This piece has taken a long time to reach the archives due to my inability to find a suitable title for it. I have finally settled on the one below due to lack of imagination. Thanks are due to Audrey, Katrina and Kari for their assistance and encouragement.
As usual, all characters are property of Alliance, and any new characters are purely the product of my imagination. Any comments and criticisms are warmly welcomed at tsejuie@pl.jaring.my
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by Hsu-Lyn Yap
"Do you remember what we discussed yesterday about you coming to work with me, Ray?" Fraser rested his arms on the table and looked seriously across the breakfast table.
"Yes, I do." Ray continued spooning cereal into his mouth while reading the daily comic strips in the newspaper.
"It's rude not to look at the person you are talking to, Ray." Fraser admonished with a little frown.
"Sorry." The bright eyes trained themselves on the figure in the brown uniform, who was watching him intently.
"And what did we agree about you coming to work with me?" Fraser prompted gently.
Ray sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward in an all too familiar gesture. Fraser had to suppress a smile as he watched him. It was a gesture he was too used to seeing, but it still brought a smile to his face, even now, when he was trying to have a serious conversation.
"I must not try to rearrange your files..." he began, counting out on his fingers.
"Actually, I think I said that you should not look for spare paper in the file cabinets, which is, technically, a crime as they contain confidential consulate documents." Fraser corrected. "And while you are trying to cover up your crime, you should not attempt to say that you are trying to rearrange my files."
"So, that means that I should not try to rearrange your files, right?" the impish grin flashed briefly at him, vanishing when Fraser merely shook his head solemnly. "Okay, okay. Rule One: I must not open the file cabinets." He grinned when Fraser finally nodded agreement to the compromise.
"Rule Two: I must not try to play with Diefenbaker. He is supposed to be on duty as well, when he is at the consulate." Ray giggled as Diefenbecker licked his bare feet under the table.
Fraser leaned under the table and caught Dief's eye. "If you do not mind, Diefenbaker, I m trying to have a serious conversation here." Dief merely gave a lupine sniff of disapproval and feigned ignorance,refusing to meet Fraser's eyes.
"And finally?" Fraser prompted when Ray did not seem to continue.
"Aww...must I promise that?" Ray looked pleadingly at him.
"Yes. It is the most important part of our agreement." Fraser refused to back down. "We talked about this yesterday, and agreed that there was to be no more discussion about this."
Ray pursed his lips in a sulky pout and stirred the remaining cereal in the bowl vigourously, splashing milk onto the table.
Fraser simply watched him calmly, not saying anything, until he had stopped playing with his breakfast. Then, he silently handed him the dish-cloth, and watched as Ray reluctantly mopped up the mess he had made. Nothing was said as he quietly finished the rest of his cereal and orange juice.
Fraser sat back in his chair, patiently waiting, as Ray finished his breakfast and rested his arms on the table in unconscious imitaion of the position Fraser had adopted earlier. The bright eyes looked at him, unblinking, and stubborn. Fraser recognised the stubbornness and again had to suppress a smile. The obstinate set to his mouth was exactly like his own, when he had made up his mind and knew that no one could change it, no matter how hard they tried. But this was an argument he intended to win, and *he* could be stubborn as well!
As if sensing the mistake in adopting his tough guy stance, Ray allowed his eyes to soften, and he smiled a tentative smile. It was one he always used to win his arguments, and he hoped it would work this time. It might have worked if Fraser had not restrained himself from responding to that angelic smile. They would never get anything resolved that way.
Ray's eyes narrowed speculatively when there was no response from the figure opposite him. He considered a tantrum, but a quick glance at the kitchen clock made him change his mind. Fraser would be going to work soon, and he *did* want to go with him.
"Okay." He sighed finally. "Rule Three: I promise not to tease Constable Turnbull and try to distract him from sentry duty, and..." he sighed exaggeratedly again in resignation. "...I promise not to call him a moron!"
"Thank you, Ray." Fraser smiled finally. "I will take your word for it."
"But don t you think he is one?"
"Ray, I don't even want to talk about it. I told you so yesterday. The subject is closed." Fraser said firmly, as he cleared the breakfast bowls away, torn between telling the truth and establishing his authority. "Go wear your shoes. I'm going to work soon."
Ray shrugged in a resigned gesture and followed him through to the living room, pulling on his socks as Dief solicitiously brought him his shoes. Fraser smiled to himself in the mirror at Dief's devotion , as he adjusted his tie. The white wolf who used to be his faithful shadow was now never far from Ray's side. At least, he figured, he never had to fear for his security. As he himself was aware, Diefenbaker made a loyal companion and a compelling bodyguard.
"Will the Dragon Lady be in the office today?" Ray asked innocently as he tied his shoelaces.
"Ray!" Fraser spun around so fast, he pulled his tie askew. "Where on earth did you hear that?!" he said agitatedly as he tried to readjust his tie.
Ray stared at him curiously. "Uncle Ray always talks about the Dragon Lady, and I want to see her. Is she a real dragon, like the firebreathing ones I saw in the encyclopedia last week?"
"There is no Dragon Lady , Ray." Fraser knelt down in front of his precocious five year old son, to look him in the eyes. "It is just something Uncle Ray made up, okay?"
"Yes, Dad." Ray looked subdued and a little disappointed. "You *will* tell me if you see one, won t you?"
"Yes, Ray, I will,." Fraser frowned a little. He was already rehearsing what he was going to tell Ray when he saw him.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the little boy's face brightened immediately, the disappointment forgotten.
"Uncle Ray!!" he yelled joyously, as Ray stepped through the door and scooped him up with a wide grin.
"How's my favourite little Mountie this morning?" he asked, settling Fraser's Stetson on little Ray's head.
"I'm going to work with Daddy." The little boy announced, peeping out from under the too-wide brim.
"Well, he's a lucky Daddy!" Ray grinned at the excited little face.
"Better you than me, Benny!" he added as an aside as Fraser simply shrugged and picked up his son's bag of books ,papers and crayons.
"He promised." Was all he said as he handed his son the other shoe.
"Ah, Ray..." Fraser called as they went down the stairs to the car. Two pairs of eyes turned back to look up at him, one green, the other blue. Fraser sighed and mentally berated himself for ever giving his son that name.
"I meant you, Ray Vecchio." He indicated his best friend with a slight nod. "I think we should have a talk soon."
The green eyes eyed him apprehensively.
"This is gonna one of those talks where you talk and I listen, isn't it? Where there are no Inuit stories ?"
"Yes, Ray. I'm afraid it is." Fraser indicated the little boy still in Ray's arms, with a quick glance.
Ray rolled his eyes in that well-known gesture, and shook his head at the boy. "I think I'm in deep trouble with your Dad, kid"
The little boy looked back at him, his blue eyes solemn under his curly dark hair.
"When Dad does not tell Inuit stories, you usually are, Uncle Ray."
"I know, kid." Ray sighed dramatically as he opened the car door. "Believe me, I know!"
THE END