Teddys, Riv's & Memories

by Red Skye
=====================
[A.R] F/M E/R

NOTES:
        -This is Ray's thoughts-
        =This is Fraser's thoughts=
        [Welsh's thoughts]
        {Elaine's thoughts}
        *equals emphasis*

        Someone brought up the idea of a certain ex-civilian
aide possibly having a thing for Ray. This morning, I
thought I'd take that idea and run with it, and see where it
went. This is the result. (yes, I did write the whole thing
in one day.)

*~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*

        It happened so fast no had a chance to react fast
enough to stop it happening. Ray was walking past a desk
where two surly miscreants were standing, while their
details were being read out and checked. They're hands were
cuffed behind their backs and no one noticed the more agile
of the pair tinkering with the cuffs with a sharp lock
picking tool he'd had tucked up his sleeve. Dief was trying
to get the Jelly Doughnut the Italio-American cop was
teasing him with and jumped up giving Ray a push with his
paws, Ray back stepped, and one of the miscreants struck
out, his foot slamming into the back of Ray's knee. Ray went
down, the doughnut went flying and Dief went after it.
        Ray's head impacted with the hard floor and the breath
gushed out of his body. His startled cry attracted
attention, and no one noticed the miscreant lift the gun of
the officer at his side. But they noticed when his fellow
miscreant body tackled the officer away. The gun swung
around and a shot was fired. People started diving under
desks, pulling out guns.
        The next thing Ray was aware of was a pounding in his
head, a throbbing in his leg, and that he couldn't draw in
another breath. There was shouting going on and Diefenbaker
was growling.
        He opened his eyes wincing and wished he hadn't as he
realised why it was so hard to breath. Someone was standing
over him, a foot on his throat, aiming a gun at him.
        "Call the mutt off or I'll blow his dumb head off."
        "That mutt is a wolf and he's rather attached to
Detective Vecchio," Ray heard Fraser say. "He's also deaf,
so he can't hear anyone telling him to stop doing what comes
quite naturally to him, protecting his pack mate."
        Gun or no gun, if that foot wasn't moved he'd be a dead
man. He wanted to throw up, to draw breath, either, but he
couldn't do either. Ray tried to pull that foot away, but it
just pushed down harder and his body arched as the blackness
threatened to take him down. His body started thrashing, and
he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Movement
behind the miscreant with the gun, his eyes rolled back and
he couldn't control anything any more as autonomic reflexes
kicked.
        "The only way to make him stop is to point the gun
away from Detective Vecchio."
        "What do you think I am? Stupid."
        "I have no idea but your actions are. You are in the
middle of a police station, you are surrounded by armed
police, who will riddle your body with lead if you don't
drop your weapon. Then there's Diefenbaker who *will* rip
your throat out if you don't take your foot of Ray's
throat."
        The miscreant froze as he felt cold metal touch the
base of his skull.
        "I suggest you drop the gun, now," Fraser said.
        "You're choice, drop it, or I'll blow your brains out.
It's called justifiable Homicide," Elaine's chilly voice
said.
        As the miscreant heard her cock the gun she had to his
head, he let the gun fell from his hands. The gun landed on
Ray's chest before bouncing off and Fraser kicked it away.
Men moved in to drag him away and Fraser dropped to his
knee's by Ray, Elaine a moment behind, a hand touched his
throat, another his chest and face.
         Ray felt a hand slap him and his eyes opened, he drew
in a whistling breath, gagging and chocking then he was
being lifted and turned to throw up, before being drawn up
into a distinctly feminine embrace. A gentle hand stroked
his head as his own hands flew to his throat and he
struggled to drawer in air, shaking like a leaf in reaction.
        He heard his sister's frantic voice from far away,
telling people to get out of her way. He saw Fraser's blue
eyes so full of concern, staring into his, felt the
Mountie's hand on his face. His eyes fluttered and closed
and he sank into that embrace, aware of nothing more than
the rapid fire beating of the heart under his ear, the scent
of a woman, and gentle rocking.
        -Mama-

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray smiled wanly from his hospital bed as Fraser
approached. Dief stood on his hind legs, resting his paws on
the bed side, a paper sack dangled from his jaws and Ray's
hand fell to scratch his head.
        "Hiya Dief," Ray greeted the wolf, his voice a raspy
croak.
        "He has something for you."
        Ray's hand fell to the bag, and Dief released it. Ray's
other hand travelled over the bed, finding the control he
was after he pressed the button, and the top half of the bed
rose up. He dropped the control and looked into the bag to
see a Jelly doughnut and gave a raspy little laugh, then
rewarded Dief with another behind the ears scratch.
        "Thank-you."
        Dief dropped back down.
        "How are you feeling?"
        "Much better now.. I can breath without that tube in
my throat."
        "That's a nice flower display who's it from?"
        Ray gave a little shrug.
        "It was there when I woke up this morning."
        Fraser moved to the stand to take a better look at
them, and fussed with them, looking for a card.
        Then he frowned and touched a rose, and leaned closer
to inhale deeply and laughed.
        "What are laughing at."
        "You... Myself.. Mainly you."
        "Make sense."
        Fraser plucked a flower, a rose from the bunch and then
handed it to Ray.
        "Smell that."
        Ray sniffed, then frowned, bringing up his other hand
to touch the rose.
        "It's not real."
        Ray sniffed it and a memory returned of being held in a
woman's arms and gently rocked while a soft hand stroked his
head. The scent was the same scent that woman wore.
        "A display of fake flowers like that costs more than a
display of *real* ones. Because these ones die like real
flowers."
        "So she brought me fake flowers, lots of people do
that."
        Fraser sat with a teasing smile.
        "Flowers often have a meaning, and it's up to the
receiver to decipher the meaning behind the giver's gift."
        Ray rolled his eyes.
        "Don't roll your eyes at me."
        A buzzer sounded and Fraser rose.
        "You're leaving?"
        "Visiting hours are over. Think about what I said,"
he said patting Ray's arm, then patting his leg.
        Dief came out from under the bed, and followed after
him.
        Ray stared after him in confusion.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        The worst thing about hospitals, Ray thought, as he lay
on curled up on his side, staring at the bedside stand, was
being woken up at all hours of the night. The nurse had just
come through change his I.V and woken him up. Now he was
wide awake, and bored to death.
        He couldn't wait to get out. Intravenous food sucked.
He wanted a cup of coffee. Not to mention the doughnut in
the bag on the stand. He smiled as he looked at it, a gift
like that from Dief meant more than a silly bunch of
flowers.
        That reminded him of the display of flowers. He
examined it. Thinking about what Fraser had said, and
stretched out a hand to pick up the flower Fraser had pulled
free. Sniffing it again, he smelt that perfume again.
        He still didn't get the joke, and he went over his
entire conversation with Fraser trying to work it out.
Staring at the display of red and yellow flowers he analysed
every little word and sighed.
        He hated being the butt of a joke he didn't understand.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

Officer Bresbriss watched her partner take the details
of the theft that had occurred at the florists shop and her
eyes kept falling away to a display on the counter next to
the till that had been emptied.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray lay on his bed, reading a book, The fake flowers
rested in the center of his dresser with a bronzed jelly
doughnut on a stand before them. There was a knock on his
door and he looked up.
        "Come in," he croaked.
        The door opened and his sister peeked around the door,
then slipped into the room wearing her idea of a civilian
Aide's uniform, and in her hands she held a big fluffy teddy
bear holding a scarlet red cushion with the words thinking
of you embroidered on it. There was a yellow rose in it's
arms.
        "This arrived at the station, for you."
        Ray bolted up and took the gift from her.
        "Who's it from?"
        Frannie shrugged.
        "Don't tell me you didn't read the card."
        "There was no card."
        Ray pulled the rose loose and looked over the wrapping.
She was write there was no message card, and no sign there
had ever been one.
        "But I think Fraser knows."
        "Oh, was he there?"
        "He came to get something he left on your desk the
last time he was there."
        "Who does he think it is?"
        She shrugged.
        "He didn't say, he just took the bear, sniffed the
rose, smiled and handed it back."
        Ray sniffed at the rose, then his eyes flew to the
display on his dresser. Damned if that rose didn't smell the
same. Touching the rose he discovered it was silk too and he
tucked the rose back in the bears arms and set it on his
bedside dresser.
        When it became obvious he wasn't going to tell her
either she gave a little shrug and sat on the edge of the
bed.
        "Everyone's wondering when you're coming back."
        "When I get my voice back," Ray croaked.
        "Oh, I almost forget, after he gave me the bear back,
Fraser asked if you've worked out what he was laughing about
the other day yet?"
        Ray looked at the teddy bear, then at Frannie.
        "Are you sure this bear wasn't meant for Fraser?"
        "Yes."
        "What do yellow roses mean?"
        "Friendship."
        Ray pointed to the display on the dresser.
        "What does that say to you?"
        Frannie looked around.
        "Get well soon???"
        "Forget where I got them.. What does it say to you, if
a guy gave it to you, what would you think he's saying."
        Frannie rose and walked over to his dresser to pull the
display down and looked it over, touching the petals and
then sniffed them.
        "They smell like the rose with the bear."
        "I noticed."
        "So who gave you these?"
        "I have no idea. They were just there by the bed when
I woke up one morning."
        "No card or note?"
        "Uh-hu."
        "Just like the bear.. This is so cute.. You've got a
secret admirer."
        He waggled a finger at her.
        "If I find out you pulled this stunt just to cheer me
up," he croaked.
        "I swear I had nothing to do with it. When the courier
arrived asking where Vecchio was, I thought it was for me,
you lucky dog you."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        A week later Ray walked into the Bullpen followed by
Huey and Dewey, collecting people in his wake. He stopped
dead when he saw his desk. There was a collection of rose
bearing toys there. A brown teddy, A tiger, with a rose tied
to it's neck, a robot, holding a rose in it's pincers, A
sheep, like the tiger, it's rose was tied around its neck
with a ribbon. A silver helium balloon hovered at the roof,
a rose hanging from it's colourful streamers, and the
biggest damn teddy bear he'd ever seen, wearing an Armani
suit, with a replica Chicago police badge clipped to it's
tie and a set of cuffs, and holster with a replica gun
attached to its belt sat in his chair.
        Ray gaped at it, and a flash went off in his face.
Blinking away he looked around and saw his sister running
off with a police camera. He decided to pounce on her later
and looked at the people gathered and waiting.
        "Who's bright idea was this?" He asked, his voice
husky but strong.
        There were shrugs all round, and they started
dispersing.
        "They've been arriving every day since you got out of
the hospital," Huey supplied.
        "No cards. No name," Dewey answered.
        Ray started grabbing silk roses, to sniff at them. It
was the same perfume in every case.
        "Anyone called Vecchio here?" A voice called out.
        Ray's arm went up. Huey and Dewey turned looking around
and a delivery man wound his way through the group with a
brightly wrapped parcel and a pad. Ray signed for the parcel
and looked for a senders name and address. There was none.
        "Who is this from?"
        "I just deliver," he said and walked away.
        The curious Huey and Dewey turned to watch Ray shake
the parcel then sink into his guest seat and rip the
wrapping off. That revealed an emerald green box and he
lifted the lid of then gaped and lifted out a large scale
model of 1971 Buick Riviera, in green.
        Huey laughed.
        Ray poked the door and it came open. He looked inside,
then reached out to pull a pen from his cup and poked around
inside. The trunk popped open and Ray looked in, and pulled
out a piece of folded paper.
        "So who's it from?"
        "It doesn't say."
        "So what does it say?"
        "Sam's Motor Mart, RPC-978 and the address. See," Ray
handed it to Huey.
        Huey looked at it, fetched a phone book and found the
address, then called the number and took the note from Ray.
        "This is Detective Huey, Chicago P.D do you have a car
in your lot with the registration RPC-978... Yes.. I'll
wait."
        Ray admired his new toy and poked around inside with
the pen. The hood popped open and he studied the perfectly
reproduced engine.
        "You do have it.. Could you tell me what make and
colour it is?... A Buick Riviera."
        Ray's head came up.
        "1971 Model, Mint Condition."
        Ray's eyes lit up.
        "Oh, it's been sold."
        Ray slumped.
        "Thank-you."
        Huey hung up.
        "They sold it this morning, right?"
        "Last night.."
        Dewey stretched a hand out and pointed.
        "There's something else in the trunk."
        Ray turned it around and pushed open the lid up higher
and then using the pen he pulled out a key ring, with a tiny
little replica 1971 green Buick Riviera and a set of car
keys.
        Huey picked up the phone and hit redial.
        "Hello, It's Detective Huey again, Can you tell me who
the Buick was sold to. Raymond Vecchio.. No, Thank-you, I
don't need the address."
        He hung up. Ray packed the model back into the box and
set it on the desk.
        "Need a lift?" Huey asked.
        "You just want to find out who actually brought the
car."
        "You want to catch a cab that far?"
        "Lead the way."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Huey followed Ray through the car lot.
        "Well that was a complete bust."
        "Not entirely, we know that my *secret admirer* is a
police officer now."
        "At first I suspected all those gifts were actually
meant for Kowalksi."
        "Who???"
        "The guy who took your place. Tall, blond, and
somewhat screwy."
        "Oh."
        "But then, that giant teddy bear showed up in an
Armani suit, and now this.. a new Buick to replace the one
you lost points to it definitely being you they were all
meant for."
        Ray found the Buick and walked around, looking for
another. Huey checked the plates.
        "This is it, Ray."
        "It can't be it's *Red*."
        "It's definitely the one. RPC-978. Maybe she couldn't
find a green one."
        "Hmmph."
        He tried the keys, opening the trunk first, the
salesman mentioned the woman who brought it put something in
there. He reached in and pulled out another silk rose, this
one though was red, and a card dangled off it.
        "A card!" Huey exclaimed reaching for it.
        Ray spun turning his back on him and turned the card
around to look at it. Then he gave a rueful laugh.
        "What does it say?"
        Ray pulled the card off and tucked it into his pocket,
then pulled out his cel phone and tapped in a number.
        Huey slammed the trunk down, annoyed. Ray ignored it.
        "Yes, Hello, this is Detective Vecchio.. Yes, I would
like to be put through to him."
        "Him?"
        "Benni.. Fess up. Who's the one who's been sending me
gifts in secret?"
        Huey stared at him.
        "I know that you know.. I'm standing beside a nice
shiny mint condition 1971 Red Buick Riviera.. And there was
a little note attached to the Rose this time that said,
Fraser knows, when will you work it out, Detective?"
        "That's right I said *Red*, not green.. What do you
mean Oh Dear you should have checked the car out? Oooh.. You
did, did you.. Well.. In that case.. I *might* forgive you
for blowing up yet another Riv... You're kidding.. I don't
believe it.. Uh-hu.. Uh-hu.. Oh well. Who cares if it's Red
then," Ray said, then laughed.
        "Tell her I *really* appreciate the trouble she went
to for you."
        Huey watched him slap the phone closed and drop it back
into his pocket, then pull the keys from the trunk.
        "No luck?"
        "He said he gave his word he wouldn't talk. I'm
supposed to work it out for myself."
        "And.."
        "She couldn't find a green one.. She's been looking
for a mint condition Riv for months and this was the only
one she could find. And get this, he said, that she pounced
on him and made him and Kowalski cough up the dough for it.
The bulk's the insurance payout for my one, Fraser tracked
down Kowalski, and they split the difference to pay for
it," Ray said moving around the car to open it and climb in
and look it over.
        Huey leaned on the roof and door leaning in.
        "And the best bit is this one is *really* in mint
condition. It's been stored away since 72'."
        "Who puts a car in storage for 20 years?"
        "25. The Parents of the guy who brought the car back
in 71. He went missing.. His body finally turned up a few
weeks back and they sold the car."
        He reared up and swore.
        "What is it."
        "The damn lighter's missing. Can you believe that.. It
took me forever to find one for my last Riv."

Huey chuckled.

        "Every silver lining has a cloud."
        "Very funny, Jack," Ray growled, then coughed and
rubbed his throat.
        "I hope you threw the book at that cretin," Ray
rumbled his voice huskier.
        "Resisting Arrest, attempted Murder, with lots of
pretty pictures of you clinging to Elaine choking and Fraser
cutting your throat open to stick that tube in so you could
breath, that convinced the judge to refuse bail," Huey said
pushing off and closing the door.
        Ray's eyes fell on the rose on the dash and he snatched
it up and inhaled deeply.
        -Oh mi god.. That's why it's so familiar, it was Elaine
who was holding me..She's the one who's been sending me all
that stuff! That's why Fraser was laughing at me...-
        Ray put the keys in the ignition and started the car.
Huey jumped away. Ray looked around, then backed the Riv up,
turning it, and drove off.
        "Hmmph."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Officer Bresbriss was sitting in her partners patrol
car, filling in a report while her partner visited his
favourite cafe to get lunch. Scrabbling at the side of the
door made her look around and then she saw Dief, paws on the
glass a red rose in his mouth.
        She wound the window down and took the rose and
scratched behind his ears as she sniffed the rose, felling
the silk petals against her skin. One sniff became a deep
inhalation as Dief dropped down then bounded off. Elaine
watched him go, then stop and look back and let out a bark.
She looked around to see her partner approaching, and
climbed out of the car.
        "I'll be back in a minute," she called out to him,
then spun on her heel and moved after Dief.
        Dief gave a wag of the tail, then spun and bounded off
again and Elaine raced after him.
        The wolf bounded around a corner and Elaine rounded it
a short time later, but he was gone. She slowly walked down
the street, looking around for him in door ways. Then
stopped when she saw a shiny red 1971 Riv. The same Riv
she'd found and brought, after she twisted Fraser's arm, to
make him and Kowalski cough up the money to replace Ray's
lost car.
        She stepped up to the car and leaned forward to look
through the window. There was Dief, sitting on the back
seat, looking smug, but no Ray. She forget all about him as
she felt a hand descend on her tush. Rearing up, she spun
read to do some slapping, but her hand stopped a hair's
breath away from Ray's face.
        He stepped closer, and she backed into the car.
        "You're the one who sent me all those things. You're
the one who found the New Riv, and you're the one who left
those flowers at the hospital."
        "Oh, you worked it out."
        His hands went out to rest either side of her on the
car's roof and he leaned in closer inhaling her scent, the
same scent that clung to all the silk roses.
        "You sound disappointed," he said.
        "Well it was fun while it lasted."
        "You were flirting with Fraser to try and make me
jealous. And don't deny it.. When I worked it out, I pounced
on him, and he said he worked it out in the hospital as soon
as he smelled those flowers."
        "So what are you going to do about it, Detective?"
        He kissed her, and she almost melted against his car,
her long frustrating at times pursuit of her ideal man
finally over.
        {Yes, there is a god}
        Her hands slid up his chest and he deepened the kiss to
explore her mouth, and she returned it, till he pressed his
body close to hers. She pushed at his chest till he broke
off the kiss and looked down at her.
        "Funny.. I thought that was what you wanted me to
do."
        "It is but.."
        He didn't let her add more, silencing her with another
kiss, his hands sliding over the roof of the car, one arm
dropping to wrap around her waist, pull her close, the other
moving to the back of her skull.
        {oh lord..}
        The passion of his kiss was only emphasised by the feel
of him getting aroused against her and the movement of his
hips against hers.
        She shoved against his chest again but his time he
ignored it. Or tried to, Elaine gasped, both for air and in
shock as Ray suddenly reared back with a choked cry as he
was hauled away from her by the collar. Before either of
them could get a word out, Ray was being spun around and
shoved into a wall, by Elaine's partner.
        "Anyone ever tell you mauling a cop's a bad idea,
Buddy," he growled at Ray as he grabbed an arm and slapped
a cuff on. So tight Ray was sure it would cut off his
circulation.
        "I'm a cop, you idiot," Ray growled, then coughed.
        -God, I hate that-
        "Sure you are, creep."
        "Elaine!!!"
        "You heard the man."
        Ray looked over his shoulder as his other arm was
pulled around.
        "No.. He's probably got a gun or two on him."
        Her partner nudged Ray's feet apart.
        "Alright, spread em," he said, then looked at Elaine.
        "You wanna frisk him?"
        Elaine cracked her knuckles and grinned.
        "With pleasure."
        She then proceeded to *very* thoroughly frisk him,
finding both his guns, and slipped a hand down into his
pant's pocket and made his eyes cross and roll as her hand
moved over his groin and teased him. His breath caught in
his throat. Then, and only then did she draw out I.D wallet
and flip it open and flash it for her partner.
        "Vecchio..." Her partner read slowly, then gave her a
long look. "That's who you ordered that teddy bear for in
the florist's."
        She gave him a weak smile. Ray's arm was suddenly
yanked down and the next thing he knew the cuff was being
pulled around and he was cuffed to Elaine. Then her partner
walked off.
        "Laugh that one off."
        Ray raised his cuffed wrist, lifting Elaine's arm along
with it and looked at the cuffs.
        "I don't suppose he gives you his spare key."
        "Good guess."
        "He doesn't have much of a sense of humour, does he?"
        "He's a grump."
        "So am I.. Or didn't you ever notice."
        "Well.. You know what they say.. Love is blind, like a
certain man I could name."
        "Did you ever stop to consider the fact I'm *not*
blind to the fact you're an incredible looking woman, that
any guy would be proud to take home to mother. And I'm still
trying to wrap my head around the fact you think a guy like
me is your kind of guy."
        She smiled at that.
        "I gave you enough hints over the years."
        "As much as you and I need to talk about this.. We
really have to go after him and get the key. Cause this is
pretty awkward, we're not facing the same direction.. And,"
he held up his hand again, "There is nothing remotely funny
about the way this thing is cutting off my circulation."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        By the time Elaine and Ray got to the spot where
Elaine's partner had parked the patrol car it was gone.
        "I just knew this was going to happen, now how do we
get out of these cuffs."
        "The spare keys are kept at the station."
        "How far is that?"
        She turned and headed back down the street tugging him
along in her wake.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Working out how to sort out the cuffed facing different
directions problems to get into Ray's car took some time,
but was solved when Elaine climbed into the back while Ray
stretched his arm out. Then she pulled the seat back, and
hung over the back of it while he climbed in. She had to
remain hanging over the seat so that he could drive. And
they were pulled over twice, by patrolmen who laughed when
they looked in and the pair held up their cuffed hands and
Ray flashed his badge, and they laughed even harder when
they recognised Elaine.
        "So who's arresting who, and for what?"
        "Her partner cuffed us together like this."
        There were sage nods and they were permitted to go on
their way. Three blocks from the station, Ray's cel phone
trilled and he looked down, then transferred his cuffed hand
to the wheel and pulled the phone out, flipping it open.
        "Vecchio," he answered, then winced and held the
phone away as Welsh proceeded to ream him out via the
wonders of satellite technology.
        Elaine gave a little giggle and the tirade ended. Ray
put the phone back to his ear.
        "Yeeesss, sir, that was a woman giggling... Actually
sir, you'd probably find my current situation rather
amusing.. God knows everyone else does."
        Ahead of them, three men in non descript clothes, with
balaclava's over their heads, sports bags in one hand guns
in another, ran out of a bank and jumped into a car.
        "Ray!" Elaine cried out and pointed around him.
        "Follow that white Chevy Nova!"
        Ray looked around, and saw the car speed off. He put
the pedal to the metal, the phone being passed to Elaine, so
he could get both hands on the wheel.
        "Why am I following this Chevy?"
        "They just robbed the bank."
        She heard Welsh's voice, and brought the phone up,
holding it up for Ray.
        "Yes, Sir.. That's Elaine."
        "Get closer, I can't read their plate."
        "Gear shift," he warned as his hand dropped.
        She let her arm drop with his so he could change gears,
then his hand flew back to the wheel.
        "We're in pursuit of bandits, on.. Where are we
Elaine."
        Elaine took the phone and relayed their location and a
description of the car, stating that she saw the three
bandits fleeing from the bank as they drove past and asked
him to relay the details to her precinct.
        "They don't have a licence plate," Ray reported.
        The Chevy speed through a red light, getting through a
break in the traffic. Ray almost followed, but the break in
the traffic was followed by a 16 wheeler rig. Italian
invective filled the car, Dief howled and Elaine screeched
as his hands flew over the wheel. He swerved to avoid
running into the truck, the car turning a full 350 degree's
burning rubber, and came out of it as the truck rumbled
past. Ray hit the accelerator again, and sped through the
gap.
        "What's happening?!" Welsh demanded over the phone.
        "This car does have *brakes* Ray."
        "Ever driven a Riv, Elaine.. I know the stopping
distance, and believe me, I woulda hit the brakes if there
was enough time, you're stomach wasn't the only one I left
behind back there... I can't see them, can you?"
        Elaine looked around, then saw the car again, parked at
the side of the road.
        "Behind us, they pulled over."
        "Hang on."
        He spun the car in a wide circle. Dief whined from the
back. As they came out of it, the car pulled out and speed
away again.
        "Ooooh-noooo!" Elaine wailed, as Ray spun the car
around again to continue the pursuit.
        "I Loooove this car," Ray exulted.
        Elaine looked around for the fallen phone, and saw it
on the back set. Using her foot she pulled it forward and
stretched out to snatch it back.
        "Get us back up! Before Ray's driving gets us
killed."
        "Hey! I *avoided* that accident in the making."
        "Car's are closing in.. They'll be intersecting with
us within the next three blocks," Elaine relayed Welsh's
report from her fellow cops.
        The escape vehicle flew around a corner and Ray was
right behind him. Dief slid across the back seat and into
the side with a yelp.
        "Sorry Dief."
        "They've turned onto Marksfield, heading East,"
Elaine reported.
        Then she saw one of the occupant's poking his head and
shoulders out of the back window of the car, with a rifle.
        "Pull out Ray!"
        "Like Hell," he retorted and started swerving the car
from side to side to make it hard for the man up front to
fire on them.
        "Bandits are armed, I repeat, Armed, with at least
three hand guns and a rifle."
        The Chevy took another corner at High speed and Ray
followed and Dief went sliding again.
        "Sorry Dief."
        "They've turned onto Dewer, Heading West."
        A lucky shot took out the front window, and Ray's
closed his eyes and felt slivers slice his face. When he
opened his eyes he saw the car ahead, the rifle man trying
to line up another shot.
        "Where the hell is that back up?!" Ray growled and
coughed.
        "Pull out!"
        Ray's cuffed hand fell from the wheel and he pulled out
his gun and waved it in Elaine's face. Elaine dropped the
phone onto the back seat and took the gun, and Ray's arm
crossed his chest as she held it in both hands. Ray
accelerated to get in range. And she fired. Their back
window blew out and the rifle man lost it.
        "Yes!"
        The rifle man drew back in, and his partner in crime
turned pulling out a hand gun.
        "Shit."
        Ray started swerving the car again.
        "I can't fire if you don't hold it steady."
        "If I do that, they'll be able to fire on us."
        He watched her lower the aim.
        "Five seconds, Ray."
        Ray floored it again, and ran strait for the Chevy and
        Elaine fired off three shots. One of them hit its mark,
one of the Chevy's back tire's. The Chevy started fish
tailing and then Elaine dropped the gun crying out, and Ray
felt her slump and almost cried out himself when that hot
gun dropped into his lap. With a wince and a curse he hit
the brakes bringing the car's speed down.
        Then his world exploded as the bandit threw a little
more lead their way, and he knew no more.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray came back to his senses in a hospital room, his
head throbbing, but it was the feel of a gentle hand
stroking his that made him open his eyes to look around. He
saw Elaine sitting in a chair by his bed.
        She stopped stroking his hand to hit a buzzer, then
resumed.
        "Welcome back to the land of the living, you had
everyone worried for a while there."
        "Did I? Why?" he rasped.
        The door opened and Elaine looked around, then smiled.
Ray looked around to watch Fraser slip into the room and
approach the bed smiling.
        "You're awake."
        He moved to the side of the bed, and touched Ray's arm.
        "You had us all worried."
        "Who are you?"
        The smile vanished of Fraser's face, and he shared
looks with Elaine. Elaine clasped Ray's hand and squeezed
it, and he looked around.
        "Who am I?" She asked him.
        "Why don't you tell me and we'll both know."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray discovered over the course of the day, that he'd
been comatose for weeks after a bullet came so close it
fractured his skull as it grazed it, resulting in severe
concussion. Crashing the car hadn't helped matter's either.
He also discovered his name was Raymond Vecchio, and that he
was apparently a police detective. The rather attractive
black woman was Elaine Bresbriss, a police officer, who'd
been in the car at the time, and the smiling visitor was a
Mountie by the name of Benton Fraser, and apparently his
unofficial partner.
        "What does that mean?" Ray asked.
        "It means everyone knows your partners, it's just not
officially recognised."
        "What sort of *partnership* are you talking about?"
he asked the man who identified himself a Lieutenant Welsh.
        "The sort cops have."
        "Oh.. And that woman?"
        "Which one?"
        "Elaine.. Is she my official partner?"
        "Er. No. You're a plain clothes detective at the
twenty seventh, and she's a uniformed first year officer at
another."
        "So what were we doing sharing a car during a high
speed pursuit?"
        "I gather you ended up cuffed together by her partner
and were heading for her station house to get the spare
keys, when one of you saw some bandits fleeing a scene, and
took up the pursuit."
        "Did we catch them?"
        "Elaine shot out it's tyre, it crashed, 3 of the 4
were caught, the fourth one escaped but all the money and
bonds were recovered."
        "Uh-hu.. So how did I end up cuffed to that babe in
the first place?"
        [Babe??]
        "From what I've been able to learn, you were joking
around with Elaine, and he has no sense of humour, and
cuffed you together to prove it."
        "Uh-hu.. So are we like... An item or what?"
        Welsh gave a little snort of laughter.
        "Stupid question, what would a hot looking babe like
that want with me..
        [This is getting better by the second]
        "You think she's hot?"
        "You don't? Man are you *blind*?"
        [I wish I had a tape recorder]
        Then Ray raised a hand to his brown frowning.
        [Ah, what's this?]
        "What.. Was I doing.. with her in the first place?"
        "Good question.. No one knew where you were.. You were
supposed to be at the precinct.. You left to collect your
new car and, then you took off.."
        "New car? I smashed up a new car?! God, did I have
insurance on it?!"
        "I have no idea. And it was second hand.."
        [Should I or shouldn't I.. Oh what the hell]
        "A true mint condition, 1971 Buick Riveria."
        Ray's eyes widened. An image of Elaine, in uniform,
leaning up against a red Riveria, his body started tingling
and he remembered to the feel of her body, the scent of her,
the warmth of her mouth, the beating of her heart...
        Welsh waved a hand in Ray's face and he snapped out of
it looking at Welsh again.
        "Was it Red?"
        "Yes."
        Ray gave a grin of complete satisfaction.
        -We are an item and no one knows it-

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Elaine had the feeling following her around, for
several days. That suspicion was confirmed on the third day
when she ducked into an Alley way and waited to see who
walked past and saw Ray walking past. She stretched out a
hand grabbed him by the tail of his coat and yanked him into
the Alley. He pulled free spinning, then gave her a dopey
grin.
        "Busted."
        "What do you think you're doing?"
        He moved in and she backed into the wall, and he spread
his hands over the wall behind her.
        "Trying to get you alone, my little African queen,"
He said and swooped in for a kiss.
        Her hands flew to his chest and she pushed him away. He
staggered back, then weaved a hand flying to his head, eyes
loosing focus as the memory of the last time he'd kissed her
came back. He remembered the kiss, her pushing at his chest,
being half chocked as he was torn away form her by a hold on
his collar, being spun around and shoved at a wall.
        A gentle slapping of his face and Elaine's concerned
voice snapped him out of it, and he felt a wall against his
back.
        "Oh.. I hate it when that happens," he said shaking
his head."
        "Are you alright?"
        "Yeah.. Just another flash back."
        "A flash back! You're starting to remember things."
        "Yeah..Mainly You."
        She flashed a smile.
        "I'm sorry about that.. My heads a mess.. I thought
we.. were like an item. I guess I was wrong.." He
apologised and started trying to sidle away.
        She moved fast, this time it was her arms going out
around him, her arms flattening on the wall, her mouth
closing on his.
        When she drew back he looked at her confused, then a
horrible thought occurred to him.
        "You're not married are? I mean all that sneaking
around has to be for a reason."
        "We haven't been sneaking around."
        "Then how come no one knows we're like a couple. And
why'd some guy almost choke me and shove me into a wall for
kissing you, and why'd you.."
        She shut him up with another kiss.
        "Who cares," he said when she drew back.
        Her arms fell, one travelling down his arm, to take his
arm and pull him away from the wall.
        "I'm not an exhibitionist."
        She started drawing him out of the alley way and he
snatched his hand away. She looked at him.
        "My apartment's just a few blocks.."
        "Is it a race thing.. Is that why no one knows? Why
that guy slammed me into a wall? Why you don' wanna be seen
kissing me in public.. Cause I'm .."
        "If I worried about that, I wouldn't have kissed you
in the first place."
        "So why do.."
        "Raymond, shut up. I already told you the answer to
that question."
        He shut up and she took his hand again, tugging him
after her.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Elaine lead Ray into her apartment and he looked around
while she locked the door behind him.
        "Nice place.. Don't bring back any memories though."
        She ran a hand down his back and he turned. She took
hold of his tie and tugged.
        "Forget about the past."
        "I did," he said before their lips met and he decided
to let it go.
        They left their clothes scattered through the
apartment, before falling onto her bed bodies locked in a
passionate embrace. They broke apart to move across the bed,
and Ray crawled after her as she slid back across the bed.
        "God, you are so beautiful," he said his voice husky
with passion as his hands slid up her dark skin.
        "Flattery will get you everywhere," she purred.
        His body followed his hand, and she stretched up hand
to push him up.
        "Let me look at you."
        He rose up on his knee's and she sat up to run her
hands over that sleek muscled chest that she'd only had
tantalising glimpses off during his loose colourful silk
shirt phase, and only seen in all it's naked glory once.
        She kissed his chest, and his arms moved around her,
hands sliding over her back exploring her silken skin. He
almost purred as her mouth moved over his skin in turn.
        "I've wanted to do this ever since I walked into the
showers and saw you wearing nothing but water."
        *Water pouring over his skin, hot and cleansing,
washing away the suds, the scent of his favourite shower
gel, the cold feel of metal against his hand as he turned
the faucet. The feel of the chill room as he turned and
reached for the fluffy towel hanging on the shower rod over
the cubicle. Or it hand been. His questing hand met only
empty air. The sound of a door opening and foot steps across
the tiled floor. Foot steps that terminated abruptly. He
sluiced water off his face and looked up, to see a pair of
black clad legs a very feminine waist, a blue shirt, a
tumble of curls, her exquisite face, eyes wide, lips
slightly parted, pupils dilated.*
        Hands skittering over his skin, that warm body sliding
over his, those lips on his throat. Moving upward, teeth
gently nibbling his ear.
        "And do you know why."
        "Why?"
        "Because you blushed, from the top down, shrieked at
me to get out and tried to cover that luscious body of yours
up."
        "That turns you on."
        "Other guys would just stand there and flaunt it and
make a suggestive comment.. When you covered up.. I knew you
weren't as cocky as you act sometimes."
        With a gentle push, he ended up on his back and she
straddled him, her curls brushing over his skin. His hands
rose up to glide over her ribs and cup her breasts, thumbs
flicking nipples before those hands slid around her ribs and
pulled her down as he raised his head. His mouth closed over
one of those dark globes and swirled his tongue around her
nipple, flicking it, then licking it before gently abrading
it between his teeth.
        He gasped as he felt her hands closing over his hot
throbbing sex, and guide him to her welcoming sheath. Then
she was rising over him, looking down at him as she thrust
down and rose over him with a little twist of her hips. He
arched under her and clutched and the cover.
        She set the Rhythm, her legs sliding under his tangle
with them. Her face was a picture of absolute satisfaction
as she watched his lithe body writhe, his long neck arch,
heard his voice raised in incoherent pleasure as she used
every trick in the book to drive him insane with it. And
then as he reached his peak she fell over his body, letting
him wrap his arms around and roll her to take it to the
final glorious moment, with strong deep thrusts and she sank
her teeth into his throat as he arched over her crying out
in ecstasy.
        She held his trembling body in her arms, purring with
contentment.
        "You're mine."
        "Ohhh, yesss.." He agreed. "All yours," he went on
and gave a little wiggle and thrust of his hips, "Every
little piece of me."
        "There's nothing little about that piece of you," she
purred.
        He kissed her.
        "You are the sexist woman alive."
        Her finger's ran over his shorn head.
        "Again already."
        "It's been the only thing on my mind since I
remembered you Cara Mia."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Frannie looked up hopefully as a flash of red caught
her eye. That flash of Red became Fraser moving through the
bull pen. The hope died in her eyes when she saw that he was
alone. Then he was heading straight for her, his face so
pale and controlled that she feared the worst. He seemed to
confirm her fear's when he leaned over to lay a hand on her
arm.
        "You found him.. Didn't you.. he'd dead isn't he."
        "He's still missing.. But.. we know he's started
having flash backs and recovering memories.. And.. He was
seen near O'Hare. We think he may have returned to Vegas,
not realising his undercover mission is over."
        Frannie's hands flew up her eyes full of terror for her
confused and amnesiatic brother. If he returned to Vegas, he
was a dead man.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Unaware Ray's family, friends and associates were
fearing the worst about the amnesiatic detective, Elaine
drifted through her day's on a cloud of happiness. How could
life get any better. She had the career she wanted and the
man. And oh what a man.
        He treated like a queen, waiting on her head and foot,
when he wasn't worshiping her body from head to foot
murmuring words of love and adoration, usually in Italian.
Her partner glanced over at her as she got that silly little
smile on her face she alway's got when she was studying her
Italian to English pocket dictionary.
        {Tesoro=Treasure, he's calling me his Treasure}
        "I don't see what you see in him, He's a skinny little
beak nosed, cue ball." Hawkings said.
        She just smiled and tucked the book away in the glove
compartment.
        "Italians really know how to treat a woman."
        Hawkings snorted.
        "Italian's like their women barefoot and pregnant and
chained to the stove cooking pasta with a passel of brats at
their feet."
        Elaine's hand passed over her waist. The very idea of
carrying Ray's child sent a warm thrill her.
        "Oh God, don't tell me you're pregnant! What were you
thinking! Not of you're career that's for sure," Hawkings
went off ranting, bursting Elaine's happy little bubble.
        She made a mental note to visit the family planning
center and take care of it.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Fraser sat on his cot, with in his bare unfurnished
apartment. Dief lying on a blanket on the floor, whining.
Fraser reached out with his foot and poked the wolf. Dief
twitched and rolled over. Fraser lay back with a sigh
staring at the roof.
        It had been more than a month since Ray had disappeared
from the hospital. Any hope of finding the man, who had
shown him that life was worth living, alive had long since
past. It was the general consensus of all that Ray had
wandered out of the hospital in his confused state thinking
he was still playing the role of Armando and returned to
Vegas to be executed by the compatriots of the men he's
undercover work had sent to prison for what would probably
be the rest of their sorry lives.
        Fraser remembered his homecoming, the joyous
celebration at the Vecchio household, the welcome back at
the station. The bone cracking hug he'd received from Ray.
He flipped over, staring out at the empty apartment.
Remembering Ray within it's confines, waving and raving
about how it was a much better apartment, and highly
affordable, and nagging him into taking out a lease.
        He'd listened to Ray going on about how they'd go out
and visit all the flea markets and quality second hand
stores to find decent furniture to turn the apartment into a
home. Those plans were all for nought now. There would be no
trips to flea markets in Ray's shiny new Riv. No teasing,
cajoling and jokes about his taste.
        How ironic. To get through the agony of waiting,
spending so many months worrying about wether or not Ray
would survive his undercover assignment. Only to have him
return and put the smile back on his face and the spring in
his step, and snatched away just as they were starting to
fall back into their old easy camaraderie.
        A knock on his door had him bolting up and reaching
jumping off the bed, to stride through the apartment. He
opened his door to Ray, Stanley Ray Kowalski, that is.
        "I heard about Vecchio."
        Fraser stepped aside to let him in, but Kowalski didn't
enter.
        "I know where he is."
        "What?!"
        "He's alive."
        The animation returned to Fraser's face.
        "You've seen him?"
        Kowalski nodded.
        "Walking down the street, loaded down with Groceries.
I called out to him, but he didn't respond to his name at
all. I followed him all the way to the apartment block he's
staying in."
        "And.."
        "Up to his apartment, and came straight here.."
        "I'll get my coat."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray padded through the apartment, irritated that
someone had disturbed him in the middle of his preparations
for another night of adoring worship of his Nubian Queen. He
threw open the door to be greeted by the sight of Fraser on
his door step, then slammed the door in his face.
        "Go away Mountie."
        Fraser pounded on the door.
        "Ray, Open this door."
        "Don't make me call the cops to throw you out,
Mister."
        "Go ahead call them. I am not leaving till you open
this door and talk with me."
        Ray stomped through the room, grabbed a CD of the shelf
and slotted the shiny disk in the stereo, jacked the volume
up to window rattling and stabbed play. Then he stormed back
into the kitchen to resume his culinary exploits to the loud
and window shaking strains of an Italian Opera.
        In the hall, Fraser slumped again the door in defeat.
He might be alive and well, if the way he was almost glowing
with health (and fury at finding him on his doorstep) was
indicative of his physical state. But Mentally, he was a
total and hostile stranger. He was as good as dead to him.
        He wondered if the horrible feeling in the pit of his
gut was what Ray had felt when he'd been suffering temporary
amnesia.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Mrs Vecchio opened her door to Fraser and looked up at
him with dread in her eyes.
        "I have good news and bad new."
        "Good news?! You've found my Raimondo!"
        Fraser nodded. At theirs mother's joyous cry, the
Vecchio sisters converged on the entry. Their mother turned,
her face lit by a smile for the first time since the news
Ray had vanished from the hospital.
        "They've found Ray."
        While Maria reacted to that news, Frannie looked at
Fraser, almost emotionlessly.
        "Dead or alive?"
        Her mother and sisters celebration died a sudden death,
and they both looked at Ray, fear in his eyes.
        "He is alive."
        "So why do you look like you just lost your best
friend all over again."
        "Because... I have.."
        "You're still a stranger to him, aren't you."
        Fraser nodded sadly.
        "He is alive, that is all that matters," Mrs Vecchio
stated emphatically.
        "That and if he is well."
        "He is almost glowing with Health and Vitality.. I
don't think I've seen him looking better in all the time
I've known him. He has put back on all the weight he lost,
and.. He..has made a new life for himself.."
        "Did you talk with him?"
        "He was hostile and furious with me for tracking him
down. It took me five hours to get him to open the door to
me.. and he did that only to tell me that Raymond Vecchio is
dead, and that I better get used to it and leave him
alone."
        "What is he doing? How is he getting by? He hasn't
touched his bank accounts."
        That was the question Fraser was dreading. He'd
questioned Ray's neighbours, those that had agreed to open
their doors and answer questions once he convince Kowalski
to come up and start flashing his badge.
        "It.. seems.. he has.. become.. a kept man."
        They all stared at him.
        "Are you calling my brother a gigolo?!" Frannie
demanded.
        "No.. But that is what the people who live in the
apartment block call him though.. Especially the neighbours,
either side and below the apartment he's residing in. They
can.. hear.. what goes on.. and.. one of them.. let me stay
in their lounge to hear it for myself.."
        Mrs Vecchio blanched, and her daughters moved to
comfort her.
        "You must get him away from that bitch, he is not in
his right mind, he doesn't know what he is doing."
        "I'm afraid, he knows exactly what he's doing."
        "No.. My son would never."
        "I'm sorry, but while your son is physically alive,
the man he was is dead. And I will not tell you where he is,
who he is with or assist you to try and save him from his
*chosen* new life. He *knows* what he was, and he has no
interest in returning to that life, as he said to me, he's
got plenty of reason to avoid a life threatening job now."
        "She's pregnant isn't she?" Frannie guessed.
        Fraser sighed and nodded and Mrs Vecchio started
wailing about her baby being lead astray by some wicked
trollop. Maria lead her off and Frannie moved to lay a hand
on Fraser's arm.
        "She'll get over it. Knowing he's safe and well *is*
the most important thing."
        "That is why I came."
        "Is he happy?"
        "He said.. that he is. And..er..if what I heard before
I left is anything to go by.. he has more than enough reason
to be happy."
        She poked him in the chest.
        "You go back and you find that woman and you tell her
that if she doesn't make an honest man out of him, we will
find out who she is, and where she is, and we will make her
life a living hell till she does it."
        Fraser smiled faintly, and nodded.
        "I don't think you need have any concerns in that
area. I do know who the woman is and I believe that when she
believes the time is right the subject of marriage would
come up."
        "It better."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        The happy home of Ray and Elaine was far from happy at
that point in time. Ray was following Elaine through the
apartment, confused and also contrite.
        "What did I say? What did I do?"
        "Hawkings is right, Italian men are all the same."
        "I resent that."
         She spun to face him.
        "Ha! All you talk about lately is Bambino's. All you
want to do is get me barefoot and pregnant and chained to
the stove, you think that if you flatter me enough, I'll.."
        "Nononono, Cara Mia.. I don't want you to give up your
career.. Pregnant maybe.. Just one little baby will make me
happy.. And I'll do the barefoot and chained to the stove
thing.."
        She stared at him, and he moved in to wrap his arms
around her.
        "I knew what you were when I fell head over heels for
you, I don't want to change that."
        She sighed, reaching up to cup his face, then pressed a
gentle kiss first to his lips and then to his brow, and
looked him in the eye.
        "Go home Raymond."
        "What?!"
        "Go home, find out who you are."
        He broke away and back stepped.
        "No.. This is who I am. I'm not that Detective with a
death wish, who's too stupid to know when to quit. He's
dead, gone, buried."
        "No. He's not.. he comes back when you sleep."
        His eyes widen.
        "And you thrash about and murmur things, names.. of
People.. who are part of his life. Important parts of his
life.. Of your life. Go home, find out who you are.. And if
you can come back to me, if Detective Vecchio comes back for
me.. Then.." she stepped up and caressed his face.
        "I'll give you your little Bambino, and your little
love nest, and be you're Nubian Queen for you, for the rest
of our lives."
        He cupped her face.
        "I don't want to go back to that life."
        "You have to go back to that life.. You can't think
about bringing a new life into this world, until you've made
peace with your past and go into the future without it
haunting you. I don't want to wake up one morning and find
you staring at me wondering how the hell you ended up in my
bed, and who the little rug rat bouncing on it is."
        He gave a shuddering sigh looking down, then glanced up
at her again, give her the best puppy in the window look he
could muster.
        "Do I have to go home tonight? Can't *I* have one more
night? Before you banish me."

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Elaine, rolled fast, to the edge of the bed and sat up
watching Ray thrash around in the bed, his body arching, his
hands clawing at his chest and throat, horrible sounds
coming from his throat. She knew better than to try and wake
him, that only lead to bruises. Climbing out of bed, she
hurried to the kitchen and filled a jug. Returning to the
bedroom she ripped the blankets off Ray, then poured the
contents over him, from head to groin.
        He came awake spluttering and flailing his arms around.
Then he looked around the room wide eyed. He leapt half out
of his skin, and half way across the bed when his eyes fell
on the naked Elaine.
        "Elaine!"
        He started scrabbling backward across the bed.
        "Ohmigod.. What the hell am I doing here!"
        He tumbled off the edge of the bed. Elaine ripped the
cover off, and wrapping it around herself, she strode
through the room, her dignity in shreds around her.
        Ray's head popped up over the bed, from the eyes up and
he looked around the room. Elaine slammed the door behind
her, and he winced and rubbed his aching head.
        "Really smart, not.. That's the last time she'll ever
do you any favour's, idiot."
        He looked around, trying to find his clothes.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        The whole Vecchio household heard the pounding on the
door, waking them from their slumbers, to glance at clocks.
Frannie eventually crept down the stairs with a baseball bat
and yelled through the door that she had a gun and would use
it. Then she heard the plaintive wail of her brother to be
let in. The bat hit the floor and she opened the door. Ray
staggered in, pasty faced, shaking uncontrollably, a hand to
his head. Her arms reached out for him and he collapsed into
her arms, gibbering.
        Heads poked over the stair rails. Frannie touched Ray's
face and whipped her hand back. He was like ice. Her hand
fell over his heart, it was thudding away like a runaway
train under her hand.
        "It's Ray! He's back! He's delirious! Somebody call an
ambulance!"
        Her mother, sister and brother in law came flying down
the stairs. Tony headed for the phone while her Mother and
Maria joined her to cluck over Ray.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray looked at the Model of the Riv that had pride of
place on his dresser, before Elaine's flower arrangement as
Fraser raided his wardrobe.
        "Elaine gave me that?"
        "Yes, Ray. And the giant "Detective Vecchio bear" in
the corner, the flowers, the small bear on your stand."
        Ray crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall.
        "You know if you ask me.. She was probably just trying
to make you jealous."
        Fraser pulled out a blue silk shirt and tossed it at
the bed, then started going through the coats on offer.
        "It's so strange," Ray said making Fraser look around
at the change in town.
        "What is?"
        "I lost *all* my memories.."
        "Now I know you felt when it happened to me."
        "But I lost mine for weeks."
        "I suffered a bump on the head. A bullet fractured
your skull and almost killed you. And you vanished on us."
        "Vanished?"
        "Completely for 6 weeks. And when you came back you
had your memories back.." Fraser said, leaving out the fact
he knew where and who Ray had been with, a courtesy his
family extended to him also.
        "Except for everything that happened for over three
months.. You don't know how close to becoming Languoustini
on you Benni.."
        "Oh, so you do remember something that happened during
the period you were missing."
        "No.. I got my memories back on the fifth.. I remember
that day clearly. I was confused and didn't know where I was
or how I got there.. I couldn't find my car.. and memories,
just.. kept hitting me. Confusing me.. God, people on the
street thought I was a drunk.. And then the memories of
going under started coming back.. I didn't realise it at the
time, but I stumbled in on a little mob deal going down."
        "That's what brought those memories back."
        Ray nodded.
        "Lucky for me they came rushing back.. Or I'd be as
dead as Armando.. I managed to convince them I was just
another mobster like them. Albeit, a rather drunk or stoned
one.. They were laughing at me.. And one of them shoved me
in a cab, tossed the driver some money and told him to take
me home.. Wherever that was."
        "That's how you got back."
        "He kept asking me.. Where too.. The first thing I
said was Armando's place.. He said, you wanna go all the way
to Vegas.. And then I found out where I was.."
        "And told him to take you literally home."
        "Yeah. I still don't remember coming back from that
assignment.. Are you sure I did come back *offically*? It's
not just something my family are saying cause they don't
want me going back."
        "You completed your assignment, successfully, you came
back officially becoming Raymond Vecchio again."
        "The doctor said..I'd probably never get those
memories back.. That there are probably traumatic memories
lurking amongst the mundane and boring ones that my mind
just doesn't want to face.."
        "Like being shot."
        "Yeah... The strange thing is that I can remember
things now that I thought I'd forget about years ago.. Like
the first time I met Elaine."
        "Tell me about that."
        Ray blushed a little.
        "It was soooo embarrassing that I put it right out of
my mind."
        "What happened?"
        "It was April fools day and Louis got me good.. With a
bucket of blood and guts over a door way.. I didn't want to
go home like that, so I got my spare suit and headed for the
shower but the men's showers were locked and a sign on the
door said, closed for repairs. So I ended up chasing down
all the women on the shift and warning them to stay out of
their showers cause I was going to be using them. I hadn't
even met Elaine, well, I had, but we weren't actually
introduced or anything, so I didn't warn her, cause I didn't
realise she was on the team.. And there I am.. Totally naked
and dripping wet, when she walks in with her bag, her top
and pants are just soaked with coffee and she's just staring
at me. And my towel and clothes had been snitched while I
was under the shower.."
        "Did someone deliberately spill coffee on her?"
        "Louis... He was the master at those pranks.. He and
Jack well and truly set me up.. I thought once I got slimed
I was safe.. But ooohnoo.. It's not enough to slime me, they
gotta take it one step further. When I started yelling at
her to get out, there's this loud burst of laughter from
outside the room, and the door was thrown open, and when I
looked around the side off the stall, off went a camera, and
there was Jack and Louis, laughing themselves to death with
a few of the women *and* Welsh... And they all chorused,
April Fools.. And ran off."
        Fraser laughed.
        "Except Welsh. He tossed his coat to Elaine, who threw
it at me and bolted. They got me real good..And then just to
add insult to indignity, Huey introduced me properly to
Elaine the next day.. I couldn't stop blushing every time I
ran into her for weeks.."
        "Did you get your revenge?"
        "Nah.. They timed it just right.. There's a rule about
how long you've got to pull a prank, and they pulled that
one right on the line.. But Elaine got Louise good, for
spilling his coffee all over her to get her into the
showers.. She punched him smack bang right in the kisser."
He said with a smile that faded away.
        "Louis used to pull the dirtiest fools day tricks.. No
one comes close.. It just isn't the same without him playing
his dirty tricks."
        "Tomorrow's April Fools.."
        Ray looked at him.
        "Maybe it's time you came up with a suitably dirty
trick.. In Louis' memory."
        "I could never pull a stunt like he did."
        "Why don't you pull one *exactly* like he did.. With
Huey."
        Ray got a wicked smile.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Ray walked onto the porch a big garbage bag and a pail
in hand and watched Fraser parking his Riv in the drive. He
smiled and raced down the stairs as Fraser climbed out.
        "I was wondering what happened to my baby," Ray said,
patting the car.
        Then he froze and stared at the roof of the car.
        "Did you get everything we need."
        Ray turned to look at him with an icy look.
        "This is not *my* Riv."
        "Of course it's your Riv."
        =We had to scour wreckers yards to find all the parts
to repair it and respray it so you wouldn't notice. How you
knew...=
        "Don't lie to me, Benni, I know my car, I know every
little dint and scratch.. And this is not my car, for one
thing.. It's paint job is too clean and fresh, there's no
scratch on the roof."
        He walked around the car, running his hand over it.
        "No dint's in the places I know it had them.. The
little scratches it got when I took it through those bushes
are missing."
        He looked at the licence plates.
        "And it's got different plates."
        "Allright.. I confess. .Your car blew up."
        "What?!"
        "But we got you a new one to replace it," Fraser
added hastily. "This one is truly mint condition. =Or it
was till you crashed it= It was put into storage in 1972,
and you are the only person to own it other than the
original purchaser."
        He reached in and popped the hood.
        "Just look at that engine.. It's in absolute mint
condition." = Thank god, all you damaged were the side
panels and head lights.. That and the windowscreens.=
        Ray wandered back around and looked under the hood and
dropped his bag and pail to lean on the radiator and get a
better look.
        "Migod.. I've never seen a Riv's engine this...
Sparkling.."
        "I told you it was in storage for 25 years.."
        Ray looked up at him, then reached up for the hood.
        "Alright. You're forgiven.. A near new Riv in as near
to mint condition as a car can get is ..." He trailed off
as he was lowering the hood, then pushed it back up and took
a close look at the side of the interior panel, then at the
other side.
        "Absolute Mint Condition my Ass," Ray growled, and
coughed as he slammed the hood down.
        Fraser winced and backed up.
        "It was in absolutely mint condition when we brought
it for you, Ray. I swear."
        "At least one of the side panels is not original, it's
been resprayed! And the other side hasn't."
        "Er.. We couldn't find a Green one.. All we could find
was a Red one."
        "Then one of those panels came off a green Riv. That
means you did something to it."
        Fraser sighed.
        "I did not do anything to it. *You* were shot while
you were driving it, and passed out behind the wheel."
        Ray's hand flew to his head, and the faint scar there.
Fraser nodded.
        "The damage to the car was remarkably minimal.. A side
panel.. headlights.. Windows.. and drivers seat had to be
replaced. The Engine and chassis were undamaged, and your
cousin was able to find replacement parts in perfect
condition by scouring wrecking yards.. And resprayed the
whole car once he'd completed the repairs. No one would ever
think this car was in an accident."
        Ray collected his gear and popped the trunk to stow it
away.
        "When I crash it. It's a different story. You're
forgiven."
        Fraser relaxed and moved around the car to climb in
while Ray closed the trunk. Climbing in Ray ran his hand
over the dash and studied it, smiling, then his smile faded.
        "There's no cigarette lighter, Benni," he growled.
        Fraser sighed.
        "You know how long it took me to find one for the
other car."
        "Don't worry.. I will find one.. This car's original
lighter.. I believe I know who has it."
        =Elaine.. I need to visit her and tell her you're home,
safe, sound and with no memory of being with her, I can
collect it then=
        "Al, trying to be funny."
        Fraser gave a weak smile.
        "If we don't leave soon, we won't have time to set
everything set up before the time limit runs out," Fraser
pointed out.
        Ray reached for the key's and started the car, then
smiled, and ran his hands over the wheel.
        "Oh yeah.. This baby purrs like a kitten."
        Fraser relaxed and belted up. Ray followed his example
before pulling out.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Huey stood under the shower washing away the remanets
of the bucket load of manure Ray and Fraser had rigged over
a door before he opened it to be splattered from head to toe
with it. He didn't hear Ray sneaking across the room,
because Ray took his shoes off and handed them to Fraser who
was standing guard at the door.
        He snitched Huey's towel and his bag, clothes and all,
then crept back out of the room, and Fraser closed the door
and dropped Ray's shoes to the floor. Ray slipped them on
again and dashed off with Huey's things, while Fraser went
in search of a cup of lukewarm hot chocolate and Francesca.

*ooOO0)=~=(0OOoo*

        Welsh looked up as Ray burst into his office.
        "What is it?"
        "There's a fight going down in the locker room."
        Welsh rose, grumbling and grumbled all the way through
the building with Ray on his heels. Ray timed it just
beautifully. The cluster of cops around the door to the
men's shower which Fraser stood in front of were all
witnesses to his turn at being Ray's fall guy.
        "What's going on here?" Welsh demanded.
        They all shrugged, and pointed at Ray.
        "He told us to be here at 11.55 sharp."
        Welsh looked at Ray, who grinned, then a shriek erupted
from the showers, and Fraser threw open the door, and
everyone clearly heard Huey yelling at Francesca to get out
of the Men's shower. Ray whipped out a camera to take a
photo, then high fived Fraser and Frannie raced out, her
skimpy top and skirt covered with a dark chocolate brown
stain, her face flaming, and Ray leaned into the room.
        "Gotcha Jack!"
        Then he looked up.
        "Wherever you are Louis, that one's for you."
        "Vecchio! You son of a.. What did you do with my towel
and my clothes?!"
        "The same thing you did to mine April First 94' I put
them through the shredder."
        "I didn't touch your clothes! That was Louis! You son
of.."
        "Ladies present, Jack."
        Huey jumped back into the stall and there was laughter
all round.
        "I'll get you for this, Ray, just you wait!."
        Ray looked at his watch, and then held it out pointing
to it.
        "Does every body see what the time is? It's 12.01 and
that means.." he turned and looked right into the showers.
"Pull a prank and spend the rest of the day in a cell."
        "Oooohhh.." Huey growled, "You will pay.."
        "Try it, Huey, and I'll toss you in a cell personally,
You pulled the same prank on him with Louis.. Take it like a
man," Welsh said.
        "Oh he'll pay alright, but I don't have to do a thing.
His sister will do it all for me."
        Ray realised how right he was, then Fraser slapped him
on the back.
        "Gotcha."
        Then he ran away. Ray spun as everyone, including Jack,
laughed at him.
        "Come back here, you dirty, rotten, double dealing,
backstabbing, traitor," Ray roared and bolted off in
pursuit.
        "I love it.. Louis couldn't have done it better,"
Huey roared with laughter.

*~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*

The End

Copyright April 26, 1998 Red Skye
Standard disclaimers apply, Alliance owns the copyright
of all Due South Characters that I didn't invent for this
story, and I just borrowed their toys to play with them a
little.

*~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*

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