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      	  Kidnapped! 
 by msgordo  

 Disclaimer: Not mine, not a one.

 Author's Notes: For malnpudl, written in payment for her donation to
the_fund on lj for the fandom friends affected by Hurricane Katrina.

 Story Notes: Mild bondage. Did I mention the handcuffs?

 

 ~*~*~*

 Constable Benton Fraser stared speechlessly at the sight before him,
turned his head to stare equally speechlessly at the man standing next to
him and then turned back to stare at the reason for his uncharacteristic
silence. 

 Then he closed his eyes, counted to ten and opened them again in the hope
that his sanity would return in the intervening time. It didn't.

 He was still, without doubt, staring at an unconscious Ray Kowalski
sprawled on his back wearing nothing but soft gray sleep pants and a white
vest, handcuffed to the headboard of the bed in the Queen's bedroom at the
Canadian consulate and with a piece of duct tape firmly in place over his
mouth, pulling at his sleep flushed skin.

 Fraser cleared his throat and said warily, "I trust there is an excellent
explanation for this, Constable Turnbull?"

 "Yes, sir!" Radiating eagerness and satisfaction, Constable Turnbull
snapped to attention at Fraser's side and said happily, "At approximately
eleven fifteen this evening I, along with Probationary Constables
Fitzpatrick, Roberts and Phillips, took pre-emptive actions regarding
certain disturbing information that had come to our attention and broke
into Detective Vecchio's apartment and forcibly removed him from the
premises to a more secure locale."

 Fraser cleared his throat again and tried desperately to drag his eyes
away from the strip of golden skin revealed on Ray's taut belly where his
vest had ridden up and his pants down as he moved around on the bed in his
sleep. "Ray..." He coughed to try and rid himself of the sudden hoarseness
in his throat which he told himself was absolutely *not* a reaction to
seeing his partner lying in such abandoned vulnerability before him and
started again. "Detective Vecchio is in some kind of danger?"

 "Oh no, sir!" Almost vibrating with righteous zeal, Turnbull shook his
head and beamed at Fraser. "He was *never* in any danger. We were most
diligent in our removal and subsequent caring of him."

 Fraser turned heroically from his contemplation of Ray's bare feet --
which were turning out to be just as compelling to stare at as his naked
belly -- and fixed his colleague with an impatient glare. "Constable
Turnbull, you have a member of the Chicago police force chained against
his will to a bed on Canadian soil. I demand an explanation
*immediately*."

 Turnbull gave a sober nod and visibly steeled himself. "Of course, sir."
He looked at Fraser with sympathy flooding his grave eyes. "I'm afraid you
may have to brace yourself, sir, it's not a pretty tale."

 Unlike, Fraser couldn't help but absently notice, the unexpectedly pretty
sight of Ray Kowalski chained wearing nothing but some flimsy cotton to a
bed. Really, it was enough to render an already weary man insensible. And
speaking of insensible..."Constable Turnbull, please just proceed with
your report." 

 Turnbull gave a sharp nod in response to Fraser's brusque command and
said, "Very well, sir. It started earlier this evening at about seven o'
clock when I received a very distressed phone call from Miss Vecchio..."

 ~*~*~*

 "Now, it may seem that your superior officer is at times more than a
little...unreasonable," Constable Renfield Turnbull severely eyed the
three RCMP probationary officers standing before the consulate reception
desk, diligently taking notes as he talked, and continued firmly, "But no
matter how outlandish their demands, or how harshly made, you must never,
*ever* forget that..." He broke off as the phone on the desk rang and held
up one finger. "Excuse me. Good evening, Canadian consulate, this is
Constable...Miss Vecchio?" 

 Turnbull sat ramrod straight in his chair as he recognized the frantic
voice screaming at him down the line. "No, I'm afraid Constable Fraser is
still in transit from his visit to Toronto and cannot be...Miss Vecchio,
please!" Turnbull held the phone away from his ear as the screaming
increased dramatically and said slightly desperately, "Please, calm
yourself, I'm sure that..." His eyes widened in horror as he listened.
"Are you *sure*? There is no mistake?"

 This time Turnbull held the phone at arms length and winced in pain at
the sheer volume of Francesca's voice.

 He waited patiently for her to wind down, ignoring the wide eyes of his
audience and then, when Francesca finally ran out of breath, brought the
phone back to his ear and said firmly, "I quite agree, Miss Vecchio, this
situation must not be allowed to escalate. Are you at the station house
now?" Turnbull swept assessing eyes along his probationers and stood
decisively. "Very well. Please try and do all you can to gather any
necessary information and contain the situation until I arrive. I shall be
with you momentarily."

 He placed the receiver down with a sharp click, incidentally cutting off
Francesca's worried sounding reply and smiled grimly at the three junior
officers. "It would seem that we will be moving our table of events around
somewhat this evening, we shall have to conclude our discussion on the
proper support necessary to a superior officer at a later date. For now I
wish you to collect some appropriate outdoor clothing for the rather
inclement weather this evening and gather outside the front door of the
consulate, whilst I make sure the building is secured. You have two
minutes." He watched as the three young men scattered and then called
after them in an afterthought, "Pick non-descript clothing, please! We
will need to be as unnoticeable as possible. Oh, and don't forget your
notebooks!" 

 ~*~*~*

 Fraser stared at Turnbull. "You took three *probationers* to the Chicago
police station? *Our* Chicago police station?" He thumbed his eyebrow in
distress. "And encouraged them to take *notes*?"

 Turnbull nodded grimly. "Yes, sir. I understand it was
somewhat...unorthodox, but the situation warranted unusual measures and
even though it was somewhat outside of normal parameters for what a
probationary officer might expect for their working hours and duties, I
felt fully justified in taking this action."

 Fraser cricked his neck sharply. "But to the *station*?"

 Turnbull frowned and said darkly, "Desperate times, sir, desperate
times."

 ~*~*~*

 Half an hour later, Francesca Vecchio found jammed herself in the supply
closet at the police precinct where it was rumored she sometimes performed
her duties adequately with four extremely large Mounties -- all, to a man,
wearing long beige trench coats, Stetsons pulled low over their faces and
shifty expressions -- and watching in bemusement while three of them
faithfully recorded her every word in little notepads and the fourth
smiled benevolently at her with his head jammed uncomfortably under the
highest shelf.

 "You couldn't have, I don't know, been a little less *obvious*,
Turnbull?" Frannie eyed the trench coats and hats in disbelief and glared
as hard as she could from where she was scrunched uncomfortably between
the wall and a tower of boxed fax paper. "I was kinda hoping no one would
notice you."

 Turnbull smiled reassuringly at her. "I can assure you, Miss Vecchio, we
entered the station with the minimum of attention."

 "Turnbull," Frannie upped the wattage on her glare considerably, "The guy
on the front desk thought you were *strippers*. And as the only cop here
tonight with a birthday is Steve Marconi, the desk sergeant thought you
were *gay* strippers."

 Turnbull's smile barely faltered and he said brightly, "I can assure you
that whatever measures prove necessary to solve this dilemma, Miss
Vecchio, we shall undertake them with all the verve and resolve that has
become synonymous with the RCMP."

 Three pens stopped abruptly on three notepads before resuming their
industrious work -- although somewhat more hesitantly and less
enthusiastically than before.

 Frannie blinked and tried to focus on the matter in hand and not miles
and miles of naked, gyrating Mountie flesh, strategic maple leaves
covering...she shook herself abruptly. The crisis, dammit! "Okay, well..."
Frannie cleared her throat and stifled a whimper as one of her mental
strategic maple leaves slipped and wafted gently to her mental strobe lit
floor. "So, I'm working late, okay? Getting a jump on filing some of the
reports that have building up while the Lieu is out of the office and I
don't gotta worry about being interrupted by him yelling and screaming
that I've done something to his coffee and screwed up the mess on his desk
that he calls a *system*..."

 Turnbull nodded approvingly and ignored the implied criticism of
Frannie's superior. "Very commendable." He stared pointedly at the junior
Mounties. "An excellent example to you all."

 "Yeah," Frannie eyed the note-taking Mounties uncertainly and then
shrugged awkwardly in the confined space. "So, anyway, I'm working at my
desk and I look up and there *she* is," Frannie bared her teeth in a
fierce snarl. "Looking right over at Ray like she's got something on him
and I see this guy over her shoulder looking all smug and right away I
know this ain't gonna be good, y'know?"

 Turnbull nodded once more, this time in sage understanding. "Certainly.
Whilst you can lecture and educate upon the finer points of law
enforcement until you are blue in the face, there really is no substitute
for being on the front line." He tapped the side of his nose and stared
knowingly at his three subordinates. "Instincts, Probationary Constables,
*instincts*." 

 The three junior Mounties looked suitably grave and hurried to record the
words of wisdom.

 Frannie eyed Turnbull thoughtfully and absently noted that for a
pen-pushing, sometime duster-wielding fruitcake he wasn't a bad looking
guy. And that hat did something to really bring out the line of his
previously unnoticed strong jaw line. "So I keep my head down, but I'm
watching what goes on, okay? She's struttin' across the room like she owns
it and Ray's seen her and he's looking a little rattled, but not like he
can't handle her, and she goes in real close and starts whispering in his
ear and the next thing I know he's on his feet and shouting like he's
going to bring down the *roof*."

 Turnbull's mouth twisted and his eyes glittered angrily. "Understandable,
I'm afraid. I've only met ADA Kowalski on two occasions and I must admit I
find her rather...abrasive manner somewhat annoying myself."

 "Yeah." Frannie's face screwed up in dislike. "She's a stone-cold bitch,
alright." She met Turnbull's eyes in a look of mutual understanding and
then flashed a grim smile as she got back to her story. "Anyway, the guy
with her starts yelling at Ray, and they got him backed into a corner and
I figure, hey, he's a pain in the ass but he's *my* pain in the ass,
y'know?"

 "Yes." Radiating approval once more, Turnbull smiled softly at Frannie
and then flicked a glance at the avidly listening probationers. "Loyalty
and support amongst co-workers, admirable and expected in *all*
situations, no matter what the cost to oneself."

 "Right!" Frannie's hands fluttered nervously in front of her as her lower
lip began to tremble ominously. "And, plus, he's like my *brother* so I go
running over, only they won't let me near him. Stella gets all in my face
and blocks me while the guy with her grabs Ray's arm and just *yanks* him
out from behind the desk and the next thing I know they got him in the
Lieu's office and they got the door locked and I could hear Ray yelling
for me and I couldn't get to him and...and..." 

 There was an abrupt and painful re-shuffling of Mounties as Turnbull
hastened as much as he could through the cramped space and gathered
Frannie into his arms. "Please, Miss Vecchio, don't distress yourself. I'm
sure you did all you could. No one is blaming you for this." He produced a
snow-white hanky and pressed it into her hands. "The blame here lies
entirely with the dishonorable actions of other people and you have acted
as swiftly and decisively as you were able to thwart them."

 "But that's just it!" Frannie pressed into Turnbull's solid strength and
began to wail in earnest. "Maybe I didn't. Maybe I could have done
something, I don't know, *more*." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks and her
breath began to hitch with the force of her sobs. "The bastards waited
till they knew the Lieu and Fraser were outta the way, everyone's known
for *ages* that they'd be away the same time this week, and there ain't no
one else here that'd go to bat for Ray like they would if something went
down and now they're gonna come back tomorrow and it'll be too late and
he'll be gone and then what are they gonna think of me then, Turnbull?"
Frannie abandoned the fruitless effort of trying to blot her tears and
buried her face in Turnbull's broad, understanding chest. "I *know* how
important Ray is and how he's gotta stay safe and in sight around here and
I just let her come in and take him and, oh God, Fraser's gonna be so
disappointed in me!"

 "No," Turnbull gathered Frannie closer and said firmly, "Constable Fraser
will be extremely proud of your quick thinking and keen grasp of the
importance of the situation and will commend you on the speediness of your
actions. Now," In a manner most unlike his normal hesitant self, Turnbull
grasped Frannie's shoulders gently, but firmly, and pushed her away from
him as much as he could in the closet to say, "I need you to tell me
exactly where Detective Vecchio will be and whom he will be with before he
is transferred. I promise you on the honor of the RCMP that I will not
allow anything to happen to him, nor will I allow anyone to spirit him
away into the night before Leftenant Welsh and Constable Fraser returns."

 Frannie's eyes overflowed again and she clutched tearfully at the front
of Turnbull's coat. "Really?"

 Turnbull smiled heroically. "You have my word." 

 The three junior Mounties looked wildly impressed and a little envious as
Frannie crumpled gratefully into Turnbull's arms.

 Turnbull blushed and coughed as he became aware of the admiring scrutiny
and ordered crisply, "Enter a new sub-heading under support of a superior
officer." He blushed harder as Frannie snuggled closer and said in a
strangled voice, "Office Politics; the recognizing and circumventing
thereof."

 ~*~*~*

 Turnbull paused in his recitation of the evening's events and peered
worriedly at Fraser who had gone rather alarmingly red in the face and
developed a sharp tick in his jaw. "Sir? Are you alright?"

 Seething with anger at the thought of Frannie and Ray distressed and
being taken advantage of by the wily Stella, Fraser nodded sharply and
told himself that well-earned retribution could wait. Not long, but it
could wait. "I'm fine, Turnbull. Carry on."

 "Yes, sir." Turnbull eyed Fraser uncertainly for another few moments and
cleared his throat. "Well, we soon realized that our only opportunity to
regain the upper hand would not occur at the station house itself, but
rather when Detective Vecchio was escorted to his home to collect a few
essentials before being taken away. I insisted on seeing Miss Vecchio home
and assured her once more that we had matters in hand before leaving her
in her mother's capable company and setting out with the Probationary
Constables for Detective Vecchio's apartment..."

 ~*~*~*

 Turnbull tensed in his hiding place behind Ray's bedroom door as he heard
the front door to the apartment open and glanced quickly around the room
to make sure his three back-up men were in place and ready for whatever
might occur. He was filled with pride that, although understandably
nervous at their first 'official' duty for the RCMP, once he had explained
the severity of the situation as best he could without divulging any
dangerous information that might lead to either Detective Vecchios being
compromised, his probationers had rallied superbly under the weight of
their duty and had assured him of their determination to follow him as far
as necessary to ensure the satisfactory conclusion to their night. 

 Although he was somewhat puzzled at the rather anxious pleading for his
assurances that they would be fulfilling their duties fully clothed.

 Turnbull shrugged to himself. Oh well, he remembered only too clearly the
strange thoughts that ran through a man's head the first time he faced
danger and uncertainty on the mean streets. He was sure they would be fine
once they got some experience under their tightly notched belts. His head
cocked as he heard Detective Vecchio speak in the main room of the
apartment and he frowned in concern at the note of defeat in the normally
confident voice.

 "Look, Stell, you got what you wanted, okay? Just give me a few minutes
to pack some clothes and we'll get out of here." The sound of a foot
kicking something in frustration reached Turnbull's ears. "I just need a
minute alone here."

 "Honestly, Ray, you're acting like I'm doing this to *spite* you." Stella
Kowalski's cool voice had Turnbull's face hardening and his teeth grinding
together unconsciously as he listened. Oh he couldn't *wait* until
Constable Fraser returned and he was able to inform him of the situation.
Turnbull assured himself that he wasn't one to revel in other people's
misfortunes, but in Stella's case he'd be prepared to make an exception
and fully planned on being there when she was taken to task for her
duplicity. 

 He might even attempt to persuade Inspector Thatcher that in trying to
remove Detective Vecchio from their vicinity the ADA had purposely set out
to undermine and subvert the excellent working relationship between the
RCMP and the city of Chicago. That would most certainly be a fitting
penalty for the American woman's actions.

 The sound of an exasperated female sigh carried through the open bedroom
door. "For God's sake, stop sulking! I've done you a *favor*. Your name
was the first one I thought of when I was asked to assist in putting this
operation together with the LAPD; this will do *wonders* for your career.
Promotion's a certainty at the end of it!"

 "Yeah, well, maybe I ain't all about the shining career, Stella, you ever
think of that?" Ray's shout revealed all of his pain and frustration at
what he obviously saw as some kind of betrayal. "Maybe I'm happy doin'
what I do *now*. And it ain't just my life you're screwing with here.
There's someone *else* you gotta consider in all of this and maybe it's
more important that I stay right where I am so I can make sure that he
makes it through *his* assignment alive!"

 "Don't be ridiculous, Ray." Stella's bright laugh tinkled on the air and
Turnbull found himself hoping she choked on it. "You don't seriously think
that anyone with half a brain ever bought that story, do you? I imagine
when Welsh gets back tomorrow and is informed of the situation he probably
won't even bother replacing you."

 This time when Ray spoke, his words rang with hurt. "Jesus, Stella, when
the fuck did you get so mean? Look, maybe it was a stupid story, okay? But
I got people *relying* on me here and, God, you wouldn't even let me speak
to Frannie before you dragged me outta the station and when she tells
Welsh what's happened he's not gonna be happy."

 Stella snorted. "Oh please, the ditzy secretary will forget all about you
by the end of the week and your *boss* will do as he's told because he has
no say in this and by the time he finds out you'll be deep undercover and
there won't be a thing anyone can do about it."

 "Hey, you watch how you talk about Frannie, okay?" For the first time,
Ray's voice actually sounded as dangerous as Turnbull knew it was capable
of and the hidden Mountie took dark delight in the swiftly stifled gasp of
alarm from ADA Kowalski as she evidently realized she'd gone a step too
far. "She might not have all your precious *education*, but she's got
street smarts and she's a real good person. You talk about her with
respect when you talk about her to me."

 "Of...of course." Stella sounded a little breathless and a good deal less
sure of herself than she had moments before. "I'm sorry, Ray, truly. Of
course you've grown attached to her." There was a long awkward pause
before Stella offered in a conciliatory tone, "She's obviously very fond
of you, as well."

 "Whatever." Ray's voice snapped out and then a gusty sigh sounded. "Look,
Stell, can't we just hold off on this for a few hours? I don't feel right
about leavin' without saying a proper goodbye to Ma Vecchio and...and
there's Fraser. I can't just leave Fraser without..."

 "Christ, Ray, forget about the goddamned Mountie, okay?" Stella's voice
was back to being filled with anger and exasperation. "He's a big boy,
he'll work through it! Jesus, all you've gone on about since we told you
is goddamned Fraser this and goddamned Fraser that and, frankly, it's
getting a little old." Her voice dripped with spite as Stella spat, "I
don't remember you being this upset about leaving *me* for undercover work
and we were fucking *married*."

 "Yeah, well, maybe now I got someone that'll actually *notice* I'm gone
I'm seein' things a little differently, you ever think about that,
Stella?" Ray's voice sounded like a verbal slap and he continued in the
same hard tone, "And, just so you know, Fraser's off-limits just like
Frannie, okay?"

 "Fine," Obviously out of patience, Stella laughed unpleasantly and
Turnbull could almost picture the accompanying eye roll. "That's just fine
with me, Ray. I'll give you fifteen minutes to get yourself together and
then we're out of here. Get out of the way, I need to unplug your phone
and make sure you can't contact anyone that might tip off our targets if
they say the wrong thing at the wrong time."

 "What? Jesus Christ, Stella, who am I gonna call, the deaf wolf?" The
sound of something being yanked sharply from the wall was almost drowned
out by Ray's loud and angry, "For fucks sake!"

 "Fifteen minutes, Ray." Stella's footsteps echoed as she strode towards
the door. "I expect you showered, shaved, packed and downstairs ready to
go in fifteen minutes. I'll leave an officer outside your door so don't
think about getting clever, okay? Just remember you don't have a choice in
this; it's too important to far too many people to let go just because you
have a bad case of going native on your current assignment."

 The front door was heard to close with a sharp click and silence reigned
for a moment before... "*FUCK*!" Several loud crashes and bangs were heard
-- signaling, Turnbull summarized, the end of several knick-knacks that
were already pretty marked by the years -- and then Ray's voice sounded
again, this time infinitely more defeated and broken, "*Fuck*." Heavy
footsteps approached the bedroom door and Turnbull held his breath, but at
the last minute they veered off and entered the small bathroom and moments
later the sounds of a shower starting up could be heard.

 Turnbull took advantage of the few moments of grace and peered around the
gloom of Ray's bedroom where his crack team stood ready to assist. "Are
you all prepared?" Quiet murmurs and nods of assent answered him. "Very
well. You all heard Ms Kowalski; we have a very limited amount of time. Be
ready on my signal." Turnbull stared gravely at his subordinates. "I
cannot stress enough the importance of this mission. Be prepared to take
whatever measures are necessary to ensure Detective Vecchio's safety and
well-being. Oh, and you may put away your notebooks."

 ~*~*~* 

 Turnbull broke off again and stared in outright alarm at Fraser's now
purple face. "Sir?"

 "I am quite alright, Constable." Fraser stared at the younger man blindly
and didn't seem to realize that he was panting quite heavily, give him the
appearance of a somewhat rabid animal. Or Diefenbaker unsupervised in a
baked goods store. "Continue."

 "Yes, sir." Turnbull's eyes flickered down to where Fraser's hand was
clenched around the porcelain ornamental doorknob to the Queen's bedroom
and was in imminent danger of shattering it. "Perhaps you might release
your grip, Sir? Only I don't think it will help Detective Vecchio's state
of mind when he awakes to find you have been injured, and it will be quite
impossible to replace the doorknob. It's an antique, you know."

 "Yes. Of course." With obvious effort, Fraser forced his hand to let go
and nodded sharply. "Quite right."

 Visibly relieved, Turnbull relaxed and smiled bracingly. "Thank you, Sir.
Well, there's not that much more to tell..."

 ~*~*~*

 Not five minutes after Ray had stepped into the shower, Turnbull watched
as he walked dejectedly through his bedroom door, one white towel slung
low around his lean hips and one covering his head as he rubbed his hair
dry. Turnbull felt his throat tighten with pity as the other man sunk down
at the foot of his bed without taking the towel off his head and abruptly
curled over to wrap his arms around his wet torso and whisper almost
silently, "Oh, man. *Fraser*."

 Turnbull blinked. Although used to the, at times, almost symbiotic
relationship between his senior constable and the Chicago cop, Ray's tone
sounded almost like a man losing his lover rather than a man losing his
part...Oh. Turnbull blinked again. *Oh*. Of *course*! 

 His heart further hardened with resolve as all became clear. ADA Kowalski
was obviously acting under some kind of jealousy driven motive due to the
relationship between Detective Vecchio and Constable Fraser and rather
than let them be to live their lives together in happiness she had felt
compelled to force them apart, maybe in disgust that her ex-husband now
loved a man and...

 Turnbull's lips pressed tightly together. Well, wasn't that *quite*
beyond the pale? His eyes flashed furiously in his face. Constable Fraser
was one of the finest men he knew and if he chose to love and share his
life with another brave, honorable man then no treacherous -- he blushed
to even think the word -- *witch* was going to force them apart on
Turnbull's watch! 

 "Detective Vecchio!" Ray's head shot up at the hoarse whisper and he
jumped up with a startled yell, the towel on his head falling to the floor
unheeded. Turnbull quickly shut the bedroom door, promptly stumbling over
his own feet and falling painfully to the floor as the faint light from
the front room was cut off and then room was plunged into darkness. "It's
me, Constable Turnbull! It's alright!"

 "Huh?" Ray's voice sounded cautiously in the gloom. "Turnbull?"

 "Yes!" Turnbull climbed carefully to his feet and reached out
reassuringly to pat Ray where he estimated his shoulder should be. "If you
could just locate the light switch..."

 "*Turnbull*?" Ray's incredulous voice rose in agitation and he flinched
back from the unexpected contact. "What the *fuck* are you doin' in my
*bedroom*?"

 "Please, Detective Vecchio, there isn't much time. The light switch?"
Turnbull waited patiently until he heard Ray move and then hastily added
as he heard a startled yelp when Ray evidently bumped into one of the
probationers, "Don't be alarmed! I have people with me, they're here to
help." He blinked rapidly as the overhead light came on and Ray was
revealed by the head of the bed, practically in the arms of Probationary
Constable Fitzpatrick and scowling fiercely in all his damp, rumple-haired
glory. "Good evening, Detective!"

 Looking even more shocked than he'd previously sounded, Ray did some
blinking of his own and said blankly, "*Turnbull*?"

 "Yes." Turnbull indicated the rest of the Mounties in the room and said
brightly, "May I also introduce Probationary Constables Roberts and
Phillips." A faint flush covered Turnbull's cheeks as he said delicately,
"You seem to have already made your own acquaintance of Probationary
Constable Fitzpatrick."

 "I...what?" Ray frowned and then realized that he was still clutching at
a tall, well-muscled Mountie that didn't look thrilled to be holding a wet
Chicago cop dressed in nothing but a towel. "Jesus!" He let go like he'd
been scalded and grabbed hastily for the towel around his waist as it
slipped at the movement. "Uh, sorry there, guy."

 Fitzpatrick nodded and kept his eyes firmly fixed over the top of Ray's
head and away from any towel slippage. "Quite alright, sir."

 "Well, now we've all been introduced, I think it's time to get you some
clothes and then make our escape, don't you, Detective Vecchio?" Turnbull
beamed at Ray and made little encouraging movements with his hands. "Time
is of the essence, after all."

 "Time is of...?" Ray shook his head and keeping a firm grip on the towel,
strode down the side of the bed and up into Turnbull's face, saying
urgently, "Look, Turnbull, I don't know why you're here, and right now I
don't fuckin' care, 'cause you're right about one thing, okay? I ain't got
much time left and you gotta...you gotta tell Fraser something for me,
okay?"

 Turnbull tried to interrupt the frantic words. "Detect..."

 "No!" Ray flung up a desperate hand which turned out to be a mistake when
his towel slipped again and he hastily grabbed at the material when it
slithered over his hips, his voice dropping to a hoarse whisper in his
urgency, "No, you *listen* to me here, 'cause this is *important*. They're
makin' me go, it don't matter where, but the point is it won't be *here*
and I don't gotta choice, 'cause, God, if I did then I wouldn't *be* going
and Fraser...he's gotta...I want to make sure he knows..."

 "Detective Vecchio!" Turnbull dared to reach out and shake Ray firmly by
the shoulders. "Listen to *me* now. You shall be able to tell Constable
Fraser whatever you wish as you are not going anywhere."

 Ray squinted impatiently up at the taller man. "Turnbull, *focus*. I have
to *go* and..."

 "No, you don't." Turnbull smiled down reassuringly at the frazzled Ray.
"We're here to rescue you!"

 Ray closed his mouth with a snap and then scowled darkly, "Hey, I look
like Princess Leia to you? I don't need fucking *rescuing*, okay? I can
take care of myself."

 "Well, whilst it's true that you bear no discernable resemblance to
royalty at this particular moment in time, Detective, I think we can all
agree that for this particular situation you may need more than what your
own wits and cunning can provide you with." Turnbull eyes shone with
gentle compassion and he lowered his voice discreetly to whisper, "And you
shall be reunited with your loved one before the night is over, or my name
isn't Renfield Algernon Turnbull."

 "Loved..." Ray's mouth dropped open and he frowned in confusion. "What
the hell are you...wait, Renfield *Algernon*?" He eyed Turnbull in a mix
of pity and dark amusement. "Your mom named you before she got over the
pain of the labor, huh? The drugs didn't quite cut it. Bet you were a big
bastard."

 Turnbull looked faintly perplexed. "Actually my mother didn't have time
to take any pain relief when she was in labor with me. I arrived in just
under thirty minutes and was born still twenty miles from the nearest
hospital. And, yes, I *was* a big, er, ba...baby as it happens. Twelve
pounds, nine ounces."

 Ray winced and whistled through his teeth. "Yeah? I reckon you got off
lightly after all, huh?"

 "Sir!" Roberts shifted anxiously over by the far wall and tapped at his
wristwatch when Ray and Turnbull looked his way. "Sir, six minutes, sir!"

 Turnbull shook himself. "Of course; quite right, Probationary Constable.
Detective Vecchio, I would be more than pleased to impart more anecdotes
of my formative years at a more opportune time, but right at this instant
we have to *leave*. Please, get dressed and hurry!"

 A look of intense pain flashed across Ray's face so suddenly Turnbull
could have been almost sure he had imagined it if it weren't for the
bitter twist to Ray's mouth that was left behind. "I can't." He smiled
somewhat crookedly up at Turnbull and stepped back, eyes filled with
bittersweet emotion. "I gotta figure that Frannie called you, right?" He
chuckled roughly as Turnbull nodded in confusion and turned his face away
to stare blindly at the floor. "Yeah, she's a good kid. You tell her that
I appreciate it, okay? Tell her that I knew she did all she could and that
I hope it all works out okay on the, uh, *other* thing and that I'll miss
her and Ma a lot. And you tell Fraser...you tell him..."

 "Detective Vecchio!" Turnbull's voice was sharp and so unexpected that it
had Ray and his towel snapping to attention before they knew what was
happening. "I want you to answer me one question and one question only,
alright?" He waited patiently for Ray's stunned nod and said, "Do you
*want* to leave the life you have made for yourself here? Leave everyone
that...cares for you?"

 "It don't matter what I want, Turnbull!" Ray's fate was decided the
moment Turnbull heard the agonized tone of his voice, no matter what his
next words would be. "It's like...it's like this whole duty thing, okay?
And you're like a Mountie, so if anyone can get that then it's *you*. I
gotta..."

 "Do you *want* to leave?" Being unforgivably rude, Turnbull cut Ray off
and said firmly, "Yes or no, detective? Just yes or no."

 Ray's head dropped again and he whispered, "No. Jesus, no, of course I
don't want to go, but..."

 "Yes, yes; you have to. I heard." Turnbull straightened his shoulders and
eyed the top of Ray's head regretfully and then firmed his resolve.
Goodness, who knew that when he had set out on his mission to save
Detective Vecchio this evening he would end up saving him from *himself*?
"Very well, you leave me no choice. Roberts, Phillips, help me restrain
Detective Vecchio, please." Turnbull grabbed Ray before he realized what
was happening and had him in an arm and neck lock even as Ray and the
towel parted company for the last time.

 "HE...mmphfh!" Ray's shout was cut off by Phillips' warm salty hand
clapping over his mouth, and he twisted in furious rage against Turnbull's
unbreakable grip. "Mmmpfh mmmfph *mmmpfh*!"

 Turnbull smiled grimly. "Thank you for the timely reminder, Detective.
Roberts, please be careful of Detective Vecchio's feet, he is rather fond
of threatening to kick people in the head. Fitzpatrick," Turnbull glowered
as he caught the last junior Mountie staring fixedly at Ray's naked groin
as he fought his captors. "Fitzpatrick! Eyes forward and up, Probationary
Constable! Find the detective some clothes and then make sure we have not
been discovered." He shook his head reprovingly as Fitzpatrick startled
and flushed guiltily and turned away, saying, "This will have to go on
your report, you know. Honestly, Fitzpatrick, what would the *Queen* say?"

 ~*~*~*

 "So that's it, sir. I regret it was necessary to resort to restraining
Detective Vecchio in such a manner, but in the face of such mindless and
admirable devotion to duty at the cost of his own and other people's
desires I felt I had no other option." Turnbull looked closely at Fraser's
sweating face. "Sir?"

 Fraser blinked and thought to himself, 'For God's sake, stop putting
images in my mind of a naked Ray and then using the word desires in the
next sentence!'

 Turnbull took the pained silence as condemnation and said hurriedly, "I
understand I have overstepped my bounds somewhat, Constable Fraser, and of
course I shall submit to whatever disciplinary measures you and Inspector
Thatcher feel appropriate, the only thing I ask is that no action be taken
against the Probationary Constables left in my charge. I'm afraid I made
unapologetic use of their presence and they had no option but to follow my
orders."

 Fraser shook his head in a vain bid to try and clear it. "Pardon?
Disciplinary measures? I'm afraid I..."

 "Oh I know there will be consequences for my actions, Constable." The
very epitome of a man facing the gallows, Turnbull stood at attention and
exuded noble resignation. "I knew that from the start. However I feel when
ADA Kowalski's motives are investigated in this debacle, I am confident
that those in charge might be persuaded to look upon my decisions with a
little more leniency."

 Fraser's dazed expression hardened considerably at the mention of Stella.
"ADA Kowalski's motives?"

 Turnbull blushed a fiery scarlet. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

 Fraser eyed his junior warily and nodded. "Of course. Go on."

 Turnbull blushed harder. "It is not my place to presume to know anything
about my superiors' personal lives, sir, but it is my belief that this
evening's events were precipitated in the main by jealousy on the part of
Detective Vecchio's ex-wife for his new relationship." Turnbull stared
hard at the wall over Fraser's head and missed the stunned dropping of the
senior constable's jaw. "It was quite plain when we listened to Detective
Vecchio tonight that he loves you very much and the thought of leaving you
behind was causing him unimaginable pain. It was *also* quite plain that
ADA Kowalski was taking no small amount of spiteful pleasure from his
distress. Miss Vecchio was convinced that the timing of the attempt to
remove Detective Vecchio from his position was no accident, in fact was
probably *orchestrated* to coincide with both yourself and Leftenant Welsh
being out of town on unavoidable duties. After considering all the facts,
I am inclined to agree."

 Fraser thought he was having a heart attack. "Ray...Detective
Vecchio...loves me?" He leaned back heavily against the wall and said
harshly, "I'm afraid you're misinformed, Constable. Myself and Detective
Vecchio are certainly not in the kind of relationship you seem to assume,
and I am *quite* sure that if he heard your suspicions he would react
extremely negatively, possibly even *violently*."

 "Oh!" Turnbull was flooded with mortification at his horrendous mistake
and rushed to rectify it. "Sir, I apologize. I just assumed...I mean,
Detective Vecchio was so *distressed* and you are so..." Turnbull paused
and reconsidered both Ray's responses to his imminent departure that he
had witnessed and Fraser's reactions when he had listened to the report of
the evening's event and then concluded doubtfully, "Are you *sure*, sir?
Please don't feel that you need to be ashamed or hide your relationship
from your true friends."

 Fraser straightened up and snapped, "Constable Turnbull, you are
overstepping your bounds!"

 "But, sir, it's so *obvious* how he feels about you, and..." Turnbull's
plaintive protest was cut off by a muffled shout from inside the Queen's
bedroom and both men turned to see a wide awake Ray thrashing on the bed
and tugging fruitlessly at his handcuffs as he shook his head and yelled
as best he could behind his taped lips for Turnbull to shut the hell *up*
already!

 Fraser's stricken eyes met Ray's across the room and in one astounding
moment Benton Fraser had the kind of epiphany that comes just once in a
lifetime and he saw everything in Ray's eyes that he had been fighting for
so long in himself. Yearning, hopeless love, lust...and then Fraser
swallowed hard as Ray gave a low moan of despair and abruptly sagged
bonelessly back onto the bed, closing his eyes as he turned his head away.

 "Con..." Fraser had to pause to clear his tight throat and then said
firmly, "Constable Turnbull, I want to thank you for your aid this
evening. Your friendship will not be forgotten and I can assure you that
when I speak with both Inspector Thatcher and Leftenant Welsh I will be
informing them that you were acting under my own standing orders to
protect Detective Vecchio in whatever way necessary to maintain his cover
and identity whilst he is with us." Without taking his eyes from Ray,
Fraser asked, "I take it that the Probationary Constables have been sent
home to their temporary barracks for the night?"

 Turnbull stared with wide eyes between Fraser and the man lying helpless
on the bed inside the Queen's bedroom. "Yes, sir."

 "Very well then," Fraser finally tore his eyes from Ray and smiled
briskly at Turnbull. "You are dismissed, Constable. I shall expect to see
you bright and early come Monday morning."

 Turnbull nodded. "Yes, sir." He started to turn away and then paused
before saying hesitantly as his face burning brick red, "There are...I
thought it best to lay in some supplies to aid in Detective Vecchio's
comfort after your arrival. They are in the top drawer of the occasional
table to the right hand side of the bed. If you decide that you...have
need of them."

 "Understood." Fraser watched the younger man walk away and then called
after him, "Renfield?" A genuine, grateful smile lit his face and he said
warmly, "Really, I can't thank you enough."

 Turnbull's face flooded with pleasure and his eyes danced as he said,
"I'll lock up behind me, sir." 

 Fraser waited until he heard the heavy lock engage on the consulate front
door before turning and heading into the Queen's bedroom and shutting and
locking the door behind him, courteously ignoring Ray's startled flinch on
the bed. His hands rose to his neck and he began the task of making
himself more comfortable. "I felt your absence a great deal whilst I was
in Toronto, Ray." With a sigh, Fraser pulled off his lanyard and tossed it
down onto a low Queen Anne chair before starting on his serge jacket.
"Both yourself and Diefenbaker. Of course I greatly appreciated Mrs
Vecchio taking care of him while I was gone, but I couldn't help but feel
resentful that I was being deprived of both your companies." He stood for
a moment watching Ray still determinedly ignoring him on the bed and then
sighed, "Let's see what we can do about making you more comfortable, shall
we?"

 He approached the bed slowly, lowering himself down beside Ray carefully
and frowning as the other man flinched away from him as much as he was
able. "Easy, Ray. It's alright." Fraser reached for the drawer that
Turnbull had said held supplies and opened it, mostly expecting some
alcohol wipes to help with the stickiness from the duct tape, perhaps a
bottle of water and a few granola bars to stave off any late night hunger
pangs. "I'll just get something...to...help...with..." Fraser stuttered to
a halt and stared at the contents of the drawer...which unless Trojan or
Astroglide now made really small and cunningly disguised sustenance bars
most *definitely* did not hold what he had been expecting.

 Fraser blinked, slammed the drawer shut and flicked a quick glance at
Ray, still rigid on the bed. Supplies to aid in Detective Vecchio's
comfort indeed!

 Fraser shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trying to reduce the sudden
unwelcome restriction in his pants and dared to ease the drawer open again
to take a more careful look. His eyes skipped over the economy sized boxes
of both condoms and lubrication -- good lord, just how virile did Turnbull
think they *were* -- and then thankfully found some wet wipes. Fraser
preferred not to dwell on what kind of cleansing Turnbull had probably
included them for and scooped them out of the drawer to reveal a small,
metal key lying beneath them.

 "Ray, I have the key to your cuffs, just give me a moment and you'll be
free." Fraser turned with a smile to his silent friend and then faltered
as Ray finally showed signs of life, turning his head to glare defiantly,
eyes full of the intent to bolt the moment he could. "Ray, I..." Fraser
almost backed down when Ray's eyes widened with desperate, helpless rage,
but then shook himself. This was too important to let Ray go now, he had
to *know*, once and for all, if there was the chance of a future for them.
Fraser held up the key so Ray could see it and then deliberately placed it
down on top of the table and out of reach, ignoring the loud angry grunt
from his friend. "Well, first things first. Let's see about getting that
tape off your face. I imagine that it must be feeling quite uncomfortable
by now."

 Fraser gently reached out to hold Ray's face with one hand, while the
finger of the others plucked carefully at the edges of the duct tape.
"Alright, Ray, I think it might be best to..." Fraser yanked hard and the
tape tore away from Ray's skin, prompting a yelp of pain. "There. Always
best to get it over with quickly, I feel."

 "Fraser, you let me go right the fuck *now*." Ray wasted no time in
starting to yell and suddenly discovered a burning desire to go along with
Stella's previously abhorrent relocation plan for him. " I don't know what
kind of crazy, fucked up game you fucking Mounties are playing here, but I
ain't interested, okay? I got places to be and fucking Turnbull's
crazy-assed stunt has probably cost me my fucking *job* here."

 "I doubt it will come to that, Ray." Fraser ignored the foul language and
focused instead on the panicked look in Ray's blue eyes. "Now hold still
and let me just clean you off a little." He smiled reassuringly as he took
Ray's chin in a solid hold and swiped gently with the wet wipe in his
other hand at the tacky surface of his skin. "There, doesn't that feel
better?"

 Ray spluttered under the cloth and tried to shake Fraser off. "Fraser,
let me go, you freak! Get *off* me."

 Fraser ignored Ray once again and carried on with gentle passes with the
cloth until he was satisfied that the skin was clear of any residual glue.
He carefully folded the wipe before placing it on a coaster on the table;
mindful of the damage prolonged exposure to moisture could do to the
antique wood, and then raised a hand to thumb at his eyebrow. "Ray, we
have to talk."

 "What? No we don't!" Ray tugged at his handcuffs again and grunted as all
his muscles strained to free him. "Just stop kidding around and let me go,
okay? We'll forget this ever happened, I'll tell Welsh it weren't your
fault and we can just forget this ever happened."

 "Ray!" Fraser waited until Ray's eyes met his and said softly, "Ray, it's
too late for that. I can't forget about it. I'm sorry."

 Ray closed his eyes, his face twisted with sudden pain. "Knew you'd say
that." He breathed deeply and then looked up at Fraser, total agony in his
eyes. "Look, you just let me go and I'll vanish, okay? I'll go home and
call Stella and I'll figure something out and you won't ever have to see
me again. I'll just...vanish."

 Fraser couldn't bear to listen to the broken words any longer and reached
out to stroke one shaking hand over Ray's hair. He smiled almost shyly as
Ray raised startled eyes to his and said, "If that is meant to be an
inducement to me letting you go then I feel bound to tell you that you are
not succeeding."

 Ray blinked. "What?"

 "Ray," Fraser took all his considerable courage in his hands and leant
forward to brush Ray's lips with his own. "Don't ask me to let you go. I
would do anything else in the world for you, just not that."

 "Fraser?" Suddenly uncertain, Ray's eyes rounded in his face. "Fraser,
did you just kiss me?"

 Fraser pulled back sharply and looked at Ray in concern. "Did you hit
your head when Turnbull brought you here? He didn't mention anything,
but..." Warm, capable fingers probed anxiously over Ray's skull. "Does it
hurt anywhere?"

 "Fraser!" Ray jerked his head away as best he could and glowered
warningly at his friend, "Fraser, you *kissed* me."

 "Yes." Fraser stopped trying to capture Ray's head again and instead
propped his fists on either side of Ray's torso, tilting his head to the
side as he said with some trepidation, "Was that alright?"

 Ray gaped unattractively. "Uh, yeah?"

 Fraser's eyes lit up. "Good." He bent down again and this time took Ray's
mouth with intent, muttering, "I plan to do it a great deal from now on."

 It was hot, wet, slightly clumsy -- and unbelievably frustrating when Ray
tried to raise his arms to pull Fraser close and remained chained to the
headboard -- but it was without doubt a kiss that meant the world to both
of them and both men were panting through joyful smiles when they parted.
Ray swallowed and licked his lips, chasing Fraser's taste. "So, uh, you
okay? You had a good trip?"

 Fraser nuzzled at Ray's cheek, saying quietly, "I spent the entire time
thinking of you and wishing you were with me. What about you?"

 Ray sighed at the soft touch of lips on his face and closed his eyes in
blissful disbelief that Fraser was touching him that way. "Yeah. Me too.
Thinking about you, I mean. It, uh, kinda sucked when Stella tried to pull
that shit earlier, but Turnbull kinda came through and, okay, so it was no
fun getting carried down my fire escape in my jammies and shoved in a
goddamned *cab* to ride over here, but I figure that it worked out
alright, so I should just let it go maybe?"

 Fraser smiled against Ray's jaw as he nibbled gently and whispered, "I
think that's an excellent idea." He risked a glance from under his lashes
at where Ray's wrists were cuffed and his eyebrows rose when he realized
that the handcuffs in question weren't actually Ray's own standard police
issue, but a rather subtle pair padded in what looked like black leather.
Goodness, Turnbull really had thought of *everything* regarding Ray's
comfort, hadn't he? 

 Then he hastily chased away the curiously unwelcome thought as to *how*
Turnbull had managed to get his hands on a pair of padded handcuffs at
gone midnight on a Friday evening. There were some mysteries that should
*forever* remain unanswered.

 "Ray," Fraser closed his eyes as Ray arched helplessly to his lips and
said urgently, "Ray, have you done this before? With a man, I mean?"

 Ray fought to uncross his eyes and drag his mind back north of his
waistband. "What? Uh, no, but God I *want* to, Fraser. I really want to,
okay? Just *anything*, alright? This is great. *Greatness*."

 Fraser shuddered at the blatant desire evident in Ray's husky voice and
pressed one last kiss to his neck before sitting up and reaching quietly
for the drawer of Turnbull's supplies. "Alright." He smiled down at Ray.
"Whatever you want, Ray." Supplies found, he placed them within easy reach
on the table and deliberately ignored the keys to the cuffs still lying
there to turn back to Ray and place his hand on a warm, muscled shoulder
in reassuring caress. "This is going to be good."

 Ray's eyes flickered to the key and then back to Fraser before nodding in
wordless permission. "Yeah. It is." He sighed as Fraser slowly raised the
hem of his shirt and pushed it up as far as it could go under his armpits.
"It really, *really* is."

 Fraser watched as his fingertips drifted lightly across the bared skin of
Ray's torso and belly, smiling as the muscles beneath quivered at the
light touch. "So beautiful." He glanced up and met Ray's wide eyes as the
other man shook his head in automatic denial and his smile blossomed. "Oh
yes, Ray. Quite beautiful." He lowered his eyes to watch his fingers
stroke once more over Ray's skin and murmured, "When Turnbull opened that
door tonight I thought you were the most beautiful thing I had seen in
quite some time."

 Ray tried to think past the ridiculously innocent touch that was making
him think things no self-respecting partner to a Mountie should *ever*
think and then had to bite back a sappy grin because now he *was* allowed
to think those dirty, filthy thoughts and wasn't that the best fucking
thing *ever*! Ray twitched as the maddening finger skirted his navel and
swallowed to lubricate his dry throat. "Fraser, come on, stop kiddin'
around. We're guys. Guys ain't beautiful. We're, uh..." He trailed off as
Fraser started to trace the outline of one lean hip. "We're,
uh...*Fraser*!"

 Fraser hooked one finger in the soft material of Ray's sleep pants and
dragged it slowly down until one hip and the barest hint of darker blond
hair was revealed on Ray's lower belly. His eyes darkened as his maddening
finger danced across the newly revealed skin and traced the edge of the
hair reverently. "Yes, Ray?" His tongue darted out to flicker at his lower
lip as he saw the bulge at the juncture of Ray's thighs twitch restlessly.
His hand moved slowly across Ray's belly until he came to the other hip
and then his fingers were slipping beneath the cloth and slowly easing
that down until the other hip was revealed and the pants lay in tempting
folds at the very top of Ray's groin. 

 Fraser's face flushed as he watched the bulge under the cotton twitch
once again, the hard tip of Ray's arousal pushing desperately at the
confining waistband of his pants and he placed the palm of his big, hot
hand down on the contours he could see so clearly outlined. "Ray, I..." He
swallowed hard as Ray gasped and pushed mindlessly up into his touch and
said hoarsely, "Ray, I have to take them down now. I have to *see*, I'm
sorry, I..."

 Ray pulled against his bonds and moaned as he felt himself caught between
his bound wrists and the heavy hand so gently cradling his groin. "Frase,
please. Cm'on, you gotta..." His eyes widened as the heat of Fraser's hand
suddenly left him and then the cotton was lifted quickly up and away, only
to be pulled down to the middle of his thighs and settled there.
"*Jesus*!" He blinked rapidly as he tried to focus on Fraser's face and
then found himself turning his head away when the naked, helpless emotion
displayed there made more than his groin ache with awareness.

 "*Ah*." The quiet hiss of satisfaction echoed though the Queen's bedroom
as Fraser let the elastic waistband snap down onto it's new resting place
on Ray's thighs and his breath caught at the picture his partner made,
lying so helplessly wanton on the bed. Unable to stop himself, Fraser
began tracing patterns on Ray's skin once more even as his eyes feasted on
the body he had bared. 

 Stretched taut, his hands still chained above his head and vest pushed up
to reveal flat, brown nipples, every muscle on Ray's torso was thrown into
stark relief as he shivered under Fraser's hungry gaze. He was all smooth
line and hard planes; even the expected curve on the underside of his
flanks where his naked buttocks moved against the coverlet was minimal.
There was no spare flesh anywhere on him and Fraser found himself
unexpectedly tender in the midst of his hungry lust for his partner. He
smiled softly as he let his hand trail over the skin of one sparsely
haired thigh. "You look..." The hand slipped between Ray's thighs and
cupped him gently as he moaned low in his throat and spread his legs as
much as the confining material of his pants allowed. "Stunning."

 Ray fought to think past the light touches that were driving him insane
and the niggling voice at the back of his mind that kept insisting that he
didn't so much look stunning more completely fucking *stupid* with his top
rucked up and his pants twisted around his thighs as he was chained to a
bed while his partner groped him. "You don't need to sweet-talk me here,
Frase, I'm pretty much a sure...*CHRIST*!" His back arched off the bed as
Fraser dipped his head and licked one, wet stripe from the base to the tip
of his cock.

 "If you don't have anything pleasant to say, Ray, then please don't say
anything at all." Fraser's hand covered where his tongue had just been and
he began to gently palpitate and stroke the hot flesh in his hand with
measured intent. "We've waited too long for this and I refuse for it to be
made into something casual and unimportant by something as trivial as a
few disparities in how we each see you." The hand not currently driving
Ray out of his increasingly beleaguered mind glided over Ray's twitching,
heaving belly and began to lightly skim around one nipple. "As I seem to
be the one in the optimum position for viewing you at this moment in time,
I'm afraid you really are going to have to trust my judgment and resolve
to believe that there is no sight I would find more erotic or enchanting
than you on this bed, responding to me so...eagerly." 

 Ray blinked dazedly up at the ceiling and absently noted that Fraser was
the only man on the planet that could make dirty talk sound so much like
an official report.

 Fraser eyed the rather stunned look on his new lover's face with
satisfaction and bent over Ray to whisper in his ear, "Partners, Ray.
We're partners and partners do not lie to each other. You. Are.
Exquisite."

 The last three words were accompanied by three equally emphatic and firm
twists of Fraser's hand and Ray cried out as the stimulation proved too
much and he came all over his belly and Fraser's fingers. Ray gasped for
breath as Fraser gentled him, dropping light kisses along his hair line,
around his ear, ghosting over his open mouth and then finally along his
jaw to the juncture of neck and shoulder where the light oral caresses
turned into something a little sharper and he found himself shuddering as
Fraser's teeth worried at his skin.

 "There," Fraser pulled back eventually, looking down at Ray with
contentment, evidently satisfied by whatever he'd done to Ray's pale skin
as he said in a firm voice that brooked no disagreement, "*Beautiful*." 

 And Ray, despite being half-unconscious with sated lust and covered in
his own come, looked into Fraser's dancing blue eyes and saw that he was. 

 He nodded, licking his dry lips and said hoarsely, "What about..." He
tried to move his head to catch a glimpse of Fraser's lap and said with a
ridiculous blush considering he'd not five minutes ago been coming all
over his partner, "You, uh, didn't, you..."

 Fraser smiled warmly and dropped a kiss on Ray's mouth. "No. I didn't."
He stood up from the bed and looked vaguely puzzled as he stared at his
sticky hand before giving a *most* un-Mountie like shrug and wiping the
mess on his shirt. "But I'm going to." He kept his eyes fixed on Ray as he
efficiently pulled down his suspenders and then yanked his shirt over his
head to display what seemed to Ray to be acres of muscled, white chest.
Fraser found himself gratified by the open desire that shone from Ray's
eyes as he took his first look at what was usually so well covered by the
serge and he smiled as he briskly used his soiled shirt to mop up the mess
cooling on Ray's belly. That task done he dropped the shirt carelessly on
the floor and brought one foot up to rest on the edge of the bed as he
began to unlace his boots. 

 Ray forced himself not to lose all dignity and beg to the lick the shiny
leather and instead rattled his cuffs against the wooden headboard. "Hey,
Fraser, you, ah, gonna let me go here? Maybe get a little
recp...recep...maybe let me do a little touching of my own now?"

 The boot went flying over Fraser's shoulder and he switched feet to start
on the other one. He smiled cheerfully down at Ray. "Oh I don't think so.
Not just at the moment." Boot number two went airborne and thumped to the
floor somewhere near the door. Hot eyes raked Ray from head to toe as
socks, pumpkin pants and alarmingly white underwear scattered around the
room and then Fraser was crawling onto the bed and over Ray, whispering
hotly, "I think the only adjustment I need to make to your current
position is *this*." A good grip was taken on Ray's sleep pants and they
were yanked off his legs and tossed after Fraser's clothes to the floor.
"Ah, yes, *much* better."

 Ray was fairly sure he should be thinking up some pretty outraged and
macho protests right about now concerning the indignities and arrogance of
Fraser blithely assuming he'd be happy to stay chained on his back,
vulnerable to whatever Fraser wanted to do to him, but unfortunately all
he could come up with was a rather weak, 'Guh!' when his brain shorted out
at the sight of naked Fraser looming over him and eyeing him like a big
jar of jerky. Because...*Fraser*. Naked!

 Fraser shifted position so he knelt just past center on the bed at Ray's
side and then reached out with a reassuring smile. "Now, if you would be
so good as too..." Gentle hands guided Ray over onto his belly and then
checked to make sure the cuffs hadn't twisted beyond bearing and were
cutting into tender skin. "Yes. That's right. That's..." Fraser swept a
large, trembling hand from the nape of Ray's neck to the base of his spine
in a rough caress. "*Wonderful*."

 Ray blinked stupidly into his pillow and wished fervently he'd checked
his butt for pimples in the shower earlier, because, really, he felt
enough like the turkey at Thanksgiving as it was in this new, unfamiliar
position and the thought that he was lying here waiting to be stuffed with
*zits* on his ass was... "*FRASER*!"

 Ray's shocked shout echoed around the room and Fraser lifted his head
from between the cheeks he'd just separated and licked between to say
reprovingly, "Ray, when we are together like this, I would like for you to
call me Ben." He dipped his head and licked again as Ray yelped and
wriggled helplessly under his tongue. "Do you understand?"

 "I..." Ray's head tossed on the pillow and he bit down as a warm, wet
tongue traced around his opening and then pressed down hard for a moment
as though he were being branded. "Yeah, I...you gotta..."

 "Good." Fraser's mouth sucked in a wet, messy kiss as Ray twitched under
him and then he whispered, "Then let me hear you say it."

 It took some time for Ray to oblige, mainly because the only sounds he
was capable of making for a good long while were some absolutely
humiliating whimpers and moans that Fraser seemed to take as some kind of
bizarre challenge as he held him pinned to the bed, spread wide open and
powerless before the oral assault on his body. 

 Ray twisted as much as he could against the firm hands pushing his
buttocks apart and holding him down, but he was unsure whether he was
trying to get away from the seductive torture or closer. Fraser's tongue
seemed to be relentless. One minute jabbing wetly against the flexing
muscle of Ray's opening, the next laving him with soothing strokes and
tender caresses as his fingers petted the shivering muscles of his
backside. The torturous tongue danced in and out of Ray's body, *owning*
him in a way that had nothing to do with the strong hands and chains
holding him immobile and Ray began to seriously doubt he'd live through
the night when Fraser evidently decided that he wasn't quite being all he
could be and upped the ante to include a gentle nibbling of teeth at the
puckered skin and quite effectively blew the last of what was left of
Ray's mind.

 "*God*! Fra...Ben, *please*. Oh fuck. Oh Christ." Ray threw his legs as
widely apart as he could and tried desperately to press himself back
against Fraser's mouth as the tongue and teeth worked a deadly one-two
combination on his self-control and left him nothing more than a
shameless, needy mass of nerve endings on the bed. "Ben. *Ben*! Your
name's *Ben*."

 Fraser's heart stuttered at the desperate cry and he hummed his delight
at Ray's capitulation against his skin.

 Ray yelled at the added simulation and began to babble frantically, "Ben,
Ben, Ben, Ben! Oh God. Please...I...Ben!"

 Fraser pressed a last, lingering kiss against the twitching flesh and
then slithered up Ray's back to press against him, pressing his own
arousal in between Ray's cheeks as he nibbled at the nape of the neck
bared so temptingly before him. "What do you want, Ray?"

 Ray tried to turn his head to look at Fraser, but was incapable of doing
more than twitching weakly and trying to focus on the pillow under his
head. "That...you..." He gasped as Fraser rolled his hips in insistent
encouragement against him and confessed hoarsely, "No one's ever...I ain't
had that done to me before."

 Fraser shifted his weight and slipped one hand up to twine his fingers
with Ray's cuffed hands and slipped the other down to palm one firm
buttock. "You liked it?" He shuddered at Ray's emphatic nod and said
quietly, "There's so much more, Ray. It can be so much better. Will you
let me show you?" He pressed hard against Ray once more and felt the
shiver run right the way through the long body beneath his. "If you want
to stop..."

 "No!" Ray shook his head and pressed back hard against the warm hardness
he could feel making his skin damp. "No, I don't want to stop.
Just...*Jesus*, Ben."

 "I know, I know." Fraser pressed kisses over Ray's shoulder as he reached
for the tube of lubrication on the side table and whispered, "Just trust
me, Ray. This will be so pleasurable for you if you trust me." He kissed
Ray's shoulder one more time and then rolled away, blinking at the sound
of protest from his partner. "It's alright. I just need to...for this
first time I must have all my concentration and you're very distracting." 

 "Okay, okay." Ray drew in a deep breath and tried to force himself to
come down off the high from Fraser's oral loving. "We're good. This is all
good."

 "Yes." Fraser carefully smoothed cool lotion over one finger and stroked
Ray's flank soothingly. "This is good." He kept up a meaningless flow of
soothing words as he stroked and petted Ray's body, trying to keep a hold
of himself as he stared at the loose abandonment in the long limbs as Ray
waited for whatever came next. This trusting, open sprawl was more than
he'd ever let himself dare hope for, even in his most private fantasies,
and Fraser was terrified that the one time in his life he needed his
famously iron control it would desert him and leave him rutting at Ray as
little better than a wild animal. Slowly, his lubed finger trailed down
the crevice that separated Ray's buttocks and then stopped to trail in
delicate circles over the puckered skin. "Ray, you may feel a little..."

 Ray kissed goodbye to the last of his dignity and raised his hips
pleadingly. "Ben, cm'on, I'm *dyin'* here. Just do..." He yelped and his
eyes crossed as the finger stopped tormenting him and moved to push
inside. "Oh man. Oh...*man*." The finger advanced and Ray shifted as a not
altogether pleasant burning sensation started to rapidly overcome the
expectant heat that he had been enjoying.

 "It's alright, Ray." Fraser watched as his finger sank into Ray's body
and bit his lip at the leap of reaction in his groin. "It's alright. Just
relax. The feeling will pass." He turned his finger in Ray's body and then
began a slow in and out movement that had Ray lifting his hips and moaning
quietly as his buttocks flexed in time with Fraser's rhythm. "That's it."
Fraser continued to work his finger until he felt the drag of the skin
against him increase as the lubrication dispersed and then eased his hand
away, absently stroking Ray's side as he muttered in annoyance at the
withdrawal. "It's alright." More lube was squeezed out and then Fraser
looked back at the slightly stretched opening and swallowed hard. "My God,
if you had any idea how you look right now." He bent to place a soft kiss
on each of Ray's buttocks as he lined up two fingers and pressed back
inside. "I love you very dearly, Ray." 

 Ray made a conscious effort to concentrate all his awareness on the
sensations in his ass and adopt Dief's selective deafness until this was
all over, because between Fraser opening him so slowly and carefully and
spontaneous declarations of love it was very nearly all she wrote when
Fraser breathed those heartfelt words over his skin. 

 Then he added a mental footnote that he *never* thought about Dief when
he was in bed with Fraser again because that was just too fucking freaky
for *words*. 

 Fraser, unaware that Ray was determinedly no longer listening to him in
sheer self -defense, carried on whispering as his fingers twisted and
turned inside his partner. "I never thought, never *dreamed* that this
could be possible. I want to give you so much, I've felt so lonely, so
disconnected..." His fingers reached just a little bit higher and moved a
little more firmly and Ray bucked and moaned as Fraser found the place
that made male to male loving such a worthwhile experience. "Yes, that's
it, just relax, Ray. Does it feel good?" He twisted his fingers once more
and Ray yelped on cue and then began to rub frantically at the coverlet
beneath him. "Oh *yes*." Fraser withdrew his fingers and kissed once more
at Ray's backside. "Just a little more, Ray." He reapplied the lube and
this time came back with three fingers, drawing distracting patterns over
Ray's shivering buttocks as the other man groaned uncertainly at the
increased pressure. "It's alright, you can do this, Ray. It's going to
feel wonderful..."

 Ray's eagerness was deflating somewhat as his ass stretched almost
uncomfortably, but just as he was gathering himself to protest, maybe call
the whole thing off for a couple of minutes and really *think* about
whether he really wanted to see where all this was going. Fraser pushed,
twisted and rubbed and he got the same rush he always got when he followed
Fraser to where he was uncertain they belonged and all that came out of
his mouth was... "Now! Ben, now! *Jesus*, this is...Just *now*, okay?"

 Fraser nodded even though Ray couldn't possibly see him and pulled his
hand slowly away, giving one last pass over the raised nub inside that had
Ray almost squealing in reaction. "Of course." He reached for a condom and
ripped open the packet to smooth it on, forcing himself to ignore the
touch on his desperate skin and focusing on Ray jerking his hips
mindlessly against the bed. More lubrication was smeared liberally over
the latex and then Fraser eased himself between Ray's widespread thighs
and reached down to position himself at the lube slick entrance to Ray's
body. "You need to take a deep breath and relax for me, Ray." His breath
caught as the tip of his erection caught and held the pucker between Ray's
cheeks and he felt the muscle give slightly. "I'll go slowly, but..." He
trailed off and watched greedily as Ray's body gave before his and slowly
but surely he began to sink inside. "Ray, so...good..."

 "Oh God." Ray shifted in sudden uneasiness as he felt himself forced
open, unable to stop the steady press of Fraser's body into his and he
gasped as he felt the delicate skin inside pushed apart to make way for
the intruder, his body not his own as the lubrication made the way easy
for something that was a *lot* harder and bigger than Fraser's fingers.
"Oh *God*."

 Fraser felt like he was not in command of his own body, like he was
watching this mating happen to someone else as his hips moved with tiny
jerks into Ray's heat. He bit his lip hard as Ray's body opened to him and
more and more of his length disappeared inside and then finally he was
left staring down the length of their bodies to where they joined and his
pubic hair was crushed against Ray's buttocks. A stifled sound brought his
attention from where they were joined to Ray's face and he lowered himself
carefully along the sweating back beneath him to press his cheek softly to
Ray's as he lay with his head turned to one side and his eyes firmly
closed. "It's alright, I won't move until you tell me too." Fraser closed
his own eyes and whispered, "This feels so good, Ray. *You* feel so good.
I can feel you all around me and it's so much better than I imagined."

 Ray's eyelids fluttered as he felt himself begin to relax around the
unfamiliar hardness and he pressed experimentally back against Fraser.
"You thought about this? About *us* like this?" He moved back again,
pushing more firmly against Fraser's weight and grinned fiendishly as he
commanded, "Tell me what you thought about."

 "I..." Fraser groaned as Ray moved again and shivered as he felt the pull
and drag of flesh against his own. "I thought about being inside you, you
being inside *me* and..." He levered himself up on his hands and braced
himself as he looked down their bodies once more and watched the base of
his penis separate from Ray's body. "I thought of watching myself push
inside you, finally being able to reveal my true feelings..." His hips
rolled without conscious thought and he sank back into Ray with a
heartfelt moan. "The feeling of your naked skin pressed against mine, the
sounds you might make as I touched you, the..."

 "Ben?" Ray's breathless voice cut through Fraser's husky monologue and he
raised his hips in invitation as he hissed, "I think...I think that I need
you to move now." He squeezed his eyes shut as Fraser stilled and said
desperately, "Kinda like you been doin', but, just, more, okay? The
talkin's good, but a little less conversation and a little more action,
okay?"

 Fraser tilted his head back and stared blindly at the ceiling as he
muttered, "Oh thank *God*." His arms tensed and he pushed strongly
forwards, his head dropping down to press against the back of Ray's skull.
"*Thank God*." His hips snapped back and then forward again, Ray's
encouraging grunt music to his ears. "Ray, you have no idea..."

 Ray's toes curled as Fraser's next thrust passed over his prostate and he
shivered in reaction. "Think...I...might."

 Fraser felt the first trickle of exertion roll down between his shoulders
and increased the pace of his thrusts, hopelessly ensnared in the steady
rhythm they had found. "Ray, I..." He forced himself to slow and lowered
his body, one arm braced to take all his weight as his other hand curled
over Ray's hip and encouraged him to follow his motion back. "Come back,
press against me." Fraser groaned as Ray rolled until they lay spooned
together and he slipped just a little further inside. He curled one arm up
and around Ray's neck and upper torso, pulling him close even as his other
hand cupped his erection and began to stroke firmly. "Now, just let go,
Ray. Let me do all the work."

 Ray cried out as Fraser's thigh slipped between his legs and held him
wide open as powerful thrusts began in earnest, but he was left with no
recourse but to accept the pounding as Fraser's arm tightened around his
chest and the hand stroking him worked him without mercy or pity. The
pressure inside him was intense, made even more overpowering because of
the pressure at his wrists, reminding him with each powerful stroke that
he could do nothing to stop this, that he didn't *want* to stop this. Ray
wanted to give Fraser everything he had and -- for possibly the first time
ever -- Ray had found someone that *wanted* everything Ray had and
wouldn't stop until he got it. 

 Stroke after stroke powered into him, Fraser's breath coming in harsh
pants in his ear as Ray moaned and shuddered in the strong grip and
willingly let himself be torn apart and remade as between Fraser's hand
and cock he shouted once, twice and came hard all over the Queen's
bedspread.

 Fraser's control finally broke as he felt Ray contract around him and he
shouted wordlessly as he plunged back and forth, his groin smacking hard
against Ray with every thrust, holding him immobile as he mindlessly took
his own pleasure and then finally feeling the flash fire in his groin that
signaled the beginning of the end. He held Ray impossibly tighter as he
ground against him and then froze as his release washed over him and he
pulsed over and over inside his lover.

 For long moments they lay there, gasping and shuddering against each
other, before Fraser felt himself begin to soften and he reluctantly
shifted to reach down and grasp the base of the condom to hold it in place
as he eased from Ray. He pressed a kiss to Ray's shoulder at the quiet
hiss of discomfort and whispered, "Just stay still for a moment. I have to
make sure I did no harm." He disposed of the condom with a grimace,
wrapping it in the discarded wipe that had earlier cleaned Ray's face and
then carefully pulled Ray's buttocks apart and examined the skin there.
"Just a little swollen." He pressed a kiss to the reddened skin and then
sat up and reached for the key to the cuffs. "Here." A quiet snick and Ray
was moaning again as his numb arms were released. 

 Fraser helped his lover roll onto his back and then quickly and
efficiently tugged the soiled bedspread out from under him and freed the
blankets, pulled Ray's vest over his head and then began to rub his leaden
arms. "Ray, are you alright?"

 An expression of peace unlike any Fraser had ever seen before crept over
Ray's face as he smiled and said, "Oh *yeah*." He focused bleary eyes on
Fraser's face and said seriously, "I can't remember whether I said it
before, what with the whole screwing my brains out thing, but I love you,
okay? I didn't want to leave you."

 Fraser nodded. "Understood." He let go of Ray's arms and lay down beside
him, tugging the bedcovers up and over them, and then turning Ray so he
could spoon up tightly behind him and wrap his arms around him. "Sleep
now. We'll sort everything else out in the morning."

 "Okay." Ray snuggled back and relaxed into the mattress. "We stayin' here
all night?"

 "Yes." Fraser brushed a kiss over the nape of Ray's neck and said again,
"Sleep." He lay listening to the sound of Ray's breathing evening out and
then, just as he drifted off himself; he made a note to talk to Inspector
Thatcher some kind of formal commendation for Turnbull. The junior Mountie
may not be everyone's cup of bark tea, but when push came to shove there
was truly no better man to have in your corner. Fraser's lips curled into
a smile as he pulled Ray closer and he whispered, "Thank you, Renfield.
For *everything*."

 ~*~*~*

 The End.

  
  

End Kidnapped! by msgordo 

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