Author's website: http://snowee.50megs.com

Disclaimer: They belong to Alliance, but I borrowed a lot for Ray's sake.

Author's Notes: Thanks to Lorraine and Adrienne for their Italian translation assistance, Tim for beta

Story Notes: See additional information at http://snowee.50megs.com/ds/notes.htm

Janice asked "One has to wonder a bit about the 'history' they have that would make Zuko be a bit polite to Ray - what little we are told about it, Zuko sounds like a bully and this line kinda surprises me. Comments anyone?" in reference to the lines: "You know, it just blows my mind, how one guy can pull off a heist of this magnitude!" "You know, I'm ignoring your tone because we have a history. But don't push it. This may seem penny-ante to you, Vecchio, but somebody did commit a crime here."

Ray froze. He thought he'd heard the windows rattle and as he stood in the open doorway, he wondered if he ran for it, would he be safe? He heard a footstep behind him and knew that, while he could outrun his mother, he wouldn't want to return home if he did. He turned slowly, shoving the Bulls tickets deep into his pocket as he did. "Ma, I'm just going out with a couple of friends."

"You most certainly are not!" the diminutive woman said. "You haven't cleaned up the mess in the backyard. Where is your brother?"

"I don't know, Ma," Ray replied.

"Benito!" the voice shrieked again before she looked at her son, her eyes filled with anger. "You and your brother will clean up that mess and apologize to the neighbors immediatamente."

Ray bowed his head. "Yes, Ma," he replied and walked out the front door, closing it behind him as his mother ascended the stairs in search of her older son.

As he stood on the step, he glanced up and saw Benito pull up to the curb in a new car. Well, it wasn't new. It was huge, green, and 6 years old, but he'd never seen Ben in it before. It clanged and shook and made the most horrible noises as it spouted dark smoke from the back, but when the older boy jumped from the car and held his arms up in victory, Ray grinned. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Ray stepped tentatively toward the driveway. "It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen, Benny."

"What?! She's a Buick Riviera! Don't say that about her." his brother replied. "She just needs a little work, that's all."

"A little?" Ray asked, chuckling. "You'll never get those dents out," he began as he walked around the car. "The tailpipe is hanging by a coat hanger?" he said incredulous, then walked around to the drivers side. "Whoa! Look at that side. The whole side looks like it's been hit by a truck!"

"Yeah," Ben continued, "but there's not a spot of rust and she runs." Benito wrapped an arm around his brother and laughed. "She'll be beautiful in no time."

Ray pulled away. "Yeah, if you get it past Ma. That's not going to be easy. She's still pretty mad at us about the catapult."

Benito waved a hand. "Oh, she'll cool down."

"She wants us to apologize to the neighbors," Ray added with disgust.

Ben wouldn't be deterred from his mood. "Aw, we'll get it over with and still have time to make the game," he replied.

Ray shrugged. "We have to go in back and clean up the mess, too."

Benito's smile faltered. "Now?"

Ray nodded. "Maybe we should tell her about the game. Tell her we'll do it after we go."

Ben frowned. "We can't, Ray. If we do that we gotta tell her where we got the tickets and why."

"I know, Benny, but I don't want to miss the game just because we have to clean up."

Ben glanced at his watch. "We can make it. We'll just hide the stuff, get rid of it tomorrow. We'll make it to the game and Ma'll be none the wiser."

Ray agreed and the two set out. When Ma finally took a moment to look in the backyard, she saw her two sons handling their mess. She smiled to herself and turned back to the kitchen.

Maria stood beside the stove, stirring a pot of bubbling red liquid as Francesca took the ingredients from the refrigerator. The younger one skipped about the room and grabbed a large knife from the knife rack and headed toward the cutting board. Rosa hurried beside her younger daughter and took the knife. "Not yet, bambino. You get the ground beef out for your sister." Rosa took the knife and deftly chopped the green onions into perfect pieces.

"I'm not a bambino," Francesca said quickly, but was interrupted immediately by her sister.

"I've got the beef, Ma. Frannie, get me the Oregano," Maria ordered in response.

"I don't want to," Frannie said as she moved and sat on the table. Ma threw her a look of daggers as Francesca jumped down and sat on a chair.

"One little thing. One little thing I ask you and you can't even do that," Maria said, frustrated.

"I don't want to run around the kitchen getting your spices," Frannie responded, which sent the two sisters into simultaneous bouts of temperamental expletives. While neither fought in Italian, their voices took on an accent apparently picked up from their mother and used when angry.

"Enough!" Rosa snapped, dropping the knife with a clang. "Why do the two of you have to fight so much. Your brothers, I can't even separate, but you two are at each other's..." Rosa let out a breath and stormed from the kitchen.

It was quiet a moment before Francesca spoke. "See what you did?"

"What I did? What about you?" The accusation sent the two into verbal assault mode, and Rosa moved upstairs so she wouldn't have to listen.

Ma Vecchio was tired. She listened to her girls fight all day, but that wasn't her concern. Benito had been running with a bad crowd. He was 21, so stopping him would be next to impossible. As if that weren't enough trouble, Raimondo adored Benito. What if Ray began to follow the same crowd as Benito? What would she do when she heard that both of her sons were in jail, or worse?

Ray approached the gates to the fenced area where Benito played basketball and watched as Frankie Zuko passed him. Ray frowned Frankie, having never forgiven the boy or himself for what had happened in grade school. He'd let Zuko bully several kids, beating one to a pulp, but Ray was too insecure to step in.

Frankie gave Ray a challenging look over his shoulder before breaking into a jog and crossing the street.

"Hey, Benny," Ray said quickly, entering the ball area.

Benito grinned and tossed the ball to Ray. The younger brother missed the ball, turned on his heel, and grabbed at it as it bounced again. Benito bent his knees and held his hands in front of his chest, beckoning the ball. "Come on, Ray."

Ray kept straight and bounced the ball to Benito. "I don't feel like playing," Ray offered as explanation.

"Oh, just a quick game. I'll spot you a few points," Ben suggested.

Ray shook his head and looked across the street to where Frank had disappeared. "Why do you hang out with him?" he asked, a look of distaste matching his tone.

Benito straightened and shrugged. "I dunno."

Ray stepped toward his brother. "He's younger than you, you know. He's a bully."

Ben shrugged again. "Yeah, maybe," Ben replied. "He's got connections though. Everybody knows his dad." Again the older boy bounced the ball to his brother.

"Everybody knows our dad, too," Ray caught the ball and propped it under his left arm.

Benito chuckled. "Yeah, as a liar, a drunk, and a cheat. Nothing to aspire to."

"You want to be like his dad?" Ray's surprise was emphasized by him dropping the ball and letting it roll away.

"I didn't say that," Benito added, quickly. "I just know the man's got some real power in this town. Come on, Ray. Imagine what it would be like to be respected. Who wouldn't want the nicest house, the prettiest wife?"

"So you do want that?"

"I didn't say that."

"Did you?" Ray asked. "Come on, Benny. You don't have to be in The Family to avoiding ending up like Dad."

"You're right," Benito replied. "I was just imagining." Benito picked up the ball and put it under one arm as he used the other to tossle Ray's hair before putting an arm around the younger brother.

"Come on, Ray! Let's take her for a spin!"

Ray groaned. He didn't want to do this today. He wanted to sleep in. It had been a long week and now, with the weekend finally here, he planned to make no plans, to do nothing for two days. Disrobing, he sat on his bed and picked up the clothes he'd worn the night before. Slipping into the tailored pants and bright button-up shirt, he went in search of fresh socks. He heard another honk and waved his hand at the air. "I'm coming," he added for emphasis before reaching under his bed for the shoes he'd kicked there the afternoon before.

Still, he couldn't argue with Benito. His elder brother had been working on the car for months now, carefully banging at the dents and referencing a book to help him with the internal workings when he wasn't familiar. While Ben had tinkered with cars as a hobby for years, there were still certain things he could learn. He'd been trying to get a job at a garage, but instead was forced to stay in the job as a grocery stocker to earn the money he wanted.

When Ray stepped out the front door, he was surprised by the purr. Benito had managed to rid the machine of it's shaking and coughing within a couple weeks, but now she ran smooth and quiet, like a dream. Jumping into the passenger seat, he watched Ben climb into the driver's seat and slam it into reverse.

"You look terrible, Benny," Ray began as they made their way down the street. It was true, his hair was ruffled, his face still had a streak of something thick and dark, and his eyes were bloodshot and swollen.

Benito glanced over. "I could say the same about you," he replied. "What's with those clothes?"

"You weren't going to wait for me to shower, were you?" Ray chuckled, knowing the answer. "How late were you up working on this thing?"

"Uh," Ben replied and Ray could fill in the silence. He'd worked through the night. So close, he must have decided it was more important to finish than to sleep. "Wasn't it worth it?"

Ray smiled and placed his hand on the bone coloured leather seat. It was definitely worth it. Perhaps it was watching the thing turn from a pile of well placed bolts into a living machine that made him prejudiced, but he now agreed with Benito that it was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. "She sure is," he said softly. "She sure is."

Benito glowed. "Thanks, Ray." He glanced at his brother again and slowly approached a stop sign before turning onto the main street where all his friends and enemies could see and envy his ride. Putting his left out the window and resting his right hand on the steering wheel casually, Benito looked out the window at the passing store fronts. "You remember cousin Al?" Ben asked out of the blue.

Ray had to think. It took him a moment to remember the man who was, thought twice removed, related to them. "Yeah, sure."

"He told me if I could make this run, he'd give me a job in his garage."

"He has a garage?"

Benito chuckled. "Of course he does. Told me I could have a shot - if I could get this old girl in tip top shape."

Ray smiled admiringly at his brother. "You sure did that." He wanted to say more, but couldn't express how proud he was of his brother. Everything was turning out well. Benito would finally have the job he wanted and a car he wanted.

Coming to a stop light, Benito waved and Ray watched as several young men, though older than he, approached the car.

"Whoa, Benito" and "Nice wheels, Ben!" escaped their lips repeatedly. Ray smiled and listened to them gush until he looked past someone's shoulder and saw her. Irene looked gorgeous, as always, as she exited a dress shop with a friend. He watched as the other girl spoke, then both laughed heartily. Irene lifted her wrist and looked at her watch, then brushed her fingers through her hair. She was the most delicate, beautiful creature he had ever seen, but she was going the wrong direction.

Without a word of explanation, Ray jumped from the car and ran across the street, nearly getting hit. As the car screeched and honked, Ray waved an apology and Irene turned to see the cause of the commotion. Her friend turned also when Irene stopped and switched the bag into her other hand. Ray ran to her and stopped short. Looking into her deep brown eyes, he didn't know what to say.

"Hello," Irene offered, but when she didn't receive a response, she continued. "This is my cousin, Beth."

Ray stuck out his hand. "Uh, nice to meet you," he stumbled.

Irene browsed Ray's appearance, then smiled. As soon as Ray noticed it, he glanced at himself also. "Oh, I was helping my brother with his car," he said quickly, motioning toward it while trying to press his shirt quickly with his other hand.

"I see," Irene said, still smiling. "It's a lovely shade of green," she added, trying to encourage him.

Ray put a hand nervously in his pocket and finally let the smile that had been prodding at his lips escape. "Hey, uh, me and Benny, we're free tonight. Maybe we could take you ladies out to dinner?"

Irene dropped her handbag inside the shopping bag and shifted. "It's short notice," she said, an apologetic look on her face.

Ray's heart sank. His smile faded and he took a step back. "It's ok," he said quickly, trying to hide his humiliation. "I should go. We are, uh." Finding himself stuck for a reply, he started to leave.

Irene took a couple quick steps and touched his arm. "Maybe if I ask my father," she said quickly. Ray stopped and she continued. "I'd love to go if he says it's all right." She paused and turned to Beth. "Beth?"

Beth nodded. "Yes," she replied. "I would love to see Chicago at night."

Ray didn't notice that the girl had a strong Italian accent. He was too intent on Irene's tender face.

"I just did," Benito replied. "Hurry up."

Ray didn't move. He kept staring at the tickets. It was the end of the season, and here he was holding two very real tickets, front row, center court. It was too good to be true. He looked up at his brother and held them out. Benito took them back while Ray spoke. "No, really. Where did you get them?"

Benito shrugged. "I got 'em, ok? What is this, the inquisition? I'm not missing the game so get your shoes on."

Ray put on his shoes and bent down to lace them. When he straightened, he had to run to catch Benito at the door. The two ran out and jumped into the Riviera. As the car jolted forward after pulling out of the driveway, Ray rolled up his window and looked at Ben. "I think I'm going to ask Irene out again."

Benito grinned. "Go for it. I think she liked you at dinner last week."

"You think so?" Ray asked, imagining her in that beautiful dress she had worn.

"Sure," Ben replied. "You've been sweet on her for years. You should definitely take her out again."

Ray nodded. He was going to do it. He busily worked at convincing his mind that she would be ecstatic simply by the invitation. His mind was firmly planted on the subject and as they entered the game, the only thing on the game was his vision. His mind was elsewhere.

The Bulls were often defeated, but Ray and Benito continually hoped for a comeback. Today they won the game, but Ray didn't care. His mind had managed to move to the game, but Irene was still in the back of his thoughts.

In a daze he followed his brother to a celebration at the Iceberg Shake Shack where a group of people were waiting. Ray was still in the car watching as Benito ran to the group and told them about the game. It took a moment before the younger brother got out and approached the group. As he neared, he knew he recognized several members. They were all mob wannabes who hung around with Zuko in hopes of getting a good word from his father. Ray was stunned. Was this the crew which Benito sneaked off to see on a regular basis? He thought it was because they were some drinking buddies, but he stood in shock behind his brother, barely listening to the conversation.

From behind, a horn honked and Ray spun around. Frank jumped from a brand new car and ran up to them. He patted Benito's shoulder and chuckled. "You two use my tickets?" he asked Ben while indicating Ray.

Benito glanced at Ray. He could see the disappointment, but quickly replaced the sullen face with another grin. "Yeah," he said. "Best seats in the house."

"Hey, I only buy the best. Too bad I couldn't go, huh?" Frankie shrugged and turned to Ray. "Worked out nicely for you, didn't it?" he asked.

Ray nodded in a trance. "Uh, Benny? I'm going to go wait in the car," he said quickly before excusing himself quickly from the crowd.

Sitting in the car watching his brother, he began to shake. Frankie was getting Benito involved in something that was certain to get him killed at a young age. Benny didn't have the luxury of being the boss or the boss's son. Who would protect him?

'And Irene,' he thought. 'She's Frankie's sister. How can I ever expect anything when Frankie's her brother? There's not much future for her with a guy like me.'

After several minutes, Benito returned to the car and handed Ray a shake. "What was that all about? I wanted you to hang out with my friends." He paused. "You should be glad I'm letting you in."

"In? Into that? I don't want to be dead at 25 and I don't want you to be either."

"Oh come on," Benito scoffed. "You worry too much."

Ray pleaded the entire ride home for Benito to see his side, to leave that group before anything bad could happen. Benito didn't listen and, in the end, he called Ray a stupid kid, kicked him out of the car at the Vecchio house, and sped away.

Ray didn't sleep that night. All he could think about was Benito's attitude. While Ray thought the elder man was growing up, he now knew his brother was becoming disrespectful and big headed because of what he was planning to do with the rest of his short, to be sure, life.

4:17 am. He wouldn't forget the time now. He needed to remember it forever. Stepping through his doorway, he walked into the bathroom where he saw a calm Rosa dabbing at a wound on Benito's head. Ray looked at Benito, who has battered all over, then back to his mother. In her eyes he saw years of pain, the hurt this caused her, but still she remained calm as she moved to dab his lip. He didn't know what she was saying, but her tone was soft and calming. He didn't need to speak Italian to know her words were those of comfort.

Ray was surprised. To see Benito sitting on the edge of the tub bleeding and bruised, his mind told him Ma should have been screaming Italian and bringing down the walls. Instead she continued to speak gently and dab.

In Ben's left hand, he held a tissue up to his nose. Ray could see the blood around the edges of his nostrils. After watching the pair for several seconds, he spoke. "Can I get anything, Ma?"

Rosa turned her eyes on her son and it was then that Ray saw the tears in them. He stepped forward, but she stopped him with a shake of her head. "I need some bandages from downstairs," she said, handing Ray the cloth in her hand.

"I'll get them," Ray offered, but Rosa simply shook her head and passed him. Ray stepped toward Benito and stared at the bloodstained cloth. Benito closed his eyes and Ray put the cloth to a wound he'd noticed on Ben's ear. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Benito responded firmly.

Ray dabbed more firmly and Benito flinched, grabbed Ray's hand, and took the cloth to clean up his nose. Rising slowly, Benito made his way to the mirror and looked over his face and neck. Looking through the tears in his shirt, Ray could see bloody scabs. He looked at Benito. "Were you with Zuko and his friends?"

Benito grunted. "I said I don't want to talk about it," he said through gritted teeth in a tone Ray found not at all familiar.

Still, Ray didn't back down. "I told you not to hang around with them, Benny."

"You sound like Ma," he snapped. "Go back to bed."

Rosa was walking up the stairs when she heard the boys fighting. Her boys. At least Ray was staying out of trouble for now, but how long could that last? She couldn't begin to think about the pain in her heart at this moment. Her husband was off gallivanting and she was here alone to care for a son who was going along the wrong path, for certain. She stood at the top of the stairs and held the box of bandages to her chest. She wanted to let the tears come, the ones ripping at her, but she couldn't let Benito or Ray see that weakness. She straightened, took a deep breath, and began walking along the hall. As she neared the door she heard the sounds that made her heart stop.

"Benny!" Ray snapped, then Rosa heard a thud. She rounded the corner to see Ray squatting beside Benito who was unconscious on the floor. Rosa grabbed her younger son and with all the strength of a concerned mother, threw him back and knelt beside Benito.

Rosa spouted some Italian, but Ray wasn't sure what she'd said. He hoped she asked what happened so he told her. "We were talking and... and he turned white, then he just passed out." Ray paused to get a breath. "He hit his head on the tub when he went down, Ma," he added, nearly in a panic.

"Call an ambulance!" Rosa replied.

Ray turned from the door and saw his two sisters stepping from their rooms. Hurrying to Francesca first, he told her to go back to bed, then emphasized it by pushing her back and pulling her door closed. He then went to Maria and ordered her to bed. "Ma and I will handle it."

"No," Maria insisted.

"Then stay out of the way," he said before going to the phone in the hall and dialing.

Rosa wasn't going to take her eyes off her children ever again. She glanced periodically at her son beside her and daughters through the rearview mirror. When they arrived at the hospital, Rosa ordered her children to stay together and wait in the chairs. Ray noticed how cold and hard they were. Francesca put up her feet and rested her head on Maria's lap before falling asleep. Ray sat quietly until Maria whispered a question.

"I didn't want to worry Frannie, but she's asleep. What happened?"

Ray frowned and let out a breath. "I dunno. He just fainted. He got beat up."

Maria gasped. "Beat up? By who?"

"I don't know," Ray reiterated.

"Who do you think it might have been?" she asked quietly probing for details.

Ray sighed and considered his options. In the end, he decided not to point fingers until he knew more. He shook his head and looked down the hall where Rosa was trying to get the attention of a nurse.

Maria rested her head on Ray's shoulder and fell asleep just before Ray leaned his head onto hers and fell asleep also.

Ray was jolted from his sleep much later when he heard a wail come from the hallway. He leaned forward and saw his mother on her knees and jumped to his feet. Maria and Francesca woke, dazed, but followed Ray as he ran down the hall and knelt beside her. She was sobbing uncontrollably as Ray stood and faced the doctor. "What happened?"

The doctor looked at the young man before him, then to the woman on the floor. "There was internal hemorrhaging," he began. "I'm afraid we couldn't stop it in time." The man looked sullen, waiting for it to sink in. Ray thought for a moment. 'In time.' It only meant one thing.

"He's...he's..."

"I'm afraid he's gone," the doctor said with the coldness of a man who had told far too many families that their son, daughter, husband, wife... was gone.

Ray pushed past Irene. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Frankie."

Irene's smile vanished as she grabbed his arm. "What happened?" Irene felt it. She'd seen that look in this house many times.

Ray froze. "I am not going to talk to you about this," he said quickly.

Irene didn't let go. "Tell me," she insisted.

Ray pulled away and walked out the door. "I'll find him."

Irene ran out the door and grabbed him again. "Did something happen to Benito?"

Ray stopped again and looked at her. "What do you know?"

Irene swallowed. "It was the Citino's."

"What?!"

She wrapped her arms around herself. "It was the Citino's, Ray. I heard Frank. He forbid Benito to go with them. Frank didn't want anything to happen to Benito."

Ray was reeling. "What are you saying?"

Irene took a deep breath. "I told Frankie that I really liked you. I told him I didn't want to see your family get hurt so he forbid Benito to go with them to rough up the Citino family yesterday."

Yesterday. If Ray had managed to stop Benito as soon as he knew what was happening, he could have saved him. He'd had until yesterday. "Yesterday?"

"Yesterday they went out there and today the Citino's got together and came back into our neighbourhood."

"The Citino's beat him up?"

"Yes."

"The Citino's killed him?"

Irene's eyes widened. "Killed? No. Frankie said he got out ok. Frank said he went home and..."

"He was still bleeding. He bled inside until ... until... he died at the hospital."

Irene gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Ray, I'm so sorry."

"It's Frankie's fault," Ray stated.

"No, no it isn't," she insisted. "Frankie didn't let him go. Frankie didn't make him fight today when the Citino's came back."

Ray made a sound between a grunt and a sigh. Irene took him in her arms. "It's going to be ok, Ray."

Ray sniffled and tried not to cry, but responding in words, he knew, would draw the tears out so he just put his arms around her and held her close.

Leaving Irene after midnight when Frank returned home, the two said nothing. Ray couldn't face Frank, still confused about his feelings toward the other boy. Ray had grown up learning to hate Frankie for his tactics of bullying and manipulation. He couldn't change his feelings about that so quickly.

Everything after that had happened within hours. As soon as Irene told Frankie about Benito, Frank had put out a contract on Guitano, the man responsible for Benito's injuries. It took no time at all before one of his father's men picked up the contract and Guitano was dead.

Ray's first feeling was satisfaction at the death, but he was immediately reminded of reality. This would only continue. There would be more and more deaths. Benny wasn't the beginning and he wouldn't be the last.

Ray never told Angie why he wanted a green 1971 Buick Riviera. She would never understand. After a few years, he avoided mentioning his brother, a way to keep his heart from breaking all over again. It wasn't until nearly 20 years after his brother's death that he found another brother. It took him little time to warm up to the man he would give Benito's nickname, but worth the years of waiting. He never told Constable Benton Fraser where the nickname Benny came from. It was easier for Ray to not let him know.

The End

End Patterns by Laura Lee aka Snowee: alaskanrose515@hotmail.com

Author and story notes above.