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

Author's Notes: Just one chapter again this week, but it's double-length.

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 10, Fraser's Spin The Bottle Party

Fraser woke first again, woke with Marina and Ray sleeping with their heads pillowed on his chest, linked hands warm on his breastbone. Never in all his life had he imagined anything like what had happened, would have believed it a dream were it not for his naked friends draped over him, the scent of their loving still hanging faintly in the air. They must all have fallen asleep within seconds of each other and Fraser craned his neck to see Marina's bedside clock. It was barely ten o'clock, they must have made love soon after dawn. What a miracle. A pure and simple miracle. What had driven his friends... his lovers like that? They'd thrown themselves into loving him like their salvation depended on it. Not that he was complaining, but... why?

"Yer frownin', Ben," Ray murmured softly, not wanting to wake Marina, who needed the sleep a lot more than they did. "Should I take that as a comment on our performance? 'Cause I dunno how much better it ken get, buddy. We kin practice a lot, tho."

Fraser would have been appalled if Ray's eyes hadn't been warm with affection as he teased. "Actually, Ray, I found your performance to be..." He let Ray hang for a moment, then finished, "...glorious. Stupendous. Incredible. Unbelievable. Stunning. Superlative. Ecstatic."

Ray chuckled softly. "OK, now I know it's you, Mr. Thesaurus."

"Was there some uncertainty?"

"Mighta been Tarzan, the way ya roar... kinky, Ben, very kinky."

He should be blushing. He wasn't. Couldn't. It had been too perfect, too wonderful to be anything to be embarrassed or ashamed about. "You broke through all my walls, Ray. Just like you always do. You and Mina."

That made Ray blush. His partner was a hopeless romantic under that gritty Chicago exterior, and Fraser loved those times when he could reach Ray's heart. And the events of the morning had made him brave, braver than he ever thought he could be.

"Ray?"

"Yeah, Ben?"

"I'm glad we did this."

Ray chuckled. "Me too."

"Ray?"

"Yeah, Ben?"

"Would you mind terribly kissing me again?"

"Nope. Not at all."

All Fraser had to do was bend his head down while Ray reached up, and long moments passed. Kissing Ray was a sensual delight, all that jittery energy smoothed out when he was totally concentrating on someone else, and it was like being bathed in a flood of heat waves, energy radiating off his skin like sunlight. Glorious. Fraser was getting braver and his hand began shyly stroking Ray's back, and the low groan of approval it garnered encouraged him further. Strong fingers dug into the knotted muscles of Ray's lower back and Ray shuddered in pleasure, his hand tightening around Marina's as Fraser kneaded the stiff knots loose.

She murmured a sleepy inquiry and snuggled closer to Fraser. Curious, he reached down and caressed her back, mimicking the movement he was using on Ray. Mina purred sleepily and crawled up onto his chest; breasts, ribs and lean hipbones flexing and sliding over his torso as she settled her naked body over his, her long legs draped over his thighs as she sank back into a half-doze.

"Whoa, Frase," Ray murmured, sliding one hand down Marina's spine and luxuriating in the feel of velvet skin over supple muscle as waist curved into hip. "There's a naked girl on ya."

"I had... actually noticed that, Ray," Fraser got out with difficulty, he was hard as a rock and Marina was... undulating on him, like seaweed floating on wave tops. The movement was gorgeous, all slow sleepy caresses of sand pebble tan nipples, suntanned skin, the barest brush of dark blond curls, and that waterfall of straight blond hair. A harmony of lovely textures washed over Fraser; the feel of smooth heavy strands of hair spilling over his shoulder, the heat and silky softness of sun browned skin, lovely long limbs in a careless tangle over his, her slight weight not even enough to feel heavy on his chest. Stroking his lovers' bodies was... transcendent.

In his wildest imaginings Fraser never conceived how perfect the act of tactile contact could be, living, loving flesh lying next to his, content to be there. All his life Fraser wanted to wake next to a lover -male or female, he really wouldn't have cared, if the feeling was there- and experience this, the sublime perfection of the morning after with someone who loved him, and a lifetime of mornings to come. And now he had that doubled. Squared. It was dizzying. If all the pain he'd endured was the price for this one moment... it was all worth it. Everything, right down to the bullet still lodged in his spine. If he died today... he'd die happy, for having had this one moment.

Crescent moons of sapphire blue peeked out from under Marina's eyelids, weighted down by thick, tangled, gold-tipped lashes and that drowsy purr drifted up, vibrating against Fraser's ribs. Marina's eyes fascinated Fraser; they changed shade so often, reflecting all the variations of blue and green nearby.

"Hey, look, we made her purr..." Sprawled next to Fraser, Ray rested his head on that wide shoulder and stroked Marina's spine with a lingering hand. "Ya know, Ben, this is one a' the parts I like best."

Marina's and Ray's drowsy calm was infectious; Fraser could feel himself relaxing under their influence. Dear Lord, he was happy. He couldn't even be frightened of it.

"What part were you referring to specifically, Ray?"

"The getting' ta know yer new lover part. Discovering all the things you only see when yer in bed for hours and hours... just bein' together. Finding the spot that makes her sigh your name, every time you kiss it. That..." Ray grinned and ran his fingers over the soft dips beside Marina's spine. "... she's got twin dimples on her tailbone."

Fraser used the hand caressing Ray's back to pull him up close. "I've never done that, Ray." His voice was suspiciously rough.

Understanding his partner's roiling emotions and knowing just what was needed to soothe them, Ray tsked under his breath. "Ben, my friend, my buddy, my pal, then a quick lesson is probably what's called for right now."

Fraser chuckled, catching the reference. "You pick much nicer locations for your lessons than I, my friend."

"Yeah, sinking ships and ice-cold water put a cramp in my style."

"Please continue with the lesson, Ray."

"Class participation time, buddy. What marvelous thing did you discover about our girl in the last five minutes?"

Our girl. Fraser wanted to savor that phrase like the absolute, complete miracle it was. "Are you asking that literally?"

"Are you telling me in the last five consecutive minutes you did not discover something utterly marvelous about the vision of loveliness draped over your recumbent body?"

Fraser's expression softened as he stroked Marina's hair away from her face, trying to hide what hearing Ray using the Queen's English did to him. Ray did it so seldom... "No, I'm not saying that, Ray."

"Good, 'cause I'd a thought you'd gone blind or stupid in the last five minutes otherwise."

"Her eyelashes are much longer than you first think," Fraser murmured wonderingly, tracing the curve of her eyebrow. "Because those dark gold lashes are tipped with palest gold, the sun bleaches all the color out... and you have to get very close..." Fraser stopped, closed his eyes and breathed in, Mina's heat made him hard, Ray's scent made him hungry; "...to distinguish those golden tips. They have to be resting on her cheeks to see them at all... and I think she lets very few people this close when her eyes are closed."

Ray rolled his eyes and pulled a wry face. "And surprise, surprise, the Mountie gets an 'A' on th' pop quiz. Perfect, Frase. That is exactly what I'm talkin' about. You get a gold star on yer report card."

"May I ask the same question of my instructor?"

Ray chuckled. "Since you asked so nicely, yes. I learned Mina purrs when you rub her back... and that my Mountie likes sweet talk in five-dollar words with perfect grammar." All Ray had to do to nuzzle the hollow behind Fraser's ear was turn his head. So he did, and deciding using Fraser's techniques on him was fair play, Ray licked the milky white skin there and blew across it softly, sensitizing the skin before kissing it.

"Multitasking, Ray," Fraser muttered with difficulty, awash in erotic sensation. "Very efficient... and I am forced to admit I find it extraordinarily intriguing when you ... talk so very sweetly indeed."

"Trust my Mountie to find good grammar sexy."

"Your Mountie?" Was it an insult to the Queen that hearing Ray say that was so appealing? That he would give anything to hear it for the rest of his life?

"Yes, my Mountie, Constable Fraser, get used to it, at least in bed. Mine, Mina's, and Dief's. Ours."

"I think Diefenbaker most values me in bed for my heat-producing qualities." Fraser scratched his eyebrow thoughtfully. "At least I hope he does."

"Hey, I'm the kinky one in this relationship, not the wolf."

"You're the kinky one?"

"Yes, Frase, I'm the kinky one. Ya didn't think ya were the kinky one, didja?"

"I never really thought about it, Ray, but..."

"But what?"

"What does that make me? Or Mina?" What an absurdly amusing conversation, it tickled Fraser inordinately.

Ray pondered that. "Fer guys or chicks? When chicks run in threes, usually ya got the pretty one, the smart one, and the slut. I don't mind bein' the slut, but heck, you an' Mina are both smart an' both pretty. Ya could flip a coin, I guess. Dunno about guys, guys tend ta pack up in groups. Jocks, nerds, whatever. Not real sure about Canadians, either."

"I mind you being the slut," Fraser said sharply, stung. How he hated it when Ray ran himself down! "As you are nothing of the sort. I don't think I've ever met a more devoted or loyal lover than you, Ray. Fidelity isn't something you do, it's something you are. And I, for one, find you both extremely attractive and quite bright. So kindly refrain from running yourself down when you are in bed with me."

A rumble of inarticulate agreement drifted up from Marina, proving she was following the conversation, if not participating, and her hand tightened on Ray's. Dief yipped in agreement from the end of the bed.

"There, you see? It's unanimous."

Ray buried his face in Fraser's shoulder, thoroughly embarrassed and honestly, about half a step from tears, he was so touched. "Aw, Frase..."

Fraser kissed Ray's shoulder blade; that being the only part he could currently reach without toppling Marina off his chest, and tightened his arm around Ray's wiry body.

"Is it so hard to believe in yourself, Ray?" Mina murmured softly, drawing his hand to her lips and kissing his knuckles. "So hard to think we care about you just for the wonderful person you are?"

"Not when I'm in yer arms," Ray muttered thickly. "Heck, if ya tell me a few thousand times it might even sink inta my thick skull permanently."

"As you wish." Fraser smiled down at his partner, marveling that he could speak what was in his heart after so long. "Ray, I love you just the way you are."

"Works for me," Mina agreed, her voice still soft with sleep but steady and confident. "Ray, you're the best, spikes to toes. Don't ever change."

"Aw, hell..." And Ray did cry then, a traitorous tear slipped out from under his tightly squeezed-shut eyes and dampened Fraser's shoulder.

"I think Ray needs a hug, Ben."

"I quite agree, Mina."

She slid off Fraser's chest and slithered over Ray with the boneless grace of a cat, bracketing Ray's lanky body between her slim one and Ben's broad form. She snuggled up against his back as Fraser rolled onto his side, cuddling Ray between them. He didn't object, just let them cradle him close and wrapped his arms around Fraser and held on tight.

Marina nuzzled the back of Ray's neck and lifted her head to smile at Fraser, her gaze sultry as her hands stroked Ray's bare back, soothing, reassuring. She quirked an eyebrow inquiringly and Fraser felt his blood heat as he read her unspoken question.

"Yes," he murmured, caught up in the delight of having Ray's naked body in his arms, this unbelievably lovely woman hungry for him, for Ray. He had done nothing in life to deserve it, less than nothing, but here it was anyway and he was never, never letting them go.

"Yes what?" Ray mumbled into Ben's shoulder, reaching up and scrubbing away the wet tear track on his cheek with a rough hand.

"Just yes, Ray." Fraser caught that hand and drew Ray's fingertips into his mouth, tasting the salt of Ray's tears. Ray's tears.... they hurt him like nothing else could. Mina's tears of heartbroken grief made him ache with shared sorrow, but the tears Ray shed because his partner truly believed himself worthless ripped Fraser apart inside. The flash of red-hot anger only the aftermath of Stella Kowalski's cruelties could ignite in him rushed through Fraser, only easing when he felt Ray's body press against his, felt Ray's cock swelling against his hip. Enough. He loved Ray, would heal those old, deep wounds no matter how long it took.

Lost in the exquisite feel of Fraser sucking his fingertips, memorizing the taste, Ray pulled back enough to see his partner's rapt face and the movement pressed him closer to Marina, who snatched the opportunity to press little kisses against the back of his neck.

"Oh." Ray's eyes got wide as he shuddered involuntarily from the dual assault. "That yes... oh, hell yeah."

"I'm glad you approve, Ray," Fraser murmured as he released Ray's hand, leaning down and kissing Ray's chest as his hands caressed those lean flanks. He would never get enough of touching Ray- a lifetime would be too short. Ray's skin was thin gold stretched tight over bone and muscle, and the ligaments and tendons stood out in sharp relief under that thin hide. Fraser nipped at the base of the strong tendon in Ray's neck that always drew his eye, repeated it on the opposite side, making him moan. Fraser decided right then and there he loved the sounds Ray made when he was aroused; Ray's speech was hard and rough, sharp with his Chicago street accent, but in moments like this all the tension, the edginess disappeared, leaving only the pure sound of Ray's true voice. Fraser wanted to hear that low, husky, vibrant voice say his name; cry it out helplessly in the throes of orgasm.

His hands came up and caressed Ray's chest, circling the flat, dark brown nipples, tantalizing himself with the feel of Ray's breath hitching unevenly from the sensation. How would they taste? He had to find out, and Fraser bent his head and dragged his tongue over the nearest one, feeling the rough texture, the way it tightened under his mouth, drawing up into a hard peak. He circled it, twirling his tongue around the areola, and a faint tang of salt mixed with the unique taste of Ray. Dear Lord, Ray was moaning, writhing against him, his cock hard and leaking and grinding against Ben's hip. Ray's hands gripped his shoulders as a wet, hungry mouth pressed frantic kisses against Ben's dark hair, thick muttered endearments mixed with guttural pleas.

One of Marina's slender hands slid down Ray's hips as the other tangled in his blond hair, and Ray turned his head and reached blindly for her mouth as he muttered, "Touch me, gotta feel you touch me please..."

Her hand snaked down between him and Ben and closed around his cock, and Ray choked on a groan as his hips snapped forward without conscious control, fucking the circle of her fingers and palm hard against Ben's groin, rubbing wantonly against the other hard cock mashed against his.

"Yeah, more, gotta have more..." One hand fumbled behind him and pressed Marina against his buttocks, feeling the heat of her body sizzle against his spine. Mina's mouth was so small compared to Ben's and Ray engulfed it, plunging his tongue in and finding hers, sinking deep into the wet recesses and seeking out every corner, every soft surface that he could devour in hungry licks and bites.

Ben's determined assault on his nipples was driving Ray mad, the morning had only whetted his appetite for more, he ached to fuck, to sink that weeping cock into tight heat but knew he was too hungry and urgent not to hurt Ben and that was unthinkable...

"God, Mina, can I fuck you?" Ray muttered hoarsely into her mouth, clutching her hip and sucking on her tongue between words. "Can't wait... please, want you, need you..."

Ben dragged in a shuddering breath and flipped his partner onto his side, locking one leg over Ray's and baring him for Marina to take as he fastened his mouth on Ray's shoulder and sucked hard, marking him. Marina wrapped her leg over Ben's, reached down and guided Ray's weeping, jerking erection against her heated opening and in one quick move, sank down onto him all the way.

Ray yelled and bucked up hard, fuck, she was so hot his cock should be sizzling and he couldn't stop thrusting, hot, wet, tight, everything he wanted and Fraser was murmuring loving encouragement in his ear as that gorgeous uncut cock rubbed hard against his ass. Sensation every way he turned, heat around his cock, heat against his ass, Mina's wet mouth under his and Fraser's mouth biting him as he rocked back and forth, Ray was trapped in eager fervor no matter how he moved and it was insane.

Mina shuddered and arched against him, her inarticulate wail as she climaxed vibrating against his lips and Ray's hips snapped forward one last time as he came too, his cock jerking inside Mina as he fought to bury himself as deeply as possible inside her. Fraser felt him come and groaning, rubbed hard against Ray's muscular buttocks and came with them, hot and messy and glorious all over that beautiful ass while Mina's hands clutched his.

Ray collapsed, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe, mind empty of everything but aftershocks of pleasure as his cock twitched. He buried his face in Mina's shoulder and felt Fraser slump forward against his back. Ray reached out blindly and wrapped his hand over Mina and Ben's, holding on tight.

Sleep didn't drag Ray down again but moving was a lost cause. What just happened was beyond anything he'd ever felt before and Ray didn't know what to say, or if he should say anything at all. He wanted to blurt out a fucking marriage proposal to both Mina and Ben and precisely how fucked up was that? He'd spent his whole life solely fixated on Stella, who booted him out on his ass, and now he was falling stupid in love with two people, male and female. He didn't know how to deal with twin sets of emotions- nothing in his previous life equipped him to cope with this!

Aw, screw it, Ray was warm, he was happy, he'd go with that. It was more than enough. He'd pushed for forever and ended up nothing; maybe if he didn't push so damn hard he stood a change of holding onto what he had. So stifle the protestations of eternal love -no matter how bad he wanted to say 'em- and live in the moment. Because what he had right now was blowing his mind. Maybe he'd stick with body language. There was nothing wrong with kisses, after all... keep it light, keep it happy.

Ray chuckled and pressed a kiss on Mina's cheek as he squeezed the hands under his.

"Who's up for the beach?" he kidded, his voice raspy and uneven and had to laugh as Dief yelped and jumped up on the bed, wagging his tail eagerly.

"You sure he's deaf?" Mina murmured, feeling gloriously full of Ray, delighted and satiated by the feel of him still inside her. "'Cause, frankly, I'm not buyin' it." It was wonderful to feel taken again, possessed, to lie sweaty and exhausted and feel the muscles of her vagina pulse around Ray's softening cock.

"I am forced to admit I'm not sure of anything right now," Fraser replied, his mouth warm on Ray's shoulder as he stroked his thumb over Ray and Mina's twined fingers. "Least of all that."

Mina skimmed a hand up Ben's arm and caressed his flushed cheek, coaxing him into leaning over Ray for a kiss. Because Ben could kiss, slow and sweet and overwhelming, so you just melted into him and lost every contact with the exterior world, all existence narrowed down to that wickedly absorbing possessive mouth caressing yours. It was so good to let go for a while, float on the moment and not think of anything at all. The hurt couldn't find her here.

"Coffee first?" Ray mumbled hopefully, lazily fastening his mouth on Mina's nipple and suckling, slow and comfortable and peaceful.

"And doughnuts," Mina murmured, the words muffled as she laved Ben's tongue with languid licks. "I want breakfast, I'm hungry..."

Ray and Fraser groaned together and both pushed softening cocks against sticky wet flesh at that inadvertently erotic comment.

"I'm buying," Ray mumbled, snuggling between Mina's breasts. "We'll be eating oatmeal for breakfast if Frase buys."

Mina chuckled; kissed Ben one last time and pressed another kiss against Ray's rumpled and wilted spikes. "Oatmeal is fine but only in the wintertime. Not when it's this hot out."

"So what do we wanna bring ta th' beach?" Ray mumbled.

Mina yawned and stretched, arching her neck and shoulders as she shook off the last of her post-coital lassitude.

"Towels. A beach blanket and a picnic basket, I've got those. A cooler, a Frisbee... anything else?"

Fraser nodded approval and pressed a kiss against Ray's scalp because watching Marina do it had been so appealing.

"Excellent inventory," he agreed, feeling the urge to get up and stretch too. "That should suffice nicely."

"You guys need to stop and get swim suits?"

Ray grumbled a complaint and tightened his grip on Mina and Frase. "'m still wallowin', stay a minnit longer. I got a cooler an' a Frisbee, an' hey, buddy, ya got swim trunks at th' Consulate?"

Fraser frowned. "In point of fact, no, Ray. Will that be a problem?"

"Naw, we'll jes' cutoff yer oldest pair a' jeans and that'll do fine. We'll getcha a pair fer next time."

Mina purred and Ray shifted his head to see her face. "Wha' was that fer?"

She flushed and tried to hide her face in the pillow, and that bugged Ray.

"What?" he nudged.

Mina got a grip on her emotions and told herself firmly to stop acting so damned gun shy. "I just liked it when you said 'next time', Ray," she murmured shyly. "I liked it there was going to be a 'next time'. If I'm welcome."

Well fuck, like Ray's heart didn't crack right in two at that sad little admission. Jeez, they might never figure out who was the most damaged one in this three-way, but as long as they stuck together it might not matter, 'cause one thing they all understood was being scared and shy and skittish.

"Lotsa next times," Ray muttered fiercely, tightening his grip on Mina. "As many as you want, babe."

She hugged him back, hard. "Thanks, Ray. For understanding."

"Anytime."

"Have you wallowed sufficiently, Ray?" Fraser inquired politely, stroking his partner's back, just because he could.

Ray kissed Mina one last time and groaning, sat up and rubbed both hands over his spikes, turning his case of bed-head into something truly experimental.

"Awright, beach ho!"

* * *

It wasn't quite that simple. Several stops had to be made; the doughnut shop for coffee, tea and breakfast, Ray's apartment for the cooler and the Frisbee, the Consulate for Fraser's made-on-the-spot cutoffs, the deli for stuff to fill Ray's cooler and Mina's picnic basket, and as an afterthought, a quick diversion to a furniture store to pick out new mattresses for both Ray and Fraser.

They even managed to agree on a new couch, twin nightstands for Fraser's bedroom when Ray insisted, and a brass coat rack that secretly reminded Fraser of one his grandparents carried around for years with their traveling library. He didn't mention that was the attraction, merely commented to Ray he liked the look of it and Ray promptly added the coat rack to the list of things they were buying over Fraser's admittedly half-hearted objections.

To the salesman's relief, Marina stepped in and gently mediated a potential squabble over how they were paying; pointing out if Fraser let Ray use his credit card it simplified matters considerably as well as not causing the clerk difficulty in calculating the conversion rate for Canadian currency. They could figure out who owed what when they got home, and Fraser could simply pay Ray back on Monday when the banks opened, long before Ray's credit card bill arrived.

Startled by her diffident suggestion, which derailed both Ray and Fraser's objections, they agreed sheepishly, arranged for delivery of it all tomorrow and left for the beach. Dief came along into the store -as they couldn't leave him in the car in this weather- and sniggered into his paws the entire time Frase and Ray argued. To the salesman's distress, Diefenbaker even tested out the new couch before giving it his wolfly approval.

Once all that was completed and they were back in the car, armed with iced coffees for Ray and Mina and cold bottled water for Fraser and Dief, the conversation veered around to which beach they should hit.

"I've never actually been to any of the local beaches," Mina explained. "To tell you the truth, I don't even know which ones allow wolves masquerading as dogs."

Discomfited, Fraser acknowledged he didn't know which beaches allowed canines either.

Mina propped her chin on the back of Fraser's seat. "You're our local expert, Ray, how about it? We need a nice beach that allows dogs, has a place to swim, room for a picnic, with as few other people as possible. I hate crowds."

Ray grinned. "Gotcha covered, babe. Mind a bit of a drive?"

Mina shook her head. "I don't. I like car rides as long as I don't have to drive. How about you, Frase?"

Startled, Fraser didn't know quite what to say. "No, not at all, Ray. A drive would be very pleasant."

Forty minutes later, after Ray turned the GTO off the highway, meandered down several back roads and bumped down a dirt track, he pulled off into a graveled parking lot and stopped.

"Jes' what ya asked for," Ray said cheerfully, "one state park with no anti-wolf rules and perfect fer a swim an' a picnic. And no people ta bother us."

They were parked in a small boat landing. A few cars with empty boat trailers were parked in the graveled lot, but the landing was otherwise deserted. A path ran along the lakeshore and disappeared in thick trees off to the left, and on the right a marshy area alive with ducks and other waterfowl spread out along the lakeshore for a good mile.

Delighted by the location, Mina leaned over the seat and kissed Ray's cheek. "Thanks, Ray. This is wonderful!"

Jolted, Ray put a hand up to the spot she'd kissed and shot Fraser a startled glance. Stella was never into casual PDA's, and Marina's absentminded, friendly affection caught him off guard. He liked it, but it might take a little getting used to.

"I'll... uh, get the cooler. Ya wanna grab the picnic basket, Frase?"

As startled as Ray, Fraser cleared his throat and pushed down a small frisson of envy as he opened the door, let Diefenbaker out and offered Mina a hand.

"Certainly, Ray."

The wolf leaped out and barking happily, bolted off into the tall grass. Ray popped the trunk as Marina and Fraser waited, and gathering up the basket, towels and cooler, Ray pointed down the path leading off into the trees.

"We're goin' that way. Will Dief follow us?"

"Diefenbaker will follow our trail without difficulty, Ray," Fraser assured his partner. "And he can certainly use the exercise. Please lead the way."

Mina took a deep breath, savoring the slight breeze off the lake and the crisp scent of pine trees.

"The air tastes so clean," she marveled as they started walking along the path. It wasn't often used, grass was growing in clumps right in the center of the trail and the ground hadn't been trodden to dust by feet.

"I'd almost forgotten what clean air tastes like," Mina said idly, swinging the beach blanket and towels over her arm as she wandered along.

Fraser skimmed a knuckle over his eyebrow, distracted by her comment. "So had I," he confessed. "When I think about it -only occasionally, mind you- I think I remember what clean air tastes like, and then I smell it again and realize I don't remember it at all."

Troubled by the implication, Marina skipped a few steps forward and slipped her hand into Fraser's as they walked. Fraser's hand tightened on hers instantly. She was offering comfort, nothing more, but he still craved the contact. Most casual touching made him skittish, especially from a female, but this was different. It was terrifying, how fast he was coming to want, no, to long for her and Ray's touch, not the touch of a friend, but the touch of a lover.

At the same time that frightening longing ignited feelings in him Fraser knew he craved desperately, a need for affection and companionship and Dear Lord, how he wanted to make love to them, over and over and over. A lifetime's worth of loneliness screaming to be satiated in only two people, Fraser knew it was unrealistic and placed a terrible burden on his... lovers, but how could he fight it when that was what they wanted? Ray and Mina wanted that, wanted him to crave their touch, wanted Fraser to reach for them when he was sad or aroused or just in need of a moment's reassurance. Or for no reason at all. It was bewildering, being tugged in such opposite directions; a lifetime of keeping himself bottled up warring with the overwhelming need to reach out to these two people who wanted that reaching-out hand.

"Hey, Fraser."

Startled, Fraser looked up and met Ray's understanding gaze.

"Stop thinkin' so much, buddy," Ray told him. "Just relax an' enjoy yerself. It ain't hard once ya try it."

Fraser swallowed, the lump in his throat rising again at how well Ray knew him; how Ray knew just what to say to derail his partner's anxiety.

"As you wish, Ray."

"You ever see 'The Princess Bride', Ben?" Mina asked, a non-sequiter that puzzled Fraser, but Ray barked a short laugh so there was obviously a connection he was missing.

"You'd make a great Dread Pirate Roberts, Frase," Ray kidded. "We'll rent the movie sometime so ya can see what we're takin' about."

"I've got it on DVD," Mina replied. "I'll wander over some night when there's no hockey on TV and we'll watch it." Abruptly mindful she might be intruding where she was not welcome Marina added, trying for a kidding tone, "Or you can just borrow it. It's not like I don't know where you live."

"Why'd you say that?" Ray demanded instantly.

Off guard and cursing her unthinking assumption Ben and Ray would like to spend more time with her, Mina bit her lip and deflected. "Why'd I say what, exactly?"

"Fergit it," Ray snapped. "I'm an expert on question-avoidance after bein' Fraser's partner all this time. Why'd ya think we wouldn't want ta watch it wit' ya?"

Holy crap, Ray was perceptive. Mina bit her lip harder and tried to think of a way out.

"Stop that!" Ray said, almost angry now. "You'll hurt yourself!" He dropped the cooler and caught her arms.

"Ray!" Fraser protested, startled, but Ray had no intention of backing down. His gut was telling him this was important, this was him an' Fraser hurting Mina already and Ray was having none of that. This was too important. She was too important.

"I don't want to be pushy, Ray, that's all," Marina admitted, staring at the ground and refusing to meet Ray's eyes. "I don't want to intrude where I'm not wanted."

Ray's incipient anger ran out like water from a broken glass and he pulled Mina into his arms.

"Fuck! Who did this to ya?" he muttered, holding her tight. "Who hurt ya so damn bad? I swear ta God I'll kick 'em in the head if I ever meet 'im."

"It wasn't any one person, Ray. I suck at this," Mina sighed, her voice oddly muffled against his shoulder. "Just promise me you'll tell me straight out if you don't want me around any more, okay? I can take that. I'll leave. No fuss, no tears, no big ugly scene, I'll just leave. But don't ever feel like you have to pretend you like me just because we..." she couldn't finish and Ray's heart just bled. And he thought he was scarred and messed up inside.

"We want you," Ray muttered fiercely, aware he was pushing -and pushing hard- but knowing it was the right thing to be doing now. "Me, Frase, the wolf. Here, with us."

Fraser was staring, horrified behind his habitual stoic Mountie mask. How had Ray known? He hadn't a clue what that subtle avoidance was about, even though he noticed it, but Ray picked up on it immediately. Remembering how safe -how loved- he felt that morning when Mina and Ray held him, Fraser set down the picnic basket and carefully wrapped his arms around both his friends, cradling them close.

Marina's hair was fragrant under his chin and Fraser shifted and brushed his lips over that soft mass, soothing her like she was a skittish animal. More and more she was reminding him of a wild creature, one the slightest hint of anger or cruelty or even indifference would send running so far into the deep woods she would be impossible to find. Indeed, Quinn often told him it was possible to track anything, provided you understood it. He did not understand Marina -not at all- so if she bolted there was no way to predict which way she would run.

Fraser found that thought tremendously unsettling and his grip on Mina and Ray tightened. He could find Ray anywhere, and on at least one nerve-wracking occasion had, but Mina... it made his gut twist. If she vanished he had not the slightest clue where on the entire planet to start searching.

After a couple minutes of silent reassurance, Ray pulled back and tipped Mina's chin up with his fingers. She didn't want to meet his eyes -embarrassed as hell, Ray could tell- but he persisted, and when she finally gave way he kissed her, soft and sweet and gentle. She shuddered, her mouth parting for his exploring tongue and her body relaxed in his arms, reassuring both Ray and Fraser.

But that subtle surrender jolted Ray in ways he wasn't expecting. Ways that... aroused. Damn, those denim cutoffs didn't hide her legs at all and that smooth sun-browned skin begged to be touched. Those little tank tops she favored left her arms and shoulder blades bare and her ponytail exposed the nape of her neck- fuck, Ray just wanted to touch that tanned skin, taste it, run his hands all over her. Swallowing, when what he wanted to do was devour, Ray leaned down and picked up the cooler before sliding his arm around her waist.

"C'mon, we still got a ways ta go."

Fraser thought that a remarkably apt comment considering the circumstances. He retrieved the picnic basket and they ambled along the uneven path for perhaps another half mile before emerging into a small cove scooped out of the lakeside.

Huge willows overhung the cove, green branches reaching right down to the rippling water. The cove itself was floored with light brown sand and a few smooth, river tumbled rocks were visible in the water's green, shadow-dappled depths. Part of the embankment had given way some time in the past and the ground there was carpeted in dense green moss. Ray pointed toward the mossy patch.

"That do fer a picnic spot?"

"It's delightful, Ray," Fraser assured him, and the relaxation on the Mountie's face convinced Ray his partner was not merely being polite. The omnipresent city-caused tension was already fading from Fraser's features, and as Ray watched, Frase cracked his neck and his entire posture relaxed. Ray grinned and led them around the edge of the cove, dropping the cooler on the moss-covered ground.

Mina shook out the beach blanket with a brisk snap of her wrists and when it settled onto the ground Fraser anchored one corner of it with the picnic basket. Ray plunked the cooler on the other corner and flopped down on the blanket with an exaggerated moan of relief. Sprawled out, he wiggled his shoulders into the soft moss and yawned.

"Jeez, we haven't even had lunch yet an' I wanna nap."

Mina dropped to her knees on the blanket and held up the towels invitingly.

"You can use these for a pillow," she teased lightly. "Fraser and I will make lunch, sleepyhead."

"We might even wake you for it," Fraser said innocently, crouching down at the edge of the blanket.

Ray glared at his partner and sat up. "That's not buddies, Frase," he grumped but flipped open the cooler. "Want soda, water or iced tea?"

"Iced tea, please, Ray."

"I'll take a soda," Mina requested.

Ray handed her one of those bottled vanilla sodas she liked, tossed an iced tea to Frase and then they both got distracted watching Mina mess with the picnic basket.

Ray had to admit, it was a nifty little contraption. Rectangular and made of a sturdy woven wicker with a shoulder strap, there was a surprising amount of storage space in the blue gingham-lined interior. Two side panels fastened down with Velcro leather tabs flipped up and metal bars swung down to support them, turning the basket into a small tabletop. The top panel of the basket flipped open and cups and utensils were held in place by gingham-covered elastic loops. Plates were fastened to the left inner side of the basket by more small leather and Velcro straps. The patterned plates and cups were a hard, sturdy plastic that was lightweight and easy to clean and the matching utensils were stainless steel.

"That's a pretty cool picnic basket," Ray offered, impressed. "Where ya get it?"

Marina's answering smile was sad. "It was a birthday present. Duncan gave it to me."

Fraser's hand settled on her shoulder in subtle reassurance. "You miss him terribly. Your other kinsmen, too."

She leaned into his hand and nodded. "I do. I used to feel so alone it was like I was the only person in the entire city. It ate at me inside, left me empty and hollow."

Ray snagged a soda for himself and nudged her other shoulder gently. "Ya said ya 'used to' feel that way. So what happened?"

She smiled and her amused laugh surprised Ben and Ray. "Diefenbaker happened. I tripped over him walking out of a store and dropped everything I was carrying. He licked my cheek and whimpered an apology, which shocked the crap out of me, by the way. I wasn't expecting to find a wolf in Chicago, much less one who could talk. Anyway, when he was done apologizing, Dief insisted on walking me home and carried my packages for me the whole way." Her smile of reminiscence was beautiful.

"And he just kept... showing up. He'd be waiting at my parking space when I came home at night, followed me around the university and slept under my desk when I taught class, invited himself along when I went to Heather's for lunch..." she laughed again, shaking her head. "It was like he'd read the Canadian version of the faithful canine protector manual and was determined to live up to every line. The first night Dief stayed over, he curled right up next to me on the bed and never left my side." A faraway look drifted through her eyes. "I think it was the first night I didn't have nightmares in a year."

Her smile turned rueful as she turned to Fraser. "I'm hopelessly in love with your wolf, Ben," she said simply. "I hope you don't mind, 'cause there's not a thing I could do about it even if I wanted to."

The kiss Fraser gave her was so unexpected it startled Mina and Ray; and Ray watched, oddly envious at that sweetly erotic caress of lips.

"Falling in love with you merely proves Diefenbaker has excellent taste," Fraser murmured against her mouth as he cupped her chin, stroking that arching cheekbone with a thumb. "Rest assured Ray and I are indebted to him for seeing fit to introduce us."

Ray had to blink hard. Sonofabitch. He thought he was falling hard for Mina but Fraser was like a goddamn redwood going down. Jeez, who'd a thought the Mountie was the same kind of die-hard romantic Ray was? No wonder they made such a damn good duet. They were opposites in some ways and identical in others, fitting together like interlocking puzzle pieces.

Ray'd known for a long time he never wanted another partner other than Fraser, no other cop could ever measure up. He'd even toyed with the idea of taking early retirement and bailing to Canada with Fraser when his partner finally couldn't take Chicago anymore. If he had to get through life without his best friend, Ray would have committed suicide by perp inside six months. No damn doubt in his mind at all. He'd walked that knife-edge after the divorce; and as sad and fucked-up a commentary on his life as it was, as much as Ray loved Stella it didn't come close to the near psychic bond he and Fraser shared. But toying with the idea of splitting for the Great White North with Frase was one thing -he'd never so much as breathed a hint of it to his partner, for cryin' out loud- this was another.

During the last two weeks, ever since Dief brought Marina into their lives, Ray was thinking about the future as something more than a nebulous desire not to lose his partner. Sure, he wanted the same things he'd always wanted; a love that would last a lifetime, a home that was more than a showplace to impress people, someone to take care of and be taken care of by in turn... but for once these were more than vague longings, they were concrete images blazing in his mind.

He wanted this, Ray thought, watching Frase and Mina kiss. Wanted this... togetherness. Wanted picnics on the weekends and shopping trips together and waking up tangled in warm arms that were holding him tight. Wanted to look forward to dinners together at night and above all wanted to feel free to reach out and kiss, touch, make love to someone whose blood heated just for him. He wanted a lifetime of growing closer to these two people and one wolf, growing old together. Fuck, but he'd screwed it up so badly when he and Stella tried for forever. The split nearly killed him and Ray had no illusions he could pull it off twice. If for some god awful reason Fraser ended up hating him he'd eat a bullet and be done with it. Quick and clean. Death would be preferable to a life without Fraser, and his feelings for Marina were growing stronger by leaps and bounds.

But they were making it work, this unlikely quartet. They were becoming a family. It wasn't the perfect American Dream life he'd envisioned with Stella -in fact it was pretty strange and more than a little kinky, to the point they were certainly going to have to keep a few facets of their lives very private- but he was happy. Maybe happier than he'd ever been, even in the early years with Stella, because she always made him feel inadequate, like just being Ray was never enough for her.

Fraser... Fraser made him feel sharp and... and competent. Like he was a fucking great cop, half of Chicago's best detective team with the solve rate to prove it. Mina... she made him feel... strong... sexy... manly, weird as it was. Like he was a guy she went for just because he was so terrific. Which was really weird when you considered he was sharing her bed with another guy, even if it was his partner and best friend. Fuck it, Ray dug weird, and he sure as hell dug this. Together they made him feel good, complete, a whole person. They made him feel easy inside Stanley Raymond Kowalski's skin. Made him think when Ray Vecchio returned and wanted his life back again Ray Kowalski would have a life of his own to return to. A good one.

The whole crazy thing was overwhelming but he loved every second of it; he'd fight tooth and nail to keep it. And the side benefits rocked pretty damn hard, too. Let's face it, watching Frase and Mina kissing was hotter than the best porno ever...

Ray leaned forward and put his hands on Fraser and Mina's shoulders. They broke the kiss and turned toward him, their foreheads still touching.

"Room fer me?" he teased, only half-kidding.

Twin smiles were his answer.

"Always," Mina murmured.

"Indubitably," Fraser assured him, pulling his partner into a three-way kiss that made Ray just melt.

Who knew three faces even fitted together so great? But Fraser was nuzzling the corner of his mouth while Mina nipped his upper lip and watching their cheeks brush together as they tasted him made Ray's head spin with desire. Lust, pure and simple, and Ray moaned and pulled them down right on top of him, wanting to feel Fraser's heavy bulk and Mina's featherweight pinning him. Twin bodies pushed him into the soft cushioning moss, Mina and Frase had coordination down pat already, they were each straddling one of Ray's thighs and the combined weight was so fucking hot.

The crushed moss under the blanket sent up a rich, wet, green scent that went perfectly with the rough texture of Ben's t-shirt under his palm, and Ray yanked it up so he could touch skin, sweat-slick and slippery. Much better. Fraser chuckled, licking the inner whorls of Ray's ear with that laser-like focus.

"Insatiable."

Ray grinned, just couldn't help it. "Damn right."

Mina's mouth snatched the words out of Ray's mouth and he filled his other hand with one cheek of her gorgeous dancer's ass, squeezing and grinding her against his hip. Hearing her moan against his tongue and ride his thigh made his cock pulse and leak, and her crotch was fire-hot against his bare leg. Ray pulled her up further along his body until he could run his fingers around the ragged edge of her shorts, under her bikini bottom and combed his fingers through those soft, short curls, feeling the wet heat deeper in. Ray plunged his fingers in that heat, penetrating Mina and feeling her shudder from the impact.

Leisurely riding Ray's opposite thigh, licking Ray's jaw and chin and rubbing his hardening erection against Ray's lean hip, Fraser watched Mina shudder at being breached, amazed at how dazzlingly erotic watching them move together was. Perhaps this was the allure pornography held for the rest of the world. Seeing Ray and Marina move together made him want... things he couldn't even articulate, there was nothing in his vocabulary to describe the vivid images burning in his brain.

Fraser laid his hand over Ray's and his fingertips followed his partner's long, clever fingers into Mina's warm wet recesses, and the jolt it caused rocked him to the core. He shoved his erection harder against Ray, needing that heavy friction, needing to ease that itching hunger. Ray's fingers twisted tightly around his and together they rubbed and pushed, teased and stroked until Marina threw her head back and that beautiful back arched in a bow as she pushed down hard against their fingers, shuddering and her lower lip caught in white teeth as she came. Fraser growled with heightened arousal, she was slippery and beautiful and that golden brown skin was even more enticing sheened with sex-sweat.

"Girls can handle more than one, Ben," Ray whispered hotly. "Watch." He turned their joined fingers and scraped their nails gently over a pulsing nubbin of flesh and Mina gasped as another wracking orgasm shuddered through her. The long clean line of her neck as she arched into it made Ray crazy.

"Fuck, Mina," he said raggedly. "I wanna eat ya. Say I can. Tell ma ya want me to."

She shivered all over as the words reached her sex-hazed brain. "God, yes, Ray!"

"Need your help, buddy," Ray muttered thickly. "Sit up!"

For once Fraser didn't argue, just shoved hard against Ray's thigh one last time and rolled over, bracing his shoulders against the tangle of willow roots behind him. Ray grabbed Mina around the waist and lifted her to her knees, stripping of her denim shorts with rough haste and tossing them aside. He pushed her back into Fraser's lap, hooked her legs over Fraser's and dragged the swatch of bikini covering her sex aside. God, they made an insanely seductive sight, Mina trembling and ready in Ben's lap, those big hands teasing her breasts possessively as Fraser licked and suckled her neck, those gorgeous dancer's legs spread wide. Her blond hair spilled over Ben's shoulder, and Ben's blue eyes were mind-numbingly beautiful when they were that dark with desire and need.

Ray fell on that scarlet flesh-flower like he was starving and sucked hard, fastening his teeth over her nubbin and scraping it, aching to taste her come. She was still wet and his chin was slick with her in an instant, and Ray thrust his tongue deep as he could reach, sucking harder on every soft fold of skin and swiping his tongue roughly over her opening until she cried out and came a third time. Ray hissed in triumph and sucked again, teasing that spot harder and harder as wet shudders wrung out of her body.

"Come for me, dammit," Ray muttered, probing deeper with his tongue, his hands holding her thighs spread wide. "Again!" Writhing and sobbing in Ben's lap, Marina looked like she was half a second from screaming with pleasure and Fraser's sex-crazed brain fixated on knowing they absolutely did not -not- want to be disturbed right now.

He slipped two fingers into her mouth and whispered "Bite down," hotly into Mina's ear as he sucked her earlobe, out of his mind with lust from listening to Ray's hoarse, hungry entreaties. She was past doing anything but listening and the feel of her sharp teeth fastening on his knuckle was a spike of pleasure-pain that stabbed right down Fraser's spine to his groin. He buried his own moan in her thick hair and shoved that hard length against her buttocks and the dual sensations were mind-blowing.

Ray fastened his mouth over Mina, sealing her flesh away from the air and sucked so hard his tongue felt bruised, and the next wracking shudder filled his mouth with slick wet heat. She tasted like some dark spice Ray would never know the name of, exotic and darkly fragrant. He was too hard, too hungry, for anything more, Ray'd been humping the blanket mindlessly as he devoured her, and now he dragged himself up and plastered himself against her body.

Fraser's arms reached out and gathered him close, and before Ray could focus enough to think, Ben had the front of his swim trunks pulled down and those fingers had grasped his throbbing cock. Guiding it into Mina, Ben yanked down hard on Ray's hips with his other hand. Ray nearly fainted from the sensation -Christ, he was impaled- and savaged Fraser's mouth with his, biting and sucking and moaning as he thrust into Mina, Fraser's hand yanking him down hard with every thrust. Mina buried her face in Ray's shoulder and sobbed hot little gasps into his collarbone, biting at the tendon in his neck to muffle her cries.

A half-dozen more thrusts in that sizzling wet and Ray was coming so hard it hurt, pleasure-pain shocking through his nerves and crashing over him in waves of ecstasy. He collapsed, Mina's nails digging into his back while Ben's arms held them tightly together. His head lolled down on Fraser's shoulder as he shuddered, wild aftershocks zinging along his skin.

"Ray, Mina," Ben said, his words hoarse with suppressed tension. "I want to do that."

Mina moaned and shivered, lungs spent and heaving but still awake enough to be turned on by that.

"God, yes, Ben. I want you... in me too."

Ray shivered convulsively but made a supreme effort and rolled off Mina, falling like a rag doll to the blanket, chest heaving and limbs twitching. But Fraser was still hard and hot and hungry and faster than Ray would have believed, he was propped against the embankment in the same position Fraser was in moments before; Marina was straddling his legs, her head lolling back on his shoulder. Ray had just enough energy to link his hands loosely over Mina's ribs and hold her against his chest as Fraser slid between their thighs, stroking them together.

Ray could still barely breathe but watching Ben lick his come off Mina's thighs made his cock jerk. Jesus H. Christ... that had to be the most insanely pornographic, fucking hot thing he'd ever seen. When his partner fixated on something Fraser was capable of inhuman concentration, and Frase was licking Marina like he wanted to ferret out every last taste of Ray. Mina slumped back against Ray and her barely audible little moans of pleasure vibrated against his neck.

Ray just couldn't stop staring; watching Fraser go down like this was unreal, a fantasy too vividly erotic -fuck, too down and dirty- to be reality. Damnit, Ray thought, follow your own advice, Kowalski. Stop thinking. Watch the sexiest goddamn thing in the world going on in your lap, right now...

The taste was indescribably delicious but Fraser still struggled to analyze it, quantify those mingled flavors. Faintly salty bittersweet taste of Ray's ejaculate, tinged with a sharp oily tang of coffee; the darker, subtly spicy savor of Marina's, blending together into an unlikely delicious combination reminiscent of mocha and cardamom. It was his favorite flavor as of this very moment and Fraser pillowed his head on Ray's thigh, resting against his partner as his tongue laved over Marina in long, slow, deep licks. She was still sensitive from the wild sex she and Ray shared moments ago, and Fraser concentrated on soothing the aftershocks away before he took her up again.

Amazing combination of textures: the skin of her inner thigh was smooth and warm, her damply soft pubic curls brushed against his cheek, but it was the velvety slick texture of her fragile vaginal folds that was enthralling him. All those tiny crevices and depths to explore, how had he gone his entire life without knowing how there was so much to be discovered here? Indeed, until he watched Ray devour Marina minutes ago, he'd never quite understood the fascination with this activity; his admittedly limited sexual experience extended only to the standard male/female pattern of intercourse. 'Missionary' style... it felt so bland and uninteresting after tasting the insane fire Ray and Mina could kindle in him.

Even the one and only time Victoria had taken him in her mouth, her teeth had been sharp cutting little knives, ripping and hurting; and she would have never, never permitted him to get her into such a vulnerable position, she always had to be the dominant one. The one in control. The one with the power.

Now... he could spend hours learning and memorizing every wondrous shudder and sigh exploring Mina's secret recesses could cause. He would. He could appreciate the delicate textures, the sweet and spicy subtle flavors, the velvety slick feel of her flesh, all those under his tongue to explore. And Dear Lord, her trust in him and Ray was mind-boggling. If there was a more utterly vulnerable position to be in Fraser could not fathom it. And yet she opened her very body to them gladly, trusting that they would bring her only pleasure, not hurt.

The urge to cry -to release a lifetime of stifled emotion- was shocking; but he was too enthralled to give in to it. There were other ways to release bottled-up emotion and he wanted to try this one. Sighing in sheer delight, Fraser lowered his mouth to just above that lovely red flower and breathed on it, marveling at the way the heat changed the color from dark pink to deep red, shading from pale rose to delicate peach where her skin merged. So many beautiful colors, such a lovely taste, that maddening scent, ah, Ray was right, this was ecstasy...

How long he lingered there, lost in exploration, Fraser could not have judged, but when he came back to himself Mina was... singing... a faint wordless melody vibrating through her like a plucked harp string, a delicate arpeggio of pleasure. Her fingers were stroking his hair, caressing his temples, just brushing over his head as though it completed a circuit so the pleasure could pulse through them unfettered.

Fraser kissed her thigh, over her oval navel, across small breasts to those lovely sand pebble nipples, over the hollow of her collarbone, up her neck, and finally settled on her lips, tasting her breath as his hands twined with hers. Sinking into her body was easy, like coming home, and the knowledge he was following where Ray led made him shudder with the incredible intimacy of it.

Once there, it was enough to rest, quiescent, all but lost in total sensory overload. Soaking in the smells of Mina and Ray mixed together: fresh sweat and fruity soap on clean skin, shampoo and gel-scented hair, coffee and caramel on Mina's breath and coffee and cinnamon gum and Mina on Ray's. The combination was a heady dizzying rush surging through his brain. The feel of the crisp breeze moving over his bare skin, and the lapping noise of the lake water, the softness of the blanket under his knees, everything overlapping and intermingling into a wash of pleasure the like of which he'd never felt.

Fraser buried his face between Mina and Ray's, letting their nearness ground him again as he slid deeper into Mina, his chest rising and falling against her hard nipples as she pressed little kisses against the cotton of his t-shirt. Ray set a sharp staccato rhythm to their coupling, but Fraser wanted a languorous pace, sliding in and out of that welcoming body so slowly he could feel every beat of her heart pulsing through her body into his.

Mina slipped her hands up under his shirt and was kneading the broad pads of muscle at the base of his spine in time with his slow thrusts, and that whisper of wordless melody vibrating in her throat spiraled down to his cock. The sweetness of the harmony her song, Ray's husky murmurs and his deep, controlled breathing made was too much. Fraser felt the orgasm build from the pit of his belly, the base of his spine, the back of his brain, rushing forward slowly as a glacier calving, powerful yet irresistible, and he shoved as deeply as possible into Mina and stayed there, shuddering as he filled her, mindless with the incredible connection and his soul utterly bared to the two holding him.

No one moved for long minutes. No one wanted to, not Ray, not Mina and certainly not Fraser.

Fraser realized dimly he was reft away from the world. Nothing in his life had ever been so intense, so intimate as this single act of love. His soul was naked and quivering in the light of day and he feared nothing, not tomorrow or forever or the next five minutes. For possibly the very first time in his life, Benton Fraser was perfectly happy, and unafraid to be so. Buried in Ray's shoulder, tears slipped down his face, mixing in the sweat dewing Ray's skin. Turning his head, he licked them from Ray's skin, tasting the salt of his tears mixed with the salt of Ray's sweat.

How could he have gone his entire life not knowing this ecstatic communion was possible? And having had it, he could not, would not, ever relinquish it again. Would never let go, now that he knew Ray and Marina wanted nothing more than for him to hold on forever... or was that an unwarranted presumption on his part?

The words 'I love you' spilled from his mouth in Inuktitut, the only way, Fraser thought, he felt safe saying them- even though he meant them with all his heart. But he had no right to say such things when he was not truly sure if the extent of his feelings were reciprocated. That Ray and Marina cared about him he knew, but whether this was a short-term liaison or more -dear Lord, how he wanted more- was yet to be determined. Granted, Ray had bluntly stated his own feelings for Marina, and assured Fraser of the depth of his feelings for his partner... but Marina's feelings towards them were yet to be voiced. At all.

That unwelcome realization jolted Fraser out of his satori and he quickly reviewed all their previous discussions with Marina; indeed, except for their first conversation on the varying nature of friendship, all of their communication on this... subject had been body language a la Ray. Was she simply shy of voicing her feelings, afraid they might not be returned? Given how hurt she was, and how shy of personal relationships she seemed, it was highly likely. But she had no hesitation in voicing her feelings for Diefenbaker, even if that was hardly an equivalent situation. Or was it? Perhaps he had best table the entire topic for discussion with Ray later. For now, he was content to linger in this rapturous afterglow, although the mingled semen and sweat were starting to dry and stick...

"Ah," Fraser cleared his throat. "Perhaps a swim is in order before lunch?"

Ray chuckled as Fraser's hands moved down his arms, the long, idle strokes felt wonderful. "Yeah, sounds good ta me, buddy. Mina?"

Her purr of sheer pleasure reverberated against both men. "I'm wallowing, Ray," she murmured, laughter and languid pleasure rippling through the words. "I'd wallow a little longer, please."

Ray had only to turn his head to kiss her cheek, nuzzling her earlobe playfully and stroking her bare ribs, her tank top rucked roughly up over her breasts, the small triangles of her bikini top pushed to the side to show those way-too-cute tan nipples.

"Wallow all ya like, babe."

"Thank you kindly," she sighed, making Ray chuckle.

"Yer pickin' up me an' Fraser's partner-speak awful quick."

Mina purred and rubbed her head against Ray's cheek. "I'm highly motivated."

"I think I like bein' yer motivation," Ray teased, circling her bellybutton with his fingertips. Jeez, it felt great to touch her like this, feel the warmth and heat and weight of another body sprawled all over his. To feel Fraser's skin against his knuckles as he rubbed was icing on the cake.

"I like the way you guys do picnics," Mina said lazily. "Ah, who am I kidding? I like the way you guys do me."

Fraser giggled. A firm, strong, tenor-toned giggle, but a giggle nonetheless.

Ray goggled. "Ya giggled!"

Fraser attempted to compose himself and failed miserably, happiness was beaming out all over him. There was no possible way to be sad when Ray was holding him and he was deep inside Mina.

"I love it when ya smile like that, Ben." Ray's answering grin was smugly self-satisfied. "S'like the sun's shinin' brighter."

"I'd have thought you'd be the ray of sunshine in this partnership," Mina teased.

"He is," Fraser assured her. "He has brightened my life immeasurably since his advent into it."

"Jeez..." Ray was blushing- embarrassed as hell but liking that he was giving back to Fraser part of what Fraser gave him. That red uniform and the man inside it brightened his life like crazy ever since that first manic day of window-putty sandwiches, nose-measuring, ink-smeared fingers, exploding cars and performance arsonists. Ending with a swim in the lake called Michigan. Heck, the rubber duck he'd pocketed as a souvenir was sitting on the rim of his tub right now, and it acquired a bath time buddy after that weird encounter with smuggled Russian weapons, Nautilus and spies left, right and center. Weird and freaky and wonderful just followed him and Fraser around like a second half-wolf these days. Fuck, Ray thought, his life really didn't suck anymore. It was just great. What a rush...

Mina yawned suddenly, reaching her hands over her head and stretching in that languid, boneless cat-fashion that was such an unconscious turn-on.

"All right, enough wallowing. A swim would be great."

Fraser braced his hands on the ground and eased regretfully from her body, grateful a swim in the lake would provide a cursory wash-up. Granted, he rather selfishly didn't want to remove the traces of their lovemaking, but it was a trifle sticky and uncomfortable... and right now Ray and Mina looked positively debauched, like participants in a particularly successful Roman orgy. Good heavens, Fraser realized, his body could not respond to that delightful image but his brain certainly did...

Mina pulled off her tank top and tossed it over where her discarded shorts lay on the edge of the blanket, and spent a moment fitting her bikini back into its proper shape. Ray grumbled a complaint as her nipples disappeared from view.

"I liked th' view," Ray groused, yanking off his own shirt and swiping at the sticky mess on his groin with a handful of paper napkins from the picnic basket.

"I'm afraid nude bathing is a crime in Illinois, Ray," Fraser informed his partner, although he flushed as he made use of another handful of napkins and zipped up his cutoffs.

Ray cackled triumphantly. "So's sex in public, buddy. Hey, I want an 'I corrupted a Mountie' badge!"

Mina chuckled as she waded into the cool water, watching minnows skim away from the disturbance under the surface.

"Hey, I want one too. I aided and abetted in the corruption!"

"I suppose I can't arrest us," Fraser sighed as he followed Mina into the lake. "Technically, I don't have any jurisdiction here..."

"I ain't arrestin' us either!" Ray interrupted quickly, stuffing the dirty napkins into a trash bag and anchoring it under a corner of the cooler. "So don't even try ta talk me inta it!"

When the water reached waist-deep, Marina turned back to the shore and sank in up to her neck, sculling gently backward into deeper water as the bottom shelved away.

Ray splashed into the water, enjoying the break from the muggy heat as the water washed away the sweat on his skin. "Don't go too far, you guys, I don't swim so good. Hey, Mina, ya know Fraser taught me ta swim inside th' belly of a sinkin' ship?"

Mina laughed, missing a stroke in her merriment. "He did what?"

"See, there were these pirates on this ghost ship, the Robert MacKenzie..."

"It wasn't actually the Robert MacKenzie, Ray," Fraser corrected. "You know very well it was the Whaling Yankee in disguise, and we were actually on board the Henry Allen when it was, regretfully and much to Captain Smithers' dismay, sunk by those same pirates."

"Pirates?" Mina repeated, tickled by the very idea. "Oh, I gotta hear this..."

* * *