Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just had some fun with them. No money made either.

Author's Notes: Written for primroseburrows

Proposal By sam80853

For reasons that don't need to be explored at this juncture Ray is standing in the kitchen of "Forty's Arctic Pub" in Inuvik, turning burgers.

Okay, maybe this needs some explaining.

After Fraser and Ray solved the Muldoon case, you know, the one involving the death of Fraser's mother and jumping out of an airplane without parachutes into in ice field in Canada, Fraser took Ray on his adventure on the search of the Hand of Franklin. And he stayed; Ray that is, attached to ... Fraser, really. Because as it happens Ray fell in love with Fraser - he doesn't know if he was in love when he went out on their adventure already or if he fell in love during or after and it's not really important now. Important is how he could manage to stay in Canada, preferably with Fraser.

First things first: Ray got himself a job - he wasn't kidding himself, he got the job because of Fraser and not because of his charm. Fraser knew the owner, Albert, he was probably a friend of his grandparents or something, but that's not important either; Ray had a job now - for 5 weeks today to be precise. He's able to pull his own weight and he has something to do while Fraser is patrolling the frozen North, leaving him behind in total darkness.

See, Inuvik is just 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle with 30 days of polar night each winter and as it happens, Ray is experiencing days with no light at all right about now.

It's kind of creepy, really. Not that Ray is afraid of darkness, he is not, he was - or still is - a Detective in Chicago and nothing can scare you much after what he has seen in the good old days. But it's something you have to get used to and sitting around in Fraser's cabin all by himself just wasn't good and keeping still isn't Ray's cup of tea anyway.

Working at "Frostys Arctic Pub" isn't that much different from working at the 27th, except for dead bodies and tons of paperwork, which Ray doesn't miss a bit. Okay, maybe it is different but the people Ray works with he likes. Albert, the owner, is a pretty old guy and not much different from Welsh in character, sitting behind his desk all day, growling, but being there if you really need him.

During Ray's first week - Fraser was out of town - Albert sat down with him and explained to him over a game of chess how life works in Inuvik. Ray was very grateful about the company, because being alone in the darkness almost drove him barefoot up the wall. As it turned out Inuvik has some interesting stories to tell and Ray figured Canada isn't that different from the States, with snow mobile thefts, joyrides and domestic violence after all. Not that Ray approves of those things, no, but it makes it somehow easier to find his way around.

Daisy, the waitress, in her high heels and short skirts - much too short for winter but who's Ray to tell her that, he just got here and she's a local - reminds Ray of Frannie. She even hovers over the cappuccino machine like Frannie did back in Chicago - it can't be touched by anyone else but her and that's kind of difficult for Ray, because sometimes he just can't wait for Daisy to get him his caffeine fix.

Anyway, Ray likes it here - the town, the people, his work and he really wants to stay here because, you know, he loves Fraser and he's pretty sure that Fraser loves him too. Not that they have talked about it, no, but why else would Fraser go on an adventure with Ray, keep him around afterwards, sharing his home with him, pretty much his whole life?

If Ray stays around long enough, he will break Fraser; make him confess in needing his friend, in loving him. Ray just needs some more time.

"Two moose burgers, Ray," Daisy's voice brings Ray back to the here and now. "One well-done, the other one rare. Extra cheese. Fries."

"Coming right up," Ray smiles, Moose burger, ha. Everybody knows their burgers are made of beef not moose - it's for the tourists though.

Suddenly a song sounds through the pub; someone must have fed the jukebox. A pretty old song, Ray figures. Nothing in that music box is newer then the Eighties, Ray checked that out already, had even complained about it but no one listens to a Yank from Chicago.

He's my destiny and it's hard to see how I could love him more

He's my destiny gotta hold on me I'm always back for more.

Ray lets go of the scoop in his hand, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

That's it.

Destiny.

Fraser is his destiny, he has been the second Ray met him - through his whole undercover gig as Ray Vecchio, Stella, just the whole shebang.

Fraser.

"Ray!" Daisy sounds impatient, tapping her feet, waiting for her order but Ray can't do anything but smile. He has an idea, an idea that will bind him to Fraser and Canada forever.

Ray thinks about his plan on his way to Fraser's cabin some more. He has been through this once already but he figures that it would work with Fraser. Ray's committed and knows what he wants. He isn't a young rebel anymore, he's a man in his late thirties and if young love never works, well, this old one will.

It wouldn't be much different from the way they live now anyway. Except that Fraser wouldn't sleep on the couch anymore but with Ray. They would have sex and the sex would be great, Ray figures. Fraser is good with anything he does, so the sex would be fucking-fantastic.

Ray smiles, walking through the snow towards Fraser's cabin, soon to be their cabin. It's pitch-black dark outside, but Ray doesn't care much, he's getting used to it, he even likes the snow, the sound it makes underneath his feet. It's peaceful though and there is nowhere else he would rather be.

Fraser is supposed to be back from his patrol tonight and Ray can hardly wait - patience never was his strong suit and he just wants his new life to begin. Now. Yesterday if possible.

Where the hell is Fraser?

Ray paces up and down the small cabin; water for tea is boiling for half an hour already and ... he gets nervous all of a sudden.

Fraser is not an easy man, or a spontaneous man. What if he needs time to think Ray's proposal through? Time Ray doesn't really have, time that would be wasted anyway because Ray has already thought about everything.

They would be good together, they always were.

"Good evening, Ray," suddenly Fraser stands in the door, snow-covered hat, cold-red face and Ray just knows that he's meant to be with this man.

"You have to marry me," Ray blurts out and Fraser freezes up right in front of him. Not good, not good at all. ~::~::~

Somewhere in Florida Ray Vecchio drops his spoon which falls into his self-cooked tomato sauce on his stove, splashing red liquid all over his white shirt. ~::~::~

"I'm certain, Ray, we will find a way to extend your ...," Fraser is not stepping further into the cabin and Ray has to act, now.

"No, Fraser, no. That's not ...," he's reaching for Fraser's glove-covered hands but Fraser steps away, avoids any contact.

"Ray, please," Fraser's face is pale but something like hope is shining in his eyes for a moment before Fraser blinks it away. "I will go looking for the dogs, Ray," and with that he turns and closes the cabin door behind him again.

Ray is tempted to run after Fraser, to make him understand but he sits down on the couch instead, head in hand.

He screwed up, enormously. He should have said something about love and friendships first, not just jump the guy with the marriage thing.

But he was nervous, alright?

Okay, Fraser has to come in again eventually, and then Ray is going to make it right, make things right between them.

But Fraser's not coming back.

The tea, Ray made, is cold for the longest time and it's pretty late already, and it's becoming obvious even to Ray that Fraser doesn't want to talk with him. He sighs and walks into the bedroom where he planed for them to sleep together for the first time tonight.

But Ray is not going to give up, no way, not now. He knows what he wants, what's at stake, and he knows that Fraser loves him, Ray's approach was just wrong, he can do better.

Lying in bed, waiting for Fraser to enter the cabin again, Ray looks through his collected evidence of his "Fraser is in love with him" file in his mind.

The first thing that's giving Fraser away is pretty obvious; Ray's living in Fraser's cabin, sleeping in his bed. Ray is in Fraser's home and as far as Ray knows nobody ever lived with Fraser before.

Yeah, Fraser is nice and hos ... hospitable but he's very picky on who to let into his home, into his life. Ray is in. Fraser's making adjustments to fit Ray into his life and Fraser doesn't make compromises with anyone.

Second are Fraser's eyes, they follow him wherever he goes. Maybe to watch out for him, to keep him safe, but Fraser's a very good teacher and Ray knows by now how to keep himself alive in the Territories. So, it can't be that.

Fraser's hands, in fact his whole body, are very talkative too. Fraser's always touching him, standing close like he wants to protect or warm Ray with his body, and maybe Fraser's hands and body just want to touch Ray, his face, his skin, just everything.

Ray sighs and closes his eyes, Fraser loves him and if it takes months or even years, Ray just has to come back again and again to Canada until Fraser will never let him go again.

It's in the middle of the night when Ray wakes up, he hasn't heard Fraser coming in but he knows that Fraser is in the cabin, it's like he can feel his presence in the other room. He stands up and walks to the door, the tea cup is gone from the table and Fraser's stretched out figure is lying on the couch, snoring softly.

Ray smiles, stepping closer. Carefully not to wake Fraser.

The blanket is tangled around Fraser's legs, leaving his upper part unprotected to Ray's eyes - Fraser's neck is exposed, as is some part of his belly where the shirt has slipped up. Pale skin, smooth-looking.

Beautiful.

Ray yearns to touch, to caress, but he just kneels beside the couch, studying Fraser's peaceful face.

"I love you," he whispers. ~::~::~

Somewhere in Florida Stella Vecchio is missing a beat on her piano. ~::~::~

It hurts; it really hurts to say those words.

Ray has spoken about love to just one person before and he had promised to never do it again after Stella left. But he has no saying in this because he really does love Fraser and Fraser needs to hear him say those words. Fraser might no even believe him then but Ray will repeat them over and over again, beat Fraser over the head with them if necessary.

"I do, you know," Ray whispers in Fraser's ear, one hand carefully placed on Fraser's exposed belly and he's certain that Fraser is awake now at the latest.

"I'm sorry, I did it wrong," he says. "I didn't want to scare you, I was just ..."

"Ray," Fraser covers Ray's hand on his belly with one of his own. "I reacted poorly, I'm afraid." Ray smiles, looking into Fraser's sleep-free eyes.

"I scared you," he grins, feeling light-headed.

Deep down in his stomach he knows that now they are doing it right, and he lowers his face towards Fraser's, feeling Fraser's hot breath on his face.

A kiss. Soft and tender.

A promise.

Forever. ~::~::~

Ray Vecchio and his wife Stella gasp out in shock, making turn heads in their direction at the midnight Mass somewhere in Florida. ~::~::~

The End