Dief raised his head as the vibrations of footprints registered. He looked up. It was
Fraser's partner, Ray. Stanley Ray Kowalski. Or Pseudo-Ray, as Dief had taken to calling
him. 'Honestly,' He thought to him self, 'He doesn't even _look_  like Ray Vecchio.
Humans! Always ready to believe their machines over their senses, or their common-sense,
for that matter...'

 None the less, he gave Pseudo-Ray a pitifully hopeful look. 'If I play my cards
right, I might get a jelly donut. Of course, begging is humiliating, but it isn't as if I can
walk up to a counter and _buy_ one. Not during lately anyway...'

 Stan glared at the wolf. "No. No way. You have stolen enough food offa me to
feed a small village. Foget it."

 Fraser looked at the wolf in a chiding fashion. "You have to watch your diet, Dief.
You aren't getting as much exercise as you're used to."

 Dief snorted. 'That's for sure. I'm not chasing crooks through every nook and
cranny of the Northern Territories. Instead, I chase them through the back alleys of
Chicago. Not a huge amount of difference.' He paused, watching Officer Huey walk past,
carrying a sandwich. 'I lie. It's impossible to get a _good_ pastrami sandwich in Medicine
Hat.'

 He followed the detective to his desk, leaving Kowalski complaining to Fraser
about the habits of both he and his wolf.

 He smirked to himself. 'This guy is a push over for the 'Bambi Eyes' look.' Dief
gave the detective's sandwich a look of pitiful longing. Casting a quick look at Fraser,
who was now following Kowalski down the hall, Huey gave Dief a section of sandwich.

"Okay, but if you tell on me, I get a new fur rug."

 Dief scarffed down the sandwich. 'Right. You and what army?'

 Dief watched the steady rise and fall of Fraser's chest. 'Is he asleep? He better be.
Quite frankly, I can't stand this for much longer!'

 The wolf cast one last suspicious look at the sleeping Mountie. 'Well, it's now or
never...'

 Dief padded to the window, where a sliver of moonlight shone through onto the
floor. Standing in the glow, the wolf's form changed until a white haired young man stood
there. He stretched out aching muscles. 'Geeze. That has to be the longest time I've ever
spent 'wolf'. At least when we were in the Yukon, I could slip off and spend a little time
by myself walking upright. Ever since we came to Chicago, I've been stuck four footed
and furry. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's a little stressful on one's social life. I mean,
really. I've been reduced to watching blondes through patio doors. It's pathetic...I have
got to find myself another were-wolf and settle down. I wonder if there are any of the kin
and kind in town?'

 Wandering down the consulate's main hall, he mused to himself. 'I mean, it isn't as
if they can advertise in the personals... "Attractive female were-wolf looking for handsome
mate. Must have good hunting skills, and genetic background, people skills a plus..."

Yeah. Right. I've been spending too much time with Pseudo-Ray. Sarcasm is starting to
rub off. Still. I kinda _like_ him. I mean, he isn't Ray, but he's a good man in and of himself.
Besides, "Kick 'em in the head" ain't a bad motto, from my point of view. It's nice to have
people around who'll protect Fraser from the few people he can't talk around. Before, he
only had me. That was a lot of work for one little Lycathrope.'

 As he seated himself on the stairs, a smile tugged one side of the young man's
mouth. 'Fraser. How did I end up mixed up with him anyhow? There I was, stuck in a
hole, and he dropped, quite literally, into my life. He does have a distressing tendency to
jump off of things. Roofs, cliffs, moving vehicles...Still, he helped me out of the trap,
knocking himself out in the process, might I add.'

 The man shook his head, chuckling a little, the smile getting broader. 'And then I
ended up bringing half the wall down on him, trying to help him as a wolf. While he was
unconscious for the third time, I just went human, and hauled him out. Worked a lot better
that way...'

 Dief jumped guiltily as he felt the *thump* of Fraser's feet hitting the floor. He
changed once again. By the time Fraser entered the main hall of the consulate, a wolf was
gazing up at him, wearing a totally unconvincing look of innocence.

 Fraser looked slightly surprised. "Hmm. I could have sworn I heard someone
chuckling in here..."

 Dief gazed up at him. 'Damn. Being deaf has it's drawbacks, I didn't know I was
being that loud. Maybe he'll decide it was his father...'

 Fraser looked down at Dief. "I suppose I don't even want to know what you're
doing up this late? Come on, back to sleep."

 Robert Fraiser popped up. "Son. You're talking to a wolf. You need to get out
more often."

 "You're right dad. I talk to you, after all..."

 "Now son..."

 "Dad, it's too early in the morning to discuss this."

 The door shut behind the slightly grumpy Mountie. Fraiser Sr. glanced at Dief.
"Still, one'd think you can understand everything you hear..."

 Dief followed the ghost back to Fraiser's door, and settled down in front of it,
smirking at the vanishing spirit. 'Oh, you have no idea how much. You have absolutely
_no_ idea...'

Author's Note: My first Due South fic! Yay! (I'd like to point out that, except for like three episodes,  I've only seen the third season so far, so the _real_ Ray is somewhat a mystery...) These characters aren't mine, more's the pity. So please don't sue me. I'm a student, I'm broke...
 
What did you think? I have had this little idea about Dief since I saw 'Red
White and Blue'. Fraiser never actually mentions how he and Dief got _out_ of that pit...
 
Write me. Please? I'll be your best friend...The address is morgan_peterson@hotmail.com , please
tell me what you think. I _like_ C&C!