Author's Notes: WARNINGS: NOT Betaed!<br />
NOTES: I'm new to due South, just started the second season last weekend. This story came to me after watching S01E15 "The Wild Bunch" in which Diefenbaker acts up because he's about to be a father of a litter of pups.

Fraser can hear the subtle groaning of Ray's Riviera, even from blocks away, so he makes his way downstairs, greeting his neighbors before they shut themselves away behind locked doors. He steps to the curb just as Ray pulls out onto his street, nodding gently as he catches Ray's eyes. It's a few seconds before the Riviera pulls up, Ray leaning over and opening the passenger's side door from the inside as he stops at the curb.

"Good morning, Ray," Fraser says as he slides the door open, removes his hat, and then slips into the passenger seat.

With a nod, Ray replies, "Morning Frase-" but is momentarily distracted by something, if the double-take he does to take in Fraser's appearance is any indication. Instead of pulling out into traffic, Ray asks, "You okay, Benny? You don't look so hot."

Fraser can almost immediately feel a blush starting up his neck, though he fights it. "I'm fine, Ray," he says. "It's just... Well, Diefenbaker kept me up far longer than I intended to last night."

Shaking his head, Ray slowly pulls his attention back to the road and gets back into traffic. "What, did the poor guy have the runs or something? Or is he missing those pups of his?" he asks as he glides behind an ancient Cadillac before swerving into the left lane to pass.

"Actually, no," Fraser manages. "It was more of a philosophical discussion that we were having."

Fraser catches the raised eyebrow and quick glance back at him, fully aware that the Detective may well think him odd. But Diefenbaker has a quiet way about him that gets Fraser to admit even his closely guarded secrets.

"You and the wolf, huh?" Ray asks, Fraser ignoring the playful smirk.

"He's an awfully good listener," Fraser comes back with. "And his current situation has allowed me to think long and hard about the path that my own life has taken."

Ray doesn't signal as the car moves to the left turn lane, and he eyes a yellow light, which by Fraser's calculations, he'll make with about eight-tenths of a second to spare. "So what are you saying? You want kids or something?"

"Well, obviously," Fraser counters. He begins to gesture with his hand, but thinks twice as the G-force increases with Ray's angle of the turn, even as the car slows. "That's a discussion for a future point in time. But right now, I'd like to kiss you."

Ray doesn't quite complete the left turn, the car unceremoniously stopping as the front end of the Riviera plows into a dumpster.

The pair is safe, though more because of Ray's jerking his foot over the brakes as he veered into the obstruction. "Ray?" Fraser says as he checks his friend over. "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head, Ray turns to Fraser, eyes wide as he asks, "What is wrong with you?" in a voice about ten decibels louder than absolutely necessary. "Jesus," he says, turning his attention back to his poor, abused Rivera.

"Ray?" Fraser says, putting his hand on Ray's shoulder.

Heaving out a sigh, Ray runs his hand over his forehead, then turns to his partner. He shakes his head, giving Fraser a hint of a smile before he leans over, catching Fraser a bit by surprise as he steals his own kiss. "Yes, Benny," Ray says as he leans back into his own seat, then tries to turn the engine over. "You can kiss me anytime."