poking his nose into every corner. "You know, son, I might move my office over here. Getting tired of that closet at the Consulate."

"Whatever you like, Dad."

"That's all you have to say?"

"Yes."

"Humph. Fine time for you to be laconic."

"Don't ruin this, Dad. Just enjoy it with me." To Fraser's surprise he almost felt the clasp of his father's hand on his shoulder.

"I don't want you to ruin this, Benton. That woman loves you. Loves the Yank, too, but I suppose there's no accounting for taste. Love her back, son. She's a strange one, but she has a good heart. Strong. Tough."

"Sturdy?" Fraser retorted, his tone chiding his father for his interference with Janet Morse, the bounty hunter.

"No," Robert Fraser disagreed, startling his son. "Fragile inside, tough on the outside. Very much like your mother, actually."

Fraser turned and stared at his father. "Mother? Fragile? You've never said that before."

Fraser Senior's gaze darkened. "I hurt your mother far more than I ever wanted to, Benton. She never complained, but so many times I wasn't there for her. Don't make my mistakes, son."

Fraser glanced up at Ray and Marina, caught anew by their subtle grace as they danced. "Understood."

He was alone again. Fraser stood up and explored the one remaining corner. It was half-hidden by a row of blackberry and raspberry brambles tied firmly to trellises planted in a stone trough carved in a subtle repeating pattern Fraser recognized as Inuit. Behind the brambles was a sunbathing couch, how strange. It was situated in the most shaded, sheltered corner of the garden. What possible use to put it there? He'd have to ask Marina.

He looked around for Diefenbaker; spotted the wolf lying on the stone wall by the base of the waterfall. It would be cool there, the stone sprinkled with spray from the splashing water. He wondered if the pool was safe for Dief to swim in. Probably. He'd guess Marina would have designed this refuge to be as user-friendly as it was pretty.

What she had done overwhelmed Fraser again. All this, for him, for Dief. Freely given, he knew. He would accept it as freely. Offering her anything but his gratitude would be offensive, would belittle her amazing kindness. He would never do that, he resolved. Never... Fraser ruffled the wolf's ears as he walked by, and Diefenbaker jumped down off the stone and followed him up the stairs.

Ray saw Frase climbing the steps and really had to work to keep the shock off his face. Fraser's expression was unguarded in a way he'd seen very rarely before. His partner almost never let that red serge armor down, but it was down now. Completely. Ray pulled Marina tight and kissed her, then swept her into a spin, turning her so she could see Fraser. Her cheeks turned pink at the wealth of emotion on Fraser's face as he joined them.

"Do you like it?" she asked shyly, encouraged by his expression but embarrassed, too, knowing Fraser had figured out how hard she worked to create this little paradise just for him and his beloved wolf companion.

Fraser didn't answer with words, there were no words to describe what was overflowing in his heart. Instead, he laid his fingers under her chin, tipped her face up and kissed her, poured everything he felt into that shared breath. Her brilliant answering smile told Fraser she comprehended perfectly.

Understanding his partner's dilemma, Ray reached out and took Fraser's hand, sliding it around Marina's waist, enfolded Ben's other hand in his with Marina's smaller hand cradled between them, and pulled him into their dance. That was best of all, Mina cradled between him and his trusted partner. Ray sighed in perfect contentment as they flowed together, barely moving in a slow circle but touching from shoulder to knee, so close there was no part of her not shielded by their larger bodies. Protected. God, he loved this... Ray never imagined anything could be better than dancing with Stella, but this was.

Ray closed his eyes and pulled a Fraser, drinking in the smell of the pair in his arms, puzzling out each individual scent. Faint trace of cedar and wool, the smell of the uniform clung to Fraser's skin even in his civvies; Fraser's own skin scent, reminiscent of pine forests and tinged with sweat from the heat; faint musky odor of wolf, that was Dief, he'd know that scent blindfolded these days; rosemary and sage, Marina's shampoo, and a fresh raspberry fragrance clung to her skin. Christ, he loved those scented soaps she used. She smelled so damn good all the time- heck, half the time she smelled positively edible, whenever he got this close Ray wanted to lick her skin and see if she tasted as good. Then again, what was stopping him?

Ray leaned down, nuzzled the soft skin under her ear and licked it, just a taste. The flavor was exquisite and saliva flooded his mouth, Ray had swallow hard to keep from actually biting her. Holy fuck, he wanted this woman, wanted her naked under him and the freedom to lick her body all over. He was so hard there was no possible way Mina couldn't feel him pressed up against her, their dancing was rubbing her hip against his aching erection. It felt great. Ray's imagination was working overtime, wondering what she would taste like if he spread those beautiful legs and suckled until she came in his mouth.

Now there was an idea... Ray loved oral sex, got off on it like nobody's business, loved the feeling of power it gave him to drown another human being in pleasure so intense there was no room for anything but ecstasy. His fevered imagination promptly conjured up a picture of Marina nude, sprawled in a naked Fraser's lap, where he could reach her pretty pussy and Fraser's pretty cock with equal ease. He was positive Fraser would be as gorgeous as Marina naked. God, his lovers -they would be his lovers, Ray knew that now, he could smell it, could feel it- were so damned beautiful. What had he done to be so unbelievably lucky?

"Ray, are you licking me?" Marina murmured, sounding amused, briefly distracting Ray's heated fantasies.

"Yep." Ray tasted her again, fixated on that succulent flavor. "Ya always smell so good. I was wonderin' if ya tasted as good as you smell. Ya do."

"Indeed?" Intrigued, Fraser replicated his partner's taste test, sampling the soft skin under her other ear. "Quite correct, Ray," he murmured, nipping the flesh with exquisite gentleness, feeling Marina's body tremble between them at the sensation.

Marina moaned from the sensory overload, the tiny sound indescribably erotic, and Fraser and Ray pulled each other closer, tightening their grip until they were both rubbing their bodies full-length against hers. Intoxicating, alluring woman... God, it felt so good, Ray was so hungry and turned on he was unreasonably tempted to drag Mina and Ben down on the brick stairs right now and devour them both. He wanted to so bad...

The sharp crack of thunder overhead jolted them all, and as the first drops of rain spattered down on the bricks, Dief yelped and pawed at the door.

"You're getting soft," Fraser reproved, his usual admonishment softened by the husky, arousal-roughened tone in his voice.

Marina chuckled. "At least he's got the sense to get in out of the rain."

Ray reluctantly released his grip on Fraser's hand and Marina's waist and stepped back, reaching for the doorknob. "C'mon," he urged, "we got games ta play." Oh boy, did they have games to play...

* * *