Disclaimer:

Author's Notes:

Story Notes: As stated, this is a story this is a rewritten version of a much more explicit story. This story contains kidnapping and rape and should not be read by anyone under the age of 17. I've rated it 'NC-17' here.

Authors Note: This story previously appeared with very graphically explicit sexual descriptions of non-consensual sex (i.e., rape). The story line remains basically the same, however, it is now in a format that is much less descriptive of the actual sexual situations. Please be warned that although the explicitness of the first version is missing here, it is still a story containing content, specifically of a non-consensual nature, which can be disturbing. Disclaimer -The characters and stories of Due South are Copyright (c) Alliance Communications, and are used here without permission or license. The author of this work makes no claim to the above copyright. This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only. This work is the expression of the author and the depictions of the Due South characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of Due South as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s). Please do not link to/or archive this fiction anywhere without the author's express permission to do so. Please do not use any character I have created elsewhere without my permission. Alliance, Paul Haggis and the actors involved in Due South gave their audience a great show and made some of us wonder.... what went before and what comes next.

Rated R, Other portions of the series rated NC-17 with slash content as well as m/f pairing: BF/f, BF/m

Purgatory

The window slid open and five figures in black clothing slipped over the sill and moved in the apartments shadows. Each of the five black clothed figures wore hoods entirely covering each of their heads.

"Phase 1 point 1 complete." Reported one of the dark figures into the radio he carried in his hand. Moonlight was the only light that guided the figures as they moved around the sparsely furnished apartment. The largest of the group stood near the door. The other four lined up along the wall. Silence enveloped the apartment.

Ray bounced up the apartment building stairs, the ill lit halls filled with shadows. By the time he arrived at apartment 3J, he was sauntering along and whistling. 'Good thing Benny doesn't have a lock', he laughed to himself. Ray put his hand on the door to the apartment and continued on into the dark apartment.

He was grabbed from behind be someone taller than himself, the surprise of the attack giving the advantage to the attacker. Before Ray could adjust himself to the fact that he needed to fight back, more arms came out of the shadows to help his attacker hold him, cuff his hands behind him, and inject him with something that made his legs give out under him. The attackers caught him as he began to fall and set him gently on the floor in the kitchen so he could be seen in the moonlight coming in the window. The attacker nearest him whispered into is radio, "Phase 1 point 2 complete - entering Phase 1 point 3 hold down".

And again silence filled the air. Ray knew this was serious business, he also knew that in this neighborhood he probably couldn't expect anyone to rush to his aid even if he did yell. He decided to wait. Benny wasn't due to meet him here for another hour.

One of the attackers kept vigil by the kitchen window as a skulking dark figure in the shadows. The holder of the radio it to his mouth at a hand signal from the watcher, "Phase 1 entering 3rd position." The attackers returned to the positions they had held before Ray entered the apartment. Benton Fraser had seen Ray's green RIV parked outside as he neared the building where he lived and wondered why Ray would be waiting for him. He entered his building and took the stairs two at a time until he was walking in his hallway. Expecting to find Ray waiting in his apartment, Ben entered his apartment totally unprepared for the attack waiting for him.

With the same precision that the attackers had contained Ray, Fraser was grabbed, controlled and injected with a paralyzing drug. Normally, Fraser would have been able to fight back, but he was grabbed from behind and injected, even as foreign hands grabbed his arms and held him still. "Ray," Ben whispered as he tried to breath with an assailant's arm around his neck when he saw Ray sitting on the floor as a dark clothed figure stood over him pointing a gun to his head. The attacker with his arm around Ben's neck grabbed Ben's hair and held him still. One of the assailant's then moved to stand in front of Ben and put one of his hands on Ben's chin to hold his face immobile as he brought his other hand up to Ben's eyes and began to apply Vaseline to Ben's already drugged and drooping eyelids. Ben's eyes were then covered with cotton pads, which were then taped into place. Both of Ben's eyes were then covered with eye patches.

The man with the radio reported again, "Phase 1 point 4 complete. Commencing Phase 2."

With Ben's eye's effectively blindfolded, two of the dark figures began working at buttons on his red serge uniform jacket while a third slid a chair in behind Ben. Ben was lowered into the chair as delicately as if he was a piece of china as his red serge jacket was removed. Ray watched in fascinated horror from his position on the kitchen floor as one of the assailant's began to unbutton Ben's white Henley. Another shadowy figure approached Ben with what looked like a wide band of gold. The one inch thick golden band was looped around Ben's neck and three golden looking rings were looped onto it. The band was held in place with the two open edges laid carefully over a large piece of cotton padding. The arch of a welding tool lit the dim room as one of the dark figures began to solder the collar shut around Ben's neck. Ray tried to speak and found he couldn't open his mouth, he could only watch as the same kinds of bands were fit around each of Ben's wrists and one around his waist. The band at Ben's waist was also fitted out with three golden rings and each wrist cuff also had one golden ring attached. Fine chain was run from the collar rings on Ben's neck to the bands on his wrists. Ben's red serge jacket was put on him again and then the bands on his wrist were connected by very small golden locks attached to very fine lengths of chain to the rings on the band around Ben's waist. The serge jacket was buttoned again. Ben's hands drooped at his side, but could clearly not be moved far from his sides.

"Phase 2, completed. Elapse time 1 point 5 minutes" the radioman reported. "Phase 3 to commence on my mark." The radioman glanced at his stopwatch. "Mark Phase 3. Now." He said.

Ray was becoming sleepy and noticed that he couldn't move either of his arms and hands nor could he move his legs. He couldn't believe he had been unable to move to help Ben. He couldn't move or talk and now he was becoming so sleepy.

An emergency vehicle pulled up outside Ben's apartment building, the EMT's running in an up the stairs with their equipment. They entered apartment 3J quickly and efficiently to find a victim lying on the floor with no apparent injuries. They quickly radioed the information at the scene to their reporting hospital and prepared the victim for transport. There were no signs of a struggle or any signs that would make someone suspicious of the circumstances that brought the EMT's there.

While the EMT's ran up the buildings steps, the five attackers gently pulled the captive body of Benton Fraser out through his own kitchen window. Ben's feet were placed in a huge black duffel bag, which was drawn up over his body and tied shut with a drawstring top. One of the attackers lifted Ben onto his shoulders and proceeded down to their waiting black van. No one saw them. No one saw that van pull away. At the same time that Ray was being taken out of Fraser's apartment on a gurney, immobile and unable to talk, appearing to be unconscious, Ben's captors were speeding away with a totally helpless Benton Fraser inside. The van carrying Ben traveled out the Kennedy Expressway and drove to the first exit and pulled off the road. Benton Fraser was transferred out of the black duffle bag and then strapped onto a gurney such as the ones used by emergency technicians. His gurney was taken from one vehicle to another vehicle and driven another 20 miles in an easterly direction. He was transferred another three times and each time, the direction changed and the group men diminished in number as the exchanges were made. During the third transfer a new group of dark clothed figures took over. Ben was unstrapped and his red serge uniform removed to leave him lying naked on the gurney. He was then dressed in very expensive, dark blue pajamas, covered with a blanket and strapped down again. One of the figures left the vehicle alone carrying the Mounties's red serge and his boots. Two hours later a large dark blue limousine received Ben into it until the last limousine to be driven away contained only Benton and his driver. Not one of the original attackers was still with Ben. The trail his kidnappers made would be very hard to follow.

Two hours later, Lt. Welsh of the 27th Precinct waited outside the emergency room waiting area, Francesca Vecchio, Ray's sister, waited with him. Franny looked at Welsh, "Why is it taking so long?" she whispered. All the Lieutenant could do was shrug his shoulders.

When an intern finally came their way, Frannie knew it was bad. Every nerve ending she had seemed raw and exposed. The Lieutenant and Franny listened as Ray's condition was described to them. He was not comatose, but under some kind of heavy sedation and he seemed to be suffering from some kind of paralysis, although no injuries could be found to answer these conditions. The words flew over their heads....

Chapter 2
Francesca stood by Ray's hospital bed, her eyes watching his face intent on catching any movement he might make. It had been 7 hours since Ray had been brought into the hospital and the doctor assigned to his case still had no clues.

She wrapped her arms tightly around her body and started humming a little tune she knew Ray had liked as a child. Softly she hummed to the tune of "Dorme Dorme". Lt. Welsh quietly returned to the room and sighed as he stopped near Ray's bed. "Still nothing." He whispered and pulled Franny close in a fatherly hug. "He'll beat this thing ya know he will."

She smiled back up at him, "I know, but he's so quiet." Franny took Ray's hand into her own small hand. As she cupped it to her face, she noticed one finger seeming to twitch. It was slight, but it was a twitch.

Ray knew exactly where he was and he was desperate to get someone's attention. The drug he had been given was holding him immobile, but he was aware of everything that had happened during the last 7 hours. He knew he was crying, but he also knew no one saw his tears. 'Please Franny, notice the finger, please.' He put all his concentration on that one finger. He had to get someone's attention.

Slowly Ray's finger began to move a little more, until the tip of it began to quiver visibly against Franny's cheek. Franny gasped and turned to Welsh. "His finger is moving, I know it" she managed to whisper though she seemed to have stopped breathing. Welsh gently put his hand on her shoulder, "Maybe you just want that finger to be moving?", he gently suggested.

"NO!" Franny yelled out..."It's moving. Come on Ray, move your hand." But when she placed Ray's hand on the covers, just the lone index finger kept circling on the covers. Franny and Welsh watched the finger move, fascinated by its movement. Suddenly Franny turned and ran from the room. She returned at a run several minutes later with a package in her hand that she was opening as she ran. She threw the package down on the chair next to the bed and began to pull out a glass Petrie type dish and several bags of colored sand. She had seen a sand craft kit in the gift shop as she entered the hospital 7 hours before. Once she had the sand emptied into the Petrie dish, she gently raised Ray's finger and placed it over the sand filled dish.

"Come on Ray, " she urged, "talk to me."

Ray smiled to himself, 'Ata girl sis, you figured it out.' Ray slowly began to move his index finger around in the sand. It took all of his energy to scratch out the letter "T".

Welsh's mouth was hanging open. "He's talking to us. Who would have believed?"

It took Ray over half an hour to scratch out the message, "Took Benny, have to find, he's in trouble. Find. Please Find."

At about the same time Ray's message was complete, a delivery boy delivered a cleaner's bag of cleaned clothing to Lt. Welsh's office. Huey signed for it and offered a tip...but the boy said, "Nah, already been paid" as he ran out of the bullpen. Huey took the bag into Welsh's office and laid it over the desk chair. Funny, he thought, why would the Mountie be sending his cleaning to the Lieutenant?

Chapter 3
The long, dark limo pulled into the alley at a snail's pace coming to rest beside the limo already waiting there. Quickly the doors of both vehicles opened and several men jumped out of the waiting vehicle and entered the newly arrived limo. They quickly pulled out a gurney, which held a man in blue, silk pajamas with black, eye patches covering his eyes. They pushed the gurney into the waiting limo and climbed back into it.

Inside sat the lady of the elegant clothing and curly hair, the shoe still dangling off of her foot as it swung, back and forth, back and forth. Her beautifully made up eyes watched with their lids half shut, a sly smile slit her mouth.

She watched patiently as the gurney's straps were released and the occupant gently lifted and placed in an expensive wheel chair. One man picked up a small ring at the center of the neck support on the chair. Attached to the ring was a small, gold chain. He fastened the chain with a small gold lock to one of the rings on the collar that man wore around his neck. The arms of the chair were padded and in each padded arm was another gold ring, each wrist was connected to the wheel chair in the same fashion as the neck collar. Then finally, racecar driver's 5 point-style harness was placed over the head of the chair's occupant and latched into place. The chair's wheels were then locked into place in wheel locks on the limo floor. Anyone looking at him would only see a man who appeared to be ill secured into an expensive chair. The men returned the gurney to the other limo and drove away.

Time elapse for the exchange was less than 1 minute. She smiled a full smile. Now we begin. Now we begin.

Chapter 4
The alley was quiet. All the garages closed. The shadows beginning to lift as the morning light crept its way to the morning world. The fences were all painted, nice and sterile white, the garbage containers all with their lids tight. Chirping of the first morning birds began to fill the air as the limo pulled away from it's parking place of the night before. The lady inside leaned back into the comfortable seat, her eyes on the man in the wheelchair. No one saw a thing; she thought smugly to herself...Phase 4 begins.

But across the alley from the limo's overnight parking space, small eyes gazed through the knothole in the fence around his yard in wide wonder at the goings on in the alley. A seven-year old boy held the dog that had needed to go 'out' tightly to his chest. Was this something grownups needed to know?

Ben was painfully aware of all that had happened to him, even embarrassed when his uniform was taken from him. He kept trying to move, but no feeling was returning to his limbs. He couldn't even turn his head as it rested on something soft. It almost took to much effort to think, much less to wonder what was happening. He knew several men had surrounded him during the night as he had been switched from one moving vehicle to another. And now he could smell perfume. There must be a woman around. But all the touches he had felt from those who had handled him during the night had been perfunctionary and he was not able to glean any clues from his surroundings. Ben's eyes were hurting, nearly tearful; this was all beyond his control. He knew his eyes were moist, but the cotton coverings were hot and sticky.

Suddenly the lady leaned over to bring her mouth near to the Ben's right ear. "Hello Lover, get ready for a long ride." she said with a laugh.

Ben didn't recognize the voice. He tried opening his mouth to ask where he was and found his muscles still unresponsive. "Oh, dear," he thought.

The lady brushed her fingers across Ben's lips before settling back in her seat. "We shall be home soon.", she crooned. "Soon."

Ben felt the limo make a turn and begin to pick up speed. 'No control', he thought, 'No control. Please, someone must have found Ray by now. Let him be all right.' His thoughts were cut off as he felt the blanket the woman was laying over him as it touched his chin and her hands flitted by his hair.

"Get used to me.", she whispered. "We're going to be together for awhile."

Chapter 5
Ben listened carefully as the tires of the vehicle he was riding in began to make crunching sounds after making another turn. Sound was all he had had to hold on to as he sat immobilized in some sort of chair. 'I can get through this,' he thought to himself, 'I am a Mountie'.

The limo had been traveling for over an hour over open roads, sometimes over city streets. The elegant lady of the limo knew her captive's propensity for being able to remember a great many details. She wanted him very confused. She had been sitting in one position for much of the time they rode, still with that one long limb crossed over the over, still balancing that shoe, back and forth, back and forth. Her smile became feral as she leaned over and adjusted the blanket covering Ben. The fingers of one hand patted the blanket, the fingers on her hand feather touched his hair, his face, tracing like a feather down to his neck. Her hand cupped his chin, her thumb softly rubbing the outline of his jaw. She gently pushed aside the blanket and opened the first button on the blue, silk pajama top. Her hand crept into the opening, caressing the exposed skin. She held her hand there for several minutes caressing the base of his neck, assured of no resistance. She buttoned the top again, kissed Ben's hair and sat back into the limo's seat. The shoe took up its swing again; back and forth, back and forth.

Ben tried to move, to open his mouth. Every muscle refused him. Who was controlling him? He had already determined it was not Victoria. The smell and touch was quite wrong for it to be her. Ben tried remembering the smell of the perfume, but realized he had never smelled it before. When the hands began to rove Ben's hair and face, he had mentally cringed, wanting to pull away. Ben was shivering mentally by the time that hand was cupping his chin. 'Pull away,' he thought. 'Can't do it. Leave me alone,' he cried to himself. When the hand began rubbing at the base of his neck, Ben knew he was in deeper trouble than he had anticipated. He was grateful when the touching stopped. But then he heard that swishing sound again, back and forth, and back and forth. 'What was it? He should be able to concentrate on that sound, after all he was a Mountie.'

The limo finally pulled up on the grounds of a huge, wooded estate. There were park benches placed near tree groupings and brick walkways lined with violet flowers of every imaginable kind surrounding the large, white, rambling mansion sitting in the center of the properties inner park. The limo stopped outside the front entrance, the driver hurried out of the vehicle to assist the elegant lady out of the back seat. She stood and stretched a little by demurely shrugging her shoulders and flexing her arms.

The limo driver unlocked the wheels of Ben's chair and slowly pulled it back and out of the limo. He adjusted a lever and the back of the chair slowly settled into a more upright position. Grabbing the chairs grips, he turned the chair and proceeded to push Ben towards the front entrance. Elegant Lady followed behind, a soft smile playing at her lips.

Inside, in the large reception foyer, the driver stopped to take off his gloves and hat. He placed them on a side table, and turned to close the door behind Elegant Lady as she paced into the foyer to stand by Ben's chair. Her right hand settled on Ben's shoulder. "You're going to love it," she breathlessly whispered to him. "Just you wait and see." Ben's heart jumped and seemed to crawl right up into his throat. His head and neck muscles gave a jolt. Ben noticed he seemed to be getting feeling back in those muscles.

The foyer was the main center of the home. Many doors opened onto the foyer entry area. A frail, soft voice beckoned from the doorway to the library. The Elegant Lady turned and proceeded towards the door, indicating that Ben's chair be pushed along with her.

Inside the library, in a very overstuffed, chair of old-fashion print sat a small, gray haired lady. Her small body covered by the traditional lap blanket of the very elderly. Her thin, tiny hands rested her lap. Though she was very old, her face still held the beautiful look of the young for her's was one of those faces that held its beauty far into advanced years. Her eyes were the deepest of blues with a hint of gray in them and her gray hair curled naturally around her face. When her eyes rested on Ben in his chair, she gave a small crying sound. "Oh my," she whispered. "I see you were able to bring him home. How is he dear? Are you going to tell Chase who he is?"

Elegant Lady settled into a chair next to the older woman. Her smile became strained and sad. "Grandmere, I'm not sure I shall tell Chase, just yet. Probably... eventually. Chase has always wanted his Poppa and there may not be too much time for him to know him. As you can see, Benjamin is quite incapacitated. The accident has left him in need of great care. The doctor's are confident that he should start recovering soon. They are unsure if he will ever leave that chair though," she said in the most believable voice.

The elderly lady had tears in her eyes. "Then we shall just have to see that he is given every chance to get well." She nodded to the limo driver, indicating that he bring the wheel chair closer. Her small, frail hand covered one of Ben's hands. "We'll take care of you my dear. You're with family now."

Ben couldn't believe his ears, "family". He had no family. What was going on? Were these people all insane? He struggled to open his lips and speak. But those muscles still would not respond to his wishes.

From behind Ben he heard the sounds of a small dog scampering into the room, followed by the breathless laughter and running footsteps of a youngster. "He was startled to hear the child address the women around him. "Grandmere, Tante!" a very small child's laughter trilled the words. "We had so much fun on the lawn today. Tante Michelle, want a hug." Ben could hear the scrabbling sounds made by the toddler's climb into the chair with one of the ladies. "Chase, settle down you wiggle too much. I am glad you had fun on the lawn today. But right now I am very tired and shall go upstairs to relax. Shouldn't you be doing the same, isn't it almost your nap time?"

Chase grinned. "Yes, but I'm not tired." His little dark, curly head turned to see Ben in the wheel chair. His large, deep blue-gray eyes widened. "Tante, who is that man?" he asked in the fashion of all forthright toddlers. "His hair is like mine. I've never seen anyone with hair like me before."

Ben's thoughts froze. 'What was going on here?'

Michelle traded looks with the elderly lady and sighed. "Chase, of course, he has hair like you. Remember I told you once a long time ago that you had a Poppa like every other little boy." The little one nodded but kept his eyes glued to Ben. "Well, Chase, the man in the chair is your Poppa, but his is very ill and we must take care of him so he will get better."

Chase scrambled out of Michelle's lap and raced to stand beside the wheelchair. He reached up and covered one of Ben's hands with his own. "Poppa," he sighed. His puppy came to sit at his feet, and wagged its long tail, giving a small whine. Chase turned to glance at his pet. "Yes, I think so too" he responded to the puppy.

Ben's thoughts were chaotic. But at the touch of the child he knew it was indeed his son. And that could only mean that Chase was a child of Victoria's. Fear gripped his heart for himself and Chase.

Chapter 6
Welsh trudged tiredly through the bullpen. "Anyone got any leads. Come on, these are our guys we gotta help." He let his eyes slowly survey the group of detectives on duty. "Somebody, Everybody... please, pipe up...what do we have detectives?"

Every pair of eyes in the bullpen turned guiltily towards the Lieutenant. Huey signed and "We've checked Fraser's room over twice sire. There's nothing there. Forensics couldn't find so much as a hair that didn't belong to either Dief, Ray or Fraser." Huey looked down, "And no prints"

"Does this remind any one of anything? Several of the detectives who had been there during the Victoria Metcalf fiasco turned startled gazes to the Lieutenant. "Yea, I thought not...Huey, start tracing that broad."

Welsh turned and entered his office. Seeing the cleaning bag on the back of his chair, he bellowed out "Ok, whose the wise guy? What's the cleaning bag doing here?" He picked it up and saw the color of the Mounties's red serge jacket. "Huey, get in here!" he roared even louder. "Where did this come from?" Welsh was madder than he had been in a long time.

Huey entered the Lieutenant's office and noticed the cleaning bag in Welsh's hands, "Some kid brought it in, said he'd already been tipped and left."

"Well, get this thing to forensics, NOW!" Welsh said, "But I doubt we'll find anything. I want every fiber on that thing checked, inside and out. Cut it apart if you have to, understand! You got it Huey."

Ray lay in the hospital bed, his eyes closed. Every bit of energy he had concentrated on moving his muscles. It had been 24 hours since Ben's disappearance. Ray had gotten the movement back in his hands and arms. He could move his neck and head, but still could not talk well. He knew Franny was sleeping in the chair next to his bed, her small body curled into it with her feet beneath her. One of the nurses had placed a light blanket over her. 'Boy, am I proud of you,' Ray thought of Franny and grinned. 'Who woulda thought that his scatter brained sister would have thought of that sand?'

But most of all, Ray's thoughts centered on Benny. He worried about him, certain that it was that Metcalf dame again who had taken his friend. This time he'd kill her when he found her and make good the threat he had given her.

Chapter 7
Ben's wheel chair was rolling through the hall from main foyer, little Chase walking beside it with his chubby little toddler hand on one of Fraser's hands. When Ben's chair stopped, Chase reached up on tiptoe and kissed Fraser's hand. "I will see you later Poppa." Chase said. Ben heard the little boy's steps running back down the hall followed by his puppy. Ben's eyes were watering under his bandages. 'God, I don't even know what he looks like.'

Ben figured he had been missing something over 24 hours by now. He knew that his friends would be looking for him. He also knew they didn't have much hope of following his trail. He was going to have to wait, bide his time, and hope for an opening to escape taking his son with him. For the moment, that meant taking everything one-step at a time.

His chair was rolled into what Ben could feel was a sunlight room. He could feel the early afternoon sun beginning to shine through the windows. His chair stopped rolling.

Michelle watched him closely. He was hers now, all hers. She turned to the limo driver, "Please bring some of the gardening staff in, I should like Benjamin to rest in bed for awhile."

She turned immediately back to Ben. Her smile deepened. She brushed her fingers lightly over his hair. She began to unlock all the little locks holding Ben to his chair when she was alone with him in the room. Then she turned and watched out the window as she waited for the gardeners to arrive.

When the gardeners entered Ben's room, they moved quietly as if they didn't want to disturb their mistress. The covers on the hospital style bed were pulled back and Ben was lifted gently up out of the chair and placed in the bed. The limo drive pulled the bed's covers over Ben. He watched his mistress with hooded eyes. "Will there be anything else?" He left when she didn't answer him.

She turned and walked over to the bed. With precise ease, she searched behind Ben's head until she found a small chain deep within the beds covers. She linked the small chain to the beautiful golden collar and locked it securely. She put her hand under his back and pushed him over a bit until she found the link there and locked his golden waist belt to the bed in the same manner.

She also found the wrist chains and locked both of his wrists just as securely to the bed. She adjusted his covers softly. Ben felt himself shiver. He was at her mercy. There was nothing he could do to protect himself from her.

Michelle placed her hands in his hair and turned his face towards her. She searched his face for any signs of movement. Satisfied, she leaned over and put her mouth on his seeking entry through his lips. Her hands pulled on his hair, hurting him. He could not prevent her from searching his mouth with her tongue. She kissed him hard, holding his head still. Her warm tongue licked around his lips, her mouth trembling with desire. She bit the edge of his lower lip, pulling on it, sucking it then plundering his mouth again with her tongue.

Inside Ben's head, he was yelling, "Leave me alone, don't, don't", his bandaged eyes were smarting from holding back tears.

Michelle straightened up, gently brushed his lips with her fingers. She smiled the feral smile of hers. "You will love it here, I know you will" she whispered. She left the room, closing the door behind her.

Chapter 8
Monday morning arrived with sun filled alacrity. The Consulate's wall shown brightly in the sun as Inspector Thatcher walked up the steps almost gaily. She loved this time of year for the sun meant green things, and flowers and beautiful smells. It wasn't Toronto, but at this time of year, even Chicago had its good points.

As she walked through the reception area, she noticed that none of the lights had been turned on yet. And the building was quiet, far too quiet. She stopped dead in her tracks to listen. Not a thing, no noise. 'Odd,' she thought, 'Surely Fraser was in, heavens the man practically lived here.'

Quickly, she walked down the hall to his office. It too was empty, silent. She retraced her steps and entered the lobby area as Turnbull came on duty. She gave him a stern look. "Turnbull, have you seen Constable Fraser?" she inquired trying to sound unconcerned.

Turnbull snapped to attention, "No ma'am. I believe the last time I saw the constable was as he was leaving for the weekend on Friday night."

She turned and left him gawking after her as she power walked into her office. Flinging her purse down on her desk, she grabbed her phone. She dialed the number for the 27th precinct. 'Vecchio must know where he is,' she thought.

Welsh answered the phone and stood listening to Fraser's inspector commanding information from about Fraser. 'Oh God,' he thought, 'No one had called her.' "Inspector, could you come over to my office, I'd rather give you the details in person." He listened while she sucked in her breath in exasperation.

He hung up the phone and ran one of his rather large hands through his hair. 'It's in the fire now,' he thought. "Damn." He said it out loud and with force.

Ben was finally beginning to fall asleep. He had fought sleep for hours. He couldn't begin to calculate how long he had been missing. His body was slowly beginning to come back to him. Muscles began twitching, but he couldn't control himself. He let himself sink, knew he had no choice but to sleep.

The next morning, little chubby hands turned the knob on Ben's door. A sleep bedraggled toddler and his puppy crept silently into the room. The sun was just beginning to break through the windows. Chase put his finger to his mouth and motioned his puppy to be quiet. Together the two little figures made their way over to the bed. Chase was too short to see the figure on the bed, so he grabbed a chair and quietly pulled it over. He climbed up so he could see and as gently as a toddler can he crawled up onto the bed. He little curly head was close to Ben's. He lay down next to Ben and curled up, settling in to go back to sleep. His puppy curled up on the floor and dropped his muzzle to his paws.

Ben woke with a start and realized that feeling and control was coming back into his body. He could feel someone little and warm snuggled against him and could tell it must be Chase. A smile crossed Ben's lips and he tried to touch his son. But the wristband locked to the bed prevented him from moving his hand even a few inches from his own side. He tried whispering to Chase, but his voice came out only as a soft croak. Ben settled back to wait for Chase to waken.

Chase stretched his little body and rolled over to put his arm across his father's body; his little fingers softly grabbing on to Ben's pajama top. His eyes opened and he smiled. Chase looked up at his father's hair and face. 'His Poppa,' he thought, 'Finally, his own Poppa.' He got to a crawling position and made his way to Ben's face. Soft little toddler lips touched Ben's cheek as a little toddler hand touched his hair. Ben sighed, 'My son', he thought.

Chase was delighted for his Poppa was awake. "Poppa, I love you." he said and lay back down next to Ben. Ben's throat felt constricted and he knew he couldn't talk if he had to.

Michelle opened the door to Ben's room dressed in a nightgown and robe. She saw the sleeping puppy and boy in the room. Quietly, she approached the bed and placed a hand on Chase's hair. "Wake up little one," she said. "Cook has breakfast cooking." Chase smiled up at his Tante. "OK." he said. He gave Ben another kiss on the check and hurried to get to breakfast.

She turned away from Ben and closed the door, turning the key in the lock as she did so. Crossing back into the room she dropped her robe on a chair and went to stand next the bed. "Morning," she said as she laced her fingers through his hair. "Wake up Ben." She said as she began kissing him. She devoured his lips, pulling and sucking at them, she began to push her tongue into his mouth. But she was met with clenched teeth. Putting a hand to both sides of his head she pushed his head back into the pillows. "Let me in Ben, let me in." she said the demanding words inside her head. Ben tried to twist his head away, but he was still not in total control. "You will open to me Ben," she smiled. "You will." She held her mouth over his, still kissing and grabbing at his lips. She could feel him shaking in response, trying to pull away. "Not today Ben, you never pull away from me, or say No. Not to me Ben." "Relax," she sighed. "No more shots, if you relax. We can do it my way or the hard way, Ben. Your choice." Ben continued to fight her. She yanked at his hair twisting her fingers tightly into his curls, "You're mine, and only mine."

She tried again to gain access to his mouth. Again, he refused her. She let him go and turned to the table beside the bed. "Poor Ben, having another bad day. Perhaps, this will help." She had a syringe filled with fluid in her hand as she approached the bed. Pulling back the covers, she noticed he was trying to pull away from her. She grabbed the waist of his pajama bottoms and pulled them down over one hip. "This will fix things, Ben," she said as she drove the needle into his skin.

Ben felt the needle's sharp prick. Then he felt her covering him back up. Almost immediately he felt the control he had regained over his legs and waist begin to slide away. But he noticed his arms and upper portion of his body did not seem affected.

Michelle returned the needle back to table and turned her sight back to Ben. "I can control you Ben," she whispered. "I know just where and how much to give you. You won't be able to walk again until I want you to." She leaned over and grabbed his hair turning his face to hers. Once again she began plundering his mouth. Still he kept his teeth shut, trying to pull away. Again she forced his head back into the pillows. Once more she pulled at his lips with her mouth, then she suddenly turned her attention to his neck. He gasped and she returned quickly to his mouth to capture it's interior again with her tongue. She released the left side of his head and placed her forearm over his throat. Slowly she pressed down while she kissed him, slowly cutting off his air. Ben felt her searching every inch of his mouth, felt her tasting him as his air supply was slowly diminished.

Just when Ben thought he was going to pass out, her mouth abruptly left his. He pulled in long ragged breaths, his chest heaving. "Remember what happens when you say NO to me Ben." she whispered into his ear.

The next sound he heard was the unlocking of the door as she left the room.

Chapter 9
The door to his room opened slowly and Ben felt his body tense. 'Oh God, I hope it's not her,' he prayed. Heavy steps crossed the room after the door was shut and locked.

Ben held his breath as he waited for some sound to tell him who was with him. He felt the covers dragged off his body, down to the foot of the bed. Large male hands pulled at his pajama bottoms removing them in one sweep. Ben felt the room's cold air on him and knew he was shivering. He heard the footsteps cross the room again and then the sound of running water.

Ben listened as he heard something being filled with water. The man came back into the room and picked up a washcloth. He slowly began cleaning Ben's body, starting with his feet. He used slow strokes, rubbing gently to make sure each spot of skin was clean. The washcloth was rinsed out frequently. Ben could feel his skin turning red from embarrassment. Finally the man was nearly done and Ben was aware that he couldn't move his legs, couldn't get away. But the washcloth kept up in slow circles, cleaning him.

When he was cleaned to the waist, new pajama bottoms were put on him, and the covers drawn up over him again. His pajama top was unbuttoned and cut off of him. And then his upper body was cleaned just as thoroughly as the lower portion of his body had been cleaned. Ben felt he was being tortured yet again, but could not get away.

A new pajama top was being fitted onto him, one that had Velcro seams under the arms and a Velcro closure down the back. 'Well, so much for them releasing the restraints.' Ben thought.

Ben heard cloth in the water one more time. Then warm wash water was being used to clean his face. Soft strokes cleaned him, wiped him dry. Lastly the man shaved him, quickly efficiently. Ben noticed that not once had the man touched him in an inappropriate way. He was thankful for that.

Ben sighed. 'Perhaps he would be left alone for a bit.' Just as that thought settled in, he felt his face grabbed in the man's hands. "Remember, you belong to her, but I own you too." came a harsh whisper. Ben found his voice responded to his control and he whispered back, "Does she know that?"

The hand on his face let go only to grasp around Ben's throat and the man leaned in close to Ben's ears. "We own you, that's all you need to know." The covers were pulled back and Ben felt the cold air on him once more. "I can look anytime I please" the man said putting his hand on the pajama bottoms and pulling down.

Ben hissed, "Stop, please." But he knew it was useless, he had no control.

"She don't want what I do, and I don't want what she does." The man replied harshly. Then he placed his hand on Ben's hip and let his fingers wander over Ben. "You like being touched" the man asked. "Bet you do." Ben struggled to remain still. He knew resisting could entice the man more. "You do this and I will scream, she will come and find you with me." Ben said.

"I can take care of that" was the reply and then Ben's mouth was forced open and a huge piece of cloth was stuffed in his mouth until Ben thought he would choke.

"See pretty boy," the man said. "We own you." and with that he continued to investigate Ben's body.

"But that's enough for your first lesson, or should I say your second as I know she was in here early." The man laughed and removed the gag. "Oh yea, cute little boy you got there too." The laughter turned nasty. "Just remember try to refuse me and I will fight back."

Ben hissed, "Stay away from my son. There's no place you could ever hide if you hurt him, he's the son of a Mountie and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. I mean it."

But all he heard was more laughter as the man carried the bowl of dirty water out of the room.

Chapter 10
The door to his room opened again and Ben felt his body tense. "Poppa, it's me and Grandmere." Chase yelled in toddler style as he ran into the room. Ben heard the sound of wheels on the carpet and realized the old woman must be in a wheelchair.

Ben turned his head towards Chase and smiled. "Good morning Chase." he croaked out. His throat was dry, from lack of water.

"Oh dear!" Chase's Grandmere said, "Your Poppa needs a drink. See that glass on the table there Chase. Please go put water in it and bring it back." She watched as the little guy marched seriously into the bathroom. They heard the sound of water running and then Chase returned. "Chase, you will have to put a glass straw in the glass for Poppa or it will spill all over him, do you think you can do that."

Chase smiled and very carefully picked up a glass straw off the table put it in the glass and walked in a snail's pace to the bed. The old woman smiled and took the glass from Chase. "Now you climb up by your Poppa and I will hand you the water."

It was clumsy and wet, but Ben finally got to drink some water. He smiled at Chase, "I wish I could see you?" he said with a catch in his throat.

"That's ok Poppa," Chase said. "Grandmere says you will see me someday."

Chase began to climb down to return the glass to the table, his puppy barked for his attention. Chase giggled and swiftly continued his task.

"I think Cook has prepared something for your breakfast Benjamin" the old woman said. "Do you think you could eat?"

Ben felt himself smiling at her; her voice was so soft and reassuring. "Yes, thank you kindly Ma'm."

She gave him an odd look, but said nothing. "Oh Dear. Chase don't forget, your Tante said you could have 5 minutes with your Poppa because he needs his rest. You can see your Poppa again after playtime this afternoon before your nap."

Ben could hear the smile in the old woman's words. It seemed his son had one staunch defender in this place. He heard Chase climb up to give him a kiss before flying out the door with his puppy.

"Benjamin, would you like anything else. I know you are tired and have to regain your strength, but if there is anything I can do?" she said

Ben longed to ask for her help, but knew it would be dangerous to him and Chase. He would keep quiet for now. He sighed as if going back to sleep. He heard her chair rolling back out of the room and the door closed. Someone from the kitchen staff came in a little while later and fed him some sort of oatmeal, but not very much of it. Ben could have eaten more and knew he had to keep his strength up to help Chase. He drifted off to sleep after breakfast only to be woken about an hour later by the door opening and closing. When he heard the lock being turned his breath caught in his throat and he felt cold all over. 'Who was it? Please start walking so I can tell who it is...and please leave me alone,' he thought.

Michelle saw his body tense. ','Good she thought, 'he knows my step'. She crossed the room to stand by Ben's bed where she quickly unbuttoned his top. Leaning over him she put her lips on his. He remained still, not moving, nor hardly breathing. "No, don't do this. I don't belong to you," he said.

Her hands reached out to touch his chest, centering her attention on the skin along his collar line. "You don't say no, remember?" she said.

He shook his head, "NO. How can you do this to me, I'm Chase's father."

She laughed, "I can because I have wanted you for more than 10 years, and you're mine now."

"I don't know you." Ben replied through clenched teeth.

"But I know all about you," she replied.

Her hands kneaded his skin like he was made of bread dough. She dropped her face to his again and captured his lips. Again he shook his head negatively. She softened the strokes of her hands then stopped. "You'll learn your lessons soon Ben. Have no fear of that." She ran her fingers through his hair. "I told you, I own you," she said. "Never tell me no." Her hands roved over his hair, softly pulling it, twirling it back and forth in her fingers, back and forth, back and forth. Michelle kissed Ben until he thought his lips were swollen and he couldn't move if he wanted to. She sighed, satisfied that she could do what she wanted to him. "Time for lesson 2." she said. Her hand began roaming freely over his shoulders and neck with one hand pulling on the chain that held his head and neck down to the bed. The sudden tightness of the collar pulling on his skin made him gasp for air and Michelle took advantage and began kissing his lips ruthlessly.

She traced one of her hands down over his chest until her fingers rested against the pajama bottoms. Ben tried bucking his body away but found he was held firmly as securely as ever in place by the waist shackle to the bed. She laughed and slowly inched her hand into the band of the pajamas running her hand in a circling motion over his skin. Just when he thought she would touch him, she swept back to his mouth and plundered it again. "You taste so sweet Ben," she said. "Oh so sweet." She dug her hands into his skin and twisted, holding his shoulders to the bed. His breath was starting to come in heavy gasps as she hurt and tried to entice him at the same time.

Again she lowered her hand to his pajama bottoms and toyed with the waistband. She suddenly straightened up and moved away from the bed. "Enjoying your lessons, Ben. I am." Michelle gave his hair a last caress tidied up his bed linens and clothing and wandered out of the room.

Ben sighed with relief when she was gone. 'Oh God why was she doing this? Who is she?' He drifted off to sleep with those thoughts in his head. He hadn't been asleep long when he felt cold air on his body. He was startled awake as rough male hands began to rub over the skin of his chest. Fingers grabbed his skin and twisted into the hair pulling softly.

"Thought you'd wake up" the voice said. "Time for play." The voice deepened as the fingers worked. "I only have a 15 minute break, and I am going to enjoy it." The hands roved unrelentingly over Ben as he tried twisting away, but he was held in place by the man's arm across him. Ben tried talking to ward off the attack but soon found a soft rag stuffed in his mouth. The man heard him trying to object and laughed. He moved his hands up to Ben's throat and caressed him there. "Shhh love," he said. As abruptly as Ben had been awakened by the man's swift removal of the bed's coverlet, the man rearranged Ben's clothing, put the covers back in place and left.

Ben knew there were tears ready to fun from his eyes if they had been uncovered. His throat was raw from trying to keep from crying out loud. He was alone in the room again.

Chapter 11
Chase ran after his ball with his puppy. The warm sun beat down on his curly head. He was getting tired. He and the puppy had been playing for hours. He heard Grandmere calling him from the door and ran to take her hand.

"Time for a rest little one. You wouldn't want your puppy to become too tired would you?" the loving old lady asked.

"No," the little voice replied. "Can I see Poppa after my dinner?"

"If Tante says you may, but you know your Poppa has been very ill."

The toddler's eyes grew sad. He turned his head away from her for a minute rubbing his eyebrows with one little hand. His fair skin was rosy from his exertions. "Maybe when Poppa is well he can play with us."

"I'm sure he will" she replied. "For now let's go get your things for naptime. I will read to you today. What story do you want to hear?"

"That's easy!" Chase replied, "I want to hear the one about great, great, great," he took a breath, "Grandpa Pinset and how he traveled out to Alberta."

"Oh, you always pick the long ones." She laughed and smiled down at the boy. "Well I think we can tell that story. Do you want the part about the Pinset's or the Pinset's and Benton's?" she asked.

Chase turned a smiling face to her's, "Oh, the one about how he met the Benton's please? That one is so funny."

"Your great, great, great grandfather was not a funny person, Chase. He had great dignity and quite a bit of chivalry in his character." She tried chide him but gave up at the sweet smile on his face.

"But that's what makes it so funny Grandmere."

As the days passed, Welsh was becoming more than frustrated. Fraser had been missing for over 6 days now. And still no trace, nada, zip, and zilch. Ray Vecchio was due out of the hospital soon, and would be devastated by the lack of clues. Thatcher was driving him nuts with her insistence that he get cracking. And Franny, 'Geesh, the poor girl was out on her feet.'

Forensics had turned up nothing on the Mounties's uniform. And the Mounties's wolf had made no headway around the apartment either. 'No leads. What was left?'

Huey strolled into the break room and tripped. He looked down and his mouth dropped open. "Get the Lieutenant!" he yelled "Now!"

Welsh came running at the sound of all the commotion. What he saw startled him as much as it had Huey. There on the ground lay the Mounties's prize boots. Cleaned and oiled and looking like new. The Lieutenant reached down and using a pen peered inside on of the boots. "OH, yea," he growled for deep inside one of the boots was a piece of paper. After they removed the paper with the aid of a pair of tweezers and had inserted it into carefully into a zip lock bag, they read the note.

          "Roses are Red,
           Mounties are too, 
           Violets are blue 
           And so are you
           Given time,
           You'd solve the rhyme.
           Watch for the clock  
           Without a dock
           Hickory, Dickory, Doc

Welsh was mystified. The thing made no sense. "Ok people. We got a problem here. Let's get going."

Ben knew he had been imprisoned a long time. He was well aware of the fact that days and perhaps several weeks had passed. He would never get used to the routine although his body was beginning to betray him at every turn. He was fed daily in very small portions and cleaned as if he were a child. His son came in often during the day, as did the old woman he was coming to love as much as his son did.

His captors would come in whenever they felt the need. Their treatment of him getting worse all the time especially during what he thought must be the night but neither had completed his worst fears. He was thankful for that, but wondered how long he had before that would happen.

Michelle kept giving him shots in the hip, which kept his legs immobile. He knew the chains would not be unlocked. He hoped he could last long enough to save his son. 'He had to for he was a Mountie.'

The door opened and shut the lock turning quickly. 'Oh God,' he winced as he wondered which one of his captors it was. Both had been careful not to bruise him anywhere the old woman or child might see, but he knew there were bruises.

Heavy steps came to the bed. Male hands began caressing him. No words were spoken as he was grabbed and pinched. Ben opened his mouth, "No" he whispered, "Not again." His head was grabbed roughly and his mouth forced open. The dreaded cloth stuffed in again as far as it would go.

Today the man actually climbed up on the bed and began to play with Ben with any part of Ben's body he so desired. The Vaseline on Ben's eyes had long ago melted away and tears escaped the edges of his eye patches. The man was heavy and positioned himself to sit on Ben's chest so he could lean down with ease. Ben could hardly breath, it seemed as if his tormentors always counted on that, he gave less resistance that way. The man moaned and crawled down Ben's torso then turned and looked back up Ben's body. He wanted more but was prevented from doing as he wished. The woman he privately called the 'bitch' was out for the day. The keys to the locks were in his own pocket...

Minutes later, Ben's fingers clenched in search of something to hold onto though there was nothing he could grab. His neck collar began to pull at his skin harshly. His wrists became pulled and distended as his body was pushed further up the bed's length while the man lay atop him and held him down while he did as he pleased. 'Please let him stop.' Ben thought, 'Please!'

Finally it was over, the man placed him back on the bed and went to fill the water basin to give Ben a bath. But Ben lay there crying, oblivious to the man's careful cleansing of his body. Every inch of Ben was cleaned and creamed with skin softener. When he was finished, the man removed the gag. " See I told you we own you." He laughed. "Until next time." he whispered as he set the lock back in place at Ben's waist.

Ben cried, "He would survive. He would survive for Chase."

Chapter 12
Ben was crying and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop. He was worried about Chase. Scared stiff the man would go after him too. The tears rolled down off his face, he couldn't reach them to wipe them away. He turned his head as far as could into the warmth of the pillow to face the light coming from the window he knew was nearby.

The door creaked open. Ben fell still. He listened as he held his breath. He sighed when he heard the soft rolling of the Grandmere chair. She stopped as close to him as she could get. "You've been here over 2 weeks now Benjamin. I feel you are as much my grandson as is Chase." The grand old lady watched the face of the man on the bed. "Please tell me what's wrong?"

Her soft, velvety hands wiped away one of his tears. She used her own handkerchief to wipe the rest away. She frowned. Something wasn't right, the poor boy looked worse than when he had arrived. She would have to talk to Michelle. This was not right. "Please Mon Petite Chou." She whispered the words softly as if she were talking to a small babe. Ben silently shook his head. He knew if he said anything right now, it might all come tumbling out and it was far too dangerous for the old woman to know what was going on.

She put her fingers against his lips. "Little one, listen to one who is old. Talking of things does help." Again Ben shook his head. She took his fingers in hers. "I will do whatever I can for you, you have but to ask."

It was then the idea came to Ben. "I am not well, and don't wish to make Chase sad. Would it be possible for you to take him out for a day soon? Perhaps to someplace small children like."

She smiled, "Of course, I can do that. I knew you were a good parent, so concerned for your child's happiness. My great grandfather Benton always said you could tell a good man by how he treated his sons. He was right!"

Ben caught his breath. "Your great grandfather Benton?" he questioned.

"Yes, he was a great explorer in the wilds of Canada. From what I heard, he was a tall fellow with the bluest eyes anyone had ever seen this side of the ocean. He married well when he married into the Pinset family, which is my line. Your son loves to hear stories of him."

"Oh my God," breathed Ben. "Is your name Marie Caroline Pinset?"

"Why yes, son. How did you know? Perhaps you heard Michelle mention it."

"Tell me" he asked, "I should have asked before, how is Chase related to you?"

She smiled, "Chase is the son of my great uncle Delane's granddaughter, Victoria. Did she never mention the names to you?"

"No ma'm, she didn't"

"Ah well, you know my great grandparents names?"

"Yes," he replied, "those are the names of my great, great grandparents on my mother's side."

"Oh Dear, then we are related my dear, and so were you and Victoria. I think you would be 5th or 6th cousins of some kind." Her old eyes crinkled with joy. "Welcome to the family again mon petite. That makes Michelle your distant cousin too, she is Victoria's Aunt's daughter."

They talked and when she could see that he was about to fall asleep she wheeled out of the room.

Michelle entered the room quietly and shut the door behind her. She turned the lock slowly. She tiptoed over to the bed and began to pull the covers off of Ben's body. She smiled to herself as she reached over and prepared another shot for Ben. With his legs immobile she had no fear of him getting away or thwarting her desires.

Once the shot was done. She unbuttoned his top, and ran her hands over his hair and face in what had become a ritual. She leaned in to kiss him and found him shaking in the same fashion she had been finding him recently. She had snuck into the room hoping to prevent the shaking attack. But it hadn't worked. She leaned in to take his mouth as she had so many times and found his teeth lock shut against her again. "At that again, are we. Oh. Well, time for one of your final lessons." She pulled his pajama top open. "Remember, I own you. You are not to say No."

Ben felt his body shivering and attempted to stop it, but he couldn't. Control had long ago been taken from him. He felt her as she climbed up on the bed to lay full length on his body. He felt her as she again plundered his mouth and let her hands roam over his body. His body answered her, making itself reach up towards her hands. It betrayed him as she began to sit across his hips and play with the skin of his chest muscles. Her hands wandered freely over him. Tears flowed from his eyes. He couldn't stop them, any more than he could stop his body and it's reaction to her.

She watched his breathing become faster. She picked up the pace as she kept her fingers roaming over him. Again and again she kissed and tortured his lips. She wanted him. She would have him. She backed off of him and studied him closely. She watched as he tried to keep still, but couldn't. He concentrated on his friends, which only made him cry more. He wanted home. He wanted to take his son home.

She watched as his breathing became more rapid then gracefully moved up and began torturing his mouth once more. He moaned against his will and writhed as much as he was able in the confines of the golden manacle. "You taste so sweet, oh you taste so sweet." She licked the tears from his face, laughing as she did. She rearranged his clothing and laughed softly into his ear. "So sweet, even your tears. So sweet" When she left the room, Ben's tears had just begun to flow freely again.

Michelle walked out of Ben's door quietly turning the key in the lock. Chase stood there staring at her, his puppy at his feet. "How's my Poppa" he asked. "He's fine dear. He may get to start using the wheelchair soon," she said. Chase may be a toddler, but he knew when something wasn't right. He turned his back on his Tante Michelle and wandered off in search of his Grandmere. She would help, 'After all Grandmere said she and Poppa were really family too.' The old woman listened to the little boy quietly. Taking in his every word. But not by sight or sound did she betray her thoughts. So Michelle was as bad as Victoria had been. She would stop this. She would protect the helpless in her family. But she would not let Michelle know what she was up to. Thatcher and Franny were agreed. Which in itself surprised everyone. They wanted pictures of Ben put on the news wires. Someone had to have seen him somewhere or had to have seen something odd. They approached Welsh and Ray with their request. Ray sighed, "Ma, said the same thing. She said we ain't gonna find our Benny without help." Ray turned to Welsh. "Can't hurt"

Welsh replied, "But can it help?"

That evening a description of Ben's kidnapping along with a picture of him and Dief appeared in all the papers. The TV news stations carried the story too.

And in one home, miles outside the city a seven year old boy played with his puppy and watched the news. When the picture of Ben was on the screen, his eyes widened. "Mom, I saw that man," he said.

Thankfully, his mother believed that out of the mouth of babes...She grabbed the phone.

The Grandmere listened carefully to the sounds in the house. When she was sure she was alone in the house, she wheeled towards Benjamin's room. She tried the knob but the door opened easily. Rolling across the room, she heard the sound of muffled tears coming from the bed again. 'Something is really wrong,' she thought.

Ben heard her chair and stifled his sobs. "Bon nuit," he said. She smiled at him wishing she could see his eyes. "Benjamin" she asked slowly, 'Tell me the truth. Are you here because you are ill?'

Ben held his breath and sighed, "Yes." he said for he felt really ill.

She lowered her lashes and looked at him. "I think you are lying, my boy. I have been watching and listening and so has your son. We think you are in trouble. Don't forget, Victoria was my relative. But I knew her for what she was. I think Michelle is of the same temperament. Am I wrong petite?"

Tears poured down Ben's cheeks. "Please," he pleaded, "take Chase and get away from here. Please before it's too late. I am so afraid for you both."

"As I am for you," she replied. She reached up and gently pulled at the patches over his eyes. "You don't need these do you." she said.

"NO Please leave them in place, they protect me as I would protect you." he sobbed.

"All right" she sighed. "I will listen to you, but tell me, are your eyes the color of the seas?"

He laughed.

"Ah, then you are a Benton/Pinset. Hardy breed. We will make our way out of this, you will see."

"Please," he whispered, "Take Chase and leave. Please. Don't come back. Not alone. Do you understand me Grandmere? Not alone."

Hours later Ben felt relaxed. Grandmere and Chase had said they were going out. But Ben knew. They were leaving to get help.

The man entered Ben's room quite calmly. It had been a long day. This was what he needed; more of the pretty boy.

By now when the man entered the room, Ben found ways to shut his mind off; to think of anything else but this. But today, he was too relaxed and the minute the man touched his face, he knew it would be a long session.

Caress followed caress, rough hands dug into his skin, for the first time the man decided to kiss him. In all the time Ben had been taken by him, the man had never kissed him. He took Ben's mouth softly at first, then roughly, pushing Ben's head into the pillows. When he had enough of kissing, he thrust the big gagging cloth into Ben's mouth and grabbed his hair. Holding Ben's head still, he whispered, 'The bitch was right, you do taste sweet.' He grinned. "My ride now " he said.

Later when Ben was alone, he realized the man had forgotten to lock the lock at his waist. But Ben knew, however free he was that he was far too weak to move around on the bed much less move off of it. He could only hope his son was safe.

'Thanks to one small boy,' thought Welsh, 'we have a lead. Hope this little thread will be enough.'

"Huey," he yelled out to the bullpen. "Start checking limo rentals for the night of Ben's disappearance.

Chapter 13
Franny was waiting patiently, but tapping her nails on her desktop. Ray was pacing around his desk. Dief lay morosely under Ray's desk. Welsh was talking to the little boy who had turned in the tip.

The door to the Lieutenant's office opened and the little boy and his parents walked. "Thank you, son" Welsh smiled. "I think you've been a big help."

The boy smiled up at him and saw Dief lying on the floor as he turned to walk with his parents. "He's sad," the little boy said. Franny smiled at him, her eyes filled with tears. "He belongs to the man we're trying to find. We all miss him."

Thatcher walked into the bullpen and crossed to the group reading receipts. "I came to help," she announced to no one in particular as she sat at Ray's desk to begin reading.

Franny kept reading till her eyes hurt. 'Who would have thought there were so many limos in the area?' she thought to herself. 'I doubt we're going to find anything.'

But, an hour later, it was Franny who shrieked and held a group of receipts up. She yelled out. "Each of these five limos was rented by the same person using the same phone number, but changing the last digit with each request. But the names are all almost the same. I think I've found it." She was dancing back and forth on her feet.

"Look, each one is to be met by another at intervals. It's like building an erector set, they trace back and forth over each other path's."

Taking Dief, Ray drove to each of the sights the limos were to have been delivered hoping against hope that he might find something, anything to lead him to Benton Fraser.

When he was near the last location, the one where the little boy had spotted Fraser on the Gurney Ray noticed Dief acting strangely. "Ok, what is it jelly donuts? I know you miss Fraser; I do too. But jeesh, jelly donuts, --- ah go ahead I'll follow you." The pair turned the corner and saw a park across the street. A huge limo was in the parking lot. An old woman sat watching a small, dark haired boy play with his puppy. Dief gave a growl and ran across the street. Ray ran after the wolf, yelling his name all the way.

Dief ran right up to the boy and began licking his face. The boy giggled and turned to face his grandmother who sat in a wheelchair. Ray stopped dead in his tracks, Benny's eyes looked at him from the face of that little boy. It shook Ray to his very core. He needed Benny, needed to find him safe. Needed to find him period and here was this little tyke looking at him with Benny's eyes. Ray's knees felt weak and he dropped down on one knee to see the little boy better. Dief was still licking away.

The old woman watched the scene in front of her strangely, she had been thinking of how to get help for Benjamin. But she knew her niece might be dangerous and she feared for Chase just as Benjamin did. She knew Michelle loved the little boy, but she knew also the woman was a little mad. She rolled her chair up beside Ray. "I see you like my grandson." She watched as Ray turned tear filled eyes towards her.

"Yea, he's a cute kid." Ray said putting a hand on Dief and holding on for dear life.

Chase knelt by his puppy and watched the adults talking. "My Poppa looks like me." he announced. "But I've never seen his eyes. He says I will someday though."

Ray turned his head down to the little boy. "Why haven't you seen his eyes?"

"Cuz. They have pirate covers on them, he's been sick. Tante says he has to let his eyes get better before I can see them."

"What's your Poppa's name?"

"Benjamin"

Ray turned to the old woman again. Something in his face settled her mind. "Do you know my Benjamin?"

"My friend is Benton Fraser, and he's missing. What does your Benjamin look like?"

Not far from where they stood was a newsstand. Ray saw it and hurried over. He paid for a paper and brought it back to her. "Is this what your Benjamin looks like?"

Tears ran down the old woman's face. Her hands shook. "Oh Dear. Oh Dear." she whispered.

Ray put his hand on her shoulder and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. She smiled back at him. "I can't talk to you with our driver near, he might be helping my niece."

"How about we take a walk over to my car. I'll see if he follows us."

The small group began to wander towards the edge of the park, Ray pushing her wheel chair. The limo driver quickly approached them and suggested the old woman and boy needed to leave before dark.

Ray winked at the woman, and leaned down to shake her hand. He put one of his cards in the sheltered cup of her hands. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you." Ray watched as they entered the limo, then called Dief and opened the door to the RIV. Once seated, he called on the radio to Welsh, requesting backup. When the limo pulled away, so did Ray.

Thatcher and Welsh listened to Ray over the radio. Neither could believe the simplicity of Ray's find. But they knew nothing was ever that simple that wasn't paid for in some way.

Michelle stood by Ben's bed her eyes never leaving his face. "You're mine. All mine," she thought. "Now and forever."

She leaned over and touched his brow with her lips, laid her fingers to his. She breathed in the soft scent of him that never seemed to change. 'Sweet, so sweet; Ben always smelled sweet.'

He didn't respond to her. He wasn't moving. He was holding himself still; in fact, he hardly seemed to be aware she was there. 'He wondered what she was going to do this time. Lately she had come in sometimes just to stare at him. If he held still long enough, sometimes she would leave.'

She put her mouth down close to his ear. "Ben." she whispered. "We're moving soon. Would you like that? You, me and Chase. We'll go back to Canada. That's where we belong. I'll take you to the Pinset estate there. No one even remembers it exits now. But I have made sure it's kept up, just for us." Smiling she curved her hands around his jaw. Still smiling she gently brushed his lips with hers, softly pulling at his lips. "We've had such good times, Ben. Haven't we. Wait till we're in Canada. It will be even better there."

'Oh my God' thought Ben. 'Grandmere, please stay away. Michelle is completely mad.'

The limo carrying little Chase and Grandmere entered the drive and the huge gate swung closed behind it. The driver watched his rear view mirror but saw nothing to bother him there. Michelle was out on the porch to welcome them back. She noticed both were uncommonly silent as they got out of the car. She ushered them into the library, where she had tea and milk and cookies waiting.

Ben heard Chase talking and knew they are returned. 'Damn,' he thought. 'Why couldn't they stay away?'

The door was pushed open and as always Ben froze until he recognized his son's steps coming to the bed. "Poppa," the little boy whispered. "I have a secret for you"

To Ben's surprise, Chase climbed up on the bed and put his little mouth to Ben's ear. "I met a big wolf and a man named, Ray. We were in the park. Grandmere said I was to spifically tell you about Ray." The little boy pulled back and patted his Poppa's face. "Grandmere says it won't be much longer. What did she mean by that Poppa?

Ben smiled at his son and urged him to go find his Grandmere. "Thank you for telling me about Ray. It's good to do what Grandmere says. Stay by her today, please don't wander around."

"Ok Poppa." And with that Chase bounded from room followed by his puppy.

Ben knew it was the man again. The breathing in the dark was heavier than Michelle. He had been dozing and hadn't heard the man open the door. Ben pulled his head back into the pillows as the man climbed up on the bed. Ben whispered to himself but the sound in his mind was loud screaming. 'No, NO!' But he was heard. He hadn't been quiet enough. His jaw was grabbed and brutally forced open. He could feel the man clambering up the bed to sit on his chest.

"This time sweetness, we do what I like. Might be our last dance together." He pulled his body up and holding Ben's head in position forced Ben's mouth open laughing as he moved. Ben tried to resist but he had neither leverage nor even the strength to resist. Ben felt himself passing out. 'Please let me pass out, please.' But the man stopped just short of letting Ben pass out and took his pleasure of Ben's body. He backed off and began to take Ben's mouth with his, and then slowly passed his lips down Ben's neck until Ben tried to willfully pass out as the lack of oxygen reaching his lungs began to make them feel near bursting; but unconsciousness was denied him as his attacker continued merely laughed.

Ray drove the RIV up the drive. "Well, here goes Dief." He straightened his short hair, and talked into the radio. "Going in...all the back up's in place. Remember watch out for the kid and the old lady. Fraser will want them safe."

He took a deep breath and opened the car door. Dief pranced up to the door and stood waiting. Ray walked to the porch and rapped on the door.

Chapter 14
Ben lay quietly while the man cleaned his body. Lay quietly as the routine of washcloth to bowl to body and back again was repeated. He did not dare move. He'd done that once and the whole process started over again. He'd learned his lesson, he wouldn't move, unless ordered to do so. The man who cleaned him began rubbing harder with the cloth. Scrubbing in circular motions. Ben heard the bowl being pushed away, felt the bed move as the man climbed back up on the bed. Tears began forming in Ben's eyes. 'When was enough considered enough? When would it end?'

The lock on his waist manacle was undone quickly and without the preparation the man had always used before; Ben's body was jerked up harshly on the man's lap. When the man realized Ben was purposefully remaining as still as possible, he began pinching at Ben's thighs with his fingers. When that didn't gain him the reaction he craved from Ben, the man actually bit down the exposed skin of Ben's neck. Ben's body reacted by bucking up against the hand that held it down. The man smiled.

Ray waited patiently for the door to open. Michelle opened it and stood before Ray in her best elegantly cared for look. For a split second Ray thought he was looking at Victoria Metcalf. It wasn't until he noticed her eyes were the wrong color that he knew for sure that it wasn't her. He held out his badge and asked if he might come inside. He spun a tale of trouble in the area and used the phrase, 'Just checking ma'm to see if the house was secured." Ray heard the wheel chair approaching and waited for his cue. "Michelle," Grandmere said gracefully. "Ask the poor man in for a drink of coffee or something. It's the least we can do for someone who is making our neighborhood safe."

"Of course, Grandmere." Michelle turned to Ray, "Would you care for some coffee, officer Vecchio?"

Ray smiled widely and nodded. God he couldn't wait for the broad to be out of the way. He watched as she disappeared down the hall next to the door.

"She'll be gone 5 minutes," Grandmere informed him. "Come, I'll show you his room."

The pair quickly moved down the hall towards the wing Ben lay being tortured in. Ray tried the doorknob. It was locked, he inquired with a raised eyebrow if that was normal. Grandmere shook her head no. "It's locked sometimes, but not usually during this time of day. Ray put his ear to the door. He heard a man's laughter, and it wasn't Ben's. Ray was wearing a wire and whispered into it. "The broad is in the kitchen. I'm outside the bedroom door. On my mark, move. Now!" he yelled.

Ray broke the door off its hinges with one kick of the foot to the lock followed by a shoulder to the wood. He stopped dead in his tracks. What he saw sickened him. Ben was being attacked and held tightly atop a huge man's body. The man turned his face to the door and froze into position even as his hand begun to caress and fondle Ben. Ben's mouth hung open and he seemed to be barely breathing. Ray's eyes glared at the man, daring him to move.

"OK jerk. Release him slowly, and move off the bed." Ray said as he drew his gun and held it on the man.

Suddenly two things happened at once. Michelle came running down the hall closely followed by Diefenbaker. And all around the house, you could hear the sounds of police officer's entering the house. Michelle took one look at Ben and began screaming at the man. "What have you done? Why? He's not yours, he's mine, mine forever." She ran forward to rake her fingers across the man's face. He grabbed her and pushed her away. Michelle fell into large table with a drawer. She took the time to pretend she was winded while she worked the drawer open. She turned around quickly with a small gun in her hand. She aimed at the man who had been abusing Ben. Tears fell from her eyes. "You ruined it. Why? Why did you ruin it?"

She raised the gun to fire. Ray yelled, "Put the gun down now Lady. Now. I'm giving you a second chance. Put it down."

Michelle faced Ray with tears running down her face and gestured toward the bed. "Look, he ruined it. He ruined it all!" Suddenly she whipped the gun up to her head and fired. She fell to the floor, her beautiful, elegant hairstyle well and truly ruined.

By this time Welsh and the back up officers were sweeping the house. When Welsh heard the shot he ran towards the sound. He heard a puppy howling, and a little boy crying as they ran down the hall in the same direction Welsh was going. Welsh caught up with the child and scooped him up into his arms. The puppy began tugging and biting at his ankles. Welsh gazed at the child's face and stopped in his tracks. It was amazing for the child's eyes were the duplicates of Benton Fraser's. 'Has to be Fraser's kid. No one else in the world has those eyes.' Welsh turned in the opposite direction, carrying Chase away from the turmoil. Chase screamed over his shoulder, "Poppa, Poppa!"

Ray grabbed the man roughly even as the man set Ben back down into the bed line and pulled the man into the bathroom where he cuffed the man to the bathroom sink and then returned to Ben's side. Grandmere rolled her chair into the room and gasped at the sight of Michelle on the floor. She didn't stop but kept rolling her chair towards Ben and the bed.

Ray quickly flung the covers over Ben and began chaffing his hands. 'My God,' he thought, 'he can't move.' Ray began to remove the eye patches, crooning softly to Ben as he worked. He yelled over his shoulder to the officer coming in the door. "The perp is in the bathroom, call an ambulance NOW!" And ask that creep where the keys are to these locks."

'Oh God, Oh God. He looks so bad. His face is so shrunken. Please be all right Benny, Please.' Ray prayed as he worked the cotton off of Ben's eyes.

Ben's eyes began to open. They fluttered and closed and opened again. He cried in agony as the light hit his eyes. Ray wiped the tears trailing out of Benny's eyes and leaned over to whisper. "It's ok, I've got you."

Ben smiled at Ray. "Thanks for coming Ray. I knew you would."

Ray choked and laid his head by Ben's head on the pillow. "I was almost too late. Almost."

"But you weren't young man" Grandmere interrupted. "My grandsons and I thank you." She laid one of her own frail hands on Ben's. "Sorry you had to wait for an old woman to get smart, petite."

"Understood, Grandmere." Ben whispered.

Ben could hear Chase screaming in the background. He looked at Ray. "Sure, I'll fix it" Ray said. He grabbed the lap robe off Ben's wheel chair and covered Michelle's body with it. Then he went to the door and motioned Welsh inside. Welsh crossed to the bed and Chase leapt from his arms to the bed. "Poppa, Poppa." "You're eyes are blue, just like mine." He laid his little curly head against his father's chest and hugged Ben tightly.

To be continued in "Limbo"

End Purgatory (milder version) by Lys: tyklys@hotmail.com

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