Author's website: http://www.tuktoyaktuk.net/innusiq/

Disclaimer:

Author's Notes: This was inspired by the episode "Some Like it Red" and REO Speedwagon's song "Take it on the Run."

Story Notes:

They Say You've Got a Boyfriend
by: Jenny Hill

Never let it be said that a woman didn't know how to accessorize or at least that Francesca Vecchio didn't. She was dressed to kill, turning the head of every man and woman she walked by and loving the power she wielded in doing so. Francesca was a looker and she knew it. She knew it and used it to her advantage and was gratified when she could see the effects her beauty had on others.

The men, young and old, ogled her in a manner that would have caused her brother to feel honor bound to defend her good name but there were two different camps of woman. In camp one were the women who were jealous with envy that they didn't look even half as good as she did. The other camp held women who were simply appalled to see that a woman such as she would even go out in public displaying more skin than was truly necessary. Whatever the case or gender, Francesca received a little ego boost from a simple stroll through the mall.

What was causing the whiplash this afternoon?

The leather mini-skirt she wore left little to the imagination but it did coordinate with the short sleeved, ribbed sweater, in her current favorite color of red. The sweater accentuated more than Francesca's mother would approve of for such a public outing but Francesca had ways around that. She also owned a matching leather jacket that she wore until she was a safe distance from the house. Of course that safe distance was when she parked her car in the mall parking deck. It was an extreme measure but it paid to be careful.

The mall, or any mall for that matter, was Francesca's home away from home. She knew each and every mall within a three county radius store by store like the back of her hand and could more than likely navigate her way blindfolded, if challenged. It wasn't a useful talent but a talent nonetheless.

Francesca knew where the best deals could be found and received heads up from her various friends working in the corresponding stores as to when sales would begin. She knew how to work the retail system to her advantage and she was ruthless too but today wasn't a sale day. Today Francesca was meeting a friend for lunch, her best friend Marta and wild horses couldn't keep her away.

It was Francesca's day off and while she hadn't planned on going out for the entire day, her mind was quickly changed by an early morning call. Marta had an enticing offer that Francesca couldn't refuse for Marta had information on the man of Francesca's dreams and it was information that needed to be shared in person rather than over the phone. Francesca knew it would be good information to boot and such that her own brother wouldn't provide.

It was not secret that Francesca had eyes for the Mountie. Every woman in the city of Chicago who had a run in with the tall, dark haired man in uniform fell head over heels for the polite Canadian. Francesca took being head over heels to the extreme though for not only had she come face to face with the man, she also had connections with the Mountie.

Yes, Francesca had her sources like her friends and her friend's friends and their relatives. She needed their help if she was going to learn anything about her knight in shining armor, even though her own brother was the man's best friend. She had her own special connection to Fraser and it was bone dry because Ray was more closed lipped than Fraser himself, if that was even possible.

He was protecting her, that was Ray's excuse but she didn't need protecting. She always believed that her prince would come and now that he had, nothing was going to stand in the way of Francesca obtaining her dream.

The click of her heels on the speckled tile flooring quickened as she entered the food court. On a normal evening the mall would have been packed with teenagers who had nothing better to do but "hang out" but seeing it was mid-afternoon and a school day, it was pleasingly calm and quiet.

Francesca's walk could be classified more as a saunter so she sauntered up to the table Marta occupied. Marta was already eating lunch for she worked at one of the stores anchored at the mall and this was her appointed lunch hour. Being that was the case, it wouldn't have paid for her to wait for her friend because she knew Francesca well enough to know that she wouldn't be eating lunch with her.

Marta smiled as Francesca approached the table and took her seat. She noted that her friend was dressed perfectly, as always, and wondered what it would take to look half as good. Marta was a mother of two and while she wasn't a lost cause in the fitness game, she was far from having the perfect body as dictated by the commercial world.

"Hey," Francesca greeted with a return smile. "Sorry I'm late."

"No problem," Marta said. "We've still got plenty of time."

Francesca's tardiness was normal and expected and it worked out for the best. Marta was finished eating by the time Francesca arrived and that left the rest of her lunch hour for gossip.

Gossiping is what they did best, next to shopping. They had 20 plus years of practice, which began when they were in grade school. If it was a subject that peeked their interest, it was a subject that was worth talking about. If it was a subject worth talking about, it was also a subject worth spreading on to others. Today would be no different than all those years ago.

"So," Francesca began the excitement in her voice and eyes barely being contained. "What did you find out?"

"Well," Marta said before wiping her mouth with a napkin and cleaning up her food cartons. "My friend Karen, you know her. I told you about her and her husband separating because she caught him with her cousin? Anyway, she has an Aunt who I found out lives in the same building as that Mountie friend of your brother."

"Get out!"

"I'm serious. I wouldn't make something like this up. How long have we been friends?"

"25 years," Francesca replied without pause.

"Have I ever steered you wrong before?" Marta knew better when it came to Francesca and the Mountie.

"I trust you with my life, Marta."

"Okay, well, this person who lives in the same building as the Mountie . . . she told Karen that the Mountie is seeing someone."

Francesca's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Who?" Francesca blurted out.

"Karen didn't say," Marta replied.

"Why didn't she say?"

"Because she doesn't know. All she knows is that her aunt informed her that he was taken . . . that is it. Didn't your brother tell you about this?"

Francesca was silently cursing her brother for keeping such a secret, knowing full well how she felt about his best friend. She was going to have to kill Ray, but not until she got the goods on this mystery woman.

Of all the neighborhoods in the Greater Chicago area, this was the one Ray's best friend chose to live in. It wasn't the best neighborhood in town but in the same breath, it wasn't the worst either. Ray just believed that the Mountie deserved better after all he did for the inhabitants of the big city that he now called home.

There was nothing glamorous about Fraser's neighborhood and that point was hit home even harder each and every time Ray stepped foot inside Fraser's apartment. Four walls, two windows and no bathroom, that pretty much summed up the high and low points of the place that was definitely not fit for entertaining a queen or lady for that matter.

Ray would never even think to ask a woman back to his place if it looked anything like this. His pride was too great, knowing a woman wouldn't even want to step foot in the neighborhood let alone such an apartment. Granted, the place was the cleanest in the building but it wasn't a proper environment for entertaining.

Now on the other hand any woman would gladly follow the Mountie wherever he beckoned them to go as long as they were with the polite and dashing Canadian. The women of Chicago wore blinders when it came to Fraser. It was an irritating fact but a fact nonetheless. He had that affect on them and Ray, for he was where he would never go had it not been for Fraser in the first place.

This was no place to bring a woman and yet Ray had brought a woman here, so to speak. They were the only two people in the apartment and Ray stood silently by the window in the kitchen, watching as "she" finished getting ready.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are nuts?" Ray asked, not being able to keep quiet any longer.

"You have . . . repeatedly," Fraser replied, straightening his dress and checking that all was in place for his disguise.

"Well . . . you are."

"Ray, I hardly think helping a friend is cause to question my sanity."

"Are you even looking at what you are wearing?"

Fraser regarded himself in the mirror he had been using while getting ready but now he was actually looking at how everything looked.

"Do I look that bad?" He asked, smoothing the hair of his wig.

Ray dropped his head with a sigh.

"No Benny, you look good . . . you look damn good," he replied checking out the legs of his best friend. "For a guy dressed as a woman that is."

"Of course," Fraser agreed as he closed the closet door and turned to look at Ray.

"So . . . you ever done this before?"

"Pardon?"

"This," Ray gestured at Fraser's clothing. "You have a habit of dressing up like a woman?"

"I assure you that this is the only time such measures were necessary."

Ray remained quiet, contemplating the words Fraser used.

"Is something wrong?"

Ray shook his head. "No . . . so were there times when it wasn't necessary but you did this anyway?"

"Ray . . ."

"What, can't a guy be curious? I mean it's not every day I get to see my best friend looking like one of my sister's girlfriends."

Fraser blushed uncontrollably and the reaction made Ray laugh.

"Come on, before you are late for school, Ms. Fraser."

Ray walked towards the door and remembering the scolding he received the previous day, he stepped aside to allow Fraser to exit first.

"After you," Ray said, waving a hand towards the open door.

"Thank you kindly," Fraser said approvingly and exited the apartment.

Ray shook his head, looking back at Diefenbaker who seemed quite content to be staying in for the day. Ray could also see the wheels turning in that furry head of his.

"Shut up."

Diefenbaker huffed in response and reclined back down. Figuring those two out seemed impossible and he didn't know why he continued to try.

Ray shook his head again, closing the door behind him. He would never understand the wolf, Ray was certain of that just as he was certain that he would never fully understand Fraser but he was going to have fun trying.

Speeding his pace up, Ray caught up with Fraser nearing the bottom of the stairwell and the two friends exited the building together.

It was early morning and the neighborhood was already alive with purpose. Mothers were sending their children off to school. Adults were either coming or going to work. The various business establishments within the block were preparing to open for the day. Ray's goal, get Fraser into the car before someone recognized him. If anyone did, they didn't let on as such.

Once in the car, Ray breathed a sigh of relief. He was used to the occasional embarrassment that came with being partners with the Mountie but this particular situation took the cake. This situation put sprinkles on said cake. This was where Ray drew the line. He only prayed that his fellow detectives at the 27th precinct never learned of this for Ray would never be allowed to live it down.

All was quiet in the Riv as he pulled out onto West Racine, heading towards St. Fortunado's all girl school where Fraser was working undercover but considering the circumstances, Ray was grateful for the silence. The silence continued until they pulled up in front of the school.

"Ray?"

"Yeah Benny?"

"Will you . . . I mean do you . . . Ah . . .will you be here tonight?" Fraser asked

"Here? Why?"

"At the dance," Fraser clarified, sounding surprised that Ray didn't know what he was talking about.

"Well, I wasn't planning on it . . . you're going to that thing? Are you sure it's safe?"

"It is a dance, Ray. I don't think there is cause for any alarm. I've talked Melissa into going and in a way, I promised to attend as well."

"And you think because we're partners . . . what? I'm supposed to follow? No way, Fraser. This is where I draw the line. Ya know I appreciate all that you are doing here but there is no way I am taking you to the dance."

Fraser frowned.

"What? Oh come on, don't give me that look." Ray's defenses were up but he knew they would be useless.

"What look?" Fraser asked, clueless or at least pretending to be so.

"You know, the one you give me every time you are disappointed that I'm not doing something and then before I know it I'm doing exactly what I had originally decided I wasn't gonna do. No Fraser, no!"

"Ray . . . "

"Did I stutter? Did I sound unsure of my decision? Do you even understand the meaning of the word no?"

Wide, blue-gray, innocent eyes enhanced the look Fraser gave Ray and the eyes were Ray's undoing.

"Why? Why? Why me?" Ray questioned God out loud while staring up at the Riv's roof.

God did not have an answer for even he didn't understand why.

"I'll be there," Ray finally agreed. The look on Ray's face turned very serious. "But I'm not dancing, that I can guarantee."

"Yes Ray," Fraser said, accepting his stipulation.

Ray then smiled. "Come here."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Ray said leaning over the center of the vehicle. His voice dropped when he continued. "Come, here."

Fraser did as he was told, meeting Ray halfway and was rewarded with a kiss.

Pulling away reluctantly, Fraser was a bit surprised by the over amorous public gesture.

"Ray?"

Ray smiled wide. "What? I can't kiss the person I love in public?"

Fraser's only response was to blush.

"Who knows when I might get another chance to do that."

Ray's attention was pulled away by the rush of girls who seemed to be cutting it close to the morning bell. "Ah, I think you better get going."

Fraser shook his head to clear it, agreeing with Ray. "Ah, yes . . . I'll see you later?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

It had been a long day and an equally long night that ended with solving yet another case with the help of the Mountie. Ray wondered how many of his reports stated, "With the help of R.C.M.P. Constable Benton Fraser . . . " but he truly already knew the answer to that question.

The Riv's lights flashed and reflected off the family wagon's rear taillights as Ray pulled into the small drive outside his home. It was nearly midnight by the time Ray had dropped Fraser off at his apartment and made it back across down to his own home. All the lights in the house were off except for the one in the living room that his mother usually left off when one of her fledglings was still unaccounted for. Due to his line of work and the late hours he usually kept due to said line of work Ray was normally the person she left the light on for.

Being that it was late, Ray didn't think anything about it when he walked into the house, locked up the front door and turned out the living room light his mother had left on, before heading upstairs to his own room for some much needed sleep. That is, he didn't think anything about it until he realized that he wasn't the only one up.

"Hey!" A voice called out from the dark.

Ray quickly turned the light back on.

"Hey," Ray said as he entered the living room. "What are you still doing up?"

Francesca closed the book she was reading or attempting to read while waiting for her brother to come home. She was about to give up but thought better of it. Had she not confronted him tonight, she didn't know if she would still have the fire to do it in the morning.

"Waiting up for you," Francesca replied. She stood up and stretched, indicating to Ray that she had been waiting for quite a while.

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"Well, I had lunch with Marta today . . ."

"Yeah, how is Marta?" Ray asked with genuine concern for he too had grown up with Marta.

"Marta is fine," Francesca replied. "We had an interesting talk this afternoon."

Ray sighed heavily as he realized there was a discussion coming. "Yeah, about what?"

"Seems I have a back stabbing brother and I'd like to find out why."

Ray rolled his eyes as he turned to take his leave and head up to his bedroom. "It's late Fran and I'm tired."

"No." Francesca grabbed Ray's arm to halt his retreat. "We are gonna talk about this now . . . before I loose my nerve."

Ray turned back around. "What have I done Fran? What is it that I have done that is so terrible that not even I am aware of it?"

"Fraser is seeing someone."

Ray's eyes grew wide and his heart began pounding as if he had just sprinted a mile. "Excuse me?"

"Marta told me that he was seeing someone. Now my question is why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Where did Marta hear this?"

"Does it matter? The only thing I want to know is why you didn't tell me. I mean I am your sister and you know how I feel about Fraser. Why didn't you tell me?"

Ray headed back into the living room and took a seat in the armchair next to the front window. "I don't know what you want me to say. There was nothing to tell you so I don't know what you want to hear."

"The truth," she stated. "Who's Fraser seeing and how long has he been seeing her."

Ray couldn't believe his luck. Someone had seen them and was gossiping about them. He should have known better that a secret couldn't be kept in that neighborhood. Some people were too noisy for their own good.

"Listen, he's not seeing anyone per say. He's helping a friend out that is all. That is the only woman in his life at the moment." Ray prayed his sister bought his tale even though it wasn't a tale.

"Helping a friend?"

Ray leaned back in the stiff chair and sighed out loud. "Yeah, you know Benny, anything to earn his Boy Scout points. Seems he never has too many."

"Is that truth?" Francesca asked, still not believing her brother.

Ray stood up, taking a deep breath before answering. "There is no special lady in Fraser's life that he's dating if that is what you want to know."

There was a quiet squeal released before Francesca went up to Ray and gave him a great big hug. "Thank you."

Ray wrapped his arms around his sister, returning the hug. He didn't know what would happen when she did find out the truth but he did know from this experience alone that if she was to find out, she would need to be the first person they told.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, now can I go to bed?"

Francesca pulled away, sniffing at her brother's collar. "What is that smell?"

"What smell?" Ray asked, smelling his jacket collar.

"That perfume . . . I believe it's Passion Flower. Did you get lucky tonight?"

Ray blushed slightly, remember the perfume Fraser wore as Ms. Fraser. He didn't answer her question.

Francesca tapped her brother's shoulder hard. "You dog. Who is she?"

"No one you know," Ray replied making his escape. He made it halfway up the stairs before he heard his sister's response.

"I'll find out, you know. I always do."

Ray didn't argue with that fact.

Francesca hummed as she made her way up the stairs of the rickety apartment building. It wasn't where she thought the man of her dreams would live but this was Fraser and she accepted his idiosyncrasies for the package they came in was dreamy.

The smile on her face was wide as she reached the third floor and there was nothing that could pull it off. Francesca Fraser, it sounded nice, really nice.

"You're wasting your time," a voice called out from one of the apartments on the third floor.

"Excuse me?" Francesca questioned, turning around to see who was speaking.

A door on the right, about three feet back, opened wider and a woman her own mother's age stepped out. "I said, you're wasting your time."

Francesca walked back to the woman's apartment door, curious as to how and if this woman even knew the reason or purpose she was there in the first place.

"What do you mean?"

"The Mountie, you're here to see the Mountie."

"Yes, how did you know?"

The older woman laughed. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. You're a pretty girl who doesn't live here or even has a genuine reason to be here and you're on the third floor. You are here to see Fraser. Happens all the time."

"All the time? This happens a lot?" Francesca asked, shocked by this woman's words.

"Enough to have noticed and enough to know that you're wasting your time so you might as well just turn around . . . "

"Hey, wait a minute," Francesca interrupted. "I know Fraser."

"Honey, that's what they all say. I just want to save you the trouble, okay? The man is taken."

"Fraser's got a girlfriend?" Francesca's voice held the sound of disbelief, just like all the other girls.

The woman laughed again. "Oh, heavens no!" The laugh continued, keeping her from saying much else.

Francesca felt relief but was now more confused than she was before.

"Then how is he taken?"

"A girlfriend, no. He's got a boyfriend."

"What?" Francesca squeaked.

"Oh yes, a very nice fellow too! I wish my daughter could find a nice man like that." The woman had a sad look on her face regarding her own daughter's predicament.

"A boyfriend?" Francesca asked for verification that she was hearing the woman correctly.

"Yes . . .my sight my not be all it use to be but I do know the difference between a man and a woman," the woman replied, defending herself.

"What does this man look like?" She still didn't believe what the woman was saying.

"He's very handsome, reminds me of my husband when we were younger . . . " the woman's words and thoughts trailed off as she thought back to her earlier days.

After a minute, Francesca cleared her throat to get the distracted woman's attention.

"Oh, yes, very handsome. He's tall and slender," the woman began and added in a whisper, "he's balding too!"

The bulb in Francesca's head flashed brightly. "Oh! You mean my brother."

The woman looked at Francesca with confusion. "You're brother's Fraser's boyfriend?"

"No," Francesca replied, shaking her head to drive home the truth. "No, he's not Fraser's boyfriend. He's his best friend and they are partners . . . work partners that is."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Francesca replied. "My brother's been married before . . . to a woman, so I don't think . . . "

"I don't know," the woman said, interrupting Francesca. "My nephew was married once, had three kids too but now he's divorced and living with a lawyer named Steve. He says that Steve is his life partner and they are very happy."

"Well . . . that's you're nephew, not Ray."

"Ray, he is a 'boy?'"

"Yes," Francesca replied.

"And, he is Fraser's friend?"

"He's not Fraser's boyfriend," Francesca insisted, turning and walking away from the unnamed woman.

The woman simply shrugged her shoulders and retreated back into her apartment.

The frown on Francesca's face was far different than the wide smile from only minutes ago but when the door to apartment 3J opened before she even had a chance to knock, it returned, if only to cover her thoughts.

"Fraser!"

"Francesca," Fraser greeted, startled by her arrival.

"Are you heading out?"

"Well, I was just about to take Diefenbaker for a walk," he replied.

Behind the door, Francesca could hear a disgruntled wolf grumble and she laughed.

"I think one of you isn't looking forward to the walk."

Fraser peered behind the door and glared at his wolf before replying. "I assure you that the walk will be good for him, no matter what he says."

Francesca laughed again when she heard the wolf grumble again.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Fraser asked, curious as to why she was visiting him.

"Ah . . . no . . . I . . . I was just visiting my friend's aunt and I thought while I was in the neighborhood that I would stop in and say hello."

"Oh, you really didn't need to go through all that trouble . . ."

"It was no trouble," Francesca said, cutting Fraser off. "Like I said, I was in the neighborhood. So, how are you doing?"

"I"m fine, thank you for asking . . . would you like to . . . " Fraser began asking if she wanted to come in out of politeness but again was cut off.

"Thank you," Francesca replied as she entered the small, barren apartment, pushing the door open as she passed.

Fraser rubbed his thumb across his eyebrow and under his breath whispered, "Oh dear."

Francesca was quiet as she took a look around the apartment. It was very primitive and she couldn't understand how Fraser lived like this. When she was ten, she could barely handle spending a month at summer camp let alone live without a TV for the whole of her life. It seemed unnatural and unfair.

"Is there something you want?"

"Well, while you're asking . . . I was wondering if you knew who it was that my brother was seeing."

"Pardon?"

"He's seeing someone and I thought you might know who she was."

"I take it that he did not tell you who it was?"

"No, not really but I do know that she wears the scent of Passion Flower."

"He told you that?" Fraser questioned with a squeak.

"No, he didn't tell me much of anything but I could smell it."

"You could smell it?"

"Yes, on his coat. It was pretty strong . . . I can only imagine what they were doing," Francesca suggested her thoughts in hopes that perhaps Fraser would take a hint.

Fraser blushed for he didn't need to imagine what "they" were doing and also knowing that Francesca didn't have a clue.

"I'm certain you brother was a perfect gentleman with whomever he was with."

"So, you don't know who he was with?"

"Francesca, all I can say is that if I did know, it wouldn't be my place to tell you. It is Ray's private life and he should be the one to tell you this if this is something he wants you to know."

"But there is someone," Francesca pressed further.

"Francesca . . ."

"Come on Fraser, what would it hurt to just admit that?"

"My friend's trust," Fraser replied honestly.

Francesca was left speechless. Ray and Fraser were very loyal to one another, almost to the point of being over protective and it unnerved her that she had hit two dead ends.

"I'm certain he will tell you in due time," Fraser said encouragingly.

"I suppose you're right."

"He will," Fraser began, heading towards the door. "Now I really do need to take Diefenbaker for a walk. I am expecting Ray here within the hour and I would like to have Diefenbaker walked by then. Once Ray gets here, it will be useless to even try.

"You are welcome to stay," Fraser offered.

"No, that's okay. I need to get going anyway," Francesca said following Fraser towards the door. If Ray caught her there, he wouldn't be happy nor trust her with his secret any time soon.

As Francesca walked by Fraser and through the threshold of his apartment, she took in the smell of his leather coat and was surprise to find it mixed with a familiar scent. She looked up at Fraser with a questioning look, unable to verbalize her thoughts.

"Yes?"

Francesca shook her head, not believing the idea passing through. "Ah, nothing . . . it's nothing. I really should be going."

She made a speedy get away all the while the wheels in her head were spinning. It couldn't be. They would never do such a thing. But the question prevalent in her head was, were Fraser and Ray seeing the same woman?

Sundays were supposed to be the day that everyone stayed home and did nothing, veg as the younger generation referred to it but this wasn't one of those Sundays. On the seventh day, God rested and on that same day, women went to bridal showers and not happily either.

Francesca had decided the night before that if she had to go to another bridal shower before the end of the year, she would scream and if she had to be a bride's maid of said bride, she would have to kill herself. It was a drastic threat but there was only so much "bliss" a single, thirty-something woman could take and Francesca was down to her last straw.

She was always happy for each and every one of her friends when they announced they were getting married and was usually the first in line to be fitted for her dress when asked to be a bride's maid. Francesca just wanted one of these showers to be for her. After all, she had found the perfect guy. He just hadn't found her, yet.

Francesca sighed as she flipped through her key ring, searching for the house key. She was grateful that the rest of the family was still away at one of their cousins' child's birthday party. Francesca lucked out with not having to attend that festive event but which was worse of the two evils? It was a toss up. Plus, now she didn't have to talk about the shower for she knew her mother would want to hear every detail of every miserable moment she had to endure. Francesca couldn't help but think that she should have borrowed the video. It would save her the trouble of depressing herself all over again.

The only bright side to the day was seeing Ray's car in the drive. She knew that Ray and Fraser were spending the day together, doing whatever it was that guys who have nothing in common do together but their day would end with Sunday dinner with the family. So, Ray being home meant that Fraser was there too and perhaps she could get one step closer to the aisle that lead to the alter of "Ever After."

The lock gave her a little trouble but nothing out of the ordinary for a home that was older than she was. Once the door was unlocked, she found pushing it open was a bit more problematic.

Diefenbaker barked when the door made contact with his backside and he quickly scampered off, his nails clicking on the wooden floor until he hit the living room carpeting.

The house was amazingly quiet and not what she expected with two guys, home on a Sunday afternoon. Surely there was a football or baseball or basketball or some sort of sport ball game on to cause a ruckus. But from the door, she could tell the television wasn't even on and oddly, the living room didn't even look like it was occupied.

"Hello?" Francesca called out as she closed the front door and turned to hang up her coat in the front hall closet.

She could hear movement and quiet mumbling coming from the other room but no response was given to her call.

"Ray, I know you're here. I saw your car out front so if you're thinking about scaring me it's not gonna work," Francesca warned, coming around the corner and heading into the darkened room.

"Hey!"

Ray seemed to come out of nowhere and despite her warning, he startled her nonetheless.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Ray replied quickly, looking over his shoulder.

"And why is it so dark in here?" Francesca asked, walking by Ray and reaching for the light.

"Diefenbaker!" Fraser's calling of his name was a scolding as he nearly tripped over his lethargic friend. When the lights turned on, he straightened immediately.

"Fraser?"

"Hello Francesca," Fraser greeted with a tint of a blush on his cheeks.

"What are you doing in the dark?" She questioned, walking towards the window to open the curtains.

"I . . . well . . ah . . ."

"Is it any of your business?" Ray butted in knowing there was no way Fraser could lie or be illusive about their previous activities.

She didn't like arguing with her brother in front of Fraser but some days it was unavoidable.

"I wasn't talking to you," Francesca snapped but her words' intensity lost their clout.

When she turned around, if it was possible to have the veils ripped off in a moment of clarity, that is exactly what happened. Neither Fraser nor Ray would look her in the eye and if their actions didn't speak loud, the state of their clothing did.

If one wasn't paying close attention or didn't know these two men well, they may not have caught the telltale signs. Francesca wasn't one of those people. She may live in denial most of the time but that didn't mean she was stupid.

Ray stood before her, hands behind his back and eyes glued to his shoes. His sweater-vest was inside out and the button down shirt he wore under it was untucked, its tails hanging out below the sweater.

Fraser, Mr. Prim and Proper, was a bit disheveled as well. His flannel shirt was buttoned up but each button was off causing the shirt to not line up. Plus, the shirt itself was untucked as well and Fraser never went anywhere untucked. Topping it off, his hair was going everywhere. It could have been compared to bed head but worse. Fraser wouldn't meet her eyes either.

Looking back at her brother, Francesca was fairly certain that if Ray actually had hair to speak of, his would look the same.

She couldn't help but think back to the time when she was in the same predicament years ago when her mother walked in on her and Mark . . . what's his name making out in the living room. Needless to say, that relationship went nowhere. Back then, she was a bit more clever than Ray when it came to coving up but Ray and Fraser, they were still amateurs.

Oddly, Francesca wasn't as surprise or shocked as she probably should have been or as much as her brother probably thought she would be. Perhaps it was because in the back of her head, way in the back, she had begun to suspect this. Perhaps it was the confrontation with the woman in Fraser's hallway that helped he begin to see the light. The two men were virtually inseparable during work and play hours and as they say opposites do attract.

It was far to quiet between the three of them. She may not be shocked but she really wasn't thinking about what this meant for her brother and Fraser as it related to the rest of the world. She needed to get them talking and she needed to do something to keep from thinking about the future.

"Ma will be home soon," she said, lacking anything else to say.

"Yeah," Ray replied, not offering anything else.

His silence was unnerving.

"Ah, I'm gonna get dinner started." Francesca walked in between Fraser and Ray, heading towards the kitchen but stopped before entering.

"Ray?" She called out, turning around to look at the two men.

"Yeah?" Ray asked, turning to face his sister.

Francesca smiled. "Your sweater is inside-out . . . and Fraser?"

Fraser finally made eye contact with her.

"Your shirt needs to be rebuttoned," Francesca said, winking at him and smiling before entering the kitchen.

Diefenbaker popped up off the floor and followed Francesca, leaving Ray and Fraser alone to straighten themselves out, so to speak.

Looking down at his clothes, Ray shook his head and began righting the wrong. Once his sweater vest was on correctly and his shirt was properly tucked in, Ray turned to Fraser to say something but whatever that something was, it was gone.

Fraser hadn't moved a muscle since Francesca left the room. He was still staring straight at the door leading towards the kitchen that Francesca had disappeared through with his patented Mountie caught in headlights look. Ray laughed as he approached Fraser and began unbuttoning the lopsided shirt.

Fraser finally moved but it was only to look at Ray and state what was going through his mind. "She knows."

"Yes, Benny, she knows," Ray agreed, nodding his head.

"She knows," Fraser repeated, unable to articulate anything else but the obvious truth that the depth of their friendship was no longer a secret.

"She knows." Ray began rebuttoning Fraser's shirt and when he had all the buttons fastened with their corresponding button hole he said, "You're on your own with tucking it in. While I'm happy that Frannie seems to be receptive to the idea of you and me, I really don't want to push it."

Finally snapping out of his daze, Fraser quickly tucked his shirt into his jeans.

"Do I look presentable?" Fraser asked, looking for approval of his appearance.

Ray smiled, wanting to lie but also knowing he couldn't.

"Benny, you always look presentable to me but if I were you, I would maybe run a comb through that pelt of yours."

Fraser's hands immediately reached for his hair that Ray was responsible for messing up in the first place.

"Oh dear . . . Excuse me Ray."

Ray stepped aside to allow Fraser access to the stairs so he could use the bathroom mirror. Fraser would attempt to tame "the beast" but Ray already knew there was no taming that hair, not this far into the day. It was hard enough getting it to behave in the morning for work.

Ray turned to go join his sister in the kitchen but was stopped by an amber stare.

"You're not a very good watch dog," Ray scolded with his arms crossed.

Diefenbaker grumbled his response.

"Okay, wolf, you're not a very good watch wolf," Ray corrected.

Diefenbaker huffed and went back into the kitchen. Who ever heard of a watch wolf anyway?

Ray sighed, his frustration and followed suit.

"Do you need any help?" He asked, walking up to his sister who was busy at the sink peeling potatoes.

"Yeah, you can finish these while I start on the chicken," Francesca replied.

Ray took the peeler and the potato she was working on and picked up where she had left off. It was as if nothing had happened. It seemed like any ordinary day but it wasn't. He knew they would need to discuss the situation sooner or later but he wasn't sure if that discussion should be now, in a day or two, in a week or possibly as long as a month from now. All he did know was that he needed to make sure things between them were at least good.

Ray peeled five potatoes before he had the courage to even try and breach the subject.

"Frannie?"

Francesca closed the over door before turning to face him. "Ray, don't."

Ray felt a pain in his heart and his stomach bound into a tight knot.

"Listen, I"m sorry . . . "Ray began before being cut off.

"I said, don't. I don't want to hear any apologies or excuses. I understand."

Ray was surprised. "You do?"

"Ray, I am a woman here and I of all people know that Fraser is a pretty great guy."

"Yeah, he is," Ray agreed, the tone of his voice expressed how much he cared for Fraser.

Francesca couldn't understand why she wouldn't allow herself to see it sooner.

"You are too."

"What?"

"You're a great guy too, and a great brother. I love you and if you're happy, I am happy. It's just . . . it's gonna take me some time to adjust, that's all. Okay?"

Ray was stunned silent. Never in a million years did he expect his sister to accept the reality of his relationship with Fraser. On top of the acceptance, she displayed a sense of maturity that he had never seen in her before. She was being mature and rational and for that he loved her even more.

"Hello? Ray? Are you in there? I think you're taking this news worse than me," she joked trying to get some kind of reaction from her brother.

"I love you," Ray stated as he pulled his sister into a hug, potato and peeler included.

Francesca returned the embrace. Their family was a tight unit. Love between its members was unconditional but she could see how Ray might have doubted that fact. Their catholic upbringing didn't leave much room (if any) for acceptance of a same sex relationship. Plus, Ray had spit in the face of that faith once before when he divorced Angie so this was strike two against him but even when Ray divorced his wife and Francesca her own husband, their mother never shunned them. They were her children and she loved them beyond words and actions. Mrs. Vecchio believed in her faith but she was a mother, first and foremost. It was her duty to take care of her children and support them for if she didn't, who would?

Fraser stood in the doorway of the kitchen, taking in the tender moment between brother and sister and felt nothing but love and relief. He never wanted to be the person to keep Ray from his family and it was a highly probable situation. At least with Francesca on their side, letting the rest of the family in on their "secret" didn't seem so hopeless. They still had a long way to go but now, Fraser could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Fraser quietly cleared his throat to get the siblings' attention.

"Hey, Benny," Ray said, parting from his sister. "You get that hair to obey orders?"

Fraser blushed before he could respond. "It is as good as it's going to get."

Both Ray and Francesca laughed. Knowing Fraser, he was still not pleased with his hair's current condition but they both couldn't help thinking that no matter what, he still looked damn good.

"Is there anything I can assist you with?" Fraser asked, wanting to do anything that would be helpful.

"The table needs set," Francesca suggested, taking the potato and peeler from Ray. "You can help him."

Francesca returned to peeling the potatoes while Ray crossed the kitchen to pull dishes out of the cupboard. Fraser, having eaten with the Vecchios on numerous occasions, started pulling glasses out of the adjacent cupboard where he knew they were kept. The two men went about their task of setting the table as they had done every other Sunday dinner before this.

A weight had been lifted. Someone knew about the relationship they shared and the world hadn't come to an end. They were both still alive and breathing and enjoying the family they loved dearly. The life they had come to depend on was still there and now they had someone in their corner.

The End.

End They Say You've Got a Boyfriend by Innusiq: Joymakers@neo.rr.com

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