A big TYK to Saffron for beta reading this for me...
The poem is called 'The Windhover' written
by Gerard Manley Hopkins(1845-1889)
This contains major spoilers for Victoria's Secret and a couple of
season one episodes.(But if you haven't seen Vicki's Secret this story
may/will not make sense as the events mirror that episode. So if you
haven't seen VS then I advise you strongly to watch it before reading
this (Hire/beg/borrow/ buy a copy if poss) for two reasons. Firstly cos
its really good and secondly so you can understand my poor attempts at
fiction.) If you have seen it before but not for a while watch it again(go
on you know you want to...:O)
WARNING This is a major Victoria warning. I am going to be nice to
this lady.
Let me explain myself. OK I admit I have a soft spot for this young
lady (maybe because I share her name) But just imagine (if you can) her
point of view. You get dragged along on an armed robbery by a man who
supposedly loves you and get abandoned to die in the wilderness. You
are freezing to death (literally). All hope is lost... and then out of
the snow comes a demi-god draped in red rerge and fur. He covers you
with his beautiful body causing you to remember a poem you loved as a
child. You recite it over and over. He puts your fingers in his mouth
- The single most sensual act of your life. All of a sudden you are
in love with this unbelievable man(and who wouldn't be?). Miracle of
miracles the storm passes . You both survive and share a large meal of
dried and tinned food - the best food you have ever tasted. You walk
for four long, hard days. He helps you through the snow. Lifts your spirits
when you want to give up. Lays down close to you at night - to keep out
the cold. Suddenly, when you are too tired to continue you spy a steeple.
It's late already so you pitch a make-shift tent for the night . You
spend one last night together, watching the northern lights. He holds
you in his strong arms.... Maybe you make love, maybe not. You are sure
this guy loves you and then he completely (in your eyes) betrays you.
You ask him for just one thing, he denies you that one thing,(A decision
even he maintains was a mistake), and in doing so, sends you to prison
for 10 years. You watch your life go by. Your love turns to hate. The
years make you more and more bitter. Your loneliness twists your soul.
Boredom causes you to plan the intricacies of your revenge. The plan
is so good that once carried out you are able to disappear without a
trace..... no one can find you ...not even him.
But maybe if that one request had met a different response, maybe
your life would have been very different. Maybe you could turn your life
around. Maybe you would regain trust in men who had let you down so many
times. Maybe your love for a certain man who remain as pure as it was
on that cold mountain side. Maybe, just Maybe.
This is a story of fate and destiny. (It is also likely to get me
lynched)
"Go, just go."
"You mean it?"
"Quickly before I change my mind. Just go east and you should be OK..." he spoke quickly and placed his compass in her hand, his heart bounded in his throat.
She turned towards him and kissed him forcefully on his mouth "Thank you," she uttered and ran into the dawn light.
He sat for a short while before packing his tent into its pack. He struck a match and set fire to the photo he had taken of her less than 12 hours earlier. He lifted his equipment onto his back and marched west to the near by town.
"No sir, I didn't find her."
-Pause-
"Yes sir, I realise you expect me to get my man."
-Pause-
"No sir, I have not failed before but with respect the motto is 'Maintain the Right' and even if it were about 'getting our man', with all due respect Sir she is not a man."
-Pause-
" Yes sir I realise that and I will have a full report on your desk within half an hour of my return."
-Pause-
"Thank you kindly, Sir."
-Pause-
"Yes Sir I probably am, I will put myself on probation. Thank you Sir." Benton hung up the phone, sighed heavily and wrote his first piece of fiction. His report was plausible of anyone but Benton Fraser and his Sergeant accepted his profuse apologies for failing in his mission.
Benton Fraser went on with his life. Victoria Metcalf re-started hers.
*********
10 years later. Chicago.
*********
Ray straightened his beautiful pool table. Ben looked on admiringly.
"You sure you are coming Friday?"
"Yeah I'll be there," Ben replied preparing to leave.
"Don't forget my money cos I was thinking of getting a deli platter or a pizza and beer oh, what the hell, I'll get both." The words drifted over the mounty, his mind was else where. *Was it her?*
"No Ray, I won't forget."
Benton left the Vecchio house and started to head home. He had to talk to someone. He made a big mistake. He couldn't believe he's just let her go. If he had turned her in at least he could see her in prison. But then she probably wouldn't want to see him. He walked past the Church on the corner of the detective's street. Stopped, turned back and climbed the steps.
"I made a mistake."
"Tell me about it, Son."
Ben told the Priest about the rescue, the robbery, the mountain, the cold, the poem, and her.....
"It snowed for a day, a night and another day.." he told the story in an almost poetic manner the rythm of his words held the Father's attention completely. "She had the most beautiful voice... It was like I'd known her forever...."
"What did you do?" The priest inquired.
"I let her go. My job has always been my life and I let her go."
"You love this woman?"
"Yes."
"Then she is more important than work, God will punish her in his own way."
"But I will never see her again."
"Perhaps that is your punishment."
********
"Dad I had to let her go."
"You should have done your duty, son."
"Dad how many times have we had this conversation?"
"Well technically never. You didn't tell me 'til I was dead. Are you going to eat that?"
"No"
Fraser Sr. stuffed the fries into his mouth. "These taste of nothing."
"Stop eating them then."
"You made your mistake, Son now you have to live with it."
Benton nodded and watched his dead father leave.
And there she was, climbing out of a taxi. Exactly as he remembered her. He left the diner and ran down the street towards the yellow cab.
"Where is she?"
"Get your hands off me." The taxi driver wielded his gun and drove off.
"Where did she go..... "he shouted after the cab but it had already disappeared into the Chicago traffic.
*Gone again. That's three times I lost her. It WAS her, it has to be her.* Ben ran his hands through his hair, looked once more up and down the street and then reluctantly returned to pay his bill. Once he'd counted out the money he backed towards the door and turned to leave.
*Oh my God it IS her*
"I thought I'd never see you again..."
"No."
"I saw you standing in the middle of the road."
"I was there.. standing.. in the middle of the road..... Where were you...?"
"College."
"... going."
"It doesn't matter."
*******
"So what happened after you left?" He looked at her not believing she had come to find him.
"Well after I left, I went east," she smiled. "I carried on until I got to a small town and I hitched home. It took me a little while to sort myself out and then I went to college."
"What did you study?"
"Psychology and Philosophy and .... your career. I followed your father's murder case closely. I'm sorry about his passing by the way. That's how I know where to find you. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life."
Victoria opened her bag to pay the bill.
"No, I've got it...." Ben started, ever the gentleman.
"No I've got it." Her voice was determined.
" Figure you owe me?"
"Something like that." She smiled at him. "I've got to go." she said handing the money to the guy behind the counter. She turned to leave.
Panic overtook him "Victoria, can I see you again?"
"When?"
"Now."
"You hungry?"
"Starving."
The meal that followed in his apartment was of a similar size to what they shared in Fortitude Pass. She cooked, he stirred and set the table. They settled down to watch the television amongst a million candles. They sat close to each other. Dief sulked on Fraser's bed feeling left out.
"Why is there no sound on this television?"
"It's broken I have to get it fixed before I return it."
"I hate this film anyway.... Eve Kendal's such a bitch." She stood up and snapped the TV off. "Could we go for a walk or something, show me something of the city."
"Sure, what do you want to see?"
"You."
They walked around the city, travelled on the Ls, looked at the architecture, the sky and each other and finally, he walked her to her hotel.
"Shall I walk you to your door?"
" Why not?"
They walked together through the lobby, towards the elevators. The doors slid shut and then they were alone. She spoke quietly, almost under her breath.
"I'm sorry, I never told you how sorry I am, I am only just beginning to understand what I put you through by asking you to let me go... I'm sorry. You will never know how grateful I am. You saved my life and I'm so sorry...."
He put his hand on her face and wiped away her tears. She kissed his fingers, his hand, his cheeks, his lips. The doors pinged and slid open and ignoring the on looking crowd she led him towards her room.
He closed the door behind them and kissed her once again.......
********
"Hello." his face had exploded into a huge grin as he brought in the breakfast he had ordered and all but dived on to the bed. He looked really pleased with himself.
"Good Morning you." she said, punching him playfully, "This all looks great."
He kissed her and after a short while spoke, "Look I *have* to go to work but can I see you later, for lunch maybe?"
"Where?"
"Here."
"Oh I see." she smiled, "Let me see, what should I wear?" her eyes twinkled.
"Clothing is entirely optional." his grin gained an evil twist.
He kissed her once more and left the room whistling.
******
OUTSIDE THE CONSULATE
******
"Yo Fraser, How goes it?" Ray waved at the mounty as he crossed the street and checked his watch.
"OK We'll play it your way. five, four, three, two, one." The bell tolled.
"Great Ray, How are you?"
"You haven't forgotten about tonight?"
"What about tonight?" Benton searched his mind and drew a blank.
"The pool night. You have forgotten, what's going on you never forget, like the proverbial elephant. Come on spill?"
"I've got a friend staying."
"Oh cool, where are they from?"
"She's from Canada. I met her a few years ago and well, we kind of lost touch."
"She?? You've got a woman staying with you?"
"Well strictly speaking I'm staying with her but yes. Actually I said I would meet her for lunch."
"Great can I come and meet her?"
"Well I think she was just expecting me...."
"Oh I see, that kind of lunch." Ray's eyebrow raised in a knowing way.Ben turned as red as his tunic. "Well bring her to my get together tonight... and don't forget my sixty bucks."
"You sure she can come Ray, I thought it was just supposed to be the guys??"
"Believe me, the guys are going to want to see this, Benny with a woman, this has to be a first."
Ray walked away from the consulate chuckling quietly to himself. "Benny with a woman..."
******
Ben knocked on the door.
"Enter."
He walked through the unlocked door and saw her wearing only a bath robe reclining on the large queen sized bed. She was surrounded by lunch - a silver platter covered with slivers of smoked salmon, slices of fresh fruit and morsels of lightly browned toast. On the dresser was a bottle of maple syrup.
"This looks great," Ben spoke deliberately, he was not looking at the food.
"Well, you know the old saying..." asked Victoria, slowly unbuttoning the red tunic.
"Well actually no..."
"Life is short, eat dessert first." she applied a layer of syrup to his torso.
"Oh that saying...."
********
"Hi Benny, and this is.... ?"
"Victoria." she took Ray's hand and shook it firmly. "You are sure this is OK I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Come on in, any friend of Benny's and all that, they're all in the dining room, second on the left..."
"Hi Ray, here's your money."
"Thanks Benny, she's great where'd you find her?"
"On the lee side of a mountain, in the middle of a storm."
"Canadian isn't she?"
"Of course." Ben smiled and the two friends joined the group in the dining room.
******
"OK, OK double or quits... I have to win one game, I couldn't be that unlucky." Victoria chalked her cue and waited for one of the others to take up her challenge.
"I don't think we should be gambling for money..."
"Shut up Benny." The rest of the room spoke as one and for once, Ben obliged.
"OK young lady double or quits it is." Louis bent down and broke the pack.
Victoria smiled and started to pick off the balls. Side pocket, corner pocket, corner pocket, side pocket, one ball after another, never losing position, the balls fell in order, and finally she stood up as the black ball fell. She laughed, blew the chalk of the end of her cue and shrugged. "Beginners luck?"
"You're a hustler."
"You deserved it. Just 'cos I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't play pool."
"I was just trying to help."
"Well as you can see I don't need your help. Now pay up."
"Hey it was just a friendly right?"
"Pay up Lewy you were beaten fair and square." Ray instructed and left the room to order the food. The phone rang as he was about to dial.
"Yello, Vecchio residence...... Yeah I'll get her for you. If you don't mind me asking how did you get this number. Oh I see.... no, no problem."
"Hey Vicki, your brother's on the phone, " Ray yelled down the corridor.
"I don't have a brother." Victoria responded quietly, her face fell and walked into the hall, Ben following closely behind her. She took the receiver from the Italian.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"You know who this is? I want my money."
"I haven't got it, I don't know where it is."
"Well, it's gone and you were the only other one who could have known."
"I haven't got it, Leave me alone." she slammed the receiver down and ran out of the house. Ben ran after her and caught her before she got to the end of the driveway. They both saw the car leaving the street. Victoria was crying.
"I have to go."
"Who was it on the phone?"
"It was him, Jolly, he escaped two weeks ago, I'm sorry I thought I could lose him, by coming to the states." Victoria's body shook. "He thinks I have the money, I don't. I did but I burnt it, all of it. I didn't want it coming back to haunt me. So much for that idea. I can't go to prison, Ben, it would kill me."
"You are not going to prison. This guy is an escapee. We can arrest him for that. Don't worry I'll keep you safe." A protective arm encircled her quaking body and led her back to the house.
"I'll have to tell Ray. We can trust him."
Ben explained the situation to Ray, saying that Victoria used to live with an armed robber and that he had been caught stealing from a bank. He explained that this man had told Victoria where the money was and that Victoria had burnt it. He omitted her involvement in the robbery."She's scared Ray, this guy has no qualms about murder. He killed a guard at the robbery. He thinks she has his money."
"Don't worry Vic., we'll get the S. O. B. We'll get you to a safe house for now. We take no risks O.K."
"Look I'll just go, I really didn't want to get you involved in all this." she turned to face Ben, "It's just when I saw you I had to speak to you. I missed you." Ben's arm tightened round her shoulders.
"You're going nowhere we're going to sort this, once and for all."
"I don't see how, look I can be out of the state by midnight."
"I am *not* losing you again." he held on to her tightly. "Stay with me please."
She hugged him tightly, and slowly nodded her head. Yes, she would trust him again.
"Bitch." Jolly slammed the receiver down. He had been following her for days and was getting nowhere fast. All of a sudden she was hanging around with cops. How convenient. I should have blown the whistle on her, but then who would have believed him? A good girl from a middle class background verses him a convicted felon with a wrap sheet a mile long. Plus her evidence would have put him away for longer. No it had been better this way, if the bitch hadn't taken his money that is. Well now she was going to pay. If necessary with her life. He cleaned and loaded his gun, giving it a final polish before he placed it on the bed side table. She would keep until tomorrow.
********
"Why didn't you tell me he was after you?"
"I thought I'd lost him. I thought I'd heard the last of him."
"So this is why you came to Chicago?"
"No it's why I came to the States, I came to Chicago because of you. It seemed the logical place to go. I've been in love....." She realised too late what she said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lay that on you only..." her words were stopped by his lips. He kissed her hard and carried her over to the small safe house bed and lay her gently down....He cradled her in his arms until morning.
*******
Jolly woke early and picked up the mobile phone he had stolen the day before and switched it on.
"Hello. Yes. Detective McLauchlan please..(pause)... Hi Dave, yes its me. I'm looking for some information.... (pause).... look, you know I always pay well....(pause)... You can name your price on this one.....(pause)... You know what I want to know.....(pause)... 10k's not a problem....(pause).... Thanks buddy, I'll pay you after the bitch is six feet under."
********
NEXT MORNING AT A HOUSE AT A SECRET LOCATION
"Benny, you two here?"
"Yeah we're here," Victoria answered and unbolted the door, "we're just having some breakfast you want some?" She ushered the Italian into the kitchen.
"Nah, thanks anyway, my Mama stuffed me before I left home, I could use a cup of coffee though."
"Sure, no worries." She smiled and poured the hot black liquid into a mug and pushed it and the cream jug towards the detective.
"Hi Ray, found the felon yet?" Ben entered the room towelling his hair dry.
"No, not yet but we will, don't worry," Ray replied stirring his drink.
Victoria looked away and the detective put the spoon down and forced her to look of him and placed his hand on hers "We WILL get him."
Ben's eyes focused on something outside the window and immediately dived across the room flattening Victoria to the floor. The window smashed and the sound of the shot rang out in the distance. "I'm sorry" he spoke quietly, still lying on top of her.
"Sorry for what ? Saving my life ?"
"No for flattening you, are you OK?"
She laughed "A lot better than if I'd stayed standing - yes I'm fine. Thank you."
Ray ran to the window in time to see a man run across the yard into the trees. He pulled out his gun but the guy was already out of range. He turned to the couple still lay on the floor. "He's gone..... He couldn't have tailed me... I checked all the way here..." and then more quietly to himself " I checked and double checked there was no one following me...he couldn't have followed me." he muttered on...
"He didn't" The two policemen spoke as one.
"He found out some other way..." Benton continued
"Yeah, a dirty cop." Ray added, putting two and two together. " I'm on it." he ran out of the door towards the Riv.
"Come on Victoria, we'll take a look out side." the mounty grabbed his jacket off a hook in the kitchen and hung it round her shoulders before taking her hand and leading her out of the back door.
Fraser looked around on the floor. Whoever had been there, had been there a while. There were several cigarette stubs on the floor.
"Canadian," Fraser concluded as he sniffed one. There was also an ice-cream tub.
"Don't tell me - chocolate chip cookie dough?" Vicki smirked "It was him."
"Yeah, I think we knew that anyway. But he was careless. He's staying near the consulate."
"How can you tell that from an ice cream tub and a cigarette stub?"
"There's a price tag on the ice cream its the store just round the corner... Come on lets go, it's not safe here now anyway. I'll phone for a taxi."
*****
Ben walked in the convenience store and up to the counter.
"Good morning Sir, Benton Fraser R.M.C.P."
"Hi" The youth shifted in his seat, police of any kind made him nervous. "Can I help you?" he asked hoping that the cop just wanted a packet of cigarettes or something.
"Yes, I believe you can, I noticed that you have a video camera, is it on all the time?"
The youth breathed a sigh of relief and said "I don't know, I'll get the manager." and called him via the intercom.
"Brad Winston," the manager was little older than the youth at the counter. He shook the mounty's hand "How can I be of assistance?"
Benton repeated his request.
"Yes" the manager said proudly, "We keep the tapes for a week, unless there is something remarkable on them."
"Can we see them?" Victoria asked.
"Of course, are you looking for anything in particular?"
"Umm, a Canadian guy buying cigarettes and cookie dough ice cream." Victoria answered looking slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, no need to look at the tapes... if its the guy I think it is... he special ordered a carton of a Canadian brand of cigarettes and I delivered that and 4 quarts of ice cream to him two days ago..."
"Sounds like Jolly, " Victoria interjected.
"What did he do it's still not illegal to eat cookie dough is it??" The manager laughed finding himself amusing.
Ben ignored the comments and said, "He's a black mailer. Could you get his address for us?"
"Sure, no problem, anything to help the police." He reached under the counter and pulled out the order book before searching for a pen. Ben provided a pen from his Sam Brown and the manager wrote the address down.
"Thank you kindly," Ben nodded his thanks and Victoria smiled weakly at the manager.
*******
AT THE PRECINCT.
"We got an address, can we get back up?" Ben asked bluntly.
"No worries on that score, just give me half an hour to sort it.... How did you get it - the address I mean?"
"Cookie dough Ice cream." Ben replied.
"Don't ask - you don't want to know." Victoria added.
"Why do I know you are right?" Ray smirked.
*******
A DIRTY APARTMENT BLOCK VERY MUCH LIKE FRASER'S.
"Police open up." before anyone could answer, Ray's foot was through the door. It swung back to reveal an apartment which had obviously been recently vacated. The wardrobe doors were open, as were all the drawers.
"Damn! We missed him, how come he's always one step ahead... no don't answer that I already know... crooked cops - the most dishonest species on earth.. but who?"
Ben blushed slightly... in his own eyes, he too, was a crooked cop.
Victoria waited patiently at the precinct. She watched the clock, flipped through the files on top of Ray's desk, not really interested in them. She shot baskets through Ray's toy hoop and then marched up and down for a while. They told her she would be safer here than with them ... she didn't feel very safe. There were few people here now, mostly because they had all gone to arrest Jolly. Still that nice Detective McLauchlan was there, what had they called him, Dave, that was it. She wandered across the room to where he was working.
"You want a coffee?" she asked "I was going to get myself one."
"Yeah sure, why not. Black with one" he pulled some change out of his pocket and gave it to her and continued, "this one's on me."
"Thanks." she wandered towards the vending machines and started to push the relevant buttons.
She was just deciding what to have herself when her ears tuned in to a whispered conversation in the squad room. Her heart beat faster, she recognised the voice.
"NO she suspects nothing... she's a sitting duck... "
"Don't you have something to do at the front desk?"
"Yeah no worries... you got my money?"
Victoria didn't wait to here any more she ran into the squad room.. she recognised Jolly immediately - the baseball cap and dark glasses were little disguise to her. She had to get out, thinking quickly she dumped the hot black liquid in Jolly's face and ran for it. She ran through the building and out the front door. She hailed a cab and returned to her hotel.
She hurries through the lobby and straight up the stairs. Entering her room she grabbed a hold-all from the shelf and stuffed some of her clothes into it. *I have to go... Oh God he's going to kill me. I'll just go.* The thoughts rushed through her head. She dragged the phone from the far side of the bed and deposited on the mattress before lifting the receiver.
"Reception, how can I be of service?" the voice at the other end of the phone sounded functional.
"I need a cab to the train station as soon as possible."
"That's not a problem ma'am I will order one for you. What name shall I give?"
"Victoria Metcalf, thank you kindly."
"Thank you Ms. Metcalf, I am sure it will be here in about 10 minutes, do you want me to call you when it arrives?"
"No that's not necessary, I'll wait for it in the lobby."
"OK, thank you, Ms. Metcalf."
She hung up the phone and picked some personal items off the dresser before picking up the hold all and leaving the room.
She dropped her key at reception and handed over her credit card in payment for the room before seeing the yellow cab arrive. As she sank into the seat she realised she had not left a note, as she intended to do for Ben. *Too late now* she thought *I'll write to him later he will understand.*
*******
Ray and Ben returned to the precinct and found Victoria gone.
"Dave, where did Vicki go?" Ray asked Det. McLauchlan.
"Oh some guy came in looking for her and then she said something about nipping back to the hotel or something."
"And you let her go alone. You're supposed to be looking after her." Ben sounded mad.
"Oh sorry...." Dave sounded disinterested.
Ben walked towards Dave his mouth fixed in a straight line, he raised his arm as if to hit the detective but Ray grabbed his shoulder,
"Later," Ray said "We find Vicki first."
Ben nodded and the two men rushed out of the building.
The Riv screeched to a halt in front of the hotel and the two men ran towards the reception. "Room 2787, the spare key, now." Ray flashed his badge. The receptionist didn't resist and handed the master key over. They ran up the stairs to the second floor and entered the room.
A few clothes were scattered over the floor, but it was pretty obvious that Victoria had left and she was in a hurry.
"She's scared Ray ... she's bolted."
"Where do we go from here?" Ray queried, his hand on his forehead.
"The phone" Ben replied, spotting the phone sat haphazardly in the centre of the bed, "she used the phone before she left." Ben picked up the phone.
" Reception, how can I be of service?" The same functional voice answered.
"Yes, Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I need to know who the woman from this room phoned before she left."
"Ummm, yes, I took that call I think, Victoria something let me check..."
"Metcalf," Ben added somewhat desperately.
"Yes, that's right, she ordered a taxi to the station, about 20 minutes ago."
"The station." Ben said as he replaced the handset.
"I'll radio for back up. Let's go."
Ben didn't need telling, he was already through the door.
"Back up needed now at the train station." Ray spoke into the radio as the riv revved into action.
"Copy." Elaine's voice was short in reply.
Huey and Lewy picked up their coats and Dave McLauchlan picked up the phone....
****
Victoria stood in the queue scanning the background. As she reached the kiosk the teller spoke.
"Yes how can I help? "
"A one way ticket on the next interstate train... please."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere, I just need a ticket."
"There's a train to New York in 15 minutes would you like a ticket for that?"
"Yes, yes whatever... quickly please" she said, throwing her card at the teller.
The teller gave her a strange look but swiped her card and handed her a ticket. "platform 3b... Have a nice day."
"Thank you kindly. " Victoria ran towards the platform.
Ben and Ray ran into the station in time to spy a long, dark haired walk towards platform 3b. They ran after her and reached her as she got to the platform. Ray grabbed her shoulder.
"Yes?" she turned round.
"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else. " Ray apologised.
Ben felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned. Victoria stood in front of him. "I'm sorry Ben, I'm going to leave. I really didn't mean for you to get involved with this. "
"You can't go. I love you."
"Come with me. We can go somewhere else, start again."
"He'll follow you where ever... if I can find you then so can he. "
"What other choice do I have?" She lowered her eyes and walked away from the mountie, towards the edge of the platform.
Ben felt something cold and hard against his temple. He allowed his eyes to roll round enough to see the gun pressed against his skin. "I got ya this time Bitch... you and lover boy here."
Victoria spun round to see Jolly holding the gun. "Leave him out of it. It's me you want... "
Ray reached for his gun and pulled it out quickly "DROP IT"
Jolly laughed "You drop it - or I shoot your friend."
"What do I do?" Ray asked Ben.
"Shoot me."
"You what?" Ray said in amazement.
"Shoot me, take the hostage out of the equation... You shot the Riv... you can shoot me. Then arrest Jolly."
"The car was different."
" SHOOT ME."
Ray lowered the gun, pointed it at Frasers (other) leg and fired.
Ben ducked - at the wrong moment, and the bullet entered the mounty's back. He collapsed on the floor.
Jolly was stunned. He swung round to face Victoria...
Victoria's eyes darkened. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small silver hand gun. "Son of a bitch." Pointing it straight at the felon she pulled the trigger. A single shot rang out and the man fell to the floor.
Victoria ran across to the mounty and shouted, "Is he alright?"
"Jeez I don't know. Get an ambulance, FOR GOD'S SAKE WILL SOMEONE GET AN AMBULANCE?"
Huey, who had arrived at the platform in time to see Victoria shoot Jolly, pulled out his cell phone and dialled.
Ben was speaking in a faint, muffled voice-
"I caught this morning morning's minion, king-
dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon,
in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and
striding"
"He remembered the poem, you can't leave me now, Ben.. not now... stay with me Ben, stay with me... " and her voice mingled with his as they recited the poem together.
"High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing In
his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the
hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird,--the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!
Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion Times
told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!
No wonder of it: sheer plod makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion."
******
IN A BEIGE HOSPITAL ROOM SOME TIME LATER.
"Look Ray, when I said 'shoot me', I didn't mean shoot me, I mean I'm not that odd, am I?"
"You said 'shoot me' you didn't say you were going to duck... I was aiming for your leg... "
"I thought it would be obvious that I didn't want to be shot... I mean you could have deduced that I was going to duck to give you a clear aim at Jolly... Saying 'Shoot me' was just so that you could get your gun out without raising suspicion."
"Well that's what you said... you said shoot me. And I'm sorry but if y..."
"No need to apologise Ray, it's in the past no permanent harm done..."
"I wasn't apologising I was just..."
"You said you were sorry...."
"Yes but I didn't mean I was sorry I meant that...."
"You said tha..."
Victoria had had enough, this conversation had repeated itself in various guises over the past few weeks. She kissed the mounty briefly on the lips, stopping him in his tracks. "Would you two grow up please....thank you. Now hurry up and pack your stuff we have to go home." She glowed as she used that word - home.
She watched as the mountie folded his clothes neatly and packed them into his back pack. She signalled to the detective.
As Ray approached her she lowered her voice. "Well?" she asked.
Ray smiled. "You're in the clear.. Obviously it was self defence, you have three witnesses that say so. You can relax. "
Victoria hugged the cop and kissed him on the cheek.
"Any more of that and I'll get jealous." Ben hobbled out of the room. "Let's go home."
******
AT BEN'S APARTMENT.
The scenery has changed somewhat. The walls have been painted, the kitchen is spotless, curtains blow in the open windows and there is a bit more furniture around the place.
Ben looked round the apartment. "It looks great," he commented and dropped his back pack on the floor before turning to Victoria. "You look great," he said before kissing her.
"I have something for you." Victoria held up a tiny parcel.
"What is it?"
"Something I borrowed years ago and swore I would return - if I ever found you again..."
Ben opened the parcel and his old compass fell into the palm of his hand. "You kept it all these years?"
"Of course - it wasn't mine. I wanted to return it. It saved my life and I always knew it would bring me back to you - bring me home."
"Thank you .... I have something for you as well."
Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police pulled a small box out of his pocket and as he slipped the diamond on to her finger, he too, at last, was home.
THE END.