First "Heat Wave," then MotB, followed within hours, by this story. Spoilers for MotB. Resolving (for now) the partnership issue from "Heat Wave."

Characters not mine; Alliance's. (Except, seeing as how Alliance doesn't seem to be playing with them any more, why can't they be mine?)

No beta reader - tried to get the (minimal) boat stuff right ... not entirely convinced I did ... oh well. Verisimilitude ain't everything ...

Fraser yawned and stretched. The last few days had been quite tiring and the thirty second naps were no longer sufficient. "Shall we find our sleeping quarters?" he asked Diefenbaker. The wolf whined at him. "Well, yes. We need to find Ray first." Fraser was quite pleased that the wolf had taken so well to the second Ray. It made life much easier. He looked across the Bounty. "It's not as though he can have gone far." The wolf barked in agreement. "So perhaps, you might consider employing your sadly under-utilized tracking skills?" Fraser suggested. The wolf cocked his head and then wandered off. "Thank you kindly," Fraser said to Diefenbaker's retreating back. The wolf meandered around the deck with his nose to the planking. Fraser followed. Eventually, they fetched up at some crates piled high against the side of the foredeck. Dief stopped and looked at the crates and then back at the Mountie. Fraser nimbly climbed over and found a small, enclosed area between the crates and the cabin wall. Kowalski lay curled up in that space, sound asleep. Fraser surveyed his friend with a small smile on his face. This Ray was a very different creature than the fidgety whirl of energy he was used to dealing with; sleep relaxing his normally angular features into an almost childlike visage. Ray mumbled something in his sleep. Fraser climbed down into the small space and folded himself into a sitting position next to his partner, watching him sleep. Kowalski had really surprised him over the last few days. While at times fractious, unreasonable and even downright terrified, the Chicago detective had nonetheless stayed the course. The same stubbornness, that could make him so completely aggravating, also meant that he would stick with whatever or whomever he chose, with unwavering loyalty.

It was warmer back here, as the crates cut the wind blowing in off the water, but it was still chilly. The Mountie reached out and carefully touched the blond's cheek with the back of his hand. It was cold. Ray was still wearing the clothes he'd taken from the "pirate" earlier. Moving as quietly as possible, the Canadian removed his borrowed overcoat and gently tucked it around his partner. Ray stirred and then opened his eyes. Confused at first, his eyes cleared when they focused on Fraser.

"Hey," he said sleepily.

"Hello," Fraser replied quietly.

"Got tired," the detective explained.

"You've had a rough few days."

"You were there too."

"True, but you didn't know how to swim. And you drove the entire trip from Chicago to Sault St. Marie. That adds a bit."

"Yeah, I guess," Ray nodded, considering. Suddenly, Fraser's eyes narrowed and he reached out with his hand, running it through Kowalski's hair.

"What, hey! Ow!" Ray yelped as Fraser's hand encountered a sore spot.

"I'm sorry, Ray."

"For what? You didn't do it." The blond had batted away the Mountie's hand and was protectively covering the bruise on his head.

"I meant that I'm sorry I didn't remember sooner. You might have had a concussion," Fraser said seriously.

Ray laughed. "Considering all that we've been through for the past few days, that would have been the least of my worries."

"But Ray," -

"No buts, Benton buddy. The least of my worries." They were silent for a few moments. Then, "Frase?"

"Yes?"

"I'm really glad we're still partners."

"So am I. Ray?"

"Hmm?"

Fraser hesitated for a moment, then plunged forward. "Ray, what exactly was it about me that made you want to break up our partnership."

"Told you. We were gettin' stale."

"I know that's what you said. But I need to know. What was the real reason?" He held his breath. Ray struggled to sit up and looked at Fraser.

"What makes you think that wasn't it?"

"You had a lot of trouble looking me in the eye whenever you discussed it. Look me in the eye, Ray and tell me, please. Why?" Ray dropped his head for a moment and then looked back up, through his eyelashes.

"I didn't want to get in your way. You're always talkin' about stuff in Canada and I figured you might want to go back. Didn't want you thinking you had to stick around for me or anything." His voice was low.

"And?"

"Whaddye mean, 'And'?" Ray asked defensively.

"Ray, did this have anything to do with what I said to you during the heat wave?" Silence. "I need to know," Fraser said gently.

"Why? What possible difference could it make?" Kowalski demanded.

"It makes a difference to me." Ray closed his eyes as though he were in pain. "Please?" Fraser asked.

"Maybe. A little. All right? You been walkin' around me like I was glass ever since. I keep tellin' you I'm over it. But you don't trust me, so how do you expect me to trust you?

Didn't feel like we were workin' together anymore. We weren't communicating. And you just kept talkin' more to fill the silence. And I let you, 'cause I didn't want to do anything wrong again. Just let everything go, until I couldn't take it anymore. And, after I lost it an' I hit ya - well, then I knew you wouldn't want to be around me anymore. So, I just figured I'd make it easy for you. ... Plus which you were still drivin' me nuts," he added as an afterthought.

"I don't want to leave Ray. I never did. I do miss Canada. But the area I miss is considerably further north. There's nothing for me in Ottawa. It's just another city. At least in Chicago, I feel like I have a friend." He paused. "Do I? Have a friend?" Ray tilted his head up and looked Fraser straight in the eyes, but didn't say anything. "Ray?" he asked softly.

"You have to ask?"

"Yes, Ray I do. I said something that apparently hurt you very badly, but you won't tell me what it was. I don't know how badly I damaged our friendship."

"I told you. You didn't say anything that wasn't the truth. It was more the tone. It wasn't at all Mountie-like. It just caught me off guard. I'm over it. You were overheated. Not responsible."

"So, not guilty by reason of temporary insanity?"

"Yeah. Hell, if it worked for Hinkley, why not for you?" Ray tried to grin, but it didn't reach his eyes, quite.

"Ray, give me a chance to make it up to you. Please trust me."

"What the Hell you think I been doin'? Followed you onto the Henry And ... boat .. ship, didn't I? It sinks, I'm doing a perfectly good bloom-close thing, but I go ahead and follow you onto a ghost ship, a submarine, this bizarre-ass replica of some other old boat and then back on that damn ghost ship. I have been knocked out, nearly drowned and shot into the air tied to a fire extinguisher - all trusting you. What more do you want from me?" Ray was breathing hard. His hair seemed to be standing even more on end than normal. Almost as though the energy flowing through him was finding a release there, Fraser thought distractedly. He sighed.

"Ray, I know you trust me here," he said, placing his hand on the blond's head. "I need you to trust me here." He moved his hand to the blond's chest. "In your heart."

Ray looked at the hand, then slowly, back up at Fraser. "I do," he said in a low voice. "I just ..." he shook his head and grimaced. Then, finally, "It's just ... everyone... everyone I care about leaves. I just figured I'd leave you first, save you the trouble, I guess."

"So ... you care about me?" Fraser couldn't stop the large grin breaking across his face.

"Yeah. I care." Ray gave that half laugh, half smile that the Mountie loved. "Benton Fraser, you are my partner and my friend. And before you ask, that wasn't nearly as hard to say as I thought it would be."

"I'm glad, Ray."

"Yeah. Me too." He grinned suddenly. "You're still a freak though."

"Understood. And Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't promise I won't leave. Someday I might get a transfer I can't refuse. But it wouldn't be to get away from you. No matter what. I can assure you of that."

"Thanks, Fraser. That means ... a lot." They sat there looking at each other in a comfortable silence, before Ray suddenly yawned, a wide, jaw-cracking, loud yawn. Fraser was reminded of a cat. Ray blinked at him, startled by his own action.

"You gonna sleep?" he asked.

"I had considered the possibility," the Mountie said.

"Plenty of room here," the detective said, shifting his position and lying back down.

"They do have hammocks below," Fraser informed him.

"Too far away," his partner said sleepily. Fraser smiled to himself.

"I told you," his father suddenly said. "Sometimes you just have to make a leap." Benton looked up to see Fraser Sr., standing on top of the crates, surveying the ship. "You know son," he said reflectively. "I worked with a lot of men over the years. Made some fine friends. But I only ever had one partner."

"Buck Frobisher."

"Buck Frobisher." Robert Fraser surveyed his son and the dozing detective. "Looks like maybe you've finally found your partner."

"Perhaps I have," Benton said. "Perhaps I have."

"Frase?" in a very sleepy voice.

"Yes, Ray?"

"You talkin' to yourself?"

"Well," Fraser hesitated, unsure how to truthfully answer this one. Ray saved him the trouble. "S'Okay. I talk to myself sometimes."

"Ahh."

"You can always talk ta me ya' know. S'what friends are for."

"Yes, it is."

"So, do you wanna talk?" Ray was so obviously struggling just to keep his eyes open, that Fraser had to stifle a laugh.

"Thank you kindly, but I think sleep is called for right now."

"Sleep's good."

"Yes, it is," Fraser agreed, lying down next to his partner. Ray moved his legs over to make more room and obligingly offered up part of the overcoat. Fraser accepted. After a moment, he reached out and touched his partner's cheek again. Still cold. He reached out an arm and wrapped it around Ray, pulling him closer to his own, warmer body. Ray murmured something and then was quiet again. Fraser looked up to see his father, still standing on the boxes, watching over them. He smiled, comforted by this, and soon fell asleep himself.

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