Heads or Tails Heads or Tails by Red Skye                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~* [A.R] M/F/M NOTES:         -This is Ray's thoughts-         =This is Fraser's thoughts=         {Meg's thoughts}         *equals emphasis*         ***????**** denotes the feeling of confusion         *#@*$#* denotes mental cursing.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray's mother watched her son unwrap the spontaneous gift she'd given him with expectation as he wondered what it was and why the hell she was giving it to him. It didn't really matter, it was nice to see the smile back on her face she'd been so depressed since attending her old friends funeral, he vowed to paste on a smile and say he loved it whatever it was.         What it turned out to be was a set of a very expensive new after shave/Cologne he'd seen advertised on television, the commercial that always made him laugh because women dropped like flies around the L.A stud who supposedly wore it.         He broke into a genuine smile.         "Ma, you shouldn't have."         "You ran out."         "Is that why you brought this? This is so expensive."                 She patted his cheek.         "If I can't spoil my son once in a while what's the point in being a mama."         He smiled and hugged her and she watched expectantly as he opened the bottle and sniffed it. It took everything he had not to rear back and hurl the offending bottle away.         -Ohgod no don't take that smile off her face, relax.. Smile-         "There were so many to chose from but I remembered hearing you talking to Benton about that."         -Saved-         He screwed the lid back on.         "Ma, we were discussing the commercial Fraser just didn't get the joke.. I wasn't hinting to any one that I'd like a bottle of it."         "I like the way it smells."         -You would it smells just like the cheap stuff pop always wore-         "And the salesman said it was a very popular scent, that a lot of women are buying it for their men because they like it." -And if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell you-         "Maybe you'll get lucky with it."         -Ohgod no I am not going to wear this no way no how-         "I'll save it for my special dates."         -That should do it-         She took the bottle from his hand opened it then splashed a little on her hand and patted it on his cheeks.         -GAG ARRRGHH NOOOO I DON'T WANT TO SMELL LIKE *HIM*-         She capped the bottle then sniffed at him and smiled brilliantly.         -Did you *have* to light up like a nova *sigh*-         "It smells even better on you.. It's supposed to change subtly for every man who wears it."         -Forget subtle I want drastic *gag*-         "Smells great."         -Please God don't make me wear this a second longer than I absolutely have to-          DING-DONG         -Saved by the bell-         He grabbed the bottle then spun to rush away and answer the door.         -A trip, Opps, bye-bye bottle *evil grin*-         Frannie beat him to the door opening it to the Denim, and silk clad Mountie in mufti.         -Perfect witnesses to my *accident*-         He deliberately hooked his toe under the rug and let himself fall, the bottle and glass atomiser flying from his hands and sailing through the air as his arms pinwheeled.         "Ray!"         Francesca spun to see the bottles flying through the air, and she and Fraser both struck out to catch the air borne bottles. Ray hit the floor catching himself on his hands at the last minute with an Oomph and a groan that wasn't feigned as he heard two slaps that told him two glass bottles had met palms.         "Got it!" Frannie crowed.         "Good catch." Fraser praised her.         -DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN-         "Lady Killer cologne - Ray, I can't believe you fell for that *add* and blew your money on this."         -Don't look at me, it was ma-         Then his mother was there clucking and helping him up to his feet and dusting at his clothes.         -You're really starting to scare me, ma-         "I'm O.k, I'm O.K.. I just tripped on the carpet," he said and then spoilt it all reached out to push her fluttering hands away.         As his hand touched hers and applied gentle pressure an agonising pain shot up his forearm and he couldn't contain the cry of pain, or his reflex action of nursing the affected wrist.         -Oh NO!-         Frannie and Fraser hurried over as his mother went into my *baby* is *dying* mode. To Ray's relief Frannie fended their mother off.         -I owe you one-         Fraser moved in reaching out to take his elbow, his sleeve was slipped back and Fraser's hand was moving over the injured limb gently but firmly looking for a break.         -*????* *DOWN* boy-         He couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down his spine at the contact and wanted to breath in the fresh clean Earth Forest scent that clung to everything the Mountie wore.         -He smells like Canada *giggle*-         Then he registered what Fraser was wearing, Levi's that almost moulded themselves to his legs, a blue silk shirt that enhanced his eyes and a thigh length denim coat cut in the Mountie dress coat style - the coat he'd borrowed one of Fraser's dress coats to take to a seamstress to make, the shirt, that coat, he'd given them to Fraser for his birthday. The Levi's were Frannie's contribution that day. And he couldn't remember ever seeing Fraser wear any of it before. With a smile he opened his mouth to say something about it.         His words were never spoken Fraser's hand moved over his wrist and the agonising stabbing pain up his arm increased ten fold. His legs buckled and his head went back in a scream of pain. The hand left his and he felt himself being enfolded in a supportive hold by an apologetic Mountie.         "It's a bad break."         Then his mother rushed off to the phone to hysterically summon an ambulance. Fraser transferred him to his shocked sisters arms in a smooth move and went after his mother and slapped her once, hard, but not hard enough to harm. The hysteric's ended and she ended up in his arms sobbing.         -I'm past scared now ma.-         The Mountie looked over her shoulder at the wide eyed sibling's with an equally wide eyed look.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser followed the seething Ray down the corridor moving in every now and then to get between Ray's plastered hand and wrist and the various things it would have thudded into as Ray's arms flew around in high agitation.         "The nerve of that *Quack!* saying all my mother really needs is to get *laid*."         =I know how the poor woman feels *sigh*=         "Over compensating for her lack of a sex life by turning into super mom to get affection Hah!"         Fraser's nose tickled.         =Ohno, not again I must have picked up a cold=         He fought the urge to sneeze as Ray's ranting picked up and put himself in front of Ray planted a hand in his chest and stopped him in his tracks.         "I have two words for you, Ray, Shut up."         Ray was so amazed he fell silent.         "I don't want to hear you calling that man a Quack again."         "But.."         "I said enough. Or have you forgotten that man was the same one who dealt with your wrist and the shape it was in after that incompetent intern got through with it."         Ray shuddered.         "You went absolutely berserk and if you don't stop ranting and calm down."         Ray held up his hands.         "I know.. I know.. They're going call for the guys with the white coats with long sleeves and lots of buckles."         "Exactly. If you want to rant. At least wait till we leave the hospital."         Ray nodded and Fraser opened his mouth but that tickle in his nose became a full blown sneeze and he sneezed so violently that he skidded a step or two back on the slick polished floors, his hat flying off his head.         "Now that's what I call a sneeze," Ray said as he looked around, to find and scooped up Fraser's hat, then studied the Mountie.         "You're not getting sick on me are you Benni?" Ray asked as he reached into his pocket pulling out a handkerchief and handed it over to Fraser.         Fraser raised it to his face and catching a whiff of Ray's scent on it, inhaled deeply.         =It smells just like him=         "It was just one sneeze, Ray."         "Yeah and what about the way you kept sneezing in the waiting room.. You just couldn't stop till that nurse came up and put that mask over your face. You shoulda seen a doctor about it."         "It seemed to stop after that. They said it was hay fever from the flowers in the room."         "There aren't any flowers here."         He tucked the handkerchief away up his sleeve.         "It was just one sneeze. It's stopped now."         Ray stepped up to him to put his hat back on his head and patted it down. Fraser took a discrete little sniff of him and his hands flew back up to his face as once more he skidded back down the corridor as the most violent sneeze so far assailed him.         =That *hurt*=         "Like hell it has."         Ray strode up, and hooked his plastered arm around Fraser's to drag him back up the corridor as Fraser looked at his hands feeling something warm and fluid on them.         =*Blood*=         The handkerchief was whipped out and applied to his bloody nose.         "We're here, we may as well take advantage of it and get a doctor to take a look at you."                 =Who's arguing?=                 He and Ray were separated as another violent sneeze erupted sending him skidding backwards down the corridor.         =That *really* hurt=         He looked at the handkerchief his eyes widening in alarm as he saw how much blood stained the once snowy linen. He felt a little light headed. He could feel the blood running through his nose now, so much blood.         =Why is there so much blood?=         Then Ray was back at his side and clucking.         =NO!=         He sneezed again, the pain was incredible, and his legs started trembling. Then Ray was there, in front of him, covered in blood.         =Oh no. I've ruined another one of his suits.=         But there was no anger only concern on Ray's part as he made Fraser reapply the handkerchief to try and stop the blood that fountained out to splatter on the floor.         "Watch out, bad enough you splattered me, don't splatter yourself with it."         =My shirt!=         "No keep your head up like that.. It's not hitting your clothes.. Over this way.. That's right there are chairs back here."         "Sit down, here.. Now."         Fraser sat in the chair Ray lead him too and Ray leaned over him tipping his head back.         "Pinch your nose, I'll be right back with a doctor."         Fraser let out a wail of pain as another sneeze erupted from him as he was trying to obey Ray's command. Ray reared back to avoid being splattered with blood again.         "Breath through your mouth, Benni.. Pinch your nose and breath through your mouth."         Fraser followed his instructions, drawing in deep shuddering breaths.         =Hurts so much=         "Under control now? You're not going to sneeze again are you?"         He couldn't nod so he gave Ray the thumbs up.         "Good, I'll be back with a doctor, a nurse with an ice pack.. You just sit tight. O.K."         Then he was racing away and met up with disaster on that slick floor, as he slipped in the puddle blood of that was Fraser's. The next thing he knew he was flat on his back his head was ringing, his gut awash with nausea and Fraser was leaning over him, all concern, holding that blood soaked handkerchief to his nose.         Then he registered how white faced Fraser was and felt blood dripping from that soaked linen onto his chest.         -Gotta get up. Gotta get a Doctor-         Before he could act, Fraser's eyes rolled back and he had a faint Mountie collapsing over him. The breath he'd just caught exploded out of him, leaving him breathless.         -Benni! Ohgod!-         The world spun as the ringing in his ears grew louder, his eyes rolled back and he saw stars, before darkness descended.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "If you thought she went gaga at home, you should have seen how she reacted to seeing you lying on the floor out cold with all that blood over your chest and Fraser out cold on top of you with all that blood on his face."         "I bet she got a doctor for us real quick shrieking, My Baby," Ray said looking into the mirror twisting his head to view the shaved spot and bandage on the back of his skull.         "A doctor, she could have roused the dead with that shrieking and wailing.. They dragged her off and sedated her. I took her home, put her to bed, Maria is watching her."         "You shoulda stayed with her."         "I didn't know what your condition was when I took her home."         "Bet it looked bad.. All that blood."         She nodded and helped him make his way back to the bed, he was pretty shaky on his feet.         "You check on Fraser?"         "All that sneezing burst a few blood vessels, and every time he sneezed the damage got worse. That's why there was so much blood."         "He's going to be all right, isn't he?"         "Oh yes, they've got an ice pack on it and gave him a shot to make his blood clot faster, when the bleeding stops, they'll cauterise it so it won't happen again."         "Has he stopped sneezing?"         "Yes, for now. They put an air tube in his mouth so he wouldn't breath through his nose again and gave him something for the pain and he's drowsing."         "Well that's a mercy."         "And you can see him for yourself, when they're done they'll be moving him in here. He's in for the night, or until they work out why he started sneezing so bad, which ever comes first."         "They gotta find out why he's sneezing *first*."         "They will. The doctor got him to sign some forms, they're going to preform tests before he's moved here."         "How'd you get so much information?"         "It's that Doctor, he thinks you and Fraser are.. Involved."         "What is it with that man?"         Rather than explain that he got the idea after Fraser had dealt with him going berserk she decided to distract him, if possible.         "Did you see what he was wearing?"         "Who?"         "Benton.. He was wearing the things we gave him for his birthday. I thought he looked great in it."         "Ha.. You think he looks great in anything he wears."         "But he does look good in just about anything."         Ray chuckled.         "But he looked great in that."         "That's the first time I've ever seen him wear something I gave him. Maybe he had a date to make."         "Benton. *snerk* The only person he ever dates is you."         "Hardy har-ha."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray swung around the door way of the exam room to see Fraser sitting on the bed pulling on his coat from the back view. There was a strap around the back of his head.         "There you are Benni."         Fraser looked around as Ray entered, and Ray winced. What could be seen of Fraser's face under the special air filter mask he was wearing was a mass of ugly bruises.         "You're up."         "I thought they were going to transfer you to the same ward they put me in."         "I was, you must have been asleep.. I know you were still sleeping when they woke me up and brought me here for a few more tests."         "Did they work it out?"         "It would seem I've developed an allergy to something in the air. I have to wear this," he touched the mask, "and visit an allergist to find out what and undergo desensitisation treatment..or leave the city."         "The *City*! It's the air in here that did it to you," Ray protested.         "No, Ray.. My nose was reacting before I entered the hospital.. Or didn't you notice the way I kept sniffling."         "Oh, yeah.. You went through all the tissues in the box."         Fraser tugged the coat on, then picked up small gadget with a chain attached and attached the chain to his mask strap before popping the gadget into the coat's top pocket.         "What's that?"         "Pollutant gauge."         Then he picked up another gadget and popped it into a pocket along with another and another.         "What's all that?"         "Analyser, sampler and alarm."         "Alarm?"         "In case I have another sneezing fit like that and can't stop sneezing."         He picked up another gadget and after he checked it, into the pocket it went, and then the final gadget was collected and held out.         "This is for you."         Ray took it.         "A pager?"         "For the alarm. The alarm will sound here, then they will use the pager to find out where I am, and I don't have a phone, but you have a cel phone and.."         "This is really serious, isn't it?"         "Well, yes, sneezing that violently, constantly, could lead to a broken rib, burst blood vessels.. I could even choke on my own blood or pass out because I can't stop sneezing long enough to draw breath - which almost happened in the waiting room if you'll recall."                 "Yeah.. I remember you turning blue in the face before that nurse took charge."         "That's why they gave me the alarm. I have to keep it until I go through desensitisation or leave town. Which ever comes first."         "You are not leaving town."                 "I may have to.. there's no guarantee desensitisation treatment will work if it fails I will have no choice but to leave. Take a transfer, back home if at all possible."         "It's gonna work."         He tucked the pager into his pocket and helped Fraser down off the bed and held onto his arm as the Mountie swayed.         "You o.k there?"         "It's the medication.. it makes me a little light headed."         "Yeah, well just wrap your arm around me."         =Any time=         "And I'll help you out to the car."         "Thank-you."         "Let's go."         "The doctor.."         "I already saw the doctor, I've got the medical certificate for the Consulate. You're spending the rest of the day in bed, Doctor's orders, but you don't have to spend it here.. We've got to stop off and pick up a nebuliser and then your coming back to my place.. You're not going back to that flea pit till we get that place cleaned.. And ma can cluck over you while I take care of everything."         "Deifenbaker."         "I'll get someone to take care of him.. You can't be around him till this condition.."         "Allergy."         "Whatever is dealt with. That fur could set you off again."         "But I have my mask."         "You can't wear that around the clock. That means no fur, which means no contact with Deif. I already called home. They getting the house as clean as possible. No flowers. Remind me to stop at the front desk the doctor arranged for an oxy kit so I can take care of you if you go into another fit."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "Promise you're not going to go gaga again on me again, Ma, you really scared us all when you did that," Ray said as he let his mother pat that detested after shave on the face she'd insisted on shaving for him, since he'd broken his dominant wrist.         "Did you take the pills the doctor gave you?"         "Did you take the ones he gave *you*?"         "Yes"         "So did I. So are you finished clucking, I have to go work now."         "In *your state*, you're.."         -Here we go again, cluck cluck, my baby, fuss fuss-         The door opened and Fraser poked his head in.         "Don't to forget to stop off and pick up some clothes on your way back."         Ray took the opportunity Fraser gave him to escape his mother's clutches and moved in on Fraser.         "What are you doing out of bed? You're supposed to stay in bed.."         "I need clothes."         "I said I'll take care of everything. And I will."                 Fraser's nose twitched and his eyes widened, his hands flying to his face to grab at his nose then he was pulling away from Ray to bolt away. Ray flew after him and was almost knocked off his feet as the sneeze Fraser felt coming on hit and the Mountie came to a screeching halt the force of the sneeze threw him back, right into Ray.         Then Ray was hustling him back to the bedroom with his mother's help as fast as they could. Sneeze after sneeze racked the Mountie's body until they got him onto the bed. Ray worked fast to get the oxygen mask over Fraser's face, hitting the release switch, between one sneeze and the next. Fraser gulped in pure air while Ray and his mother shared concerned looks over his back.         -This is not good, not good at all-         "Find the filter Ma. He has to put it back on."         She looked around then saw it on the dresser and hurried over to collect it. They oxygen treatment seemed to do the trick, Fraser's sneezing subsided and he just sucked in oxygen and shuddered while Ray stroked his head.         "It's over now, Benni, just relax."         With his mother's help the oxygen mask was replaced with the filter mask in less than a second and Fraser was made to lie back.         "You O.K now?"         Fraser's hand went to his head and his chest, then flew to his gut.         "I think..I'm going to.."         He rolled fast to the edge of the bed as Ray dived for the waste paper basket and got it under Fraser's head. Just in time, Ray ripped the filter mask off as Fraser shuddered and threw up into the basket.         "There goes breakfast."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         With a grin Ray extended his cast out for a lovely lady with a pen at the precinct station house who was the 15th such person to offer to sign it. The cast was already covered in saucy comments, a phone number or two and a rather naughty cartoon one side.         -Maybe that sales man was right about this cologne being a babe magnet-         Huey wandered up with a pen as the woman took her leave.         "What's your secret you've had more women flocking around you today than I've seen in here at one time."                 "Must be the after shave Ma brought for me."         Huey signed the cast then took a sniff of Ray.         "Not bad, it suits you."         -Thanks muchly, not-         "What is it?"         "L.K"         "Your mother brought Lady Killer Cologne for you?!"         "Yeah.. She's been a really clucky mood lately, every time I turn around she's doing something *nice* for me, and hugging me and I'm telling you Huey - She's scaring me with all the attention."         Huey laughed.         "Seriously.. She went into hysteric's when I fell and broke my arm. I mean real hysteric's, wailing the works, she was calling me "My Baby", Fraser had to slap her. And Frannie say's that when we had that accident in the hospital corridor."         "What accident?"         "Fraser sneezed so hard he burst a blood vessel there was blood on the floor, I sat him down and rushed off to get a doctor, only I slipped on the blood."         He turned to show Huey the bandage on the back of his head, pointing to it.         "And took a tumble - 3 stiches."         "Ouch."         "And Fraser fainted right on top of me when he was leaning over me and bleed all over me.. The blood was just gushing out. And when Ma and Frannie walked in and there's me lying on the floor out cold with a big blood stain on my chest and Fraser's out cold with blood all over his face - Ma really lost it. They had to sedate her and thankfully Frannie took her home and tucked her into bed.. Or she'd have been clucking around my bed side all night."         "Well, considering the scene you described, I'd say your mother had good reason to lose it in the corridor."         "And this morning when I got back from dropping Fraser back home after they released us from the hospital, Ma's there, cluck, cluck, cluck, fuss, fuss, fuss. She wouldn't even let me shave myself, or pick out my own clothes. And the trouble I had getting out the door to get in here. I swear the shriek she let out where I said I had to go to work made all the glass in the bathroom vibrate. Fraser showed up at just the right time."                 "What was he doing there?"         "He's staying at my place. He's got this allergy to something that makes him sneeze so bad that a sneezing fit could literally kill him. He needs to be watched till we can deal with the allergy."         "Sounds bad."         "It is. He had another fit at the house. It made him throw up and pass out and they cleaned that place from top to bottom before I got him home. Which proves what the Doctor was actually right when he said that Benni's allergic to the air around here."         "You mean he's allergic to Chicago?!"         "Something in the air. And as soon as they work out what, he's going through treatment."         He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.         "Look at all the stuff I've gotta do till we can get him treated."         Huey looked over the list.         "This is gonna cost a fortune."         "Yeah. Tell me about it. Oh, hey, I almost forget, I gotta find people to look after Deif till the treatments completed because Fraser can't be around him. The fur could set him right of."         He pulled out his note pad.         "I've already got it covered till Thursday, could you possibly take care of him on Friday."         "I guess."         Ray added Huey's name to the list.         "The doctor said it could take weeks or months for the treatment to be completed which means Benni can't be near Dief till it's done can I.."         "Ask me again, later."         Ray added a "possible?" to Huey's name.          "Vecchio!"         Ray turned to scuttle off into Welsh's office.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Two                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         "I can't believe she did that to me."         "Did what?" Fraser asked from his seat as he twiddled with his gadget's linking one with the other.         "Made Welsh send me home. She called him to wail in his ear that I was sick, sick, sick and needed to be home where I could be watched just in case I had *another* accident and killed my self the next time. What are you doing?"         "Did you know the pollutant gauge says the air in here has more allergens per inch than the air outside?"         -*sigh* Why is it the only person I can get sympathy off lately is Ma?-         Fraser leaned closer tilting his head to read something that had caught his eye on the plaster.         "Yours and Mine in 69."         "What?!"         Fraser pointed.         "That's what it says.. Did you break your arm in 69?"         "Fraser sometimes you are just too innocent for words."         "So what does it mean?"         -Should I or shouldn't I - What the hell?-         "It's referring to a sexual position. Turn the 69 on its side and work out which one for your self."                 =I will not blush, I will not blush=         Fraser blushed.         "Oh."         Ray glanced around and chuckled.         -G-d, sometimes he's too cute for words **???***-         "I bet that doctor who said Ma needs to get laid thinks it's our favourite position."         Fraser turned an even deeper shade of red.         "Can you believe that man.. Calling us *lovebirds* if my arm hadn't been in plaster I think I might have decked him."         =*Siiiiigh*=         "What a bloody insult.. Calling us *gay* like that. Just because I like to look good doesn't make me *gay*. I resent the inference that because I like nice clothes, I must be *gay*. I mean For God's sake.. "         "Ray, you're babbling."         =And if you don't stop ranting like a raving homophobe I'm going to hit the park brake and get out.=         "You were no help standing there blushing like that as if being referred to as my lover was just too embarrassing for words, you should have done something."         "What did you expect me to do?"         "You could have *corrected* him, for God's sake, I was half tanked with all the shots they gave me. At least I had an excuse for not being able come up with a quick retort. What's yours?"         "It was partly your fault that he came to that assumption, and it wasn't because you wear expensive clothes."         "Oh so why did he make it and how was it my fault?"         "I said partly.. When you went berserk and pulled your gun.. "         "I did what?!"         "You pulled your gun on the intern who was examining you, after he turned your break into a compound fracture. You pulled your gun on him and threatened to blow his head off if he didn't get out of your sight and then you threatened to shoot the nurse who tried to get close enough to hit you with a sedative. And we heard you screaming and shouting and the intern was shouting he's got a gun.. and I went in and tried to get you to put it down, but.. you were in shock, you saw him as a threat and you wouldn't be calmed until he departed."         "And they got another Doctor."         "Yes. I tried to calm you down. At first you wouldn't give me the gun, but you wouldn't shoot me either and I just worked on reducing the level of tension, stroking your back and arm.. assuring you that no one else was going to hurt you until you let me take the gun."         "And he saw that?"         "Yes. That and how I held you till the shot took affect and you went under. After you went under he shooed me out and said, and I quote "Don't worry I'll take good care of your S.O.."         "Significant Other. The PC way of saying Defacto especially when referring to Gay people."         "I do know what it means."         "So why didn't you correct him then?"         "He was shoving me out the door and closed it in my face before I could. And it was Francesca's suggestion that I should let it slide."         "Oh it was, was it?"         "Yes, she said we could take advantage of it, because the Doctor would tell me everything, and leave her free to take care of your mother without having to worry about you too."         "Ah."         -Well, that kind of makes sense. I suppose can let it slide under the circumstances-         "And that's why I didn't correct him. I was taking advantage of it the same way you took advantage of it."         Ray smiled faintly.         "It did have its advantages."         Fraser took his gadgets apart and took a sample of the air slipping the sample into the case for that purpose and tucked his bits away into the pockets.         "By the way, I don't believe that I mentioned how much I like this coat Ray."         "If you like it so much then why haven't I seen you wearing it before?"         "Because I lost the key."         "Key to what?"         "The storage crate I packed the clothes into."         "You *locked* your clothes away?"         "Just the expensive ones you gave me."                 "I thought you didn't lock anything?"         "I have a lot of expensive and valuable things in the apartment right now.. The storage company who were storing all my personal effects closed down and shipped them out in storage crates. Locked storage crates. I got the keys, via the consulate, they sent them in a diplomatic pouch."         "Those guys take security seriously."         "Very."         "So why did they close down?"         "They're relocating. It will take some time to construct new storage facilities to their high standards."         "And you'll send all your stuff back when they do."         "Yes."         "I guess I'll have to make arrangements to get it stored away while your.. "         "Oh, it's already stored away, at the consulate. I did that the day before yesterday. I've only got one crate now. With all the things I wanted to keep with me in it."         "Really valuable stuff?"         "One of the parcels contains something that would be worth several thousand dollars to collectors. Another item would be.. "         "You've got some sort of collectors item worth a few thousand *dollars*."         "Items.. Sheet music. Over 50 pieces of it, all of it has been autographed. They were part of a reward that was given to me by a musician for returning a rather unique instrument that had great sentimental value to him after it was stolen."         "A famous musician?"         "Very, his band was once listed as the highest earning performers in the world in the Guiness book of records."         Ray let out a low whistle.         "And they have a great many fans who would be willing to part with large sums of money for items autographed by the whole band, which the sheet music and records were."         "You got records too."         "Oh, no, that was.. My Partner.. He's a fan of the band, and he helped me recover that guitar without realising it."         "Oh.."         "It was the *unique sound* of the instrument. The musician built it with his own two hands with his father. And my partner was always playing their music, I was familiar with that particular guitar's unique sound. I knew it had been stolen, the band cancelled all their concerts after it happened and he dragged me all the way into the capital to attend one with him.. He was in a very foul temper about the cancellation."         "And you guys volunteered to work on the case."         "Er.. He did, but they already had people working on it. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time when I heard that guitar being played. I recognised the tune that was being played - badly - first, and then I recognised the tones of the instrument. That was the easy part.. The hard part was getting it back in one piece. I was injured diving for it when he hurled it away correctly assuming I'd try and catch it while he made his get away."         "So he got away with it and made you chase him."         "He was very fast, very agile, and knew the city like the back of his hand, and had it strapped over his back as he leapt fences, ran across roofs and through storm water drains. I think I pursued him for over 5 kilometres till he realised he just wasn't going to shake me."         "Yeah I bet he couldn't believe you kept up."         "I almost lost him, twice, when he slipped into the drains, fortunately I found two people who pointed me in the right direction, and he picked up mud on his boots in the drains which left enough tracks for me to start catching up."         "So did you actually catch him in the end or.. "         "No.. Saving the guitar put me in hospital."         "What?!"         "We were on the roof tops.. There was an alley way between us.. I could have made the jump and by that stage he knew it. And I was *right* on his tail at that stage. He ripped it off and told me he'd drop it and destroy it if I didn't give up."         "And you prepared to jump anyway."         "I thought he was bluffing.. After all he was a fan, and was aware of its value."         "And you just had to announce that fact, so he dropped it.. And you leapt for it."         "Exactly, I was able to catch it.. But it was a multi- story building and even though I fell onto a pile of garbage with it, it was quite a drop. I broke several bones when I hit it. And it's quite fortunate he didn't stick around to see if I managed to catch it or not.. I was out cold for some time.. He could have collected it again and made good his escape with the instrument."         Then he frowned.                 "What?"         "That wasn't right.. He couldn't have taken it.. I remember now, they complained.. Because they couldn't get the guitar out of my arms.. That's right, I knew there was a high degree of probability the fall would knock me out and the last thing I did before I passed out was to lock my arms around it.. They couldn't take the guitar away from me, not without breaking my arms to do it."         "Is that what they did?"         "No.. They put me into the ambulance with it, and one of the doctor's whispered the magic words in my ear when I was semi conscious and I let go."         "The Magic Words?"         "He essentially made it possible to personally return the guitar to the musician. Who was notified and came to the hospital to collect it and the Doctor returned it to me to present it to him and made sure he was there to get his autograph too."         Ray laughed.         "Another fan."         "Once he got his autograph he cleared the room out and gave me a chance to talk to the musician who wanted to hear all about how I got it back and I told him all about it, and how it was my partner's birthday soon and how if it wasn't an imposition.. the bands autographs would make a fine gift."         Ray laughed.         "You could have asked for a hell of a lot more and got it after what you did."         "I did get more, we talked about other things. He showed his gratitude on the day by staying there and talking with me till my partner arrived."         "So what did you talk about?"         "Music.. Being a Mountie.. Canada.. He talked about the band & music. And I got to meet him again he showed up on Dante's Birthday with the Vocalist, and they gave Dante a complete collection of all their records, all autographed, under glass, for his birthday."         Ray smiled.         "He remembered what you said and tracked your partner down on his birthday, just to thank-you."         "Oh they stayed for a few days. We were stationed a rather remote outpost, and our cabin was big enough to hold six men. And they enjoyed a break without worrying about fans for a few days before the rescheduled concerts started."         "Your partner must have been in seventh heaven."         "He thought it was wonderful, especially watching me and the guitarist play together. He always liked it when I played. His jaw hit the floor when I started singing too. Then he clipped my ear and said why didn't you tell me you could hold a tune."         Ray laughed.         "I will never forget that time.. It was one of the happiest weeks of my life."         "I bet."         "They said I had real talent. And they sent us tickets to the last show, and the RCMP PR department set things up with them.. And just before the Finale.. A ramp set down. They announced they wanted the audience to thank the man who saved the tour when he recovered the guitar. And I rode out on stage in my dress reds."         "For real."                 "Yes, there was this incredible wave of sound when the crowd roared as I rode onto stage.. They were clapping and cheering and didn't stop as I went through the routine I practiced with them all morning. I almost blew it when the vocalist slipped up behind me for a circuit on the horse. That was prearranged - him whispering naughty suggestions in my ear while we did it wasn't."         Ray very carefully pulled over, then gave into the laughter.         "And he took advantage of the fact I couldn't stop him having a little grope or two - I almost fell off the horse."         Ray almost wet himself with laughter.         "Oh - stop.. "         "I got my revenge when I made the horse rear up and turn in a circle on its back legs. He had to stop groping me and hold on for dear life or fall off onto that hard stage. The crowd loved it. So did the PR people. They had pictures of me doing that in every newspaper the next day, and a clip on the news, along with the finale. When I played God Save The Queen with the Guitarist on the Guitar he presented me with. It was bright red, to go with my uniform."         He reached into the bag at his feet and pulled out a bottle of water and offered it to Ray as his laughter ended.         "That *really* happened.. You're not just making it up."         "Why would I make up something like that?"         "I don't know, to make me laugh, I've been pretty grumpy lately."         "Out of concern about your mother. I thought you were exaggerating the situation till I saw the way she reacted to your fall and break."         "That was the worst she's been. By the way what were doing there?"         "I.. wanted to talk to you."         "Oh.. yeah.. I figured there was something bothering you, you were so quiet all the time, I guessed you didn't want to bother me with your problems while I had a big problem of my own to deal with."         "You're right."         "So, tell what the problem is."         Fraser looked away.         "Benni."         Fraser took a deep breath.         "I came to tell you I couldn't be your partner any more."         Ray stared at him in shock.         "What?! They ordered you to .. "         "No.. "         "Then why?"         "I.. don't think.. it's right.. "         "What's not right?!"         Fraser took a deep breath.         "Dante was more than my partner he was my significant other."         That shocked Ray even more.         "You're Gay!"         "No.. I'm Bi."         "And you didn't think I deserved to know it?!"         "I don't proscribe to meaningless relationships, I only form sexual relationships with people I have.. deep feelings for."         "You told me Victoria was..."         "I didn't think you'd be comfortable if you knew."         "What you think I'd tell you to go to hell just because you're Gay?!"         "Bi."         "Whatever."         "Your Catholic, your heterosexual, and you often express what could be called homophobic sentiments."         "Yeah, well... If you'd told me you were gay.."         "Bi."                 "I wouldna expressed sentiments like that around you. I don't have anything against gay people personally I just take offence when someone insinuates I'm gay. And if you were so worried about how I'd take it, why are you telling me now? What changed?"         "You were going to find out. Everyone is. And everyone is going to wonder about our partnership and that is why I can't be your partner any more."         "Who is he?! Who is this guy who told you it was him or me?!"         "He didn't make any ultimatums. He doesn't even know about you. He hasn't arrived yet. I thought it would be better if our partner ship dissolved before he arrived. That way you wouldn't be humiliated when the news got out."         "You're coming out of the closet with this guy."         Fraser nodded.         "I love him. I always have. But my father had him exiled overseas to end our relationship."         "This isn't some guy you've met recently. You're talking about that Dante guy."         Fraser nodded.         "Now Inspector Thatcher is about to take a long leave to nurse one of her parents, who's dying. She won't return for some time. Dante was chosen to hold down the fort while she's away. Because they want to see if he can handle the position before he takes over the role permanently at the consulate he's been stationed at all these years."         Ray looked away staring out the window for a long time. Fraser collected his bag from the floor and reached for his seat belt.         "If it works out - you're going to leave with him aren't you.? You're going to go with him. I'm never gonna see you again.."         "No," Fraser said cutting in on what might have become another round of babbling on Ray's part.         "No?!"         "I already know that he wouldn't ask me to go with him. And he'd reject an offer by me to go with him. He did it when I tried to follow him last time."         "So what happens if he doesn't want to get involved with you again? If that happens no one has to know about you being Bi and we can still be partners."         "Oh. I'm sure he'll be reluctant at first. He held me at arms length for a year before he finally gave in and I know how to get through all his little defenses. I'll do whatever it takes.. Because it will be the last chance I ever have to be with him."         Then he opened the door.         "Good-bye, Ray, and thank-you, for everything."         The he slipped out of the car and walked away.         Ray stared at nothing for a very, very long time before he finally pulled out and drove to a bar where he got very very drunk.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Three                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         To his dismay Ray discovered that not only had Fraser cut him off, but all his friends outside the consulate were cut off too. What's more it seemed that even his friends and associates at the consulate had been cut off too. To all intents and purposes Fraser had vanished, utterly. No one seemed to know where he was.         It took some work, but Ray finally tracked Fraser down, to a medical center. He dropped in to see him dressed in raw unbleached cotton draw string pants, as he resided within a sterile bubble room. He wasn't allowed near him, all he could do was look through the observation window to watch the miserable looking Mountie sit on a pile of bedding on the floor with his guitar and some sheet music. His eyes were ringed with bruises that stood out against his pale face.         Ray couldn't help but notice that there was no bed or furniture in the room. The bedding consisted of what looked like two or three thick quilts, covered with the same raw unbleached cotton as his pants, so were the sheets, though the blankets on the bed were quite colourful wool blankets. Not the usual sort of thing you see in a hospital. Even more interesting was how the sheet music came in laminated sheets.         "He's quite good, isn't he?" Fraser's allergist said.         Ray glanced around for a moment.         "I'm Doctor Zacheria. The allergist in charge of his case and you're .."         "Raymond Vecchio."         "Ah... His S.O, Doctor Weinstien told me to expect you, I was starting to think you had an allergy to hospitals."         Ray gave a weak smile.         "How is he?"         "We're still trying to work out what he's alergic to and having a hell of a time doing it. Every time he took the mask off he started sniffling, within a few minutes, he's sneezing. Sometimes, he started sneezing almost as soon as the mask came off."         "I guess that makes it difficult."         "It happens no matter where we do the tests. That's why we put him in the bubble. It's reserved for people who have 20th century disease."         "20th century disease?"         "Around the globe there are people who've developed allergies to synthetics and pollutants in the air. Some react violently to allergens. With one exception, everything in the room is 100 percent natural. The bedding is 4 layers of extra thick duck down quilts sewn together, raw cotton sheets, the blankets are pure wool, dyed with natural dyes, like beetroot. Everything was boiled too within an inch of its life in purified water, dried in a sterile environment, and vacuumed before it was transferred here. We even make sure his food is all natural, cooked according to the guidelines for people with 20th century disease."          "The sheet music and the guitar?"          "The guitar is brand new, it was sterilised before we let him have it. The music was laminated to stop stray strands of the paper setting him off again. We thought he could use a break.. He'll stay there till the bruising goes down."         "What if I wanted to go in?"         "You can't. No one enters the chamber and no one will till I'm ready to start testing him again."         "How does he communicate with people?"         The doctor pointed.         "Via the intercom. Just hit the red button to transmit."         Ray looked at it, then through the glass at Fraser.         "I'll leave you alone, to have a little privacy, do you have any more questions?"         "What if you can't work out what's causing the allergy?"         "The experts will rebuild his home and turn it into a bubble house, making it absolutely sterile and he'll spend the rest of his days in it."         Ray barely suppressed a shudder at the very thought of Fraser spending the rest of his days a prisoner in a sterile bubble house. When he didn't ask any more questions, the doctor left, giving him the promised privacy. Ray just watched Fraser, listening to his music until Fraser happened to glance up and see him.         It would have been difficult to mistake Fraser's reaction for anything but shock. Ray moved to switch the intercom over to two way conversation mode.         "Hi."         "What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear.."                 "People talk... And people were wondering why you up and vanished. I get at least half a dozen people asking me about you every day. Deif is pining for you and I don't know what I'm supposed to do with him or tell people when they ask about you."         Fraser looked away.         "And the Doc insinuated that you have 20th century disease that you might have to spend the rest of your life in a place like this.. What am I supposed to do about Deif? Take care of him myself? Return him to the wild? though I don't think it's a good idea. I never heard of junk food growing on trees or roaming around in the wild and the only thing that beast knows how to hunt is junk food. I swear he could track a man with a snickers bar down from 20 blocks away."         His attempt to inject a little humour into things fell flat, all it seemed to do was add to Fraser's misery. He heard the heavy sigh Fraser let out clearly over the intercom, and saw his shoulders slump.         "I'm sorry.. Excuse me while I extract both legs from my mouth, I think I put both feet in up to the hip. You don't have to worry about Deif. I'll take good care of him. Whatever happens."         "Did he really say I'd have to spend the rest of my life in a place like this?" Fraser asked looking up at Ray, his whole body pleading with the Italian to tell him it wasn't so.         "Only if they can't work out what's setting you off, but you don't have to worry about it.. That's just the worst case scenario, and I did a little checking before I came. You couldn't have checked yourself into a better place. They'll work out what your allergic to and desensitise you. Just you wait and see."         "I've been here two weeks already, the only time I don't sneeze when the filter mask comes off is when I'm shut up in this room."         "I'm sure he'll find a way around that problem and then you'll get treatment, and get out of here, and come after my head for letting Deif get fat on junk food and pasta."         "You know it's bad for him."         "Ma's already getting the hint. She's spoiling him, in a way you'd approve of. She's read everything on wolves she can lay hands on, talked to zoo keepers about them. Put him on a diet you can't complain about, takes him for walks all the time. And it's off to the park at least 3 times a day. Her taking over his care has been a real godsend in some ways. Instead of smothering me with attention, she's smothering Deif in it and he's loving every minute of it. You should see him, his coat practically glistens, she's always brushing him down, and he loves it."         "As long as she doesn't start knitting little coats, bonnets and mittens for him. He finds it an affront to his dignity."         Ray chuckled.         "Well she did get him a new collar, and a big dog basket, that sits at the end of the bed. I went around to your place and got your blanket from the bed and put it in the basket and he settled down in it pretty fast. But I keep waking up with him snuggled up at my back or over my feet. It seems that he worked out how to get out of her room and does it when everyone's settled down for the night. You shoulda heard the shriek Frannie let out when she went down to get a glass of water in the middle of the night and discovered he prowls the house in the wee small hours."         Fraser smiled faintly.         "And last night, he dragged your blanket into my room and onto the bed. Beyond that, he's been on his best behaviour, he doesn't even pull that, Lip reading, what's that trick of his any more. I kinda got the feeling he thinks he's being punished."         Fraser heaved a deep sigh.         "He would. I put him on a very strict diet because he was getting pudgy, and he mugged someone for their hamburger just before I visited you. I gave him a very stern lecture and threatened to send him back to the wild."         "Oh."         "But there's nothing I can do about it now. I can't go near him and you'd never be permitted to bring him here."         "I know you don't want me to come back.. And there's really not much else to say. Promise me, the moment you get out you'll come around and get him. And.. If you don't show your face after that Dante guy goes back home.. I'm gonna hunt you down and .."         "When I said Good-bye - I meant it. I don't intend to resume associating with you when Dante leaves."         "Benni.."         "I'll return home to Canada."         "You think I care what people think, Fraser? I don't."         Fraser couldn't look at him.         "Since I put Victoria behind me.. I've found myself thinking about my future.. She can never be apart of it. Until I found out Dante was going to temporarily replace the inspector, I didn't think about him being part of it.. There were two other people.. though, who I hoped would be. The inspector was one.. but she keeps giving me mixed signals and I don't think it would be wise to pursue a relationship with her. Or that she'd consider it while I remain her subordinate. As for the other person I would never.. act on my feelings because I know they wouldn't appreciate it.. So it never came up..."         "You're talking about me - I'm the other person. Aren't I?"         "I know how the church views same sex relationships, and you made your opinion of them very clear."         Ray felt like bashing his head against something hard.         "But even though I know your views it doesn't stop me from.. Finding my self wishing for your company, and it has been getting harder to ignore.. I can't change you, it's not your fault.. that some of the things you do turn me on."         Ray turned bright red and Fraser rose moving toward the partition.         "And that is why I'll be going home when Dante leaves. Why I don't want to associate with you any more. Good-bye, Ray.."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  A month passed, during which time Ray returned to work with a wolf on his heels. It felt good to be working again, and gave him something to keep his mind off Fraser. He buried himself in his work, clearing cases in record time, getting himself into trouble. But having Deif shadowing him proved to be a godsend on more than one occasion when the wolf had come to his rescue.         Then came the morning when he'd walked out of the house with Deif on his heels and lost the Wolf. He'd opened the Riv's door and pushed the seat back for the wolf before he realised Deif hadn't followed him. He looked around to see the wolf standing on the grass giving him a rather strange look, then as he watched, the wolf suddenly bounded away, racing down the street.         He raced after the wolf, but Deif was faster than he was, rounding the corner, bounding out of sight. By the time Ray reached the corner, the wolf was out of sight. Ray raced on regardless and searched high and low for the wolf till he ended up sliding down a wall into a panting heap, holding his side grimacing at the pain of the stich that had finally ended his search for the wolf.         When he finally caught his breath, he staggered back up to his feet and trudged home, holding his side to be meet by Maria who gave him what for, for scaring them by running off leaving his car wide open that way and wanting to know where Deif was.         He didn't learn what inspired Deif's bolt until late afternoon when his mother called him at the precinct to tell him she'd found two envelopes someone had slipped under the door when no one was home.         "There was a thank-you card, with money."         "Fraser."         "Yes.. The other envelope was addressed to you."         "Just put it on my dresser, I'll look at it when I get home."         "Why didn't he come to the door and collect Deifenbaker in person? Why did he have to do it and thank us in stealth? Did you have a fight?.. Raimondo, I asked you a question."         Ray was tempted to confirm her guess, it would be easier than telling her the truth. Instead he sighed.         "No ma.. I'll talk to you when I get home."         He hung up wondering how he'd explain why Fraser wasn't going to be around any longer and resorted to such stealthy measures to get Deif back.         A less than subtle cough had him looking up to find a curious Elaine and Huey standing by his desk.         "What?"         "Did I hear you say Fraser?"         "Is he out of the hospital?"         "He must be, if he got worse, Ray'd be out of here so fast that he'd break the sound barrier on his way out."         "Very funny."         "And he's missing his furry side kick."         "He took off this morning."         "That's why you were late."         "Yeah. That was my mother telling me Fraser dropped off a thank-you card. So I guess Dief smelt him coming and ran off to meet him."         "He didn't say hello?"         "Benni stopped talking to me before he went into hospital."         "Did you two have another fight?"         Ray sighed. Once word got out about Fraser being out of hospital, he was sure to be hearing that question a lot.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  3 months passed before Ray saw Fraser again, and it was a sighting that left him standing stock still in the middle of a park, in shock.         His Fraser, laughing as he writhed in the playful embrace of a living Adonis in a expensive designer clothing. Turning in the man's embrace to kiss him, arms wrapped around his neck, their passion for each other blatant and on show for all to see. Deif bounded around the passionate pair in excited circles until they broke it up and gave their attention to him and then they moved off teasing Deif with some form of junk food.         A gentle hand on his arm snapped Ray out of it and he turned to see his mother's concerned face.         "You miss him, don't you Raimondo?"         Ray nodded with a sigh.         "Why don't you go after him?"         "Ma - he's with his *lover*."         "I noticed. Is that what you had a fight over? His orientation? Is that why you don't talk to him any more? You disappoint me Ray."         "You don't care? I mean that he's.. you know.. "         "Bisexual."         "Yeah. The church.. "         "Say's many things are a sin, many things that you do are considered a sin, divorcing your Angie, having non marital sex with various partners.. I never stopped you doing it. And it's not as if you're going to have that sort of relationship with him - it's very very obvious that he's very much in love with that Adonis he's with."         "Yeah.. He is.."         "And for that you cut him off."         "What do you think people are going to be thinking once they find out about his relationship with Mr Muscles. I'll tell you what they're going to be thinking, they're gonna be wondering just how close we really were. They're wonder if I'm Gay, if I was sleeping with him. That's what they're going to be thinking."         "What's worse, what people *might* think, or loosing your best friend because you're too afraid to accept what he is because of what others might think?"         "If it was up to me, I'd say to hell with what people think."         "Then go after him, say Hi, who's your friend - show him it doesn't matter to you."         "Why don't you? It wasn't my idea. It was his and half the reason Benni ended our relationship was out of worry how the people around me would react to this.. If he sees you can handle what he is.. He might .. change his mind."         She looked around, as did Ray.         "Damn too late.. They're gone."         "Another time.. They'll come back.. Then I'll do it."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray was driving down the street, when out of nowhere the Mountie steeped directly into the path of his car and planted himself in middle of the road. Ray came to a screeching halt less than an inch away, then Fraser strode around the car, ripped the door open and climbed in.         "Are you mad! I could have hit you!"         "Drive.. Before you start a traffic jam." Fraser said, doing up his seat belt.         "What did you do that for?"         "I saw your car.. I chased you for three blocks till I got ahead of you. I couldn't keep chasing you till you reached lights. So I made you stop."         "Why do it in the first place?"         "You sent your mother after me, that was a very low thing to do."         "Oh, she caught you in the park."         "That cost me a black eye."         "What?!"         "Dante's a very.. Jealous man, your mother babbled on about how much you miss having me around.. And he took it all the wrong Ray.. We had a fight about it later."         "And he hit you."         "Yes."         "Leave him."         "No."         "G-d Benni, you ought to know better."         "I know better - that's why I told you our partnership was over. I knew he'd get jealous and that it'd lead to a fight. And he's got a perfect right to act that way whenever he feels our relationship is threatened."         "He doesn't have the right to hit you."                 "I hit him back and then we kissed and made up.. " Fraser said, a cheeky smile appearing, "Very passionately that was the end of it. I know how to handle his jealous snits."         "So he's done it before."         "I gave him good cause not to trust me once."         "Translation."         Fraser rubbed at his nose, then pulled the filter mask off his belt, bringing it to Ray's attention as he pulled it on.         "Are you still using that? I thought they cured your allergy."         "They never found out what triggered the sneezing fits, I just stopped having them. They decided it was an allergic reaction to some form of pollen that was in the air at the time... I don't believe that, not any more. I've had over a dozen sneezing fits since I got out and I still don't know what triggers them, but I do know the signs and I keep this on hand to deal with them."         "And it works?"         "As long as I get it on before it goes from a sniffle to a sneeze. The one time I misplaced it, I had a sneezing fit, right in front of Dante.. That's when he stopped pretending I was just another subordinate and started clucking."         "Until my mother came along and then he turned into the green eyed monster."         "He doesn't trust me very much."         "Why? You said you gave him a good reason not to trust you. What was it?"         "We weren't official partners at first.. He was a superior officer and I had a very attractive woman for my partner - in the same way you and I were. She provided an excellent cover for our relationship everyone thought she and I were partners of a different kind."         "And he got in a snit about it."         "He came home and caught me in bed with her."         "Fraser!"         "It was the only time I ever slept with her."         "You know I never figured you for the cheating type."         "I wasn't cheating on him.. It just..happened, well, I'm sure she planned for things to end that way, but I certainly didn't expect her to pounce.. and er... Dante and I never made the fact our relationship was less than platonic known to others.. and it's a very long story."         "Oh I'm sure it is."         "She was like Irene."         "What?!"         "Her brother was a crime lord. I didn't know it till that night. I was always trying to recruit her.. I thought she'd make a brilliant mountie. She always rejected the suggestion.. That was the night I found out why.. She was caught between two worlds. The world she wanted, and his world.. "         "Was she part of his syndicate?"         He sighed and nodded.         "But not.. actively.. When she refused to stop seeing and working with me, he *used* it to his own advantage.. Together we wiped out most of his competition - she lead me to them, to catch them in the act, and I'd arrest them. He gave her the information.. As long as I was useful to him in some way he didn't try to stop her being with me. But then, she over heard.. something she was not meant too. It seems.. we did the unforgivable, we inadvertently busted one of his operations up. He didn't discuss his operations with her and she didn't know about that one or she would have kept me well clear of it.. As she had others she was aware of."         "So.. she did know what he was up to?"         Fraser nodded.         "She told me things.. . So many things.. We talked.. all day.. Well, actually. She talked, I just listened.. Shocked to the core."         "And then you went to bed with her."         "Yes."         "Sometimes I question your sanity."         "The information she gave me that day could have put her brother and his syndicate away for the rest of their sorry lives.. .She warned me about his revenge.. How he was setting the both of us up - along with his last enemy.. To take care of us all in one fell swoop.. How she was going back to get enough evidence to turn the tables on him.. The evidence to pin all the things she'd told me about on him. And I asked why she was doing it.. She could have just disappeared and saved herself.. And she hit me we something and said I was so thick.. The next thing.. well.. She uh..*showed* me why she did it."         "Uh-hu.. She's right, sometimes you can be quite thick."         Fraser smiled faintly.         "I might have been a fool not to see it earlier.. But I was smart enough to realise that.. what she knew would be worth to the Justice Department. She was going to get the evidence and I was going to use it make a deal with them in return for her evidence and testimony to put the worst of her brothers syndicate away."         "And you blew it."         "I.. couldn't tell Dante.. The mood he was in he would have arrested her on the spot.. And I realised that if we were ever to.. get past that.. unintentional betrayal.. . I couldn't be involved.. I tracked my father down and dumped it in his lap. And by the time I got back.. The trap had snapped shut around me.. I was home five minutes.. Just enough time to find Dante's note.. Telling me he'd gone.. and why.. When the door was kicked in and I was dragged out in cuffs under arrest.. I found out she.. vanished .. That no one had seen her.. since the day she came to me. Which made no sense, because it took me over a month to catch up with my father and almost another to return.. "         "She got caught.. "         "They killed her.. I apparently learned that fact in prison."         "Prison?! They sent you to prison?!"         "I was framed and set up by a master and sent to prison and it took three months for my Father and Dante working together to get me out."         Ray pulled over due to the fact that the turn the conversation had taken was making it dangerous to stay on the road..         "You spent three months in prison?!"         "Most of it in solitary confinement and the infirmary."         "I don't think I want to know why."         "I was.. pack raped by a group of men who were sent there as a result of both my father and I arresting them."         "G-d Benni."         "It happened the day I arrived.. I should have been segregated.. I wasn't until after it happened.. I was sent from the infirmary to solitary.. and back to the infirmary after I became catatonic.. I don't.. remember any of it.. Though.. I did.. discuss it.. under hypnosis once. Dante wanted to get the names of the men.. who raped me to follow it up."         "So you don't remember a single thing about it?"         "It was.. the only way I could deal with an extremely traumatic situation. Block it out entirely. Even then.. I was a nervous wreck for months. Dante took me to his new post and helped me to recover.. To regain my shattered confidence.. That was when he became my official partner. It took.. a year for our relationship to.. begin again.. but it was never the same.. and even now.. there are certain things he just won't do.. out of fear of how I'll react. That's why he rejected me after my father got him exiled."         "He thinks it'd remind you of what happened in the prison?"         Fraser nodded.         "He didn't *know* though he suspected it at first. I think I said or did something in my sleep.. That's when Dante arranged for me to be hypnotised and it all came out, during the hypnosis session. Including the fact she was dead. Her body has never been found and I never knew.. exactly who killed her, or who took great delight in informing me of the fact. It was .. then.. that I lost all hope.. And became catatonic.. Gaining my freedom hinged on my father making contact with her and getting the evidence from her.. Protecting her till they were brought to trial."         "Or so you thought. He and Dante seemed to have done it without her."         "I don't know how they did it. I asked, they always said, don't ask. I gather..it involved some less than legal actions on Dante's part. That's how my father eventually got Dante exiled, by reporting exactly how Dante got some of that evidence.."         "Lovely, the man got you out, helps you rebuild your life and career and your father shows his gratitude for the help by messing up your relationship."         Fraser's father popped up, leaning on the back of the seats.         "I already admitted that it might have been a mistake to act without getting the story from you first."         "It wasn't because of our relationship, though he was less than pleased about it. It was all due to a misunderstanding."         "The sort that involved bruises Dante gave you, I bet."         "Well yes.. Dante was teaching me self defence. I didn't take it seriously, till he changed his strategy, sometimes he didn't pull his blows, or I'd forget how to take a fall safely and I'd end up covered with bruises. Someone, I don't know who started spreading rumours that I got my bruises another way, my father didn't bother talking to me to find out the whole story, he just reacted."         "But you worked things out with him, didn't you?"         "It took three years. I wanted nothing to do with him after I found out who had Dante exiled. Then one night we ended up in the same bar when a fight broke out, and he saw me defend myself in a way he'd never seen me do it before - but he was familiar with that particular style of fighting. He worked out that Dante had been teaching me self defence, made a few enquires, realised he made a mistake and apologised for it. In his own way."         "Uh-hu."         "He needed Buck's help to do it.. Because I refused to have any dealings with him.."         "I'm not surprised."         "Why don't you tell him how we did it? That'd give him a real laugh."         "And it's.. quite a funny story."         "Yeah.. Well, I really don't have the time for it. I should'na stopped for you in the first place, I'm working on an important murder case, and I gotta explain all the expenses I've racked up trying to get somewhere on it. Welsh is gonna kill me for being late as it is. If I'm lucky the leads I got today will get me off the hook.. But if I don't get there soon, he isn't going to give me the chance to justify things. He's just gonna tear strips offa me."         Fraser unbuckled.         "I just wanted to tell you - to stay away and keep your emissaries away. I don't need the aggravation sending them causes."         "Beating, the word is beating, not aggravation," Fraser Snr said.         "It won't happen again.. Just give me your word you'll let me know when he leaves. I miss having you around, irritating the hell out of me and I really don't give a damn what anyone thinks. Or what *you* might be thinking at any given time. You are what you are and I won't hold it against you."         "I still think that.."         Ray's hand flew to his belt buckle, unclipping it and Fraser suddenly found his filter mask tugged down, and Ray's lips on his. His eyes almost bugged out of his head, and he stiffened for a time before his body betrayed him and he found himself wrapping a hand around the back of Ray's skull, kissing Ray back, a little hesitantly at first then with increasing passion.         It was Ray who broke it up, pulling away gasping for breath to look at Fraser wide eyed. Fraser snapped the mask back into place as he felt the overwhelming urge to sneeze.         "Well, well, that was a real surprise," Fraser Snr drawled.         "When he leaves, you call me," Ray said when he caught his breath.         "I.. I.. D.. Does that mean..???"         "I dunno what it means, I just.. Felt like doing that, O.K. It doesn't mean I wanna go to bed with you.. I just.. Want you to know.. I don't.. find the idea of you wishing that I would, go to bed with you, totally repugnant."         The look Fraser gave him was hot enough to set off a heat sensitive fire alarm.         "Get out of the car before you make a fool out of yourself, Benton." His father ordered.         "I don't want to loose the best friend I ever had, O.K. I ain't gonna sleep with you.. Just so long as you can accept that, then I can accept that you're attracted to me."         Fraser nodded and climbed out.         "I'll call you."         Then he closed the door and walked away.         =Perhaps sooner than you think= Fraser thought.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Four                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Fraser sat in the park watching birds pecking at the grass and strutting their stuff in mating dances. Well he wasn't really watching them, he just appeared to be extremely interested in their avian activities, his thoughts though were elsewhere. To be accurate his thoughts were on Ray and what happened in the car, and he contradiction between Ray's action and his words and also on Dante.         To be perfectly honest he had once thought he was in love with Dante, now he wasn't sure. He'd been young, inexperienced with a bad case of Hero worship and rampaging hormones. Now he was older and wiser, he knew what love was, Victoria taught him that. Love was more than the desire to share your body with someone, it was caring, it was a desperate yearning to be with the one you loved, in more than the physical sense.         He was happy with Dante, their relationship was better than it had been, Dante no longer tried to hide the fact they had a relationship. He wasn't afraid to show the world they had a relationship, he treated him like an equal, instead of someone who had to be nurtured and clucked over. Oh, he still clucked occasionally. But there was also a side to him that disturbed Fraser, while he'd learned to handle Dante's occasional jealous snit, and enjoyed the making up part of the process, Dante's anger scared him.         He remembered how some of his self defence lessons had come during times when Dante had been seething over some woman flirting with him. Not that he ever responded to their advances. At those times, Dante didn't pull his blows, they'd come hard and fast, delivering pain, leaving livid bruises. On the other hand, he hadn't really taken Dante's lessons seriously until Dante stopped pulling his blows.         He'd learned his lessons well, learning how to block, avoid and defend himself against such blows. But now Dante didn't have a way of venting his anger over perceived betrayals. At least when they were working out together, even if he'd blocked and avoided every blow, Dante had still been able to vent in the attempt to land a blow or two, and lessons that started out with a scowl often ended with a smile, and praise for his improvements.         Now, Dante just exploded. He wondered how Dante would react if he knew about his meeting with Ray. Well, he didn't have to wonder, he knew Dante would explode, but how would he react if he knew Ray had kissed him, that he'd returned that kiss and wished it would never end.         The answer was that he would probably resort to physical violence and that was something Fraser didn't want to think about it and so his thoughts turned to what happened with Ray again instead.         Ray's actions said one thing, while he said something completely different. And it wasn't just happened in the hear and *now*, the same thing had happened in the past. There were times he could have sworn Ray was attracted to him. Like the day he'd broken his wrist.         For a brief moment while he'd been holding Ray he could have sworn he'd felt the tell tale evidence that his touch had turned Ray on. But the pain, and worry for his mother no doubt had dealt with that. But there were other times, Ray was a natural touchie feelie kind of guy, but before he'd ended his association with him, Ray had seemed to be touching him all the time. An arm draped over his shoulder here, a hand on his arm, standing close enough that Fraser could feel the heat of his body, feel his breath against his skin and smell the scents of the various toiletries Ray wore.         Those were the times Fraser found himself thinking of home, particularly the long cold winters, the ice, snow and winds with high chill factors. Because Ray made his pulse race and his temperature rise when he invaded his personal space in that special way of his. And all those times Ray had ended up grubby and stripped in front of him, to shower, without a second thought. He always ended up turning down the offer to go in after him because he knew that Ray wouldn't think twice about staying around, tending to all those other things one did in bathrooms. If he'd stripped in front of Ray, the Italiao-American wouldn't have remained ignorant about where his tastes lay for long.         But Ray had said he wasn't interested in the sort of relationship he was. Oh, on an unconscious level, Ray might find him attractive, but he obviously had no conscious desire to purse anything but friendship. And after that kiss, well.. Perhaps leaving was the right thing to do.         But leaving lead to the possibility of spending the rest of his life alone. He knew that, and once he could possibly have accepted it. He'd gotten used to being alone. Then Ray had come along. Worse, Dante had reminded him how good it felt to be in a steady intimate sexual relationship.         Fraser sighed, his thoughts going around in circles. He wanted Ray, but he couldn't have Ray. He had Dante, but the only thing that relationship had going for it was passion. The sex was great, but there was nothing else to it. But then again, he'd been so sure that it would end when Dante left that he never really tried to make anything else out of it. Which meant he had no one but himself to blame for it.         Perhaps what he needed to do was stop pining over a man he couldn't have, and work to improve the relationship with the man he had.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Welsh was about to bite into the sandwich Vecchio's late arrival had given him time to prepare, but interrupted the eating of, when he clearly heard a loud wail from outside the building. A wail that sounded like it came from Vecchio. He set the sandwich down and moved to his window opening it to look down at the street below.         There he saw Vecchio by his car, being rapidly surrounded by people. The Italiao-American looked like he was about to hyperventilate. Someone asked him a question and he started pointing and gesturing at his car in a highly agitated state.         Welsh left the office and hurried down to the street level moving around the crowd onto the road intending to circle around the car. He stopped dead on the road staring at the side of Ray's car. Both tires that he could see had been slashed and someone had taken a sharp implement to the paint work and most likely a boot to the body. It was full of dents and scored clear through to the metal with deep grooves.         That was more than enough to catch attention but what really grabbed and held Welsh's attention was the fact that there was more than dents and deep grooves in the paint work, there was also a message carved into the side of the car's fender. He shuffled along and squatted down, pulling out his note book and wrote it down.         Once he had it down, word for word, he moved around the car and shouldered his way to Ray's side. The damage to the other side of the car was no where near as extensive as the other, there was just one big deep groove. He dispatched everyone hovering around and then showed Ray the message he'd found.         "Mean anything to you?"         Ray took the note pad and looked at it. It was a message in Italian.         "Where did you..?"         "What does it say?"         "Next time it'll be your face, faggot."         Welsh wrote that down.         "Take a deep breath, Vecchio, good, now take another one.. That's it now count to a hundred."         "A hundred?"         "A hundred, and take a deep breath every ten seconds.         "I'm calm already where did you get that?" He asked then turned and peered at and through the windows.         It wasn't written on any of the car's windows. He looked at the trunk and hood. Nothing there. Ray raced around the car and stopped dead in the middle of the road. He turned white, then red and looked ready to explode. Then he surprised Welsh by taking a deep breath, moving back around the car, muttering, "99.. 98.. 97.. 96.. 95.." and so on under his breath and walked to the stairs where he sat down and continued counting and deep breathing with his hands clenched into fists. His hands clenched and unclenched, those long fingers unfurling and curling back up into a fist.         When he reached one, he started counting back the other way. Welsh climbed the steps and called for another officer and pulled out his note pad writing a note. Ripping it away he handed it to the officer and dispatched it before he moved to sit near Ray and watch him.         Ray reached a hundred and kept going. He was nearing 590 when one of the forensic teams descend on the car with their kit and started snapping photos and dusting it down for prints. Somewhere around 1005 Ray jumped up to his feet and stomped into and through the building, Welsh hot on his tail.         Ray's first stop was the first available phone he could find. He called the consulate to ask if Fraser had returned that afternoon. Welsh could tell that Ray didn't like the answer. His response to it was to start ringing hospitals and medical centers.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Dante returned to his apartment, to find the lights down low and the table set with candles. In fact there were candles just about everywhere. He stomped through the lounge and dinning area blowing out candles. When Fraser stepped into the room, the smile of welcome on his face vanished, and the Mountie felt the urge to duck back out of the room and try to leave the apartment. By the looks of things Dante was in a foul mood.         But the masochist in Fraser (what you haven't seen Victoria's Secret) made him stay where he was, to watch the seething man approach. He prepared to block or avoid a blow, but Dante surprised him.         "Where were you this afternoon?"         "I..uh.."         "Do you think that because we have a personal relationship that it gives a licence to do as you will?"         "No.. I.. "         "Can spend the next week on Sentry duty."         =All I'll do is get Turnbull into trouble if I mention that I did call the consulate and leave a message that I wasn't returning=         Dante stomped off and Fraser relaxed.         "And get rid of the candles, don't you know they're a fire hazard."         Fraser started collecting the candles, thinking so much for trying to inject a little romance into their relationship.         "And get your damned wolf off the bed, he's shedding."         Fraser sighed and his breath caught as he heard something crash, and dropped the collected candles on the table and rushed out into the hall. Deifenbaker bounded out of the bedroom and down the hall to the lounge. Fraser watched him disappear, then moved onto the bedroom, peering around the door way. Dante sat on the edge of the bed by the bedside table. The cut glass lamp that usually sat on that bedside table lay on the floor in a hundred one pieces. Dante on his part was holding his head, his finger's massaging his temples and staring at the debris. Fraser noticed a vein pounding away in a base relief on his temples and quietly backed off. Perhaps taking Deifenbaker for a walk, a long walk, would be a good idea.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray drove through the streets at high speed ignoring half the road rules and narrowly avoided two collisions speeding through intersections as he headed for the hospital. He brought the car to a rubber burning stop, his foot jamming down on the brake. When the car came to a complete stop, he spun in the seat, looking back down the street.         When his brain registered the fact his eyes hadn't deceived him, he parked the car, jumping out to call out to the man walking with the white wolf a block away. When the man stopped, turning to look back. Ray slammed the car door closed and marched off down the street.         Fraser stood under the street light with Deif sitting at his heels tail thumping the pavement as they watched Ray stalk up the street. The moment the cop reached them his hands slammed into Fraser's chest, sending him staggering back two or three steps.         "Where have you been all afternoon?!" Ray yelled at him.                 Deif growled moving between him and the Mountie.         "Why?"         Ray spun with an angry follow me gesture stalking back up the street. Fraser followed him, rubbing at his chest as he went. He was sure he was going to have two bruises in the form of Ray's hands on his chest the next day such was the force of Ray's angry move.         He watched the angry man move around the side of the car and rip away a sheet of plastic that was taped down over the side rear fender. As he moved around the side of the car, he saw the length of the car was covered with plastic sheets and tape. When he looked at the uncovered section he saw why. The deep grooves in the paint work were clearly evident even in the dwindling light, and so were the words carved into the side of the car.         He looked to Ray.         "What does it say?"         "Next time it's your face, Faggot."         Fraser's eyes widened.         "Someone did that to my car after I saw you.. I was in the station house for maybe.. half an hour, forty five minutes. They slashed up the tyres on this side, along with the paint work and.."         He ripped off another sheet of plastic on the door to show the deep dents there.         "Put the boot in. And after I saw that message, I was worried about your safety. I tried tracking you down, but you didn't go back to the consulate.. They told me the Inspector went looking for you when you didn't turn up and came back in a foul mood.."         "He put me on Sentry duty for a week for it."         "That's all?"         "I was expected quite a different reaction.. He *is* in a foul mood. That's why I decided to take Deif for a walk. To give him a chance to cool down."         Ray taped the sheets back in place.         "Get in."         "I.."         "You got something better to do?"         After a few moments Fraser moved around the car and Ray climbed in, leaning across the car to open the door for Fraser. He sat back watching Fraser push the seat forward for Deifenbaker and watched the Wolf leap in to settle down on the back seat with a happy look on his furry face. Fraser pushed the seat back up and climbed in, belting up as Ray started the Riv.         "I was heading for the hospital when I saw you, they've got a John Doe in who fits your general description. Someone beat him up bad and took a knife to him."         "You thought it was me."         Ray nodded as he turned to look over the street before he pulled away from the curb.         "What was I supposed to think after finding that message gouged into the side of the car when everyone I calls says they haven't seen you?"         "I went to the park.. To think.. Until it started raining, I didn't realise how much time had passed. And I was soaked through before I got to shelter so I went home to change into dry clothes."         "Home being his place now?"         Fraser nodded.         "I didn't see the point in returning to the consulate at that time.. I rang in and asked Turnbull to pass a message on.."         "Well it wasn't Turnbull I spoke too. He probably forgot to pass the message on."         "Oh, no.. He's become incredibly efficient since Dante took over."         "He has?"         "Ever since he made a mistake that infuriated Dante. He called Turnbull in. I could hear him, yelling at him, and when it was over Turnbull scuttled out as white as a sheet and Dante needed a new desk because he broke the one he had in two."         "Now that would be intimidating."         "I saw him break a pool table in two once."         "Now that's impressive."         "I'm sure the fact it was infested with termites helped."         Ray chuckled at that.         "But I was talking about Turnbull.. He tries to avoid Dante whenever possible, that means double and triple checking everything he does to make sure he hasn't made any mistakes.. And he passes messages on to me to pass on to Dante, or if I'm not around, he drops notes on Dante's desk when he's out of the room rather than personally delivering the messages."         "I bet that irritates Dante."         "Sometimes. I'll have to remember to leave early and remove the note from his desk before he sees it."         "Do you mind if I ask.. a personal question? I've seen Dante.."         "You have?"         "In the park with you.. Ma called Him Adonis, the name fits.. He must make women drool where ever he goes."         "They tend to walk into things because they're so busy watching him that they're not watching where they're going."         "I can understand you finding him attractive.. If I shared your tastes, I'd find him attractive."         "What is the question?"         "Why me? I mean that *God* puts me in the shade."         Fraser opened his mouth to answer, and felt the tickle in his nose that was the precursor to a sneeze and automatically reached for his filter mask. He only remembered that he'd left it behind in the bedroom when he didn't find it attached to his belt.         "Stop the car!"         "What?"         Fraser grabbed at his nose, pinching it as that tickle became the full blown urge to sneeze.         "Stop the car, now!"         Ray stopped the car and Fraser fumbled with the belt while fighting the urge to sneeze. Ray reached across to unclip his belt. Fraser threw the door open and jumped out loosing the battle and sneezed.         Ray sighed.         Fraser wound the window down and closed the door before he moved to the foot path. Ray parked the car while Fraser let out another sneeze or two. Climbing out he leaned on the roof and looked at Fraser as Fraser pinched his nose and drew in deep breaths through his mouth. There were no more sneezes.         "Where's your mask?"         "I left it behind.. In the bedroom after I got changed.. That's where Dante was.."         "Are you through sneezing now?"         Fraser nodded.         "I think so."         Ray looked around.         "It's a valid question that you asked.. It's one of things I was thinking about today."         "Oh.. Well, do you think you can get back into the car before you answer it."         "I don't think so."         Rays hand slipped under his coat, snaking around to pull out his gun as he kept an eye on the group of toughs who were heading their way. He kept the gun out of sight, preferring to avoid a confrontation.         "This isn't the best place to have a conversation, Fraser."         "Something in your car keeps setting me off, I don't have my filter, if I get back into your car I could have a violent sneezing fit."         "Yeah, well.."         He watched one of those toughs, flicking a knife open there was no doubt in his mind they saw them as easy prey.         "You're gonna have a lot more than that to worry about if you don't get in the car now, Benni," he said with a jerk of his head.         Fraser looked around, and saw the group moving in. This time he didn't argue the point. He and Ray both climbed into the car. Ray didn't wait for him to belt up, he swung the car into a tight u-turn and sped away. Fraser looked back and winced when he saw one of the group hurl a bottle that hit the center of the back window with an unerring accuracy that was frightening. He winced as the window fractured.         "Great, just great.. What else can happen to my car today?" Ray asked looking around.         Fraser looked around in time to see the car enter an intersection at the same time as a car coming from the right. One hand flew to the dash while the other ripped the seat belt over his body.         "Look out!"         His warning came too late. No sooner had he clipped the belt into place than Ray's desperate attempt to avoid the imminent crash failed. He spun the wheel hard to the left and the screech of brakes was followed by the impact of the car that had been crossing colliding with them. Fraser's cry rang through the car as pain swept over him coming from three different places at once. The view of the world outside blurred and swung crazily as the car tilted onto two tyres and wavered there for a few sickening moments then the car which collided with them was reversing and jamming on the park break. Door's opened and slammed and as the car rocked, and started to tip, then the occupants of the other car, were there jumping up and grabbing at the back of the car and the handle of the door. The extra weight tipped the balance and the Riv slammed back down on all four tyres and shuddered. Totally white faced with shock Fraser looked around and almost cried out in pain again as he turned his head sending pain lancing through him.         His view of the world swam in and out of focus. He heard whimpering from Deif in the back of the car, saw Ray slumped against the door, at an awkward angle as if he'd flopped there, and he probably had. He was out cold, his clothes covered in sliver's of glass and blood ran down his face, his breathing harsh and laboured. As he focused on Ray the trickle of blood down his face ended as Ray lost his battle to breathe. Fraser's arm rose and he tried to reach out toward him but the move caused him so much pain he aborted it. And watched a stranger lean on the side of the car to look through the now non existent window.         "Help him," he said weakly, wrapping his arms around his own ribs at the pain it brought him.         He watched the stranger reach out to touch Ray's face then his throat.         Fraser became aware of a hand on his shoulder and a voice asking him questions, and cried out as pain lanced through his shoulder and neck. The world spun and then the pain and consciousness faded away.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Five                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Fraser sat propped up in his bed, his neck encased in a brace his arm in a sling, a plaster cast that ran from shoulder to wrist, and down to his waist and covered in signatures, lip stick marks and commentary. He smiled weakly when he saw Dante's head poke around the door frame to his private room. Seeing that Fraser was awake Dante smiled and slipped into the room to cross to Fraser's bedside.         "How are you feeling?"         Fraser tried to speak but his mouth was so dry that all that came out was a croak. Dante looked around then poured him a glass of water, popped a bendy straw from the collection on the tray and held it up to Fraser's mouth. Fraser drank giving him a grateful look.         "Better?" He asked as he lowered the half empty glass.         "Much."         "Do you know how long you've been here?"         "Several days."         "Four. Every time I came in you were either sedated or sleeping. It gave me a lot of time to think."         "About what?"         "You - *us*."         "Oh."         =Here it comes.. The I love you but I don't think we should see each other any more speech=         "And I kept thinking *why*.. It's insane.. You know all my bad habits, about my temper and jealousy.. But you still wanted to pursue the relationship."         Fraser watched Dante pull a walkman out of one of his jackets deep pockets.         "I heard this.. On the radio.. And it.. Summed up how I felt."         He hit play and watched Fraser.          Baby I've been watching you         (Baby I've been watching you) watching everything you do And I just can't help but feeling someone else is stealing you away from me         Fraser's eyes widened. I see it written in your eyes and you confirm it with your lies though the web you weave can hold me I would rather that you told me where you want to be         He hit stop.         "So tell me.. Am I just being a paranoid and possessive jerk again, or is there someone else you'd rather be with."         =Ray=         "Because I don't know what to think any more.. I thought you just decided to take Deif for a walk to give me a chance to cool down.. But you didn't come back.. And then, I get a call from the consulate.. Telling me you were involved in a car accident. And when I get hold of the accident report.. I find out it's the car of one Raymond Vecchio.. And that was the name of the guy who's mother pounced in the park.. And you told me there was nothing going on there, that you hadn't even seen him in months."         "You've seen the accident report?! You know what happened to him!"         Dante bit his lip and looked away.         "Dante.. If you know something tell me. I keep asking and no body is giving me answers.."         "I'm sorry...."         =Nooo Don't say you're sorry.. Don't tell me he's dead.=         "He suffered massive chest injuries..and went into cardiac arrest on the scene."         Fraser stared into nothingness.         "The crash report says he wasn't wearing a seat beat.. If he had been, it might have been a different story."         =If only I'd gotten back into the car sooner he would have had time to belt up.. He'd still be alive.=         Fraser felt Dante's hand stroking his arm heard him speaking but all he could think about was Ray until part of what Dante had to say sank in.         =He's leaving *now*!=         He looked at Dante.         =And I really don't have a choice now that Thatcher is back.. For some reason that woman doesn't like me.. Within 5 minutes she had all my things packed and literally tossed out into the street, by Turnbull. Who I'm sure enjoyed being given that little task."         Dante stopped talking and started clucking, pulling a handkerchief out from a pocket to wipe at Fraser's face as tears ran down it with no conscious violation on Fraser's part. His hand flew up to catch Dante's.         "Don't go."         "I'm not going anywhere.. I'll stay as long as you want me to."         "Forever."         Dante just stared at him for what seemed the time period in question.         "I can't stay *here* in the states.. I have to go back home."                 "Australia."         Dante looked around and stuck out his leg to drag the chair close enough to sit on it.         "It's not as bad as some people might lead you to believe.. It's true that the heat in summer can be incredible, but that's why God invented air-conditioners."         Fraser gave a weak tremulous smile.         "It's a glorious country and I've managed to visit every state over the years.. I'd love to show it to you. I used to hold the same post you have here at my consulate.. Now I've been promoted.. My old post is still up for grabs.. You could come with me.. As more than just my S.O. And you wouldn't be stuck behind a desk shuffling papers all day, s'cept in summer, when you'll be happy to do just that."         "You..want me.. to.. go back with you?"         "You could make me the second happiest man on Earth if you'll say you will."         "Only the second happiest? Who's the happiest man on Earth?"         "The one who won the 157,000,000 dollar jackpot in the lottery yesterday."         Fraser gave another tremulous smile, then broke down again.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Have you ever seen one of those cartoons, where the character turns red, their eyes bug out and steam starts to spout from their ears? Well, at that particular time, Turnbull thought Inspector Meg Thatcher was doing a rather good impression of one of those characters as she faced Inspector Mc Intire - Otherwise known as Dante. And the reason that Inspector Thatcher was almost literally steaming had something to do with the piece of official paper work Mc Intire was holding up for her to see. Dante for his part was looking smugly satisfied. Turnbull started quietly backing up.         He didn't get far, Meg spun and stormed down the corridor, grabbing his arm and dragged him along, along the way.         "Where is Benton?" She hissed.         "In the hospital."         "Literally?"         He nodded. She hauled him into a side room.         "What is he doing there?"         "He was involved in a car accident."         Meg looked at a speck of fluff on his shoulder, then flicked it off.         "Find Vecchio."         "Er.. he was apparently involved too."         She closed her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose.         "Do you know what either of their conditions are?"         "Fraser has 3 fractured ribs, a broken arm, and severe whiplash."         "Vecchio?"         "I'm not aware of his condition, but Inspector Mc Intire did get his hands on the accident report, Ma'am."         "You cleared his desk off.. Did you.."         "I placed all the official papers in a file to sort through and file appropriately later, Ma'am."         "Find me that report."         "Yes, Ma'am. If I can ask, what was that paper about?"         "He's stealing Fraser away, he went right over my head to get him transferred to his consulate in Australia."         "What?! You can't let him get away with that, Ma'am."         "I don't intend to. Now find that accident report.. I want to know what Vecchio's condition is before that man gets through packing up Fraser's things and heads out, I want to know what Vecchio's condition is, which hospital he's at, and if you still have that picture you pulled from the security camera's and faxed me."         "Er.. No."         "No???"         "Er.. he walked in.. I had to get rid of it before he saw it.. and.. I fed it into the shedder."         She pinched the bridge of her nose again.         "The tapes?"         "Have been erased already, Ma'am."         "You realise that when you shredded that picture and didn't make sure the tape it came from was saved, you destroyed the evidence I could have used to prove he assaulted Fraser."         "Actually Ma'am, all it proved is that someone did it, it didn't show the actual assault."         "Everyone here knows that he did it.. And you would back me up if I filed a complaint on his behalf, wouldn't you Turnbull."                 "Yes Ma'am. But couldn't you use the Fax I sent you.."         "Some idiot spilled coffee over it then tried to mop the mess up, end result, the ink was smeared everywhere and you couldn't tell what the Fax relayed."         "Oh dear.."         "Get the accident report, *now*."         Turnbull nodded, spun and raced away. By the time she reached her office and sat down in her chair to reach for the phone he was slipping into her office.         "That was fast."         He brought the report to the desk and set it before her.         "Find out whether he came in a cab or a rented vehicle, if it was the later, give it a flat tire or three."         Turnbull nodded spun on his heel and hurried away. She opened the report and began reading.         When Turnbull returned a few minutes later, he found her staring white faced at the report.         "Ma'am."         "He's dead."         "Ma'am?"         "Vecchio. He's dead."         She looked up.         "Has anyone visited Fraser yet?"         "We tried.. He was always sedated during visiting hours."         "Mc Intire?"         "Was visiting the hospital morning, noon and night Ma'am. I'm sure he's been able to talk with him."         "And Mc Intire saw this report.. Does he know about their relationship?"         "What relationship?"         She stared at him.         "Their partnership ended, Ma'am."         "Before or.."         "Before he arrived Ma'am. They had a fight about something. Fraser told us that if Detective Vecchio rang we were not to give him any information whatsoever unless it was directly related to his official duties."         "And they didn't sort it out."         "Fraser went into hospital due to his.."         "Allergy, yes.. it happened before I left.."         "He returned the day after you left, and reiterated his statement about the Detective. Then McIntire arrived.."         "And Vecchio never once showed his face around here in all that time?"         "Not even once."         She looked down at the report again.         "So what the hell was Fraser doing in his car if they were no longer associated?"         "I have no idea Ma'am.. But Fraser did go missing during the day.. After he left to attend to some errand and Inspector Mc Intire went looking for him and came back in one of his moods..."         "At what time?"         "Four O'clock."         "The accident was at 8."         "Vecchio rang in at a quarter to five asking if Fraser was in and Fraser rang in ten minutes later to say he was caught in the rain and had to go home, to change and wouldn't be back because his allergy was making him sensitive again."          "Did you take the call?"          "Yes Ma'am."          "Did he *sound* like he did before he had that sneezing fit here?"         Turnbull thought about it, then shook his head.         "No Ma'am."         "So he lied..He could have been with Vecchio and didn't want that big ape to find out.."         "That would make sense Ma'am.. Inspector Mc Intire always looked like he'd like to hit something whenever someone paid Fraser too much attention. And he threw two women out of the consulate *literally* after he caught them trying to flirt with him. Then he dragged Fraser into his office and yelled at him."         "What did he yell?"         Turnbull gave her a helpless shrug.         "I don't know he wasn't using any language I'm familiar with."         "Is that when Fraser got the bruises?"         "Er.. No Ma'am. He got those on his day off."         "So you don't know for a *fact* that Mc Intire gave them to him, do you? You're just making a guess."         "Er.. Yes Ma'am.. but.."         "Get out."         "But.."         "Now."         Turnbull began backing up and Meg reached for the phone and her Roladex. Flipping through to V for Vecchio she ran her finger down the card until she found the number listed as the household phone number and dialled it.         Turnbull exited the room and closed the door as she listened to the phone ring. Just when she was sure it was going to ring out, the phone was answered.         "Hello.. This is Inspector Thatcher, from the Canadian Consulate.. I just returned to Chicago and heard the news about Raymond. I was just ringing to extend my condolences and learn the funereal arrangements so that.."         Her eyes widened as the member of the Vecchio clan who answered cut in.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg stepped into the ICU observation unit, to find Francesca standing before the observation window, her eyes glued on the deathly pale figure that lay corpse like on the bed in the intensive care room beyond. He was surrounded by an array of life support equipment, tubes and wire's sprouting from his still form. One look was all Meg needed to see that it would be impossible to enlist Raymond Vecchio's assistance to keep Fraser from leaving with that wretch Mc Intire.         He might have been revived, but by the looks of it, the only thing keeping him alive was the life support equipment that surrounded him.         Francesca looked around, her face pale, dark smudges under her eyes on her make up free face.         "Inspector Thatcher.. I thought you left town."         Meg looked at Ray's still form again.         "I left to be with my father before.. he died."         "I'm sorry."         "He's at peace now."         "How..?"         "Cancer."         "Oh."         "How is he?"         Frannie drew in a deep shuddering breath shaking her head.         Meg reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder. Frannie wrapped her arms around herself.         "I keep expecting Fraser to walk in and then I remember that they stopped talking to each other, months ago.. over some stupid argument."         "What did they have a fight about?"         "There was this doctor.. Who.. er.. thought they were a couple..and even though they both took advantage of it later.. Ray ranted and raved about it.. he wasn't very happy about it.. And Benton was staying with us.. And he was taking Fraser to some appointment.. and came home, late at night without Benton.. He was stinking drunk.. And he said something about Benton being Gay. Benton never came back.. Not even to get Deif.. Or thank us for looking after him.. And I didn't believe it.. About him being Gay.."         "But now.."         "After Fraser took Dief, I heard Ray and my mother talking and they were talking about Benton.. He really is Gay.. My mother wanted to try and talk to Benton.. But Ray kept telling her to forget it and said it was a stupid idea in the first place because Benton had already made up his mind.. And that there was no point because he was going home."         "Home? You mean to Canada?"         Frannie nodded.         "I heard him say it twice. Benton told him he was going back to Canada."         =:So either Fraser lied to him, and Vecchio found out about it the night of the accident and Fraser being Fraser would have gotten into the car and tried to explain it.. Which would explain what he was doing in the car if they weren't talking to each other. The wolf was involved, he was probably out walking it when Vecchio drove past and saw them...:=                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         After she left the Intensive care ward, Meg went down to the reception to find out where Fraser was, and discovered that he had checked out early that morning. Meg spun and found a public phone with a pile of phone books and let her fingers do the walking. Five minutes later she was in a car speeding toward the airport where Fraser and Dante were waiting to board a flight for Australia.         As she jumped out of the car the last and final boarding call for their flight went out. As she raced into the airport and found out where the plane was boarding, it pulled away. When she reached the gate, all she could do was stand at the windows with the friends and family of passengers and watch as the plane lifted off the tarmac and rose into the sky that was as dark and gloomy as she felt.                  He day was complete when she walked back to her car to find a parking ticket under the wiper.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Fraser stepped out of the air-conditioned house with views of Terrigal Beach to die for. He was hit by a wave of heat and looked at the thermometer that lay under the door bell. 36 it said. It felt more like 100. He stepped back inside, grateful for the air-conditioning and returned to the bedroom to open Dante's wardrobe. There had to be something in it more suited to the weather he could wear.         He regretted doing it as he saw all the shirts with colourful patterns it contained and thought of Ray, who had a collection of just as colourful shirts. He closed the wardrobe sliding down the door pulling his legs up, wrapping his arms around them. His head fell to his knees and the tears he'd managed to hold back, till that moment, began to fall.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Meg stood before the main window of her apartment nursing a hot cup of coffee staring out the window. The sky was as dark and overcast as the day Fraser left the country. She couldn't believe that he'd left without once contacting Ray's family, or visiting his bedside - the only explanation for it had to be because he didn't know that Vecchio was still alive, even if he was hanging on by a slender thread, kept alive by machines that preformed the tasks his damaged organs were no longer able to preform.         She mentally chided herself for letting that man enter her thoughts again. Fraser had fallen for that Earthbound god and left everything he knew behind of his own free will. He'd apparently cut all his ties with Vecchio, including his ties with the Detective's family and associates. It didn't seem likely that she'd ever learn why Fraser was in the car the night of the accident. It nagged at her though. There were so many things about the whole situation that just didn't make sense to her.         Sighing she finished her coffee and placed a phone call to the hospital where Ray's family kept a vigil over him.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray opened his eyes, slowly focusing on the things around him. His eyes widened when he saw Meg sitting at his bedside in surgical scrubs, a mask and cap, she was reading a bodice ripper that was familiar to Ray. Frannie had been reading the same book whenever he woke up to find her at his bedside.         Ray made a gurgle around the tube down his throat. Meg looked up and put the book aside.         "Your family had found a house to rent close to the hospital, they're moving into it as we speak.. I happened to ring to ask how you were at the right time to be roped into sitting with you while they were busy moving in."         =Ah, that explains it.. G-d I wish I could talk.=         Meg bent over and pulled out a bag.         "Your sister gave me this. It's your mail.. From both home and the precinct."         She opened the bag and pulled out a pile of envelopes with an elastic band around them.         "I'll read out the return addresses and you can give me the thumbs up if there are any there you want me to open so you can read them."         Then she began working her way through the collection. Ray gave her the thumbs up twice and she opened the letters and held them up where he could read them. The first one made the heart rate monitor beep faster. She was curious but when he made a wave she took it and folded it up to slip it back in the envelope and resumed going through the pile while he lay there seething.         The second one he gave the thumbs up to made him raise his arm to rip the letter away from her and scrunch it up. He tried to toss it away but it landed on the bed, in his lap as their wasn't much strength behind it. Meg collected it and smoothed the letter out before tucking it back into the envelope.         "Bad news I take it."         The scowl on his face was answer enough.         She went through the rest of the pile and set it aside. Out came five brown paper wrapped parcels. He looked interested in those. She read the return address on the first and he gave it the thumbs down. She set it aside and looked at the next. It was covered in not at this address, try this one stickers.         "This is covered in alternate addresses."         She found the return address and read it out he frowned not recalling it.         "The cancellation mark on this is several years old. This parcel must have been travelling around for years."         Curious he gave her the thumbs up and she opened the parcel. She found several bound documents and a letter. She held the letter up for him to read. He read the letter and made a gurgle and grimaced his arm moving over his ribs.         "May I?"         He gave a faint nod and she looked at the letter.         It was from someone within the FBI addressed to Raymond Vecchio thanking him for his letter expressing an interest in learning more about the art of building a profile of a suspect. And the date at the top showed it had been sent out almost a decade ago.         "It took a long time for this to reach you. Did you ever study profiling?"         Ray gave a faint shake of his head.         She looked at the text books that accompanied the letter and flipped through them her eyes widening when she realised what she had.         "Did you write to the man who *invented* profiling? These are case files from his records and guide to profiling that he wrote. It's covered in hand written notes."         Ray looked interested. She studied some of the notes and looked at the case files.         "The notes refer to the case files he included. Do you know how hard it is to get the FBI to share the secrets of profiling? They don't give that information out freely. Most likely to stop the sort of people they use it to catch from learning how to avoid being caught by a profiler."         He signalled at her and it took her a few moments to realise what he was trying to communicate.         "You want me to read it for you?"         He nodded.         She turned to the first page and started reading. Six pages in she stopped when she looked up to see him fighting to stay awake. Marking the page with the letter she slipped the books back into the wrapping with the note and set it aside. He looked disappointed as he watched her slide the rest of the parcels and letters back into the bag. The bag went under the chair again minus the parcel she'd opened.         "Stop fighting it, Detective."         His hand made a few gestures and his frustration was clear.         "I'll be right back."         She left the room and if he could have sighed he would have. After listen to his sisters prattle on about things he had very little interest in for the last few days, Meg had been a breath of fresh air. And it was moments like this that he just wanted to rip out the tubes that kept him from being able to talk and was tempted to rip them out. But then he remembered how he'd tried to do just that the first time he'd come to his senses. They'd strapped him down and sedated him heavily.         He watched Meg return and when he saw what she had in her hands his eyes lit up. She gave him a little smile then stood by his bedside, helping him to hold the pen that she'd collected from her briefcase. Then she held the note pad she'd brought along up and with an effort he started writing.         He lost the pen, but she retrieved it, every single time he dropped it. Finally he let his hand fall to the bed, and closed his eyes letting sleep over take him.         Meg looked at the pad, covered in the big shaky letters that looked like they were made by a pre-school child.         -Thank-you. X 1000         XXXXXXXXOOXX-         She chuckled as she sat and flipped to the next page and made a note to visit a stationary store and get some supplies the next day. Then she set the pad and pen aside and picked up Frannie's bodice ripper to start reading again.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Six                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Dante watched Fraser mope around the beach house, and sighed. All he seemed to do was lie in bed, or on the couch. He didn't need to be a mind reader to know that he was grieving for his friend. And the old spark of jealously that would have set him off in the past just smouldered away. He was certain there was more to it than just friendship the way Fraser was mourning the passing of this Vecchio was a clear sign of it. But he'd made certain promises, to trust Fraser more, to not let his jealousy get the better of him again and refused to let Fraser's mourning for a dead man get to him.         But the way Fraser moped around was getting to him on another level. He needed to visit a doctor for follow up treatment on his injuries but apart from keeping the appointment Dante had set up the day they arrived so that he could meet the Doctor and go over his medical records, Fraser hadn't bothered to return to the doctor and three messages from his surgery had been ignored.         He wondered how to snap Fraser out of it, but couldn't think of anything off hand.         "Benton."         Fraser slowly turned his whole body to look at him. His neck still gave him a lot of pain whenever he moved his head.         "I rang the Quarantine people and they said it's O.K to visit Deifenbaker while he's in quarantine."         For the first time since he'd sunk into his highly depressed state Fraser showed signs of animation.         "Deifenbaker's alive!"         "Well yes, didn't I mention that?"         "No!"         "Oh.. I'm sorry it must have slipped my mind."         "How badly was he hurt in the crash?"         "He got off lucky with bruises and shock. I arranged for him to be sent here as soon as the vent thought he was fit to travel. But the quarantine laws for animals like Deif are very strict. He's going to be in quarantine for some time."         "Can we go tomorrow?"         Dante nodded with a smile.         "Sure.. I can get a copter from the heliport and have someone meet us with a car at the other end."         "There's a heliport near here? I haven't heard any copters."         "There's a heliport in west Gosford, you can hire a copter there. That's how I got you here from the airport, one of the people met us there, and we bundled you into the copter. I'm sure you'll enjoy your flight out a lot more than the flight in."                 "I don't remember it."         "The Pain killers knocked you out on the flight in you were out cold... That's why I asked the doctor to prescribe something else."                                          *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg put the last of her days work aside and reached for her phone dialling her mother's number.         "It's me Meg.. How are you doing?" She asked when her mother answered.         She listened to her mother talk and assured her she was fine and an idea that came to her in the hospital returned.         "I was wondering.. Do you still have that hand & wrist brace the nurse brought in for Dad?"                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Dante worked in the kitchen to prepare dinner after their return from the quarantine center where Deif was being tended. He jumped half out of his skin when he felt Fraser wrap his good arm around his waist and give him a light hug.         "Did I say thank-you?"         "4 times already."         "What are you preparing?"         "Tossed Chicken Salad. We've got lettuce, cucumber, tomato, capsicum and onion here," he said pointing to a transparent green container with layers sliced and diced vegetables.         Its lid was set aside and there was a collection of spice bottles near it along with a bottle of vinegar and oil.         "I've just got do the chicken and make some dressing for it."         "You make your own."         "I had to play body guard to some Canadian VIP's daughter who's ex lives here with his daughter she taught me how to do it. She said there's nothing worse than a man who doesn't know his way around a kitchen."         He pointed to a shelf filled with cookbooks before he slipped out of the embrace to move to the refrigerator and fetched the barbecue chicken he'd collected on their way home along with the milk and bread.         "The exercise book is the recipe book she made for me."         Curious Fraser moved to the shelf and pulled it down. The book was dived into six sections, Easy Meals, Fancy Meals, Soup, Salads, Stews and Deserts. Flipping through it he found the recipe for chicken salad. Take one small onion, dump in a bowl of boiling water. Take five large lettuce leaves, slice them, take one large tomato dice it up, peel quarter and slice a cucumber. Take one capsicum get rid of the seeds slice and dice it. Take onion, peel, slice and dice. Take one barbecue chicken or roast left overs. Dice into bite sized chunks. Toss it all into a shaker sprinkle with a little garlic salt and chicken seasoning, splash with dressing base put lid on shake well and enjoy (serves two).         =Simple and easy to understand=         He flipped through and found a recipe for spaghetti bolognaise sauce.         Take One can of Campbell's spaghetti sauce, one small tin Capsicums, one small tin Champignons, one tin of peeled tomatoes (chop them to suit), one small tin corn and dump it all in a *Big* pot. Sprinkle with Italian herbs, a little parsley and garlic salt, bring to boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally till it smells so good you can't wait to eat it. (serves 4 - Tastes even better the next day)         "This is a very simple recipe book."         "She hates recipes books, she never measures anything, when I brought her one, she sat there going through it, saying, get real, get real, get real.. Then she tossed it on the fire."         "She wasn't very polite was she."         "She ran a farm & only went shopping once a month. Where ingredients were concerned if she couldn't keep it in a cupboard, or freeze it she didn't use it. The only vegetables she actually grew were salad vegetables for the summer. Everything else came in tins."         "Did you enjoy time there?"         "It was good to get out from behind a desk and back outside. Her ex was a horse breeder, she got his Australian property. There were over a hundred horses on the farm. Along with a dozen cows and chickens by the score. In summer I lived on milk-shakes and salads. And I had my pick of the horses to ride.. And yes I enjoyed it. Until I had to ask to be reassigned."         "Why?"         "The girl's mother kept making advances. I put with it until I'd trained the girl to defend herself. And wrote to her father complaining about her lack of self defence skills. She was sixteen and knew next to nothing about defending herself. But she was an extremely fit young lady, she had a lot of strength, and one hell of a kick. Especially after I started teaching her kick boxing," he said giving Fraser a grin.         "Kick boxing? I didn't know you studied kick boxing too."         "Didn't I mention I took that up too? One of the instructors at the martial arts center near the consulate where I work out said I'd make a hell of a kick boxer," then he chuckled, "when I introduced her to him and said, kick that bag Didi, and she put a hole through it. He started raving about her."         "She put a hole through a sand bag."         "Like I said, she had one hell of a kick and I'd already taught her the basics. She took to kick boxing like a duck to water, even though she studied other forms of martial arts that was always her favourite. She went on to take the title of Female kickbox champion a few years later and there were a team of Hollywood producers who chased her around waving contracts who wanted to turn her into a martial arts movie goddess."         Fraser chuckled.         "Not that I blame them.. I remember one time she joined me for a diplomatic function I had to attend. She dressed in a figure hugging mini evening dress. I don't think there was an eye in the room that wasn't on us. And all I heard for the next week who was the goddess with the legs you took to the function."         He fetched plates out and served up the salad and handed a plate to Fraser and headed for the dining room with Fraser on his heels.         "You'll get to meet her some time. She always drops into the consulate or my chalet when she comes back to visit her mother. I had to give her the key to the chalet, because she just kicked the door in if I wasn't there when she dropped in and I got sick of replacing the locks."         Fraser laughed and Dante smiled to himself, happy to hear him laughing again and searched his memory for stories to keep him laughing.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg visited Ray again that night after she left the consulate. His mother was sitting by his bedside when she arrived and Ray was sleeping. Almost as if she'd sensed her presence outside, Mrs Vecchio looked around and saw her through the window. She turned and patted Ray's arm before she rose and walked out.         "How is he?"         "He keeps drifting in and out of consciousness but the Doctor says he is improving."         "Do you mind if I sit with your son again?"         Mr's Vecchio patted her arm.         "Of course I don't mind, he seemed much more animated after your visit."         The two women left, with Mrs Vecchio making arrangements for Meg to sit with her son with the Doctor. When Meg returned in the sterile gown, cap and mask the Doctors insisted all visitors wear, Ray's head moved and his nose twitched as she sat by the bed. She heard him inhale deeply a little frown appearing on his forehead.         -O.K, there is someone there, but it's not Ma, or Frannie or Maria. It's not a man, it doesn't smell like one, that means it's a woman. (sniff) Hmm.. Not Elaine. Who could it be. Well there's only one way to find out-         Meg watched as his eyes opened, and his eyes lit up when he saw her. His hand rose and he mimed writing. She looked around saw the coast was clear and reached under the gown to pull out her note book and pen.         He had trouble holding the pen and kept dropping it, but she kept retrieving it with infinite patience. He thanked her again, and covered the rest of the page with X & O's, and tried to flip the page. She flipped it for him and he wrote look in the drawer. She set the pad aside and opened the bedside drawer to find the parcel she'd opened.         "Ah, you want me to read for you again."         When she glanced at him he gave a tiny nod and a hopeful look. She smiled faintly and ripped away the paper to pull out the book and sat, looking for the page she'd marked and started reading.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         The day the plaster came off, Dante celebrated by taking Fraser shopping for clothes more suited to the environment. The first stop was a clothing shop on the beach. Dante's idea of suitable clothing was to chose six suits consisting of cotton draw string pants, matching singlets, long sleeved shirts and coats in bright colours. Fraser left the shop wearing a pale blue suit, minus its coat, with the shirt open to show the singlet underneath, much to the appreciation of several beach bunnies who's itsy bitsy, teeny weeny bright print bikinis left little to the imagination.         Fraser wasn't sure who their big smiles were for, in his opinion Dante looked fabulous in his Levi's and singlet which clung lovingly to every well sculpted inch of his lightly tanned body. Dante ignored them, wrapping an arm around his waist and pointed.                 "We can get you some new shoes to go with your suits there."         The women got that "all the cute ones are gay" look on their face and sauntered off looking for more appreciative company. Fraser gave Dante a smile that made his heart beat a little faster and ideas that involved a bed and lots of physical contact.          He gave a little shake of the head scratching those ideas. Just because Fraser's plaster had come off didn't mean he could pounce and get passionate. The doctor had warned him to take it easy and work out a little before he got into anything strenuous. But then again, there was something to say about a slow and sensuous seduction, Dante thought with a little smile and started planning just that.         Three pairs of slip on shoes that would mix and match with the suits and a pair of running shoes later, Dante had to leave Fraser alone in the shoe shop to make a quick dash to the closest EFTPOS machine to get a little more money.         Fraser looked at a pair of boots set on a display shelf with a matching belt, Akubra, and a bull whip and expressed an interest in them. The sales person pulled them down and showed them to him explaining how they were display only, the boots were hand made leather and snake skin boots, of exceptional quality. Fraser admired the work of both the boots and the belt and got the details intending to inquire about having a pair of boots (with matching belt) made up for Dante's birthday once he returned to work.         A shadow falling over him made him look up thinking the salesman was returning with the promised business card, instead what he found was a woman smiling down at him. She wore a sarong wrapped around her slim waist and an itsy bitsy bikini top providing little or no support for her Dolly Parton bust line. One of her long legs rose, her dainty foot setting on the chair between his legs.         "I need shoes."         Fraser gulped and tried to slide back as her foot began inching closer and he saw Dante moving up behind her.         =Here comes trouble= Fraser thought.         Dante tapped her on the shoulder.         "He's not a salesman," Dante said.                 The woman glanced around did a double take then turned to face Dante looking him up and down and set her shoulders back virtually thrusting her impressive breasts at him.         "Are those silicon or saline?" Dante asked.         Fraser choked a laugh back at that.         "100% natural," the woman claimed.         "100% Gay," Dante responded.         With a pout she departed and Fraser gave Dante another one of the wicked idea inducing smiles.         "Oh do stop doing that," Dante grouched pulling his wallet out of his back pocket as the salesman approached.         "Doing what?" Fraser asked innocently.         "You know what," Dante retorted and pulled out some polymer notes and handed them to Fraser as he rose.         Fraser paid for the shoes and followed after Dante juggling boxes. Dante packed them into the back of his Jeep Cheroke and surprised Fraser by heading out of town.         "Where are we going now?"         "Now we've taken care of your casual wear, it's time to shop for more formal clothes suitable for your new environment."         Fraser settled back and watched the picturesque landscape they passed through. He sat up a little straighter as they moved along a familiar route.         "Are we going to the heliport?"         "No, though it's on their route."         "Where are we going?"         "Sydney, city. It's only an hour away by the freeway at this time of day. By the way, since I'm the one paying for this wardrobe of yours I hope you don't mind if we stop over at Oxford street along the way to find a little something.. special."         "Evening wear?"         Dante grinned.         "You could say that."                  ==============         Writers note: Oxford street is the hub of Kings Cross Gay scene and there a number of shops that cater to the leather fetishist and bondage lovers.         =============         Fraser smiled as Dante lead him into the R.M William's shop near Central railway station, and was soon the proud owner of 3 new pairs of jeans, riding pants, cotton shirts, two new belts and an Akubra hat. The bags were packed in the back of the jeep, and Dante took him for a walk across the street. Fraser thought he was being lead to an adult book shop as Dante lead him to a pair of stair cases between a milk bar and a bar. The hoardings proclaimed it to be an adult book shop with XXXX rated books. There were two stair cases, one leading up and one leading down. Dante lead him down stairs and Fraser was surprised to find an eclectic collection of books that didn't fit his idea of adult books.         Dante laughed at his obvious confusion.         "The Adult book shop's upstairs, this is the Book Exchange, a great place to look for out of print books, just wait here, I have to pick up a book," he said before he walked to the back of the shop to speak to the man seated in the open office there who was working on the computer.         He was handed a book and when he returned to the front of the shop it was to find Fraser had made like a Dodo and vanished. He peered around the shop and found him perusing a shelf of non fiction books. Instead of one book, they left with over a dozen, Fraser had selected an Australian classic or two, along with books on the country itself and two dictionaries, one for Italian speakers produced by Cassel's when he was just a boy.         He flipped through it while Dante drove through the city's streets. Fraser was oblivious to the mix of modern and classic architecture that lined the streets as he flipped through the dictionary.         "This is an excellent dictionary for someone who doesn't speak the language," Fraser said, "It includes lists of commonly used phrases with common words."         "Why on Earth did you want to buy an Italian Dictionary?"         "You never know when learning another language will come in useful Dante. For instance .."         Fraser found a list of commonly used phrases to convey a message of love and affection and used one on Dante.         "Don't flirt while I'm driving," Dante said.         "You know what I said."         Dante translated it perfectly.         "I didn't know you speak Italian."         "I speak French, Italian & German, fluently, and that includes slang, which it never hurts to learn, and that dictionary won't teach you. I also started learning Japanese a year or two ago, and I'm thinking of studying Vietnamese or Chinese next. But then again.. I only started learning all those languages for something to do at night."         "Perhaps you could help me study Italian."         "If that's what you want to do. Though I'd recommend Japanese. There are a lot of Japanese businessmen and tourists around and you will occasionally end up dealing with them. It's so much easier to do when you can speak their language."         "I'm familiar with Italian, I will pick that up faster."         "Whatever your little heart desires."         Fraser continued to peruse the dictionary until Dante pulled up on Oxford street. When he looked around his eyes widened. Dante clambered out and opened his door for him.         "Welcome to Oxford street."         A pair of men walked past holding hands, another couple one with his arms around his partner's waist, the other with his hand tucked into the back pocket of his partner's tight jeans sauntered past and gave them the eye.         Dante locked the Cheroke and wrapped an arm around Fraser's shoulder's and lead him down the street, while Fraser took note of all the openly gay couples, both male and female who strolled the streets. He was so busy taking that in that he didn't notice what kind of shop Dante was leading him too until he was inside and a leather clad shopkeeper with a campy attitude greeted them.         With wide eyes Fraser looked around.         "And what can I do for you?" The shopkeeper asked.         "I wants pants and a collar n' cuffs set for my Friend here," Dante said patting Fraser on the chest.         "Tight fight or loose."         "As tight as they come."         Half an hour later, Fraser followed Dante out the bemused owner of a pair of skin tight black leather pants, that Dante made him wear, and a black leather studded "dog" collar, with a hoop on the front, and a lock with a tiny gold padlock on the back around his neck hidden under the collar of his shirt which he'd pulled up and used to cover it. The cuffs matched the collar and were hidden by the sleeves of his shirt.         Dante packed the bag that contained the cotton pants Fraser had been wearing, in the back of the Cheroke, made Fraser undo his collar and open it to show off the leather collar and roll back his sleeves then led him to a bar filled with blue collar & stylishly dressed men, where they had lunch.         No one tried to flirt with them, though a few men at the bar seemed interested, till they saw the cuffs with pointy studs around Fraser's wrists when he reached for his drink.         "I made a booking at a hotel for the night while you were trying on those pants, so we can spend the day sight seeing. I think I'll leave the Cherokee at the Mitchell, take a walk through the Botanical gardens through to the Quay, and show you the harbour & the Rocks and we can finish off with a trip over to Taronga zoo, and the aquarium at Manly."         "What is the Mitchell?"         Dante smiled at him impishly.         "You'll find out soon enough."         Half an hour later Fraser stood outside the imposing structure across the way from the Botanical gardens that was the Mitchell Library. And while he thought it was impressive from the outside, he thought it was considerably more impressive after passing through its doors to be lead to the main reading room.         "Well, what do you think?" Dante asked as he waved to the rooms high vaulted multi level room, with row after row, level after level of books shelves, loaded down with books new and old.         "They say if it's been published in Australia, you can find it here."         "I think my grandparents would have been in heaven here," Fraser said.         "Would you like to look around?"         Fraser looked around, then wound his arms around one of Dante's.         "If I start looking through the books you won't get me out of here in a hurry and you promised to show me the gardens."         Dante smiled.         "We can always come back here later, can't we?"         "Of course. The consulate is here in Sydney, on Harrington Street."         "And you booked a suite at a hotel??" Fraser was confused.         "I don't live in Sydney, I only work here, I commute from Terrigal."         "Why did you buy a home so far from the consulate?" Fraser asked as Dante lead him out of that magnificent structure.                 "I didn't.. I used to rent an apartment in the Cross, but I did have a property in Canada. I made a friend from the French Consulate who was transferring to Canada who owned the house at Terrigal and traded properties with him."         "Ah."         "Though the position of Liaison officer comes with a apartment here in the city near the consulate. When he retires next week, it becomes mine along with his position."         "You should have returned to duty at the consulate when you returned here.."         "He knows I've been looking after you. He's been nagging me for years to find a partner and settle down.. if you have no objections, we'll have lunch with him tomorrow."         "I have no objections."         "Good.. He's worried about his daughter's decision to stay in Australia. Once she sees I have a S.O she should get it through her thick skull that I'm not interested."         "Oh... that's why he's been nagging you to settle down with someone, because of his daughter."         "Exactly. Lovely woman, when she's not being a barracuda and speaking of big fish.. You just have to see the Gold fish here.."                                          *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  When Meg finished reading the profiling guide and case history's included with it Ray dropped off as she closed the bound file. She wondered if he really had fallen asleep or just pretended to do it when he looked extremely surprised to see her the next day. He was also curious, as she came baring a sports bag. She leaned over him, touching his arm.         "I can't stay long, you have another visitor, but I brought you some things to make your life a little easier."         Then she pulled out a hand brace with an attachment. He frowned and raised his hand as instructed. She put the brace on his hand and then pulled out a pen and slipped it into the attachment.         "There, now you won't keep dropping the pen."         He gave her the thumbs up and if he could have smiled he would have given her a big one when she pulled out a computer note stand of the type that has clamps and a swing bar. She attached it to the side bars.         "Lift your hand and pretend to write.. Tell me when I get the angle right."         He obeyed and she worked to adjust it till she got it just right for him to be able to write comfortably and be able to see what he was doing then she locked it into place twisting screw joints tight. A nice thick pad of blank paper was placed on the stand and she pulled out a thick pile of the same kind of pads and put them on the bedside table.         Ray covered the first sheet in shaky X's and a big smiley face at the bottom while she closed up the bag. He held the page out to her and she gave him a smile.         "You're welcome."         He raised his hand to study the brace and gave her a curious look.         "My father couldn't talk near the end, and could only communicate through writing notes. But he kept loosing his grip on the pen and got very frustrated and started sulking till one day the nurse who tended to his needs brought that brace in. I was looking for some kind of lap table for you to put paper on so you could write when I walked past a computer shop and saw that stand in their window display. I realised it would be better than a lapstand and went back and brought it."         -How much do IOU?- He wrote.         She waved it off.         "Don't worry about it. I have to go now, your other visitor must be getting impatient."         For the first time his arm rose and moved over the bed rail, his hand wrapping around her arm stopping her as she turned away. She looked down at his hand, then turned back and he let her go to start writing.         -Come back again please-         She patted his arm.         "Relax, I'll be back. Tomorrow. Now I really have to go before your visitor gets too impatient and decides to leave."         This time he let her leave and watched her cross the room to walk out. He wondered who his visitor could be. Since Meg had started visiting him on a regular basis none of his family members had visited at that time of the day. Sometimes other officer's from the precinct visited, but that was usually during the day, and they kept their visits short. Except Elaine she visited at least once a week and proved to be a fountain of information about who was doing what with whom around the station. What cases were solved or still open. Huey it seemed had been given half his cases, the other half had been divided amongst the other detectives at the precinct.         His thoughts turned to a case Elaine told him Huey had taken on and was having trouble with. He remembered it, he'd been doing work on that particular case on the day he'd had his accident and hadn't been able to make up his notes. He looked at the stand and raised a hand to start doing that.         Ray looked around as the door opened and a man in scrubs and mask entered the room. He frowned, not recognising him. The frown vanished and a startled look took it's place when the man crossed the room and sat down introducing himself as the man who'd invented profiling.         "Your friend, Meg told me you've had an interest in learning profiling for a long time."                           *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Seven                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Fraser lay curled up in bed, a chain looped through the loop on his locked collar chaining him to the bed. He shuddered as he felt Dante's hand sliding over his back, but Dante mistook it for something else. The caress was followed by the bed dipping and Dante's lips on the sensitive flesh on his throat above the collar that had become a sign of his dominated state.         He stared out the window not seeing the view of the harbour, as he endured Dante's affections and regretted not for the first time the day he'd come to this country with the man who now controlled his life. Every aspect of his life. From his work at the consulate to his life outside its walls. Every item of clothing he owned was selected by Dante, all the clothes he'd brought with him, barring his uniform, Dante had taken and given away to some charitable organisation. Including the clothes Ray and Francesca had given him for his birthday which Fraser had refused to part with until Dante's visage had taken on that furious cast Fraser was becoming all too familiar with.         He couldn't remember the last time Dante had smiled, no that was a lie, he could remember it well. It had been the day Fraser had fallen back in love with him. When he'd been pampered, shown around the city, and presented with a ring for his finger during a harbour cruise. Dante had pledged his love, and made promises of undying love and affection, and followed the cruise with a limo ride to a 5 star hotel where he spent the rest of the evening showering him TLC, making slow sweet love to him, first in the spa bath, then in the big bed that was the main feature of the large suite Dante had booked.         As he lay curled in Dante's arms late in the night, he woke to the feel of those arms tightening around him in a cruelly tight embrace that made it hard to breath. He heard Dante whimper in his sleep and fought to break that hold, and woke Dante in the process. Looking into his eyes Fraser had gone from confused to concerned, touching Dante's face he found it cold and clammy to touch.         He'd scrambled out of bed and called reception who'd sent a doctor up. By the time he arrived Dante was sitting up holding his head and after questioning, the Doctor diagnosed a severe migraine and left, returning to give Dante an injection. Dante had settled back into a restless sleep, but after that night he'd never been the same.         He never smiled, settling into a permanent dour mood, he seemed to consume headache capsules at the rate of a pack a day, snarling and growling his way through the day. Fraser had thought it would pass but as the weeks passed he only grew worse. All Fraser's attempts to get him to see a doctor failed and only seemed to make him angry. When his mood shifted from growling grump to terrifying fury Fraser called a Doctor who diagnosed another migraine and gave him a shot but Fraser knew there had to be more to it.         So far Dante had managed to restrain himself, though his jealousy and possessive behaviour had escalated to the point where the other staff at the consulate were afraid to spend any time in Fraser's company. But there were times Fraser feared for his safety, times when Dante raised a hand to him, and roared at him, hurling abusive language at him, but never laying a hand on him. He wondered how long that would last, he'd thought Dante would cross the line that evening, instead he'd trashed the apartment around Fraser and chained him to the bed before leaving to take a long walk.         The chain was strong, and just long enough for Fraser to be able to lie down, but any attempt to leave the bed was cut short. He couldn't even reach the bedside drawer to find something to break the tiny golden padlock.         The feel of Dante's hands moving over him, his finger's sliding inside preparing him for an intimate invasion him made Fraser want to cringe, but he forced himself to relax. Any time he tensed up or rejected Dante's love making it turned rough while Dante accused him of all manner of betrayals.         Fraser bit into the pillow and fought to hold back the cry of pain as Dante entered him and began seek his pleasure with strong deep thrusts, while biting at Fraser's throat and shoulders. Fraser tried to lose himself in a fantasy imagining not Dante but Ray, but he couldn't do it, he couldn't imagine Ray using him like this, keeping him in chains, and he was dead, suspicions and dreams would be for naught, there would be no nights of love in his arms. The fantasy shattered and he found himself crying uncontrollably, his chest heaving with sobs.         For a moment he thought his tears had reached Dante as he stilled, then he felt Dante climax and shudder over him growling, "You're mine, now and forever," before withdrawing and rolling away. Burying his face in the pillow Fraser's sobs increased. There used to be a time, Dante would hold him in his arms and whisper words of love instead. Now, Dante didn't even want to hold him any more. The only time he ever touched him was when he wanted sex and that had ceased to bring any pleasure to Fraser though he was sure if Dante made the effort it could.         But it was no longer about love, it was about possession, and he was no longer Dante's partner, he was Dante's possession. Without being aware of what he was really doing, Fraser began planning his escape. He no longer cared about getting help for Dante, self preservation dictated that he get as far away from Dante as fast as possible, if at all possible.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray's release from the hospital was celebrated with a big party thrown jointly by his family and colleagues from the precinct at one of his favourite restaurants.         Ray enjoyed himself at first. It was good to get out of the hospital and to see his friends, but he couldn't keep the mood up for long feeling a pang of loneliness as he watched Huey and his new partner Dewey laughing at some joke and his sister Maria and Tony making eyes at each other over the table.         No one seemed to notice when he left the table, or they all assumed he was going to the bathroom. He wasn't. He walked out of the restaurant and stopped dead on the side walk when he saw his car, its paintwork gleaming and free of dents, gouges and all evidence of the crash. He moved closer and peered through the window to see that it was the same car and not a replacement. It seemed to gleam inside and out.         The rattle of keys preceded the dangling of his keys before his eyes and he took them as he turned to see his mother.         "She's working late at the consulate. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you, especially if you come bearing this," his mother said holding up a bag of take away food containers.         He kissed her cheek taking the bag, and she resisted the urge to give him a hug, everyone had, and it was starting to grate on his nerves being treated like fragile glass. He turned away opening the car and yanked the door open, sliding in to put the food on the passenger seat.         "What the insurance didn't cover all your friends chipped in to cover."         "Thank them for me."         "I will."         She remained on the corner watching him drive and for the first time in a long time he obeyed every road rule and drove safely through the night until he pulled up at the consulate. He saw a lone light in a window in her office as he climbed out with the take away food. A soda can retrieved from the street and crushed under foot was hurled at her window and she threw it up ready to berate the thrower and did a double take when she saw Ray waving and holding up the bag.         "Hungry??" He called out.         "I'll be down in a minute," she called back.         She was, letting him in and leading him up to her office. He settled himself down in a seat while she fetched cutlery, plates and coffee on a tray.         "I ate already," he said when she started opening containers.         "I heard they were arranging a party.."         "They did. I went and everyone was having a good time."         "Except you, obviously."         "It reminded me of Fraser."         {So you came here}         "Do you know how he's going?"         "No."         "Oh. Well.. How are things going here? I know you've been pretty busy lately.. I wondered why you stopped coming."         "Fraser's replacement makes Turnbull look like a master of efficiency," She said, then smiled faintly, "Actually, Turnbull has become rather efficient."         "Fraser said Dante scared him into it."         He watched her face take on a disagreeable cast.         "But enough about them.. I want to talk about you."         "Oh."         "I don't think I ever thanked you for arranging that meeting with the Master Profiler."         "Did you enjoy it?"         "It was interesting.. We discussed a case of mine, he told me what I'd have to do to get into profiling now.. Not that I want to be a profiler.. I just think that it would be a hell of a skill to have, being a detective. Did I mention, I discussed a case that was transferred to Huey with him and he helped me to put a profile of the guy together from the information I already had. He took it home, tidied it up and put in all the right psycho babble, then brought it back so I could give it to Huey and they nailed a suspect the very next day using it."         "All the more reason to study profiling. And become an accredited Profiler."         "I couldn't get into the FBI's profiler programme, you need qualifications that I ain't got and it would take me years to get them. I correspond with him now.. Not that I've got much to write about.. but that'll change when I get back on the job. He's been sending me information on old cases, no profiles.. I had to look them over and construct a basic profile from the information he sent using that guide he sent me. And I've got a long list of books he recommended on psychology and criminology. I'll start hunting them down and build up a collection. I've actually got a few of the crime books he recommended already. I got them years ago.. they're gathering dust in a box in the attic somewhere. I'll have to find them."                                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         At some point during the evening Ray discovered Fraser had gone to Australia to work as the Deputy Liaison officer under Dante at the Sydney consulate. He wondered why he couldn't feel happy for his friend, then Meg told him she didn't think Fraser knew he'd survived the accident. That stuck in his mind, as he left the consulate and tailed her home. She came over to his car, and invited him up for coffee, for a moment he was tempted to take up the offer, his body singing go for it.         But he knew his family would start to worry about him if he didn't return home soon and declined. She looked faintly disappointed as she stepped back and he drove away with her on his mind instead of Fraser.         His mind returned to Fraser the next morning when he visited the precinct. An immediate return to work was not on the cards. He had to be medically certified fit to return to work first and that was still some time away, and then he could look forward to being confined to a desk job for the first few weeks until he passed the police services fitness tests which were far more strenuous than what his doctor had put him through.                  Once that was settled, he began making nebulous plans for how to spend that time. Those plans became concrete when Welsh handed him papers concerning his entitlements surprising him.         "You were on your way to the hospital on police business when the accident occurred," Welsh reminded him.         Between his own private health cover & insurance and the Chicago PD arranged kind all his medical bills were covered and he had quite a tidy sum left over. More than enough to make those nebulous plans a reality.         His first stop on leaving the precinct was the bank to cash the cheque Welsh had given him, then it was off to the Australian Embassy.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser sat on the floor looking at the wreckage left in the wake of another of Dante's fits of temper and his own attempts to find his papers, his passport among them. It had been a fruitless search. They papers just weren't there, and he had no idea where they could be. Without them, he couldn't leave the country, and unless he could do so, escaping his increasingly volatile lover would be next to impossible. Dante had friends within both state and Federal police networks of the country. They'd find him, and lead Dante to him.         He needed to get out of the country to escape Dante, but he needed his passport to do that and Dante had effectively trapped him by making sure he couldn't get it. Any attempt to get a new one would reach Dante's ears before he was successful and he could imagine the results. No, he had to find out where Dante had put his papers and do it soon, but first he had to make sure Dante wasn't aware he was searching for them, which mean restoring the apartment to order even if it was the last thing he felt like doing.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg Thatcher was in the middle of reaming out the incompetent woman who had replaced Fraser when her phone rang. With no hurry she answered it.         "Inspector Thatcher?"         Annoyance twisted her face.         {After all this time you think he'd drop the Inspector at least. It's not as if he's one of my staff}         "Vecchio what.. "         "Sorry to intrude."         "I hope you've got a good reason for it."         She turned from the curious eyes of her incompetent subordinate, walking away.         "What the matter?"         "I'm in Australia.. What you said about Fraser got me thinking.. You were right, about Benni not knowing I made it. I tracked him down..and.. That guy who was holding the fort down for you."         "Inspector McIntire."         "He's psycho, he's turned Fraser into a virtual prisoner here.. He's terrified of what will happen if Dante - Mc Intire finds out I'm here.. He wants to leave but he can't.. Dante has all his papers and Benni can't find them or get new ones to leave this country behind. You know what he'd need to return to America.. Do you think you can arrange it and get them out to me so I can bring him back with me?"         "How serious is the situation?"         "Very.. Fraser can't leave the apartment without Dante at his side any more. He can't go anywhere without Dante there.. Fraser says he sick.. Literally, there's something wrong with him, but he refuses to see a doctor and gets worse everyday, he's been mentally deteriorating in front of Benni's eyes. He's always in a foul mood, paranoid, occasionally violent and .."         She heard him hesitate, the rustling of cloth then Vecchio was back.         "I'm sure there's a lot more going on that Benni won't tell me about.. And I ain't about to repeat some of the things he told me over the phone."         She sighed it was worse than she imagined it could get.         "How did you get to speak to him?"         "Benni likes libraries, he warned me about Dante in the past.. So I knew being seen with him, by Dante would just cause trouble. So I found out where every library around the consulate was and started checking each one.. Wouldn't you know it, he's a regular visitor to the biggest library in the state.. It's the only place Dante lets him go to alone. I found out when he usually drops in and had to wait for three days before he did.. He almost fainted when he saw me. And he promised to met me here again, but he's been a no show and I don't wanna waste another minute.. He's terrified of what Dante will do if he finds out about me.. And he swore if I could help him get the papers he'd come back with me."         "Alright, I get the picture, where should I send the paperwork?"                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray hovered in his usual place, hidden but well placed to watch every person who entered through the main entry of the Mitchell library. Three days had passed since the courier Meg had dispatched with the papers he'd needed including the all important replacement passport. Those papers were tucked away in the deep pocket of Ray's bright cotton coat.         He'd arrived at the end of the summer season, and taken the opportunity to purchase a few new suits, shirts, pants and coats more suited to the Australian summer at knock down prices. He'd been thinking how they'd come into their own back home during the next heat wave and been quite gleeful once he'd done his sums and worked out what he'd have paid for them back home. But the meeting with Fraser had taken any delight he felt away.         Now all he felt was increasing anxiety and concern for his absent friend. Checking his watch, his anxiety rose, he gave up on Fraser arriving and stepped out of his hiding place to stride across the wide marble floored entry hall a tenuous plan of action taking shape in his head. A hand on his arm drew him from his thoughts and to a stop.         He looked around to see a well dressed aboriginal man in a suit and recalled that he'd seen the man enter the library half an hour ago. The man was comparing his face to a piece of paper in his hand.         "Raymond Vecchio?"         "Yes."         The man pulled an I.D case from his suit and flashed his I.D and Badge before Ray's face and identified himself as a Federal police officer by the name of Mandaway before asking Ray to accompany him - To the Hospital.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Eight                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Ray stood slumped against the lounge room wall, arms crossed, watching Fraser who was curled up in a chair, arms wrapped around his drawn up legs staring at nothing as he rocked back and forth, swaying now and then. Deif lay at Fraser's feet looking up at him now and again with a little whine of sympathy.         Hearing someone approaching Ray looked to see his mother leading Meg into the room. Ray bolted upright and hurried to their side. His mother departed, to make tea, or so she said. Meg studied Fraser, a look of sadness on her face.         "He's been like that since he was released from the hospital. The only time he does anything else is when he's sleeping," Ray said with a sigh, running a hand through hair that needed a cut. "That's when he starts screaming till I hit him with a sedative to put him into deep sleep - no dreams."         "They gave you the sedatives?"         "Yeah.. He did the same thing at the hospital. The Doctor said he should be transferred to a psychiatric facility. I had to do some fast talking to get them to agree to release him into my care. I had to sign a stack of papers. And I'm starting to wonder if maybe it was the wrong thing to do. He just doesn't react to anything."                 She reached out and rubbed his arm.         "You did the right thing. Being placed in psychiatric care in a strange land, surrounded by strangers would have been the worst thing that could have happened."         "Oh, no, the worst thing that could have happened is what left him in this state. Mc Intire lost it entirely with him.. And he didn't just beat the living daylights out of him, he raped him," Ray growled in a low voice that wouldn't carry far.         Meg's eyes closed and he saw her shudder.         "I don't know what to do any more. He doesn't react to anything."         "He needs a friend to help him get through this.. But your family shouldn't have to deal with it."         "I'm not taking him back to that flea pit of his."         "I wasn't going to suggest it. My place is.. "         "It's not in the same place Mc Intire stayed at while he was here is it?"         "No."                 "How many rooms?"         "Two.. One's my office.. But I can convert it to a bedroom. If you handle him at night, I'll handle him during the day. We can take it in shifts. Oh.. And.. I've already talked to the CPD.. I know you converted your leave to indefinite leave without pay to tend to him for as long as it takes. You'll be covered by the RCMP from here on in."         "What?!"         "We take care of our own. This whole mess should never have taken place, McIntire should never have been permitted to come near Fraser again.. Not after what happened the last time."         "What happened?"         "He beat Fraser... Fraser has Battered Spouse Syndrome, no matter how many times that man hurt him, he always found excuses or lied for him.. Would never lay charges. It took his father acting to get him out of his clutches."         "As much as I despise that man for what he did to Fraser, I'm telling you there is no way Benni woulda gone back to the guy if he was a serial abuser."         "You can say that after what he did this time?"         "Benni told me he was sick.. The Mandaway guy from the Fed's there, said they interviewed staff at the consulate and they all said, his personality had changed drastically. Everyone who knows him said the same thing. And once they catch him, they'll be dragging him to a hospital for a physical before they run a psychological exam on him. If it turns out he's perfectly fit and sane, he'll be charged for what he did to Benni and we'll have to take him back for the trial. If not, they'll lock him up in a psych ward and make arrangements to ship him home, quietly."         "I've been doing what I can on my end.. The RCMP is moving on this, his personal effects are being seized, his accounts frozen. His passport was revoked. His former superior has returned to work with the Federal police on this matter. Mc Intire won't get far before he's caught."         "What about.. His mental state?" Ray asked, indicating Fraser rocking away seemingly oblivious to their conversation.         "It's not the first time something like this has happened.. He apparently reacted to a .. vicious assault in much the same way in the past and eventually came out of it.. They're moving now.. To liaise with the American mental health services.. to arrange for a temporary guardianship order to be made out in your name.. If you'll accept that responsibility?"         Ray nodded.         "Good. The papers will be delivered soon.. Once you sign them, I'll lodge them and you'll become his temporary official guardian.."         Deif squeaked and they looked around to see Fraser uncurling, the wolf moving away, since he'd been trodden on. Deif sat and his tail thumped madly on the floor as they gaped at Fraser rising from the chair. Meg looked at Ray and realised this wasn't something Fraser had done before.         Then he was approaching and Ray was enfolded in a bone cracking hug by a sobbing Fraser. He awkwardly patted and stroked Fraser's back.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg watched Ray as he slept in her big bed, twisting and turning, tangling himself up in the blankets. His restless movements causing his pyjama top to gape open and his pants to snake down his hips.         So different from Fraser who spent most of his day curled up in a tight ball in bed. His nights were spent in a chair, watching Ray as he'd poured over Psychology and Rape Counselling text books by the score, most if not all which he'd hurled into the trash can in frustration, when attempting to follow their advice lead to no change in Fraser's condition. Whenever Ray through a book away, Meg always waited till he stomped off to fetch them out, clean them up and added them to the collection which was rapidly filling a bookcase that used to hold all her nicknacks.         Sometimes he'd go to the collection, pull out a book and look through it again, if it went into the bin twice, it stayed there. But lately Ray had taken to sitting opposite Fraser and just talked, all night.         He'd talked about his life, himself, his family, his father, his failed marriage, his career. Meg totally re- evaluated him. Sometimes during the hours when Fraser slept and they had nothing better to do they'd sit and discuss old cases.         Those pants slipped lower. One of his hands slid over his body and she watched as he began touching himself in his sleep. Something he did quite often she'd discovered after investigating every time she heard him crying out in his restless sleep.         Not that every cry he made was one of self induced solumbulistic pleasure. Many's the time she'd entered to find him curled up around a pillow sobbing into it. Until she'd inadvertently eavesdropped on one of his talks with Fraser one sleepless night, to learn about the abusive relationship between Ray and his late father, she had no clues to the reasons for it.         He'd caught her, in the room watching, flushing when he realised she *knew* but nothing had been said. As she watched him and listened to his murmurings she promised herself, they'd talk about it.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg returned from taking Deif for one of his daily walks to be handed a large parcel by the doorman. More books for Ray no doubt. When she returned to the apartment she found Fraser standing in the door of the bedroom watching Ray sleeping. Instead of leading him away, she left him there, curious to see what he'd do.         She packed away the supplies while Deif bounded up to Fraser. Fraser looked down at the Wolf, and when Deif went to the kitchen Fraser followed to watch him nudge his food bowl. Meg waited to see what he'd do. Then when he did nothing, she opened up a cupboard making sure Fraser saw where she stored Deif's food, before she fed the wolf.         Deif appreciated it. Fraser moved away to collect a piece of fruit then wandered back to his seat and sank down into it to stare into space as he chomped away on his apple. Meg sighed and for lack of anything better to do, pulled out a recipe book and began going through it, planning the menu for the next week.         She marked four recipes and hunted down a note pad and wrote down a list of ingredients to purchase the next time she went shopping. She was looking for another recipe to add to the menu when Ray wandered out of the bedroom, rumpled and sleepy.         She got a glass of water while he checked up on Fraser. When he moved into the kitchen, she held out the glass, and he collected it on his way to the kitchen nook. She dumped the parcel before him and he woke right up. Ripping the paper away, he revealed her guess to be right. It was full of books. There was also a letter and thick file and a number of envelopes. He read the letter through twice.         "You've been waiting for this?"         "Yes.. I tried ringing one of the sexual assault support lines one night and they gave me a number for this counsellor to talk too."         "And she sent all these books."         She picked one up and her brows defected.         "He sent them. I've been in touch with him a few times."         "These are text books, for a psychology course, are you intending to become a professional counsellor Vecchio?"         "He said that since I've become Benni's Primary carer it wouldn't hurt to get some sort of professional qualifications. It certainly won't do any damage if I have to make an application to extend my guardianship of Benni."         "You don't think he's going to come out of it in a hurry either, do you?"         Ray sighed.         "The problem is that we're dealing with an extremely violent betrayal by someone he loved and trusted implicitly. It takes time to heal wounds like that. When he's ready to face it and accept help - I'll need to be ready to give him the help he needs."         He sipped his water and opened the file to study the top sheet. Meg rose and moved to the counter to start preparing coffee and breakfast for Ray.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg returned from a shopping trip to replenish the supplies running desperately low, and was startled to find Fraser up on his feet, standing in the bedroom doorway again. He didn't react to her as she made several trips from the apartment to the garage to collect all the shopping and transferred it to the kitchen. On her last trip, she collected the last bag of food and another large parcel and envelope addressed to Ray.         She left the parcel and envelope on the counter where Ray would see them and set the bags down on the table before she approached Fraser wrapping an arm around him and looked into the room. Ray was sprawled on her bed, the blankets tangled around his legs while his pyjama top had come open exposing his chest, an arm was over his face, the other lay dangling laxly over the edge of the bed.         When she looked away it was to find Fraser looking at her, his face unreadable. She gave herself a little mental shake and lead him away, closing the door behind her, then lead Fraser to the kitchen setting him at the table while she unpacked the groceries.         He reached out and pulled out a bag of dog kibble rattling the packet. There was a panting, tail wagging Wolf at his chair in next to no time. She watched as he moved away to fill Deif's bowl, then hugged and petted the wolf as the animal chowed down. Deif's tail beat a loud, thumping, excited rhythm against the floor the whole time.         She completed the unpacking, then left the man to commune with his wolf and returned to the bedroom, slipping quietly inside, silently closing the door behind her. Creeping to the bedside she leant over Ray to carefully tug his pyjama's back into order. He started stirring as she buttoned them up, and lazily opened one eye, then jumped half out of his skin when it sunk into his sleepy mind that the Dragon lady was playing with his pyjama's.         "I caught Fraser watching you sleeping.. Your shirt was gaping open."         He half sat up, looking around.         "He's feeding Deif in the kitchen.. I just came to.." She reached out and tugged the blankets up.         "make sure you were covered up."         "How long was he there?"         "I don't know, I had to go shopping.. He was there in the door way just watching you when I got back."         "He's feeding Deif?"         "He pulled the food out and spontaneously decided to feed him and show him some attention. That thumping you can hear is Deif expressing his pleasure with the attention."         "That's a good sign.. He never showed any interest in Deif before."         "He's showing a little too much interest in you."         "You don't have anything to worry about, unless he shows interest in you."         "Have you ever considered sleeping in sweats and Ts? It's not the first time I've caught him doing it and your top's come open every time - and those pants.. well, you've almost lost them a few times.. ."         "What?! Why didn't you tell me?"         "Well I didn't want you to get nervous and leave it all up to me.. He responds so well to you."         "You should have told me earlier. You catch him doing it again, make some noise, wake me up.. .or just leave him alone.. and see what he does."         "He doesn't do *anything*. He just stands there, watching you .. . then walks away and either curls up in his chair, or goes back to his bed and curls up."         "To sleep, or just stare at the wall?"         "Both, either."         "Yeah, well if he does something else when he curls up, then it's something to worry about."         "Something else?"         "You know.. Touches himself."         "Ohhh.. "         "He doesn't do that, does he?"         "He doesn't even touch himself when he goes to the bathroom."         "Speaking of which, does he react to being bathed by you?"         "Does he react to you?"         "He reacted once.. He started crying."         "He just.. shakes when I do it."         "No other reaction?"         "None whatsoever."         "You sure? He doesn't get.. turned on?"         "Yes, I'm sure. He doesn't even react to me towelling him down."         Ray sighed.         "Keep an eye out for a reaction like that.. Any sign of interest at all is supposed to be a good sign."         He rolled and picked up a thick tome from the floor she hadn't noticed as he sat back up she say that it was a psychology text book on the subject of sexual assault.         "You should read this when I'm done.. The guy who wrote it has worked with sexual assault victims of all kinds.. Including ones who reacted like Benni."         He found a page marked with a turned down corner and opened the book.         "Here we go.. Blah blah blah.. Good signs are displays of spontaneous affection.. Hugs and crawling into the carers bed to cuddle are all part of the process. It's considered a really good sign when they touch their primary career in a sexual way. Touching, kissing, and in a male's case, getting an erection are all good signs."         He looked at her over the bed and blushed at the look she was giving him.         "Perhaps. I should hire someone else to care for him at night," she suggested.         "No.. It says the primary carer should be someone the victim trusts implicitly who isn't likely to reject their needs for comfort, whatever level of comfort that may be."         "And what are you going to do if he crawls into this bed curls up and gets .. " she blushed faintly "hard on you?"         "What are you going to do if he does it to you? He told me he was attracted to both of us."         Her eyes widened.         "He told you *that*?"         "Yeah."         "Well.. I think I can handle it if he shows spontaneous attention to me, but can you?"         "I'll deal with it if it comes up."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "I have to return to work."         Ray looked around from his coffee making.         "Translation?"         "I have no leave left. I have to return to work."         "Oh.. I thought you were making a hint."         He returned to the coffee making.         "They want to take Fraser and place him in a Psychiatric facility."         "Over my dead body."         He joined her at the kitchen table handing her a cup. She sipped at it and smiled faintly. It was *just* the way she liked it.         "They can't just take him and lock him up."         "They can and they will. Unless you can have the temporary order that made you his primary carer extended."         Ray ran his hands over his head.         "Has it already been 6 months?"         "Yes."                 "G-d, we're sunk.. He hasn't improved at all."         "I've looked into what would be needed to get the bond extended or made into a permanent one. To become a permanent order, it has to be extended for another six months first, and he'll be examined, we can apply for a permanent order at that stage."         "But how do we get the extension in the first place?"         "Your studies into psychology will help.. How are they going?"         "I've got a certificate with High Honours, for 1st and 2cnd level psychology."         "Already?!"         "It's not like I've got all that much else to do. You do all the cleaning, most of the cooking, take Deif for his walks. There's nothing left for me to do, except make sure he eats dinner and has a bath. I talk to him for an hour or two and study. He just sits there and watches me, till he gets sleepy. Then I put him to bed and study a bit more. If I can get my level 3 certificate, I can get into the diploma courses, and gain the certification I'd need to get into professional counselling. And you should see some of the courses they've got on offer."         Meg almost smiled. Ray had developed quite an interest in the psychological side of things. She made a mental note to make a few enquiries about seeing if he could study Criminal Psychology via correspondence.         "If you get into a diploma course by the time we ask for the guardianship to be made permanent it should make it easy for us."         "There is again. Us - We."         "The extension will be under joint names.. Yours and mine."         "Can we do that?"         "It shouldn't be all that difficult. It's no secret you've been "Co-habiting" with me for the last six months.. They'll come through, see two beds, wonder where the third one is and never believe we've been sleeping in shifts."         "So.. .how do we handle that?"         "Well.. either find a bigger apartment, or.. we go to bed.. together. Tonight."         His eyes widened.         "Any particular reason why *tonight* is the night?"         "I'm ovulating."         "I'm sterile."         "What?!"         "That's why I've got an *ex-wife*. I couldn't make a mama outta her."         "Are you sure the problem was yours and not hers?"         "I spent 8 bloody months having my sex life ruled by a thermometer a chart and a beeper.. Before I stomped it to death when it went off in the middle of a stake out. No joy."         "Oh."         He sipped at his coffee.         "Does that mean we aren't going to have sex tonight?"         He spurted coffee everywhere.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Nine                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Meg sat on the edge of the bed, sighing while Ray lay sprawled over the bed, an arm over his eyes, red faced. He couldn't believe it. He'd been occasionally fantasising about being in bed with Meg for months, and the moment the fantasy became reality, his body refused to play along. Or to be precise, one particular part of it.         "Sorry," Meg said.         -You're not the one who should be saying it. I'm the one who disappointed you- Ray thought.         Then he sat up thinking - But there's more than one way to skin a cat-          Meg felt the bed moving and the mattress dip and there were two hands on her back, running over it and exploring it.         {Mhmmm)         Then the mattress was dipping behind her and those hands were moving to stroke her arms and she felt his breath on her neck.         "I thought you said you weren't in the mood.         "But you definitely are.. Relax.."         His hands slipped under her arms, sliding around her body and started roaming over her waist and then she felt the warmth of his body at her back. One hand popped a button or two, and the other slipped under he waist band and she arched back as they moved in unison, slipping over her breast and sex.         {If you stop now, I'll kill you}         She felt his body at her back, a little shudder racking it and then his hand was moving over her and his fingers slipped into her bra to start toying with her nipple, first stroking then rubbing it between his finger's as he cupped her breast. She arched her neck and felt and his hot breath on her throat, . felt him give a shuddering breath as he discovered how damp her panties were.         He started to withdraw.         "No.. don't stop."         The hand at her groin moved and slipped under her panties, then he was caressing her and she felt the bed dipping, then he was sitting directly behind her, his legs moving around hers wrapping around them, drawing them apart with gentle insistence and she could feel the definite evidence of the fact he was starting to grow aroused.                  He began murmuring in her ear in Italian and drew a moan from her as his fingers began to gently play with her sex.         Then his hands moved and they were sliding over her body again.         "I want to feel your body next to mine.. " He murmured huskily in her ear as his fingers started working on her buttons. His hands slipped over her body again, a quick dip to her sex, a caress then his hands were moving back over her body and he drew away, just long enough to pull her bra away. She heard him muttering something in Italian under his breath then they were together again, skin to skin, from the waist up.         Her hands went down to raise herself as his hands moved over her skirt to slip it away then his hands slipped her panties away.         She felt him stiffen and groan against her throat as he saw Fraser in the door way. Not realising what caused it she started stroking his legs and he let out a deep moan as she started moving against him.         -G-d, do I tell her, or do I just.. Finish what I started, and hope he leaves-         The way she was moving against him made him forget all his intentions and his body began moving against hers and his hands moved over her body turning her head and covering her mouth with his, kissing her deeply before his hands slithered down her body then his fingers were moving inside her making her writhe with pleasure. Her cries of pleasure were captured and he didn't stop until she climaxed. Only then did he pull away, drawing back and panting as he moved back across the bed to kneel at the center of the bed, a fine sheen of sweat covering his bare chest as it rose and fell with every panting breath.         Then she turned to crawl across the bed and reaching for him.         "Now I know you're in the mood," she said, the evidence of the fact blatantly obvious even though he was wearing those baggy pants.          He shook his head and waved his hands around. She went to her knees imitating his position.         "No?! After that?!"         He pointed at the door. She looked around and almost shrieked in shock when she saw Fraser standing in the door way. She hadn't even noticed the sound of the door opening.         "I.. . think.. he's.. been there.. quite a while."         With a hand to her chest, trying to slow the racing of her heart, she studied Fraser.         "I think.. . he's interested."         "You think so.. I know so. He likes both of us remember.. "         "Take off your pants."         He raised a brow.         "Either he's going to join us, or he's just going to watch."         "That is so kinky."         "Right like what you just did to me *knowing* he was there wasn't."                 "Hey, I didn't know.. "         "Don't give me that.. That's what made you groan like that and go all stiff."         "You made me do that."         "I didn't mean that sort of stiff - which you still are.. So work out what you're going to do about it. Do we have a party or a crowd in the bed?"          Ray beckoned Fraser and slowly Fraser approached. Ray and Meg crawled over the bed and kneeled on the end holding out a hand to him, he took both hands and let them draw him close then working together, they stripped him, slowly and leisurely, with much kissing and caressing going on as they did.         When he was as naked as they, they moved back across the bed, and shared looks. Meg's hand slithered over Ray's body and touched him up, his hand slithered over hers.         As they mutually pleasured each other, Fraser slowly crawled onto the bed and across it.         "Oh.. I definitely think.. he wants to join in."         Two hands were extended and he was drawn in then Ray was moving away, panting and drenched with sweat, trying to control the urge to pounce on Meg as he watched her working over Fraser.         -God, this is so kinky.. Positively, definitely, kinky.. I am such a deviant. I'm going to burn in hell for this.. But ooooh, god he wants me to join them. What do I do now?-         The unasked question was answered by Meg and Fraser as they both reached for him and pulled him back down to the bed. The pants he still wore were soon fluttering through the air to hit the floor and then there were four hands and two mouths moving over him, driving him wild. He was pulled, and rolled into Meg's embrace and felt Fraser rolling away as her hand moved down his body to guide him home. He lost himself, forgetting about Fraser as their bodies moved together finding each other's rhythm and then Fraser was back and he arched over Meg crying out as he felt Fraser returning. Hands and mouths moving over him, legs, sliding over and around his. Fraser's talented fingers and mouth working in unison with Meg's.         "OHMIGOD!" He cried and heard two satisfied little growls.         His cries echoed through the room as he was brought to the most mind blowing orgasm of his life and passed out from sheer sensory overload.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray stepped out of the shower to be offered a towel by Meg who looked his dripping body over and smiled at him. The towel hit the floor and they weren't too far behind.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser sat in his usual chair, before the window, Deif curled up at his feet sleeping when Ray walked in and set a hand on his shoulder.         "Sorry `bout leaving you alone most of the day, Caro, I hope you're hungry," Ray said as he moved away heading for the kitchen.         Fraser climbed out of his chair and followed Ray. Ray's first stop was the refrigerator, opening it to look inside and Fraser peered over his shoulder, reached in grabbed and apple and then walked away. Ray spun and watched him walk away munching on the apple.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Meg was not having a good day. The replacement deputy liaison officer was totally incompetent, she was snowed under with work trying to sort out the trouble she generated and missed Fraser's efficiency in the role. Then the mail arrived. She was working her way through it when the phone rang.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser was sleeping, but Ray was awake when Meg returned from work, late, he watched her approach with her briefcase as he worked in the kitchen putting the final touches to dinner for her. In this case a light salad with a thick steak. She looked drawn and tired, but perked up a little at the smell of the steak which was cooking as he diced and sliced vegetables tossing them into a tossing bowl.         "Bad day huh?"         "Fraser's replacement is totally incompetent. Worse than Turnbull."                 "Now that's bad. Maybe I can cheer you up. Fraser did something spontaneous again today."         "Oh, what?"         "Well, first he followed me into the kitchen and got himself something to eat."         "An Apple?"         "Yes, how.. ?"         "He's been doing that for some time, that's why I always make sure there's plenty of fresh fruit."         "Oh, well, he did something else.. He bathed himself and chose what he was going to wear without any help from me.. And for a change, he didn't just curl up in his chair through the day. He watched me studying and showed a definite interest in what I was doing."         "That's good isn't it?"         "Yes. It's a definite sign of improvement. Cross your fingers. If he continues to show spontaneous signs of interest in his own well being and self image it'll prove he's turned the corner and is on the road to recovery."         Meg set her case on the bench and opened it.         "It seems we have two things to celebrate."         "Two things?"         She pulled out a now familiar envelope and handed it to him. He snatched it from her hands and ripped it open to pull out his third certificate and a letter. He let out a whoop when he read the letter.         "You got high honours again, didn't you?"         "Even better, they've sent my records to one of the universities who have correspondence programs. I've been accepted into a university run associate diploma course in Psychology."         "I've been meaning to talk to you about that."         "Do you have a problem with it? Or is it because I'm spending all my money on getting my text books and supplies and not contributing to the household.. "         "Nooo. I don't have a problem with it. Since I returned to work, you've taken over all the household chores too.. And you're a better cook."         "Why thank-you."         "And if you give me receipts I'll have your course related expenses refunded, since it's directly related to your care of Fraser."         "So what's the problem?"         "Well I made a few inquiries on your behalf."         "What sort of inquiries?"         "I couldn't help but notice that you've developed a real interest in psychology, and I made a few enquires and how to get you nominated for the FBI's profiling courses, which would help to improve your career prospects. If you continue your studies and take up criminology courses you could be eligible. But that's immaterial. I've been looking into the criminology courses available.. and written to the relevant people about wether or not you could undertake them by correspondence. I've explained the situation your in, sent copies of your certificates and told them you were studying to qualify to study at the associate diploma level.. One wrote back.. I spoke to the Dean on the phone this afternoon."         "And?"         "It was a Canadian college."         "Oh."         "But they have an excellent course range and a mature age student scholarship programme, which the Dean thinks you'd qualify for. If you pass the scholarship exam and interview you could study criminology, general psychology and sexual assault counselling there. They're willing to come to an arrangement so that you can study part time, doing the bulk of the course by correspondence. You'd have to attend some classes.. but they have day care, and often have parents with young children who bring them into classes. They're a very progressive college. Since Fraser's quiet and wouldn't cause a disruption, he could accompany you and sit in or you could put him in day care when you attend classes."         "That would mean going to Canada to study."         "Yes.. But the Canadian college has the most to offer, taking up the course schedule they have would not only help you to help Fraser but enhance your future career prospects. I could get a transfer to a post near the college, the Inspector there would like to come to the states, we could swap places, which would give you a chance to take up the offer.. "         Ray mulled it over it while he splashed a little of her favourite salad dressing over the vegetables and popped the top on the bowl giving it a good shake.         "I suppose if I agreed to that plan, it would really help when we say we're a defacto couple.         She took a deep breath.         "I made a statutory declaration, declaring you as my Defacto three days ago."         "Oh."         It didn't seem to bother him all that much so she pulled a sheath of papers from the case and held them up for him to see.         "There's a pile of paperwork to deal with as a result. I have to start working on creating the right paper trail to confirm my statement, that means, all entitlements that would go to my partner on my death have to be transferred to you, I have to revise my will.. I have to show *evidence* that it's not just a ploy to make it possible to use your temporary guardianship of Fraser to get a joint order. And you have to do the same thing too."         "They worked it out."         "It's a pity your sterile.. It would have solved everything if there was positive proof of a sexual relationship."         "If they could have heard going on about enhancing my career prospects they wouldn't suspect you of having ulterior motives for declaring me your Defacto."         She smiled wryly.         "Now all we have to do is convince them it's a real relationship, that means making sure we manufacture all the right official evidence."         Ray served her meal up.         "We can do that after you've eaten."         He held out the plate waving it under her nose. She took the plate and nibbled on a piece of lettuce as she headed for the table.         "If you're not careful, Vecchio, I might develop an ulterior motive for declaring you my defacto that has nothing to do with Fraser."         "And I thought it was the way to a *man's* heart."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg took Fraser to the consulate with her the next day, where the other staff, baring the new deputy liaison officer, fussed over him all day. Ray for his part, slept half the day away before spending the rest of the afternoon running around taking care of paperwork, getting records from the hospital and arranging to make a joint application for Fraser's care.         He also managed to fit in a visit to his mother to tell her there was a possibility he might be going to Canada in the near future. He wasn't surprised at being smothered with maternal love and affection, or at being loaded down with more frozen food than he could eat in a month, even with Meg and Fraser's help.         He took a trip back to the apartment, to place all the food in the freezer and found a message from Meg on the answering service telling him she'd be late again, and to please come by the embassy ASAP and bring Fraser's medication. He hit himself in the head for not remembering to give Meg, Fraser's midday dose of the medication he took morning, noon and night. He found the pill box and counted out enough pills to cover the midday and evening dosage and slipped the box into his pocket.         Pills taken care of he set one of the preprepared meals in the sink to thaw and made a quick check of the cupboards, drew up a list of food to buy and was about to leave when the phone rang.         He raced across the apartment to answer it before the answering machine kicked it, but didn't reach it in time. He heard Meg's message kick in and snatched up the phone cutting it off.         "Meg?"         "No. Who I am speaking too?" The caller asked.         "Ray Vecchio, what's it to you?"         The caller hung up. Ray wondered what it was about while he switched the machine back on, and stopped worrying about it when he saw the time. He rushed around, snatching up the shopping list and keys running out.         He reached the consulate in a new personal best time and was ushered into Meg's office where he handed her the pill box, and she handed him an envelope and gave him a very thorough kiss right in front of Constable Cooper and the new deputy liaison officer. They scuttled off, to spread the news to the rest of the staff no doubt.         Ray didn't look at the envelope till he returned to the car and his eyes bugged out when he found that it contained a cheque for several thousand dollars. He read the note attached and was amazed to discover he'd spent that much money on his studies.         He made a quick trip to the bank to deposit the cheque and make a large withdrawal, then he was off to do the shopping, dropping into a computer shop on the way. He walked out with a brand new laptop with a fax modem a pile of programs, manuals and a flat bed scanner.         By the time Meg returned with Fraser he had the laptop and modem set up, and dinner sitting on the table. After the meal was demolished, Fraser followed him over to the computer while Meg took care of the dishes.         Fraser nudged Ray away from the computer and began tapping away. Ray let him play with the computer and joined Meg in the kitchen.         "A computer?"         "For my studies. I can do my work on it and reduce the amount of paper I waste writing up my notes."         "And the scanner."         "Well when I told the salesperson what I wanted it for, he talked me into buying it. He said I could use it like a photocopier. They had a special deal on, I also got a free printer, but they were out of stock on those, it'll be delivered here by courier as soon as they get some new stock in."         "Have you decided which course you'll undertake?"         "It depends on wether or not we can get the care order extended. If not, then we can't stop them shipping Benni to a psychiatric hospital, and there's no reason for me to stay here or continue my studies."         He didn't see Meg's reaction to that as he turned to set a plate aside. He didn't want to see her nodding, but that's not what she was doing.         -Don't agree with me-         {Look on the bright side, at least you didn't make an utter fool of yourself by declaring your undying love or anything like that.}         "Of course if the order is extended, then.. I'll continue my studies. I talked to my mother about it today, and.. I wrote to that college you told me about, asking them to slot me in for the scholarship exams."         "So you're thinking about going to Canada to study?"         {Say yes, say anything else, and I'll kill you where you stand.}         "It would help Benni too, wouldn't it? And you'd be able to spend a little time with your family. And being back in Canada might be good for him."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Over the next week Fraser began to display more and more spontaneous action, twice joining the Meg and Ray in the bed they now shared. On the evening of the new week Ray returned from a shopping trip to replenish their supplies to find Meg and Fraser both dressed in Dress Red's their hands behind their backs, just watching him as he carted in the shopping and packed it away.         "Planning to take advantage of his state to put him guard at the door, milady?" he teased.         He discovered a moment later that what they had behind their backs was more than hands, they also hand cuffs. He was marched off to the bed roof the have his wrists cuffed to the bed posts, where Meg announced he had to be strip searched for contraband and ordered the constable to proceed slapping a pair of latex gloves into his hands. Fraser snapped them on and gave strip search and frisk a whole new meaning to Ray.         What followed gave Ray a definite taste for Bondage and being dominated by certain dragon lady and declaring that he was most definitely Bi-Sexual making them laugh. Ray tossed Fraser's medication for the day down the sink and celebrated his improvement with a glass of champagne and a trip to an expensive Italian restaurant.         The trio was enjoying the night out until Ray noticed someone at a nearby table was paying just a little too much attention to them for his liking and cut the evening short.         The next day, he opened the door at a knock to find the same man at his door with a woman in a business suit carrying a briefcase. They flashed their I.D and he let them in to inspect the apartment. They interviewed Fraser, who had nothing to say. Then they interviewed him. Midway through it his watch started beeping and he excused himself. Fraser disappeared into the bathroom and Ray followed him in. He was praising Fraser when they left the room and moved to the kitchen where Ray prepared lunch for Fraser while Fraser sat himself down at the table to wait. Once he had the simple meal ready he set it before Fraser who started eating while Ray fetched his pills and a glass of ice water to wash the medication down with.         When he returned to the lounge he found one of the officers writing in a note pad.         "You have a regular meal schedule?"         "For Benni, yes, he's got 4 different kinds of medication he's gotta take, and it really should be taken with meals and I make sure he gets a meal with all of them."         "Snacks?"         "Meg brings fresh fruit home every few days. When he's hungry in between meals, he knows where the fruit is and gets himself a piece."         "I noticed you were praising him when you left the bathroom."         "Well, we used to have to do everything for him. But he's started taking care of himself. I try to make sure he knows I noticed and praise him whenever he does something for himself."         The note taking one's pen flew over the pad.         They asked a few more questions about Fraser's general care, inspected the office that had been turned into Fraser's bedroom. Then while the female half of the team tried to get Fraser to answer a few questions again, the male half asked about their relationship. In particular the sexual side of things, pointing out the fact he was listed as Fraser's S.O in past medical records.         "The last thing he needs sex. What he needs is affection, to be shown he's cared for and cherished."         "So there is no sexual relationship?"         "That's right."         Which in a manner of speaking was true, while Fraser might join in on the foreplay side of things he didn't get involved when it came to full on sex.         "But there is a physical relationship?"         "Any time he wants a hug or a kiss or to just be held he knows we're there for him."         "*We*?"         "Meg too.. he's crawled into our bed a few times. He likes to sleep snuggled up between us. The sexual assault counsellor I consulted said that's a sign that he feels secure and safe with us."         "It doesn't affect your relationship with your Defacto."         "She feels the same way about Benni that I do."         The officer asked a few more pointed questions, then turned the subject to his relationship with Meg.         "How long have you been a couple?"         "We've been sharing the same bed for six months, give or take a week," Ray said, telling the truth, without mentioning that sharing meant, sleeping in the same bed at different times for most of that time.         "So your relationship began after you became Mr Fraser's carer?"         "Well... yes and no.. In a manner of speaking it began while I was in hospital.. I almost died in a car accident and she became a regular visitor.. And I had definite plans to explore how far things could go after I got out, then this happened to Benni, and when Meg made the offer to share the burden of care with me.. things just... fell into place."         "I see and do you have intentions to make the relationship official?"         "Funny I thought we'd already done that by statutory declarations regarding our relationship."         "I meant, do you have plans to marry?"         "Not at the moment.. I'm catholic, she's not, we're in two different police forces. Benni isn't going to be a zombie forever and when he's better.. I'll be returning to my precinct.. Though, she's been talking about going to Canada.. he thinks it would be good for both of us, meaning Benni and I.. Him because it's his country.. And he'd feel more comfortable there. Me because there's a college there where I can continue my studies.."         "Studies?"         "In psychology.. I've been studying it by correspondence, so I can help Benni.. I've already attained the certification I need to start studying to gain an associate diploma, and there's this college in Canada that she sent all my certificates too.. They're trying to get mature age students, and they can handle Benni tagging along with me to classes and she can always rearrange her schedule to take over when I can't."         The officer asked a few more questions about his plans for the future, studies and how he fitted them into his duties as Fraser's primary carer. He didn't give any indication as to wether or not they were acceptable and finished the interview off by borrowing the phone to set up a physical exam for Fraser before departing with his partner to corner Meg at the consulate.         She returned home in a state of high anxiety and they spent the rest of the night worrying about their application to care for Fraser being turned down all because he chose the wrong restaurant to celebrate in.         Meg was so tense she ended up throwing up her breakfast, and if she could have trusted her deputy, would have called in sick. Instead she left to go to work, while Ray spent the morning pouring over computer manuals until he heard the door open. He looked around to Fraser walking out with Deif on his heels. Tossing the manual, Ray jumped out of his chair, racing after Fraser.         An hour later, Meg looked up from another mound of paperwork to see a sheepish Ray peering around the door, announcing he'd left the apartment without his keys. On impulse Meg collected her keys and decided to take the rest of the day off, she wasn't getting much in the way of work done anyway.         She joined Ray and Fraser, and made Fraser sit in the back of the car with Deif. After lunch, they took Fraser in for his exam and relaxed a little when the doctor announced that he was in fine health.         They returned to the consulate where Meg picked up a pile of paperwork to complete at home and her car. They were startled to find the Mental Health services officer on their door step when they arrived, and Meg's anxiety levels peaked. She managed to hide it well as she escorted him inside, with the men and wolf on their heels. Fraser sat himself down at the computer while Meg and Ray sat down with the MHS officer.         Nothing could wipe the smiles off their faces when they were informed the MHS had no problems with extending the order and making it an indefinite one. They considered Fraser's care to be more than adequate and Ray's efforts to educate himself to be a better Primary carer and future plans didn't hurt. Neither did it seem did their unusual relationship. The only thing that mattered was wether or not they were giving Fraser the level of care he required and they were satisfied he was getting a better level of care under Ray and Meg's supervision than he would in a mental hospital.         Fraser's medication went down the sink again as they celebrated their victory and Meg made two calls, one to the consulate asking for specific papers to be brought to her apartment, and one to Canada.         "Are you sure you want to go to Canada to continue your studies?" She asked Ray once the paper's were delivered.         "Yes."         She presented him with a pile of paper work and a pen.                 "Then fill in this paperwork. The offer to swap posts with me is still open."                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Ten                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         A week later, Deif went into quarantine and Ray sat in his car with Fraser watching Meg give the removalists last minute instructions, and making dire threats about what she would do to them if anything was damaged. When she finally the two men in the car they headed for the airport.         "I've already made arrangements with a relator to begin looking for a house that will be close to both the college and my new post. He said there are six properties, that we can occupy immediately that fit my criteria to look at, we'll visit them all tomorrow. I'll take pictures and send them to you via e-mail so you can look the properties over."         "I trust your judgement."         "Are you sure you won't come with me?"         "I'm not going to be seeing my family for a while, Meg, I think I should spend some time with them before I head to Canada."         "Perhaps Fraser should come with me."         In the end after a discussion that lasted all the way to the ticket counter, Fraser accompanied Meg on her flight out and Ray returned home. Half way home, his watch started beeping at him and he could have kicked himself for not swapping watches with Meg. His was programmed to do more than just beep when it was time to give Fraser his medication. The tiny LCD display also listed what medication he was supposed to have at those times which is why he'd brought the high tech digital watch in the first place.         "Oh, well, she's sure to ring me up when they touch down to ask me what she should give him tonight."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray settled down on his bed, rubbing his temples, as his head throbbed with what promised to become a doozy of a headache. He was rolling over and opening the bedside drawer to search for the pack of headache pills he kept there when he heard Frannie shriek "Raaaay! Phone!"         With a little groan he bolted up and raced out of the room. He wondered who the hell was calling and glanced at his watch before he raced down the stairs. By his estimates Meg and Fraser should have set down in Canada by now, it was most likely Meg ringing to tell him they'd arrived. He made a mental note to discuss Fraser's medication and grabbed the phone from Frannie as he came to a skidding stop by the phone.         "It's Fraser," Francesca informed him.         "What?! Benni?? Is that you? Say something."         "Meg."         "What about her? Did something happen to her?"         =Of course something happened, it's the first time he's spoken in God knows how long. God, don't let her..=         "Meg fainted."         "What? Where?"         "Airport."         "Which one?"         "Don't know.. They took her away."         "Rrright.. O.K Benni, listen very closely, I want you to think about this. Did you get on the plane?"         "Yes."         "O.K.. Did Meg get on the plane?"         Fraser had to think about that.         "Yes.. but they took her away.."         "She fainted on the plane?"         "Yes."         "Before or after it took off."         "Before."         "And they took her off the plane?"         "Yes."         "Great.. Look around and try to describe exactly where you are for me, can you do that for me, Benni?"                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray's intention to spend time with his family went right out the window. He managed to get Fraser to get an airport official to come to the phone, and arranged to have someone watch him. Then he tried to find out what happened to Meg. He didn't get very far. He ended up throwing his bags back into the car, and drove to the airport, with Frannie. He collected his bags, opened his mouth and almost warned her not to wreck his precious car, then the voice in his head that he called the headshrinker piped up. Instead of telling her to be careful, he told her to take care, that he'd ring when he touched down, and raced off.         He made it to the ticket counter in time to get a ticket for a flight he just had time to check his bags in for. He was settled back in his seat after the plane took off and tried to ignore the tension headache that had taken hold and made his head pound. Then he felt the seat move as someone sat in the empty seat beside him. A little voice in his head made note of the fact the seat hadn't been occupied when the plane took off.         He ignored it until a hand settled down on his thigh. His eyes flew open and he looked around to be confronted with the pale face of Meg.         "Meg!"         She put a finger to her lips and hushed him. He remembered where he was and adjusted his voice accordingly.         "What happened? I heard you fainted and when I tried to find out what happened after that.."         "They took me to the airport infirmary, I ate something, and they let me go."         "You fainted because you skipped breakfast?"         "I think I caught some kind of bug, I've been feeling off colour for the last week.. Or maybe it was just the stress."         "Tell me about it. I've got headache that just won't quit."         "Did you take something for it?"         "I was about to when the phone rang and I was too busy trying to work out how to find you and take care of Benni."         She opened her mouth to inquire about him, but he beat her to it, covering her hand with one of his own.         "He's being looked after. He went on to Canada without you. He's the one who called to tell me what happened."         She looked at him in surprise.         "Not that he was very.. helpful. I've had far more erudite conversations with toddlers."         "But he talked.. he hasn't done that since.."         "I know.. I couldn't believe it when Frannie told me he was on the phone. He is definitely turning the corner. The next thing you know we're going to be wishing he'd shut up."         Meg smiled.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  It took near on an hour and a half to sort things out at the other end of the airport, finding Fraser, collecting their luggage took up most of it. Fraser wasn't where he was supposed to be, the official who'd been keeping an eye on him having been called away to tend to some task. They eventually found him at a newsstand sitting in a chair obviously taken from the back of the stand, reading, and on the counter beside him sat a pile of magazines.         Fraser's face lit up when he saw Ray and Meg approaching them. They discovered the magazines on the counter had been chosen by Fraser. And Ray went through Fraser's bundle while Meg paid for them. The budding shrink in Ray found Fraser's choice of magazines interesting. They covered a whole range of topics, from women's glossies, decorating, cooking, pet care, two local magazines, three true life crime & mystery pulp magazines, a science fiction magazine, a renovators magazine, a bridal magazine and a literary magazine.         "Would you like a bag for those?" The stall worker asked.         Ray slid them into the bag the woman held open for him, thanked her, kindly, saw Fraser give a faint smile and the woman fluttered her lashes and gave Fraser a big smile.         "Any time."         Ray rolled his eyes and took Fraser's hand, leading him away with a loud, "Come along, Amante," for her benefit. When Meg caught up with them and wound her arm around his other arm, she was chuckling.         "So what did I just end up paying almost 50 dollar's for?"         "A very interesting range of magazines."         Fraser freed his hand and took the bag to rifle through it and pulled out the home decorators magazine to show it to Meg.         Meg took it and while they waited at the luggage carousel she went through it. Fraser took to standing at her shoulder and pointed to items that he found of interest. She chuckled when he tapped the magazine emphatically when she reached the SOHO feature and pointed at Ray.         "Birthday soon," he said in a low voice.         She gave him a dazzling smile and marked the page, tucking it under her arm as Ray approached with three cases.         "See something you like?" Ray asked.         "In a magazine like this, there's always something to like, the question is wether or not you can *afford* to buy what you like in it."         She slipped the magazine into Fraser's bag and went to examine the luggage for her own and Fraser's. Ray found a trolley and loaded his bags on it, before rejoining Fraser. When he did, Fraser held out a magazine, folded open to an article. Ray took it and looked it over, then smiled. It was one of the true life crime stories, involving a police detective using psychological profiling to catch a wanted man of murderous inclinations.         "So you understand why I came here with Meg?"         Fraser's mouth opened, but he seemed to have trouble expressing his thoughts, instead he tapped the magazine.         "Learn to be like him."         "Maybe."         "No."         "No?"         Fraser had trouble finding the words to express him self and it showed. Ray stroked his arm.         "It's o.k, Benni."         "No.. It's not."         "Relax, it's not the end of the world. You made us happy just by starting to talk again."         "Hard..words..express.. can't think straight."         A beeping alarm went off and Ray slid back his sleeve to look at his watch to see it was time for Fraser's medication. He looked up to see Meg approaching with a baggage handler pushing a trolley loaded down with luggage. When they arrived he pounced on a bag and pulled out the toiletries kit that held Fraser's medication.         "We have to find somewhere to get a meal, it's time for his medication."         "Can't we just call room service and get a meal sent up for him to take his pills with when we get to the hotel?"         Ray studied her face, which if anything had only grown more pale and drawn despite her pleasure at the positive proof of Fraser's progress, then nodded. It wouldn't hurt to put things off a little longer.         A little longer turned out to be over an hour and a half as they went looking for a cab during the shift change over. By the time they got to the hotel and settled the matter of a change in suites, everyone but Fraser was grumpy. And it seemed as time went by Fraser grew more animated as they got grumpier.         They finally got their accommodations settled and Ray asked if they could arrange for a doctor to pay a 'house call' and after the duty manager promised to arrange it, Ray sent Fraser up to the suite with Meg, while he made all the arrangements for dinner.         With the arrangements settled, Ray joined the duo in the suite and found Fraser on the couch, reading a magazine, and heard the shower. Leaving Fraser to his reading, Ray joined Meg in the shower, more out of a desire to make sure she didn't faint in the shower than anything else. He sent her to bed wrapped in one of the hotel's fluffy towelling robes, and then went in search of their bags, to find the one holding Fraser's medication. He measured out a dose to take into account the fact he'd missed medication earlier and popped the pills into their cup before he checked the bar refrigerator. The was the usual array of miniature booze, cans of soft drink, snacks and two bottles of bottled water. He pulled one out and found a glass and set it on the table with Fraser's pills.         He left Fraser reading his magazine, and returned to the suite's main room to sit on the bed with Meg. They talked about the improvement Fraser was showing until Fraser poked his head around the door and told them there was someone at the door. Ray went to answer the door and found the Doctor and room service on the door step. He directed the Doctor to Meg's room, and took the tray from the porter.         Once he had Fraser seated at the dining table with his meal, he returned to the bedroom. Fraser looked at his pills then ignored them to begin demolishing his meal. By the time Ray returned, Fraser had not only demolished his own meal but made inroads on Ray's.         "Who's hungry tonight."         Fraser looked up a little guilty and stopped eating to push the plate toward Ray. Ray pushed it back and noticed that Fraser hadn't taken his medication.         "Take your pills, Benni, and if you're still hungry after you polish off my dinner then I'll order something for desert when I ask them to send me up something else."         Fraser looked at the pills again and then pushed them away.         "Pills are bad."         Ray pushed them back.         "The doctor prescribed them, if you don't keep taking them they'll take guardianship away from us and put you in a psychiatric hospital. You don't want to go to a nut house again do you."         A vague memory stirred, of being in a straight jacket in a padded cell with Ray at his side struggling to get out of the straight jacket he was in, and Fraser reluctantly swallowed the pills.         "Good," Ray said with a little nod.         He watched Fraser start eating again and hunted up the room service menu.         "O.K we've got a few deserts on offer here.. Do you want me to read out the list or should I just pick something out for you?"         Fraser just looked at him.         "Alrighty, I'll just pick something out.."         He left Fraser to his meal while he called room service and ordered another meal and something simple for desert, something he wouldn't mind eating if Fraser's appetite vanished before it arrived. With that done he returned to the dining table to watch Fraser eat and the budding headshrinker in him started prodding Fraser, asking questions designed to judge his state of mind. Fraser expressed concern for Meg's health, and Ray assured him it was nothing serious. Probably just stress.         "I know how she feels.. I've got a killer headache."         "Perhaps you should take something for it."         "I will.. Later.. The doctor'll probably prescribe something and I'll have to go and find a pharmacy to pick it up, and I'll get something for my head ache while I'm there. Now enough about me, how about you. How do you feel?"         "Better."         "As opposed to what?"         "Before."         "Before.. we got here, before you got on the plane, before what?"         That question was a little too difficult for the befuddled man to comprehend.         "I see.. hmm.. Do you understand what's going on? By that I mean, why you're with us."         Fraser thought about that and nodded slowly.         "I've been sick... You and Meg have been taking care of me," Fraser said, his speech becoming a little slurred.         "Yes, that's right.. So you do understand what's going on. That's good.. We had to convince the Mental Health Department that we could take good care of you to be able to keep looking after you. They wanted to put you into a mental hospital and lock you up.. We had to convince them you were better off in our care than you would be in a place like that."         "Is that why we came here? I thought.."         Ray smiled reaching out to pat his hand.         "It's O.K, we convinced them to let us keep you with us. We didn't sneak away to keep you out of that place. Though trust me, if they'd tried to take you away, I would have done it. I knew you were getting better, locking you up at that stage could have ruined all our good work."         "I'm getting better?" Fraser asked.         "Yes you are.."         Something nagged at Fraser, but it was getting harder to think straight and grasp the thought let along express it. With some hard thought on the matter it came to him.         "Is Meg pregnant?" Fraser blurted before the thought could slip away on him again.         Ray stared at him, then gave a sad smile and shook his head.         "No.. I think it's just all the stress catching up with her. What she really needs is a break, but she's not going to get one.. But now you're getting better, half the pressure will be off."         Fraser thought about it, with a confused little frown.         "Are you sure she's not pregnant?"         "Yes. Very."         "Are you absolutely positive?"         "*Yes*."         He watched Fraser look toward the bedroom where Meg and the Doctor were, concern etched on his features. He was ready to stress the point further when Fraser looked his way again, his mouth opening then the thought slipped away and Fraser slowly closed his mouth with a confused look.         Ray was about to continuing prodding Fraser when there was a knock on the door and he left Fraser in his state of confusion to answer it. The knocker turned out to have been sent up with his meal and Ray collected it and as he walked back to the table uncovering his meal and inhaled the wonderful scent he mused that Fraser eating the first thing he'd ordered wasn't so bad, this meal smelled even better.         When he returned to the dinning Area he found Fraser had left the table to stand before the window looking out at the view of the city at night. With a rumble Ray's stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten all day and he sat and managed to get half the meal down before the door to Meg's room opened and the doctor stepped out, closing the door quietly behind him.         Ray looked up and then pushed his plate aside standing to join the doctor.                 "How is she?"         "Are you Raymond?"         Ray nodded.         "She's fine, it's nothing that a little rest won't cure," the doctor said pulling out a prescription pad and tearing off the top sheet.         "These will help with the nausea, make sure she takes them at least 20 minutes before meals."         Ray took the proffered prescription and tucked it away in his pocket before escorting the doctor to the door and pulling out his wallet.         "I don't have any Canadian yet, we only just touched down.. Can I pay with American?"                 The Doctor quoted a fee and Ray paid it without argument and sent him on his way. His meal remained forgotten as he hurried back to the dining/lounge area and tugged Fraser away from the window. He wasted no time getting Fraser bathed and tucked into bed then he peeked in on Meg to find her sleeping peacefully in the big bed that occupied the main bedroom of the suite.         A trip to lobby, a question and a taxi ride to an all night pharmacy later, Ray returned to throw out the remains of his dinner, put the desert into the refrigerator, and downed two aspirins before he checked in on Fraser and Meg again. Meg was still sleeping, though she'd flipped over and was now hugging a pillow to death. Fraser had gone to sleep and Ray smiled to himself when he saw that for the first time in a long time, Fraser was sleeping in a bed alone without curling up into a tight little ball. In fact he and Meg had something in common, they were both hugging pillows as they slept.         Slipping into the master bedroom, Ray filched two of the pillows and found spare blankets hidden in the wardrobe that he carried out to the lounge. He tested the lounge chair and found it held a fold out bed. In no time at all he had the bed out and made and crawled under the blankets ready to try and get some sleep himself.         He tossed and turned restlessly for an hour before he crawled out of the bed and crept through the suite into the kitchenette to down two more aspirin. When he returned to the lounge/bed he found that someone had crept out and slipped under the blankets. it was hard to tell who, all he could see over the top of the blankets were a few dark curls, and both Fraser and Meg had dark hair.         With a little shrug he climbed back into the bed to settle down and a few moments later discovered the other occupant of the bed was Fraser when the half doped Canadian snuggled down at his side and murmured slurred endearment's that made him chuckle softly as he started drifting off to sleep.         When he awoke Ray discovered there was more than one Canadian sharing his bed, Meg had crawled in at some point in the night and he was being cuddled on both side's by two apparently very content Canadians if the little smiles on their faces were anything to go by.         "How anyone can smile after a night on this torture rack is beyond me.." Ray grumbled as he tried to wiggle out of the Mountie sandwich he was caught in.         His efforts to slip away woke both Fraser and Meg. Meg was the first and he noticed it.         "How are you felling?" He asked solicitously.         "Much better," she said as she let her hand wander over his body.         "And you?"         Her hand wandered lower and another hand started wandering over his back and he felt Fraser's breath on his neck before his lips touched it.         "Am I the only one in this suite who isn't feeling frisky right now?" He asked.         "You still have your headache?"         "No.. After a night on this, that ache migrated to my spine. And as much as I enjoy being a part of a Mountie Sandwich.."         His half heart protestations trailed off as Fraser's hands moved over his back and neck, finding the tension there before he started an expert massage. Ray almost purred as Fraser's nimble fingers moved over his spine taking away the aches and pains. But Fraser's hands weren't the only busy ones. Meg's got busy too.         Meg stopped and sat up to look at Ray when he suddenly froze his eyes widening.         "What is it? What's wrong?"         Ray looked over his shoulder at Fraser who was close as he could get. Then the Italio-American rolled and raised the blankets to peek under them.         "Ohmigod."         "What is it?"         Ray laughed.         "Raymond Vecchio if you don't tell me what's going on.."         Ray looked at her.         "Its Benni."         Meg looked at Fraser who looked quite content to continue stroking and kissing Ray all day.         "What about him?"         "How should I put this.. He's *very* interested in this mountie sandwich idea."         Meg frowned, then looked under the blankets and her eyes widened.         "Now might be a good time to get out of bed and let me take care of him."         Ray considered that, then nodded before he shifted around to give Fraser a quick kiss.         "Good morning to you too," he said, then switched places with Meg before sliding out of the bed to head for the shower leaving the Inspector to deal with Fraser.         Fraser looked around, following Ray's movements with a faint look of disappointment that Meg wiped off his face while Ray took a cold shower.         Meg jumped into the shower while he was in the bedroom changing, and Ray was getting Fraser's medication and breakfast sorted out while she changed. Meg slipped out of the suite while he was occupied and it wasn't till late in the day that she returned, while Fraser was taking a nap.                 "Well, I hope your day was more productive than mine," Ray said as he wandered into the kitchenette to make coffee.         "Nothing happened?"         "Not a thing. He didn't even talk to me, or show any interest in his magazines either. All though he did pay attention when I read an article or two from them to him."         "He didn't try to get affectionate with you did he?"         "Apart from this morning, no."         "Good."         "Maybe."         "It won't be a problem after tonight."         "Oh, why?"         "The house has locks on every bedroom door, you can look yours to keep him out while you sleep."         "I can't lock the door, he might want to crawl into my bed and snuggle up next to me."         "That's exactly why you should lock your door from now on. Today is *not* the first time he's shown a definite interest in sex."         "Are you talking about beyond.. foreplay here?"         She nodded.         "Why didn't you mention it?"         "It never went anywhere."         "Why not?"         "Because he looses interest pretty fast, there are so many ways to turn him off in an instant."         Ray handed her a cup of coffee and hurried off to find a note pad and pen before collecting his own coffee.         "Do me a favour, think hard about it, and write down a complete list of all the things you've noticed that turn him off in an instant," Ray said handing her the pad.         She nodded heading for the dining/lounge area with Ray on her tail.         "If you won't lock your door. Memorise this list, knowing how to turn him off in a hurry might help you avoid a situation you don't want to get into."         "Meaning Fraser deciding he wants to have sex with me."         "He decided that this morning. The question now is not wether or not he's ready to go that far, but wether or not you're ready to cross that line with him."                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                         Part Eleven                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*                                         Part Eleven                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         They say the only thing that causes as much stress as the death of a family member or loved one is moving house. Which explained why Meg was grumpy as hell and his head ache only went away when he downed at least four aspirin to hold it at bay.         On the other hand there were moments in time, small moments at that, which put a smile on Ray's face. Like the day he'd taken Fraser for a walk. Fraser had plucked a flower from somewhere and watched him, walking along, plucking the flower, muttering he loves me he loves me not until there were no more petals left. The last petal had been a "He love's me" one, and Fraser had spontaneously grabbed and kissed him till he thought he'd pass out from lack of air.         And then there were times Ray just wanted to bang his head against a brick wall. Fraser's improvement was on one hand worth celebrating, and on the other, a little frightening. He was childlike, except for one area, sex. Since the move Fraser had grown more and more interested in displays of physical affection. And on more than one occasion responding to his need for it had lead to things reaching the point where he had to choose wether to cross the line or not.         His decision was always the same, he wasn't ready to cross that line, even if Fraser was. The funny thing was, the more he rejected crossing that line with Fraser, the more interested Fraser became in crossing it. In the end Ray took up Meg's suggestion and started locking his bedroom door when he went to bed.         Of course Fraser got grumpy about it. Like a child deprived of it's favourite toy. And it was at those times Ray wondered if that was how things were going to be, if Fraser was going to remain childlike for life, and felt like bashing his head against a brick wall.         He couldn't complain though. His studies were going exceptionally well. He'd made friends with a number of students who were studying the same courses, mostly younger people who had found the fact he was a cop, and a detective at that, to be awe inspiring. They were always asking him about cases he'd worked on. He was keeping up with his class mates in the psych and S.A.C classes, even though he did the bulk of the course load at home. But when it came to the criminology classes he was king of the hill, top of the heap, or had been till he and the course instructor had a very big disagreement in front of the entire class.         He just couldn't back down, and neither would the teacher, and it had been a rather ugly disagreement. Ending with Ray telling the teacher to get out of his Ivory tower and visit the real world sometime and walking out. He'd apologised later to the frosty teacher but ever since that day, no matter how hard he tried, how hard he worked, his grades for the criminology class spiralled downward. Then it came to the crunch, he had to do better than a pass mark, to remain in the class, he had to get through the criminology classes to make it into the profiling programme. If he failed, he was not only blowing his chances to get into profiling, but letting down Meg, and even Fraser.         The scholarship, gaining his psychology diploma, becoming a certified physiologist, it all hinged on his being able to do well in his chosen classes, *all* three of them. If he failed in one class, he'd loose the scholarship. Without the scholarship he couldn't afford to remain and he certainly couldn't ask Meg to cover his course fees.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg found Ray slumped on the love seat that was the main feature of the large verandah that faced a view to die for. She'd chosen the house for that view and the 5 rooms it had. Now they all had separate bedrooms, and had converted another into a study, the other into a library to hold Ray's ever expanding collection of text books.         She watched Ray and heaved a mental sigh. The move to Canada was supposed to have improved their situation. She'd thought it could only help - both Fraser and Ray. Instead, while Fraser had improved, he'd also become definitely grumpy. As for Ray he never joined her in bed any more. More often than not she found him slumped at his desk, dead to the world, with either a text book at his feet having fallen from his hands, or the computer glowing away displaying some text or another.         When he wasn't studying, he was clucking over Fraser, or had his nose buried in a recipe book. He'd started preparing more and more extravagant meals and kept the house so clean even a white glove inspection couldn't find a speck of dust.         The slim Italian grew slimmer with every day, he picked at his meals, when he ate, he seemed to exist on coffee and lots of it and had picked up the foul habit of smoking - most likely at the college. She remembered the first time she'd seen him smoking, it was outside the college, where he and Fraser had been standing with a group of students, mostly younger men and women. Ray had put a bit of distance between himself and Fraser and had been puffing away with the smoking half of the group. When she took him to task for it, he'd snapped "you'd prefer I took up drinking instead?" She hadn't said a word about his new habit since, other than to ask him to refrain from smoking around her and Fraser.         She wondered how everything had gone so wrong and heaved another sigh. Ray looked at her, then his eyes started roaming over her in a clinical fashion.         "Fraser was right."         "About what?"         "You're pregnant."         She flushed faintly. She still had her figure but she'd already gone up two bra sizes and it showed.         "Did you sleep with Fraser sometime I don't know about?"         "No. It's yours."         "That's impossible."         "When did you decide to start a family? Did you even want to try at that stage, or did you start trying because you thought it might save your marriage?"         Ray looked away.                 "It's a statistical fact that a great many couples who try to have children when they're under stress fail - until the stress is removed and they relax. But then again, most couples in that situation break up."         "I'm surprised you decided to go through with it."         "Why?"         "You don't need to do it any more. They gave us an indefinite care order. You could have terminated when you found out and I'd have been none the wiser."         "Termination never even crossed my mind."         "When did you intend to tell me?"         "I've been trying to work out how, considering that I knew what you'd say when I told you. Besides which the Doctor says that unless I reduce the level of stress I'm under I'll miscarry."         Ray rose to his feet and Meg found herself being made to sit down on the love seat.         "You should apply for maternity leave."                 "It's too soon for that and my work load is half what it was in Chicago, the staff under me are extremely efficient. I don't spend half my day's averting disasters, most of the stress is a result of worrying about Fraser and you."         "Me???"         "You're the shrink in training, psychoanalyse yourself. I can't remember the last time I saw you eat a decent meal. You seem to exist on coffee and cigarettes. Which by the way is bad for the baby, second hand smoke can affect a child in the womb."         Ray pulled the packet of cigarettes he had out of his pocket and crushed them.         "That's a start. But unless you start taking better care of yourself even if I can take this to term, you won't be around to see your child born."         Ray looked away.         =As if you'll want me around when you find out I lost my scholarship and had to drop out.=         "I don't understand you at all. Fraser is getting better, and you're acting like the end of the world is nigh."         "He's not getting better."         "How can you say that? He's improved drastically over the way he used to be. He talks now."         "The average toddler could hold a more intelligent conversation than he can."         "It's a start.. He's also more active.. And I think he's grumpy because he's frustrated."         =It's called sexual frustration=         "He tries so hard to find the words to express himself but he can't seem to do it, and he gets frustrated when that happens and he can't express what he wants to, and that makes him grumpy."         Ray jumped up moving away, then spun to face her.         "Do you think I haven't tried to help him break the communication barrier, do you think I haven't tried re- education, teaching him how to express himself. Face up to it, Dante didn't just mess up his mind, he left Benni Brain Damaged. He's never going to get better, what you see is what you get. And all the wishes and hopes in the world aren't going to change that," Ray snapped before he stomped off.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg despaired of Ray changing his ways when she found him slumped asleep in the chair of his office. The soft glow of the computer screen attracted her attention. She saved the file he was working on without looking at it and switched the machine off. Then her foot kicked something. She went down on her hands and knees to pull a stenographers note pad out from under the desk. Half its pages were covered with notes.         She was about to flip it closed when she realised all those notes were related to Fraser. She went through it seeing that he was keeping very clear and concise notes, sequentially dated, about Fraser's condition, what he ate, drank, what pills he took, what he did or didn't do. What he, Ray, had done for him during the course of the day, What she, Meg had done for him. At the bottom of each page was a 0 to 10 scale each scale was marked with a red circle around the zero.         In curiosity she flipped through to the last page, then flipped back two to find the day's date. The first page was filled with his notes on Fraser's state, the next two were covered with notes of a different kind. He'd turned Fraser into a patient, the notes were his analysis of Fraser's state and what needed to be done to improve it. There was a list at the bottom of the last page.         Take Fraser to Doctor for physical         Put Fraser on diet         Design exercise regime         Find Magazines and spend an hour reading to Fraser, morning and afternoon.         Involve Fraser in activities that involve Deif, walks, brushing down, bathing and feeding.         She flipped to the last page and found Ray's plan involved trialing a plan to break Fraser of his dependence on himself and her. She tore a page out and made a few notes for herself and tucked it away in her pocket before she set the note pad aside and got the sleepy Italian up to his feet. Half leading, half dragging him through the house, she got him into the bedroom and tucked him into bed before she returned to the office to start going through the drawers. There she found what she was looking for.         Turning his computer on, she opened the account keeping programme and then began sorting through the collection of receipts and notes Ray had made keeping track of all the things he'd brought for Fraser.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray sat Fraser down on a chair in the kitchen where he made a big deal of ripping up every recipe he'd collected for meals he thought Fraser would like.         "That's the last time I cook any of that."         Then he went through the cupboards and refrigerator throwing out all the ingredients for those meals which he couldn't use in other recipes. Then he pulled one of Fraser's women's magazine from under his coat and waved it before his face.         "You see this. You chose this. I don't know what it was that interested you about it. But there is something that interests me in it," Ray said, then poked Fraser in the belly.         "Recipes for Lo-fat meals. Which is all you're going to get from now on. You're getting pudgy because you don't get enough exercise."         The Ray whirled and using the magazine as a guide, collected all the ingredients he needed to start a meal.         "The Doctor says you need a lo-fat diet and more exercise so that's what you're going to get. Tomorrow you're going to meet your new carer, she's going to look after you during the day. I've got to do a lot of shopping. I'd take you with me, only it's too embarrassing to take you out into the real world."         Following the instructions he got the meal started, then marked the page before he fetched another chair and sat opposite Fraser and flipped to the first article in the magazine and started reading it aloud for Fraser.         He marked the page he was on when the timer went off and served up the meal taking Fraser through to the eating nook and left him there while he collected a glass of water and Fraser's pills.         He sat beside Fraser and counted out pills.         "The doctor told me to toss most of your pills. He said they were what left you feeling confused and gave you trouble trying to think straight. That was the sort of medication they use in psychiatric hospitals to turn patients into good little zombies. Your system got used to them, and they started loosing their effectiveness, that's why you started to get your wits back. These pills are different, well most of them are.. Now we've got vitamins, mostly, two different kinds of anti-depressants and a sedative, and you only get the sedative if you can't sleep or have one of your fits."         He got Fraser to take his pills then fed him and took him through to the bathroom to clean him up and started his toilet retraining.         When Meg returned she found them in the lounge, with Fraser dressed in baggy sweats while Ray directed him through some easy exercises. She left him to it and checked the refrigerator and instead of finding a meal prepared for her just waiting to be eaten, or popped into the microwave, she found the refrigerator was mostly empty. All that was left was a few vegetables, a piece of fruit, milk, juice and bottled water.         She went through the cupboards and found they'd been half emptied too. After exploring what was available, she collected her keys and went back out to drive away.         Ray finished with Fraser's exercise then called Deif and fetched his brush, making Fraser help him brush the beast down.         When Meg returned an hour and a half later, Fraser was tucked into bed, and Ray was seated beside it reading from a magazine.         He joined her in the kitchen half an hour later, to be presented with a plate of steaming Pasta and a glass of juice. She watched him wolf the meal down and go hunting for more.         "That's it."         "You didn't make any more?"         "I hunted down an Italian restaurant and got your favourite meal as take away. If you want more you'll have to make it yourself."         He wandered away, and she started doing the dishes. He returned with a note pad, a pile of magazines and book. While she cleaned up in the kitchen he sat in the nook, going through them making notes. When she was finished in the kitchen she made coffee for two and joined him in the nook.         "So how was your day?"         "Busy. I took Fraser to the doctor, he's going on a diet and exercise plan"         He showed her the book.         "He loaned me this book."         She took it and flipped through it, finding it full of recipes for healthy meals, directions on how to care for a brain damaged patient, and exercises for passive patients.         "I'm going to be pretty busy tomorrow, I've got to go shopping tomorrow and get some exercise equipment, and stock up on the right foods. Try to find a copy of that for myself, since he wants it back... Then I'll probably spend the afternoon in the kitchen cooking till I've stocked the freezer with enough food to keep him going for a month."         "What about your classes?"         Ray looked into his coffee cup.         "I quit."         "What?!"         "I don't see the point in continuing."         "No point!"         "What's done is done."         "I don't believe this, I came here to make it easy for you to carry out your studies without interfering with your care giving duties."         "You were the one who reamed me out for not taking better care of my self. Well I re-evaluated things, like what's important. And what's important here, is Fraser, and making sure you have no reason to get stressed out and lose Fraser's kid."         She wanted to deck him, her fingers curled up and it took a conscious command to her hand to make it relax.         "By the way.. I was wrong, about Benni.. He's not brain damaged. The doctor I took him too ran all sorts of tests. He said it was the medication he was on and that the reason Fraser started to improve was that he'd grown used to the medication and his body needed more to keep him zombiefied the way he was."         "No more medication?"                 "Oh, no.. He's still gotta lot of pills to take.. But these ones are different. they're not supposed to make him docile and passive, and they'll help him through the withdrawal period without going nuts on us. I also spoke to the doctor about getting someone else in to look after Fraser during the day. He's got into a routine, we have to break it and provide the right sort of stimulus to bring back the man he used to be."         "You're going to need money to cover all this."         "Yeah."         She handed him a bank cheque for a thousand dollars.         "I opened up an account at that bank, it's near the college. They should have a cheque book and a key card for you by the end of the week. In the mean time that should cover things. If you need more just let me know."         Then she handed him another cheque.         "What's this for?"         "I went through your desk last night. You should keep better track of what you spend directly related to Fraser's care and your studies - since that is directly related to Fraser's care too. You've got an account keeping programme on your computer. I was up half the night getting all those receipts in order and calculating what you've spent.. From now on you give me the receipts and I'll keep track of your expenses."         "Oh.. Thank-you.. I keep meaning to do it myself, but there's just so much work to do that I never got around to it. I did try to keep track of everything."         "You did a reasonable job of it."         "I did a lousy job."         She reached out taking his hand.         "I want you to rethink your decision to quit your studies, Raymond. Especially in light of the fact you've arranged for a part time carer. We can schedule things so that he or she or I can care for Benton when you have to attend classes or need to devote more time to studying."          He shook his head.         "It's not that.. Like you said. I gotta start taking better care of my self, and something had to give. I chose to give up the thing that was causing me the most stress. Those correspondence courses were easy compared to what I've been studying here."         "I never figured you for a quitter."         His eyes flashed.         "I am not a quitter."         "No.. It sounds as if that's what you're becoming. You were ready to give up on Fraser. You quit your studies because they're harder than you thought they'd be."         He yanked his hand away, or tried to. She wouldn't let him do it, wrapping her other hand around his.         "Something has been eating away at you for weeks now. And don't tell me it's just the sheer hard work. You wouldn't turn down my offer to look after Fraser to give you more time to study if it was."         He sighed, looking away.         "Tell me what it is.. Maybe I can help."         "You can't help."         "You never know.. Perhaps.."         "I lost the damned scholarship."         She sat right back, that being the last thing she expected.         "What?! But you were doing so well."         "Yeah right.. I'm not cut out to be a student.. I could hold my own in the psych and SAC courses, but I was never considered anything but an average student in those classes."         "But you told me your mid term exams results put you in the top five student category."         "And I studied like crazy to get those results, but it just came easy to the others.. Hell I remember one of the guys going on about how all he does at night is play music with his band or party all night.. And he got the top marks.. Me, I had to knock myself out to get the marks I got."         "You didn't have to knock yourself out in the criminology classes.. that should have come easy.."         He gave a very deep sigh.         "Don't tell me you had trouble in that class I won't believe it."         "I failed the exams.. I had the lowest grades in the whole class.. And I lost my place.. When I lost that, I lost the scholarship."         "I don't believe it.. How could you fail in *Criminology* of all things. You must know most of the subject material back to front."         "I do.. That's why I failed.. I had it out with the teacher in front of the whole class because what he was teaching them was dead wrong.. He was feeding the same pile of garbage that got drummed into my head at the police academy."         "And that makes it wrong."         "The stuff he was blathering on about was dead wrong. They stopped teaching it at the academy years ago for that reason. I corrected him and he didn't like that.. Or back down.. He's been making me pay ever since.. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd blitzed that exam, and I probably did, he had no intentions of giving me a passing mark."         "Appeal."         "What's the point?" He asked with a little snort, "It's his word against mine, and he's the *expert*."         "Wrong.. You're the expert. You're the one who's been out there, *doing* the things he only knows about through books and lectures. You're the one who has *practical experience* over theoretical knowledge. It makes no sense for a man with your experience to fail that class. If you make a complaint and demand an investigation, I'm sure they'll take it seriously and look into it."         "There is no point. I wouldn't go back to those classes even if they made him beg for forgiveness."         She studied him and knew it was a point he wouldn't budge on.         {If you won't stick up for yourself, then I guess it's my turn to kick a little butt}         She produced an airline ticket and waved it before his eyes.         "What..?"         "The semester is over soon. I thought it was the best time for you to take a holiday.. A break from your studies and caring for Fraser. You were going to spend a week with your family.. Before you joined us here.. I think you should go home, back to Chicago and relax, forget about your studies, Fraser, me.. You need this - and don't tell me otherwise.. I'm sure your mother will take one look at you and shriek about how thin you are."         "And you shouldn't have to take care of Fraser when you're in a delicate condition."         "I'll have that carer you found to share the load with, and take Ben with me when I got to work. I've done that often enough during your exams to know he's no bother. He seems quite content to sit in an office with a pile of files sorting everything into alphabetical order," she said and pressed the ticket into his hand.         "You've got a week to think it over. I think you should return, if for no other reason than to get your car, I know you hate having to get around in Taxi's. It will save us a lot of money in the long run if you have your own vehicle again."         He gave a little sigh and she tried not to smile, knowing she'd won the battle with her last argument.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray sat on the grass watching Fraser play with Deif in the secluded patch of forest he'd spent the last three hours driving Meg's car to reach. Fraser reacted so much better when he took him into a wilderness area. He seemed to relax and enjoyed himself. But for some reason, Fraser didn't seem to be enjoying himself as much today.         His game with Deif was half hearted and it seemed even the wolf sensed it. In no time at all Deif was curling up at Ray's side with a little whine. Ray gave him a scratch between the ears and watched Fraser approach to drop down onto the picnic basket beside him.         "What's the matter Benni? Not feeling well?"         "You're leaving."         Ray started.         "Going home.. To Chicago."         "Where did you..?"         "I saw the ticket."         "Oh.. Well.. Meg got that for me, she thinks I should take a break, a holiday, to recharge my batteries.. Before the baby comes along."         "Baby?"         "Yes.. Baby.. She's pregnant."         Fraser's eyes lit up.         "A baby.."         "Yes.. Meg is going to have a baby."         "You're going to be a daddy.. I think you'll be a good father."         Ray laughed and swatted him.         "Trust me, Benni, the kid's yours."         "No."         "Yes."         "No."         "It can't be mine."         "You have sex with Meg. The baby is yours."         "I'm not the one who goes creeping into other people's beds when he's feeling lonesome."         Fraser blushed a little.         "There is an old saying.. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."         "And what is that supposed to mean?"         "That the baby is yours."         "Uh-uh, no way."         "I did not and have not.. had sex with Meg."         "Never?"         "Not the sort that produces babies."         Ray looked at him for a very long time.         "Meg does not want to cross the line with me."         Ray's brows defected.         "And neither do you.. I was grumpy about that, but I understand it now.."         "You do?"         Fraser looked off into the distance.         "Have I thanked you for taking me to the doctor and getting me off those horrible pills that made it so hard for me to think straight."         "No."         "I still have trouble...but it is easier now. I can express myself."         "I noticed.. Taking you to that doctor was the smartest thing I've done in a while."         "You are the best friend I've ever had."         Ray smiled.         "Or will ever have."         "Thank-you."         Fraser looked at him, then slowly started leaning toward him. Ray made no move to draw away, and when Fraser kissed him, he wrapped a hand around the back of his skull tangling his fingers in his hair returning the kiss. One kiss lead to another which lead to other things, which lead to Ray being grateful he'd chosen a very secluded patch of wilderness as he let Fraser strip away his clothes to worship his body from head to toe.         He let his friend and lover use his hands and mouth to bring him pleasure and then returned the favour much to Fraser's delight and pleasure. When it was over he looked down at Fraser lying bonelessly on the blanket with a look of such utter contentment and bliss on his face that any misgiving's he'd had, when he'd elected to explore taking things further, bit the dust.         He wasn't sure how far he was willing to go, but he was sure as hell willing to give Fraser the chance to show him just how good it could get.         He leaned over his blissful partner and kissed the tip of his nose, making Fraser open his eyes.         "You can say I love you that way anytime, Benni."         Fraser smiled and pulled his head down for a kiss. Ray was the one to break it up and toss his clothes at him.         "Meg's part of my life too now.. So if you're still feeling frisky, wait till we get home so we can get frisky with her, hmm."         Fraser dressed with a nod and Ray scrambled into his own clothes.         "I forget to ask if.. you're O.K with that arrangement."         "You mean.. a menage a trois."         "Yes."         "I have no problems with it."         "Good. Because I'd hate to have to chose between you, I don't know if I could make a choice like that any more," Ray admitted, then leaned over Fraser to give him another kiss.                           *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                  Part Twelve                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*                  Fraser sat on Ray's bed, watching him pack for his break away.         "You and I are going to have a lot to talk about when I get back Benni. I'll give you a note pad before I go, I want you to use it. Write down anything you dream about. And anything that comes up that you want to talk about."         Fraser nodded slowly. Ray tossed his toiletries pouch into the case along with the latest psychology text book he'd acquired. The one he was in the middle of reading was tucked into his carry on luggage and both bags were closed.         "And stay out of trouble. Meg's in a delicate condition, she doesn't need any more stress at the moment."         "Yes, Ray."         Ray's watch beeped at him.         "Time to wash up."         Fraser jumped up and headed for the bathroom. Ray collected his bags and carried them out to place them near the front door, ready for the next morning. He was in the middle of selecting a meal for the day when he heard the phone ringing. The answering machine kicked in as he rushed through the kitchen and he stopped with his hand hovering over the hand set as he listened to Meg's voice tell the caller to leave a message after the beep. When he heard Meg's voice again he turned off the machine.         "You've got perfect timing, Meg, I was just about to get started on dinner."         :"Don't prepare anything for me," Meg said.:         "Oh. Are you feeling queasy again?"         :"No, something's come up here, and it looks like I'm going to be here for a while. I don't know when I'll be getting home.":         "Oh."         :"I didn't want you to waste food or wait up for me.":         -Well there go my plans for the evening-         "Are we talking an hour or two here or.."         :"Possibly longer. Don't worry about preparing something for me, I'll have dinner here. I sent Constable Williams out to get take away.":         "Oh, well.. I don't suppose you'd be back before Benni drops off will you?"         :"I doubt it.":         -Scratch that plan-         :"Don't worry, I'll be bringing him in with me in the morning. Don't forget to set your alarm, your flight leaves at Ten, I've already booked a taxi for you. It'll be arriving at quarter to nine.. That should get you to the airport in time. Don't forget to get your left over US funds from the safe...":         Ray listened to Meg prattle on about what he should and shouldn't do and a wicked impulse struck him.         "Are you alone right now?"         "For the moment."         "You realise you spoiled my plans for the evening."         "Plans? What plans? You didn't mention any plans."         "That's because I only came up with them this afternoon. And Benni and I both agreed there's someone else in this house who deserves a little attention."         "Ooooh."         "Mhhhm.. You."         "Oh and just what did you have in mind?"         Ray began telling her in great detail his voice dropping to a seductive little purr, his detailed descriptions peppered with the occasional bout of Italian love talk.         :"Oh, stop.":         He grinned.         :"Or I'll end up pouncing on you when I get home.":         Ray became even more descriptive, describing how he intended to carry out her favourite bedroom activities and heard her give a little sound that was half purr/half growl.         :"You're all talk, no action.":         He laughed and heard a creaking that he knew came from the door of her office being opened and it came through ear piercingly clear, even over the phone it set his teeth on edge         "God, get those door hinges oiled."         "It's the perfect kinetic energy intruder alert."         "Huh?"         :"Never mind. I have to go.":         "See you in the morning," Ray said before hanging up.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         It was a grumpy Ray who collected his luggage at O'Hare and stomped his way through the terminal. He'd spent half the night waiting for Meg to return, had to deal with Fraser having a nightmare, received a black eye in the process of waking him up. Somehow got him to take a sedative which sent the distressed man into a deep and dreamless sleep, and ended up lying on his bed, with an ice pack over his eye.         He didn't remember much beyond that, he was vaguely aware that Meg had been into his room, he'd woken up under the blankets minus the ice pack and half his clothes. He groaned when he saw that he'd managed to sleep through the alarm. That was if he'd even remembered to set it, and he couldn't recall doing it. As a result, he bolted out of bed with only five minutes to get dressed before the taxi arrived. He was hopping through the house trying to get his second shoe on, double checking that all the windows and doors were locked when the taxi arrived. He missed his chance to talk to Meg and Fraser before he left.         And things only got worse, the taxi suffered a flat on the way to the airport, and the driver had called for assistance, citing a bad back. Ray had ended up changing the tire himself, and the taxi arrived at the airport just in time for him to check in. There was no time to change into clean clothes. Just enough to hand his suit case over and be directed to the right gate to catch his flight, for which the final boarding call went out as he ran through the terminal.         To cap off his morning, he discovered his seat mate was a verbose old lady pushing 90 who babbled on and on about her family, showing him her collection of pictures of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren along with telling him stories about each every one of them. It wasn't that he objected to her stories, it was her voice, it had a nasal quality that set his teeth on edge and after listening to it for three hours, he was ready to commit grannycide. It didn't help that the pilot kept announcing that a storm over Chicago was keeping them in the air.         He finally got so sick of it that he slipped out of his seat to pounce on a hostess and begged her to let him use one of the unoccupied seats, before he strangled the chattering old biddy that was his seat mate. Fortunately for all involved, the hostess took pity on him and showed him to an empty window seat.         He went from grump to foul tempered grouch after the plane finally landed and he discovered that even though he'd taken the time to call ahead and arrange for Frannie to meet him at the airport, she'd give up waiting, if she'd ever arrived, which is why he stormed through the terminal with a scowl on his face.         His face was transformed, as he exited the terminal to see his car parked at the curb, its paintwork gleaming. Frannie was leaning against the Riv, dangling his keys in one hand, holding up a thermos in the other. He dropped his case by her feet, collecting his keys before giving her a hug.         "And here I was thinking you'd left."         She patted his cheeks.         "Ma is going to have a fit when she sees you. You've lost so much weight."         He rolled his eyes and moved away to open the trunk, throwing his bags in.         "Don't start, Meg nags me about it enough as it."         "Not enough."         "Thanks for taking such great care of my car," Ray said, slamming the trunk closed.         "You're welcome."         "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but just forget any ideas you might have had about continuing to use it. It's going back to Canada with me."         She climbed into the car, belting up and pouring a cup of coffee as Ray climbed in. She reached out to wave it under his nose, and he took it to sip at it, and smiled. He'd almost forgotten what his favourite kind of coffee tasted like.         "How's Fraser?"         "Getting better every day."         "That's good news. How are your studies going? Ma said you were going to .."         "Don't ask."         "Oh.."         "Why don't you tell me how everyone's going instead."         Frannie took the hint and started chattering away about various things that had gone on while he'd been away. She was still chattering away when he pulled up in the driveway. He didn't get the welcome home he expected. The answer as to why became obvious when he walked into the silent house.         "Where is everyone," he asked his sister as she stepped in behind him with the day's mail.         "Maria, Tony and the kids are staying with Tony's family for the holidays for a change. Ma won a holiday on a cruise liner, and decided to take it while they were away."         "Oh.. I guess I should have rang and told Ma I was coming back sooner."         "Meg called, but Ma and Maria had already made their plans at that time.."         "You're not going to vanish on me too are you?"         "Well.. actually."         "You've got your own plans too."         She gave him a weak smile.         "Rrright."         "Meg said you needed a break, you'll have the house all to yourself for at least a week. Make the most of it. I'll be back on Saturday, Maria and the kid's will be back late Sunday and once they get back, you'll be wishing they stayed away a little longer. Why don't you go upstairs and get cleaned up. I'll get lunch started."         Ray gave a little nod, and headed for the stairs.         "You don't have to worry about food while you're here, Ma cooked up a storm before she left, the freezer is packed, all you have to do is pick what you want. Which should be fun."         "Oh, why?"         "Because she cooked all your favourite meals."         Ray laughed as he tromped up the stairs. He didn't notice Frannie sneaking up the stairs as he made his way up the hall. The only thing on his mind was getting some clean clothes and jumping into the shower to clean up. Those thoughts went right out the window when he opened his bedroom door, stepping in to stop dead in his tracks when he saw his bed. There wasn't a square inch of it that was covered with a brightly wrapped gift.         "Frannie!"         "Yessss?" She said by his ear.         Ray jumped and spun around to look at her.         "What is this?"         "Your birthday, Christmas presents for last year and your birthday presents for this year as well. Oh, and there are some for Fraser there too. They're the one's up near the head of the bed."         Ray looked at the bed again.                 "We didn't know where to send them," Frannie said in way of explanation as she moved to the bed and picked up a brightly wrapped gift and held it out.         "This is from me."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray forgot all about Lunch as he worked his way through the pile of gifts on his bed. He found more than one item of clothing, a few books, a key chain with a tiny replica of his car, which he wasted no time transferring his keys to, there were three jigsaw puzzles, one of them a 3-d puzzle, a new set of bed linen with matching curtains, courtesy of his mother, a new set of Lady Killer products, this time there was a bottle of aftershave, a cologne spray, a bar of soap, talc and shampoo. He made a mental note to see wether Meg liked it before he tossed it. It wasn't as if his mother would find out.         He opened up the last gift from his mother, and was glad that Frannie had dashed off down stairs to make the promised meal after watching him open her gifts. The last gift from his mother was a mortar board and robe, of the sort graduating students wore to their graduation ceremony. The note tucked inside made him feel worse than the actual gift did and he sat back just looking at it.         With a little sigh, he pulled out his wallet and tucked the note into it, making a mental promise to do what Meg wanted him too and try to appeal the withdrawal of his scholarship.         Setting the wallet aside, he looked the bed over again. There nestled among the presents was a parcel wrapped in brown paper, he reached out for it and looked it over, finding his own name and home address on it. There was no return address, but the postal stamp was for one of the local postal branches and judging by the date on it, it had arrived a few days after he'd moved into Meg's apartment. Wondering who'd sent it and why his mother hadn't given it to him when he'd returned before heading off to Canada, he set about unwrapping it to find an equally non descript box and opened it. With a pfft, he was blinded by a flash of light, as a cloud of smoke, complete with a foul stench, erupted from the box and he felt liquid splash all over his face, chest and hands which had flown up in reflex at the blinding flash.         The pain hit seconds later, and he realised what the liquid was at the same time as it started eating through his clothes and flesh.         -Acid!-         He staggered up to his feet, coughing as the foul smoke irritated his lungs. he couldn't draw in enough air to scream when the next wave of pain swept over him as the acid did its work. He fell to the floor with a thud, fighting for consciousness, fighting his own instincts, unable to scream for help, barely able to draw in air between hacking coughs. Somehow he managed to crawl to the door way and rolled over to his back. Kicking the door open he started slamming it into the wall, over and over.         He heard the sound's reverberating through the corridor, his sister's voice, then the sound of her approach and nothing more as he lost the fight for consciousness.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Dressed in his dress reds, Fraser followed Meg, clad in her own dress reds, with the coat open because her bust line was exceeded the coat's ability to cover it. They strode together through the corridor's of the college. It was far from quiet, but then there were still a number of exams being held before it closed for the holiday period.         A student puffing away on a cigarette in the corridor, directly under a non smoking sign, looked up as the red clad couple strode down the hall.         "Which way to the Dean's office?" Meg asked.         The student pointed and Meg continued on her way. Fraser though stopped ,and reached out to pluck the cigarette from the student's fingers before stubbing it out and proceeded to give the student a lecture on the effects of smoking on ones health, quoting verbatim an article he'd read in one of his magazines, complete with statistics.         The student listened to the whole lecture with a silly smile, waiting for him to finish, then informed Fraser it was pot, not tobacco.         Fraser stared at him for a good three seconds, then made him turn around and look at the sign on the wall, which apart from declaring the area a non smoking area, also stated that anyone caught smoking in it would be fined. Then he hauled the student off to the Dean's office.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray slowly drifted back to consciousness, feeling no pain, thanks to copious amounts of pain killers he'd received intravenously after his arrival at the hospital. He became aware of the respirator tube down his throat first, the restraints around his arms second, and the presence of another person last.         He heard a thump near his head, felt the touch of a hand on his arm and tried to look around, but he couldn't open his eyes.         "Relax, Ray, you're in the hospital.. You're on a respirator, stop thrashing around like that, or they'll leave you restrained and I don't think you want that to happen."         Slowly Ray settled down as the voice of his former superior continued telling him to calm down, over and over in a soothing tone. He heard a door open and the sound of people entering. The respirator was disengaged, and he was fed ice chips that he swallowed gratefully, after gagging at the horrible taste in his mouth while the doctor waffled on. Nothing sunk in except the fact that the tube down his throat was gone.         He tried to raise a hand and remembered the restraints. He felt the touch on his arm again, heard Welsh telling him not to fight the restraints and turned his head in the direction of that voice.         "Wha.." he croaked.         "Relax.."                 "M'eyes.."         "Have been bandaged."         Ray relaxed a tad and tried to remember how he ended up in the hospital. As soon as he thought about it, the memory of that vicious surprise package returned. Welsh didn't need to see his face, not that he could, it was covered in bandages, to know he'd remembered, he felt Ray tense up.         "Do you remember what happened? Don't try and say it, just nod if you do."         "Yeesss. Parcel.."         "There were three nasty surprises inside, a flash bomb, an acid bomb and a smoke bomb. The flash bomb blinded you, the smoke bomb chocked you, stopping you from calling for help or screaming when the acid hit."         "Frannie.."         "Yes, Frannie found you. And you have a lot to thank her for, according to the doctor. From what I hear she worked out you'd been splashed with acid pretty fast and slathered you with something that neutralised it fast. You've both got mittened hands now."         "Frannie burned too?"         "Just her hands from pulling your coat and shirt off to keep the acid from reaching your skin there. She didn't quite make it, but the burns there are considerably less severe than the ones to your face and arms."         "She here?"         "No. You've been under for the last three days. She went home this morning, though she'll back as soon as they notify her that you've come around."         "Family know?"         "She's let the rest of your family know. Your mother is on her way back now."         "Meg??"         "Who?"         "Dragon lady."         "Oh, Inspector Thatcher.. Unless your sister informed her, then no."         "Frannie.. doesn't know.. the number."         "Do you want me to call her?"         "NO. Don't.. tell.. Tell Frannie.. Not to tell Meg what happened."         "Did you two have a falling out, is that why you're back in Chicago?"         "Holiday.. Said.. I needed.. a break.."         "Ah.. Well. She has to find out some time."         "Don't tell.. I'll.. work.. out.. something.. later.. Don't wan.. her to fin.. out.. She's.. in a delicate condition."         "Er.. Are we talking the kind of condition that last nine months here?"         "Yes.. Tol me.. Doctor said.. she could loose baby if she didn't relax.. Don' wan her to loose baby.. Make sure... she doesn' hear.. what happened.. "         Welsh nodded, then remembered he couldn't see him do it.         "I'll make sure Frannie get the message."         "Don.. mention.. baby to Frannie please.. Juz tell her not to tell Meg.. If she tells Meg, Meg'll fly out, get stressed and miscarry."         "So how do I tell her that she can't tell Thatcher without explaining why she can't do it?"         Ray gave a sigh that made Welsh's skin crawl.         "Can't.. thiz is such a mess.. Got.. pad?"         Welsh pulled it from his pocket with a pen.         "Yes."         "Call Meg.. Before she calls.. home to see how I am. Make up some story.. to explain away.. why.. I gotta disappear for.. a while.. Make it good.. but make sure it isn't something.. that'll.. stress her out."         "What's the number?"         Ray gave him the number for both Meg's office and home."         "We know who was responsible for that parcel, It was sent by the same person who scratched that message into your car. Forensic's went over the parcel and found a fingerprint to match one of the prints taken off your car when it was vandalised. And we've found a match for them, and went through your case files trying to find one involving him but.."         "Didn't find anything there."         "No. Does the name Dante Mc Intire mean anything to you?"         "Yesss.. Don' tell me.."         "He's the one who vandalised the car and sent that parcel."         "Noo..."         "We lifted his prints from the car and the parcel. He's the one who was behind it. That's why we haven't caught him. Apparently he was in Chicago for a few months, and flew out a week or two after the.. incident. He went back to Australia, where according to the Australian Federal Police, he's wanted for aggravated assault, rape, and attempted murder. They've been trying to capture him for almost a year now."         "Noo... Muz be a mistake."         "There's no mistake. We came up with a name after we ran the prints we lifted from the parcel. The Australian Fed's sent his particular to our guys months ago. They think he may have gotten out of the country, using a stolen passport he had in his possession."          "You gotta warn the RCMP that he got outta Australia using Fraser's passport.."         "He stole Fraser's passport?!"         "And all his Id.. he had it all.. He's the bastard that almost killed Fraser. I bet if you can track down Fraser's accounts here, in Chicago, you'll find out they were emptied out around the same time that parcel was sent to my place. Dante got his hands on the pass books for Benni's accounts here too.. And I knew Benni still had money in them.. He told me he didn't get a chance to close down the accounts when he headed down under, that he had enough money to get by on while he sorted out the mess he was in. And he had a trust fund set up, for Deif, so he'd be looked after if anything happened to him.. There was a few thousand dollar's in that account."         "Do you know which bank?"         Ray gave him all the details he could think of, and Welsh took them down.         "Is there anything else you can think of which might help us trace his movements?"         "Memorabilia."         "What?"         "He had all of Fraser's stuff.. Between them.. They had a collection of memorabilia worth thousands. But all Dante's assets were frozen and his property was seized.. Meg told me about it.. But he had Fraser's stuff.. I never did get manage to get it back... Fraser told me about the collection.. Dante knows what it's worth.. He knows what Fraser had.. I'm not sure what it'd be worth but if what Fraser told me is anything to go by it was worth a few thousand dollars to collectors. And there was other stuff.. I remember Benni telling me he had it all in storage.. but the place where it was stored was closed down and they sent it back to him.. I tried to track it down.. but.. from the sound of it, he took it all to Australia with him."         "Do you know what he had?"         Ray raked his memories and told Welsh everything he knew about it, which wasn't much, but might have been enough for Welsh to learn what he needed to know and find out if Fraser's memorabilia collection had gone up for sale.         "Personally, I hope the Fed's down under managed to seize it before he thought of it.. I know Benni kept it all these years for nothing more than the sentimental value.. There are really good memories attached to it.. I'd hate to think that bastard profited by stealing it and selling it to the highest bidder."         "Is Fraser capable of answering questions?"         "About Dante.. I don't think so.. And even if he could answer questions, I wouldn't recommend asking them. The only time we mentioned Dante around him, he cried half the night.. He went to pieces.. and I won't be there to help him pick up the pieces if you send someone around to interrogate him about Dante. And I didn't spent the last year or so helping Fraser to get his act back together to have some idiot come along asking the wrong questions and ruin it all."         "In other words, Fraser's still recovering and if he isn't handled right he could have another nervous breakdown."         "Right.. And if anyone sets him off.. It's not just me coming down on them they'll have to worry about. The Dragon lady will have their guts for garters. And if something happens to him, she'll be placed under more stress than she needs and if that happens.."         "I get the picture Vecchio.. I'll do everything I can to track this psycho down without pestering Fraser to do it."         Ray heard the door open, and foot steps.         "That's the doctor.. He'll skin me alive if I don't leave you to get your rest. Is there anything you want me to do for you - other than what we've discussed?"         "That about covers it.."                  *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                  Part Thirteen                                  *ooOO0=@=0OOoo*         Fraser sat cross legged on a chair cushion on the floor in Meg's office where Meg could keep an eye on him as he worked his way through a box of paper work, sorting the papers into some form of order.         The talk with the Dean had gone well. But then when a Mountie (make that two) tells you that one of your teachers is deliberately flunking a student, and asks how a professional detective can flunk criminology classes you listen. And the Dean had and promised to look into and reinstate Ray's scholarship if his investigation into the matter proved Ray had been unfairly flunked.         Reaching for the phone Meg dialled the Vecchio household's number yet again. She listened to the phone ring, fingers crossed that someone would answer. She needed to speak to Ray about Fraser's medication. She didn't know which pills to give him at what time. The Vitamin's were easy, it was the other pills she had a problem with. Then there was the matter of Fraser keeping her awake half the night, as he screamed his way through the night, trapped in some nightmare or another. She'd given up trying to wake him from his night terrors, he tended to strike out when someone tried to wake him. As had been the case each time she'd tried to call Ray over the last 3 days, no one answered, she listened to it ring out yet again and sighed as she placed the handset back on the cradle. Fraser glanced up a curious look on his face.         "No luck."         "Did you try his mobile phone?"         "He left that behind."         "Oh."         The phone rang and Meg snatched it up and for the first time in three days she smiled. Fraser listened to the one side of the conversation he could hear and realised she was talking to the Dean. And if the smile on Meg's face was anything to go by, he was calling with good news.         "Yes.. Yes.. As soon as I speak to him, I'll tell him. Thank-you. That's wonderful news."         Fraser watched as Meg's smile became a frown.         "He failed those test too? Are you sure they're not forgeries too?"         Meg's frown became deeper.                 "Oh dear.. Yes.. I understand, but under the circumstances.. Couldn't he be given a chance to resit the exam too?"         After a few moments the frown vanished to be replaced with a look of relief and she reached out for a pen to take down some details.         "Yes, of course, I understand.. I'll talk to Ray about it as soon as I can.. Yes.. I'll make sure he does. Thank- you."         Fraser watched her hang up.         "That was the Dean, he said he investigated and found evidence there was something very wrong going on. He pulled all the exam papers on file for Ray and gave them to a hand writing expert. The expert said, all the criminology exams he received low or failing marks on are forgeries. And bad forgeries at that. The teacher has been fired, and they're looking for a new criminologist to take his place."         "That is good news."         "The bad news is that it wasn't just the criminology exam he failed. He failed the Psych and SAC exam too. But the Dean spoke to the teachers. Under the circumstances, they're willing to let him do a make up exam. If he lodges an appeal *personally* he'll be given a chance to take the exams again, and if he passes in all three subjects his scholarship will be restored."         "That is even better news."         "Now all I have to do is get hold of Ray to tell him."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Frannie looked at the phone in annoyance. That was the third time the phone had rung out before she'd been able to reach it. Knocking the handset off the cradle she picked up a pencil and used it to dial and fumbled the handset up to her shoulder.         "Hello.. This is Francesca Vecchio, my brother Raymond is a patient at your hospital. I asked to be notified when he regained consciousness."         She rolled her eyes as the telephonist told her in a bored voice, they'd ring her when he woke up.         "Yes, I know that, but someone just rang but I wasn't able to reach the phone before it rang out."         The telephonist told her to hold the line and put her on hold.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Fraser placed the last paper from the box into the correct pile and then began sorting through each pile, sorting them into the correct chronological order. Meg watched him work and made a note on her pad to have him tested to see if he was fit to return to light office duties in the near future.         When the phone rang she picked it up absently and identified herself. She bolted upright, giving her caller her full attention when he identified himself as Lieutenant Welsh.         Fraser looked around and watched her reactions.         "Yes.. Yes.. I understand.. Yes.. I appreciate your call.. Fraser?"         She looked at Fraser.         "He's doing much better.. Would you be able to pass a message onto Raymond for me? I need to know Fraser's medication schedule. I'm not sure if I'm giving him the right pills at the right time. He's been screaming his lungs out every night and I'm not getting much sleep and Ray knows how much I need a good night's rest now."         Fraser watched her brows defect.         "Oh, he told you about that did he.. I see.. He didn't want me to worry.. Well, you can tell him for me, that accepting that assignment is a strange way of making life less stressful for me."         Welsh cut in.         "Oh, I see.. Yes.. I understand.. It can't be helped. Forget what I said, and tell him I also need to know which doctor he took Fraser too.. And that if he had half a brain he would have left me a note giving me all the information I needed to take care of Fraser properly while he was away."         Then she hung up.         "Ray isn't coming back, is he?"         "Not in the immediate future.. He picked the wrong time to go back to the precinct to see his friends there.. They were looking for someone to go undercover and because he's been out of action for the last year he was the perfect man for the assignment."         "And he took it."         "He didn't have much choice.. It was accept the assignment or take a discharge."         "Oh dear."         "He told them he'd take the discharge, but they talked him out of it and into taking the assignment."         "How long will he be undercover?"         The look she gave him was one of sadness. That one question was evidence that he still had a long way to go before he could be considered fit to return to duty. He should have known the answer without having to ask for it.         "What's the Motto of the RCMP, Benton?"         Fraser thought about it.         "We always get our man?"         Meg ripped the note about having him tested out of her pad, screweing it up to toss it into the bin.                                 *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray was sitting up, holding as still as possible as the nurse removed the bandages, gauze and gel that had been applied to his face. The pain killers they kept feeding him left him feeling no pain but he'd been warned about moving or trying to touch his face. He had to keep reminding himself that there was no point in trying to touch his face because his hands were wrapped in bandages too.         He was aware the nurse was touching his face in a vague way. He'd also learned to take note of every little sound he heard, and he heard the little intake of air when the bandages were removed. He didn't need to be told what his face looked like, he could imagine it.         He tilted his head and received a light slap on an unburned part of his arm.         "Don't move. I'm not done yet."         More bandages and gauze came away and he became aware that the bandages over his eyes were being removed. Of soft dabbing over his eyes.         "Shield his eyes," he heard the doctor order.         Then a soft touch on his arm.         "All right, Mr Vecchio.. You can open your eyes now."         With an effort Ray's eyes opened.         "Good, now, keep them open."         All Ray could see were huge blurs. His view of the world became one huge bright blur for a moment, then shifted, and became a huge bright blur again.         "Follow my pen, if you can."         Ray blinked and tried to focus. He was aware of something passing back and forth before his eyes but he couldn't focus on it.         "Everything's a big blur," he said.         "There are a number of tests I'll have to carry out later, but I don't think it's anything to worry about, just a temporary side effect of being flash blinded. It happens all the time."         "Yeah, right."         "Hold still. Hmmm... This is excellent. Remind me to find out what his sister used to neutralise that acid."         Ray was vaguely aware of his face being touched here and there and then of the doctor withdrawing giving the nurse some directions. The click of a pen, and the scratching of that pen across paper told him the Doctor was making notes at the same time.         "Your burns are healing nicely. In some cases, they've healed completely. You have a great deal to thank your sister for. They could have been a lot worse."         "How bad are they?"         "15% of the burns are 1st degree, 75% are second degree and the remainder are 3rd degree burns. Mainly here, here, here," The doctor said and Ray felt a light touch on his face.         "Am I gonna need skin grafts?"         "Here, here and on your hands.. Yes. For the rest, laser treatment should reduce and eliminate most if not all of the scarring once the burns heal. But there will be a permanent side effect.. You'll never have to shave again."         Ray didn't laugh.         "It's going to be noticeable, isn't it? I won't be able to pretend it didn't happen will I?"         "No. We can reduce or eliminate most of the scaring on your face and throat, but it's going to be noticeable on your hands. But you can always cover up the scarring there with gloves."         "My chest?"         "Oh, well, that's one area you don't have to worry about, the burns there were minimal and healed up quite nicely."         "What's the date?"         The doctor checked his watch wondering at the reasoning behind the sudden change of subject and gave Ray the date. Ray made a few calculations.         "How long will it take? Before I can walk out of her looking halfway normal?"         "At the rate your burns are healing, *halfway* normal will be a few more weeks. With the grafting and laser treatment, 3 to six months depending on how well the grafts take. And there is a plus side to the whole thing."         "There is?"         "You will most likely come out of this looking younger."         For the first time since he'd opened the vicious surprise parcel Ray felt like laughing.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Welsh walked into the lounge and looked around to see Ray curled up on a reclining chair, his face was covered with a bandage that wouldn't have looked out of place on your average bank robber. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of shades that wouldn't have looked out of place on a skier and his hands were mittened in bandages. He had a walkman in his lap and earbuds in his ear. A creaking floor board alerted Ray to the fact he wasn't alone and he looked up and around.         "Who's there?"         "It's me Lieutenant Welsh."         He stepped closer and reached out to wave a hand in front of Ray's face.         "I can see you know."         "Then why do you need to ask who's there?"         "Everything's a big blur of shadow's and light, and when someone waves a hand in my face I know it."         "Sorry."         "S'ok. I'm getting used to it. Everyone does it to me."         He picked up his walk man, fumbling with it, and held it up.         "Would you turn this off for me, before I lose my place."         Welsh reached out to turn it off.         "What are you listening to?"         "Just some boring text book about the links between Neurological birth defects and psychosis."         "You're still studying psychology??"         "You're not the only one who's surprised.. I flunked out. Before I came back. But thanks to Meg, and my mother I was given a second chance. When Ma heard I was gonna be coming home soon, she went all the way to Canada to talk to the Dean at the college and found out what Meg did to get me a second chance. Now they send me all the text books on tape, and Ma reads the papers for me and I dictate the answers for her to write up for me. Whenever I have to do a test, a friend of the Dean's from a University here comes over and gives me the tests."         "I see."         Ray gave a weak little grin.         "And my grade average is improving, can you believe that."         "Yes. You don't have the distraction of having to take care of Fraser while you study now."         "True. But that's going to be a thing of the past soon."         "Oh?"         "I talked to Meg over the phone the other day. They're coming back."         "They are?"         "Yeah.. She say's Fraser's backsliding and getting worse every day. The final straw was some dope freak breaking into our place and trashing it."         "What?!"         "Apparently Fraser got him expelled, hauling him up to the Dean's office for smoking it in the halls. He trashed the place while they were out in retaliation. But it set Fraser right off. He won't go back there now, and she fired the carer I hired to help out."         "Why?"         "The whole reason I started studying psychology was to keep Fraser out of a psychiatric hospital, and if that woman had her way that's where he'd be. Or at least that's what Meg says, but then again, Meg took an instant dislike to her. Right from the start.. And unless I hear it from Fraser, I'm gonna take it with a grain of salt."         "Let's get back to place being trashed. Are they sure, and I mean absolutely it was the addict Fraser got expelled?         "He was busted for it when he tried to pawn my laptop, they found the rest of the stuff that went missing at his place after they searched it."         "Right... That's good."         "Why do I have the feeling you didn't come to see how I was doing?"         "Because I didn't."         "Rrright."         "Do you think you could get Thatcher to speed up the move back to Chicago?"         "Yeah, right, if I did that she'd have my head on a platter. Friday is perfect. These come off tomorrow, *if* the Doctor was right, I should be able to hide the worst of it with a little make up a bandage and some gloves."         "Really?"         "Well close to it," Ray said pulling his sleeve back to show Welsh that the bandages extended all the way to his shoulder.         "I'll need to keep my arms covered too."         "So you didn't need any skin grafts?"         "Oh, no.. I needed those. Across here," Ray said drawing a finger from cheek to cheek crossing his nose, "and here," Ray continued touching his chin and brow, "and from here to here," Ray went on drawing a finger from his elbow to point where his palms met his fingers on his left arm, "and here," Ray indicated a patch on his shoulder, "not to mention from my wrist to my elbow on the other arm."         "You were shielding your face.."         "Right.. The worst burns were on my arms, and a lot of that has to do with Francesca."         "Speaking of whom.. How is she?"         "Speaking of which - You understated how bad she got burned helping me."         "I did?"         "Yeah, the burns went all the way up her arms."         "They did?"         "Didn't you ask her what happened?"         "Why don't you tell me and then I'll tell you if what she told me and what she told you are the same thing."         "I doubt it.. You see I know her story is not what happened. She's the one who was understating everything. Not that she'd admit it."         "So how do you know she's understating it?"         "After they let me out.. And I came home, I started having flash backs, It all came back to me in bits and pieces.. And what Frannie sez happened, and what really happened are two different things.. Like for example how she knew I was in trouble.. She sez I screamed, but I know I did *not* scream.. I wanted to.. But I couldn't.. I kicked the door, over and over, hard as I could to make a big enough racket to get her attention. I remember hearing her coming.. after that.. the next thing I can remember is her dragging me down the hall, she was behind me, she had her arms wrapped around me, and she was hissing'n'cursing under her breath, because the acid was burning her too. And she was muttering things about what she'd do to the person responsible if she ever got her hands on him."         "Uh-hu.. And after that?"         "She dragged me into the bathroom, and into the shower.. That I remember really clear. Somewhere along the way to the bathroom she worked out that it was acid. She ripped my coat and shirt off and raided the medicine cabinet and squirted and slathered me with absolutely everything she could think of that would neutralise it. Then she covered all the burns with baby oil and wrapped me up in wet towels, ran back out, and got a blanket and pillow to wrap me up. And the whole time she was talking to me.."         "So she knew you were conscious or at least semi- conscious."         "Yeah.. Even when she left the room it didn't stop. I could hear her yelling at me. The only time she stopped was when she was calling it in. Then she came back with a lot of ice and packed it into the towels. I don't think she did anything about her own burns till she was sure she'd done everything she could do for mine. If I could nail a medal on her chest for that, I would.. But I can't.. But she's gonna find out that I haven't forgotten she saved my life soon enough."         "Oh, what have you got in mind?"         "You'll find out when she does," Ray said with a faint smile.         "And when will that be?"         "What's the date?"         Welsh told him and Ray did a few mental calculations.         "It'll be about five to six weeks?"         "What's happening in five to six weeks."         "You'll see."         "You're not even going to give me a hint?"         "Nope. It's a surprise.. Besides.. I don't know if I can pull off what I've got in mind yet."         "Uh-hu."         "And not that I'm trying to change the subject or anything."         "Which means you are."         "But why do you want me to get Meg to get here sooner? When you didn't know she was coming back in the first place, and ask about the place being trashed, and don't tell me it's because of Dante."         "It is."         "I told you *not* to tell me that."         "I'm not saying he knows where Fraser is, though it is a possibility."         "But you know where Dante is.. You traced him."         "I did a lot more than that, I found out why you were on his hit list. You forget to mention that he was a Mountie, and took over at the consulate while Thatcher was on leave and that he had a relationship with Fraser. That's why your name's at the top of his hit list"         Ray looked down at his lap.         "This psycho is obsessed with Fraser."         Ray nodded.         "You don't how lucky you are to be alive right now. He crossed the border and he's been leaving a trail of corpses in his wake."         Ray gulped.         "As for how I found that out, those guesses you made. You were dead on. He did use Fraser's passport to get back into the states, he's been using Fraser's I.D and you were right about Fraser's bank accounts too, they were raided the same day that parcel was mailed. He also used Fraser's I.D to apply for 3 credit cards, which he got. He's been using them and leaving a trail behind. He's smart enough to keep all his purchases on the cards small enough that they don't check the cards. The only time he went over that limitation, it appears to have been deliberate.. I think he knows that we know."         "You mean he was trying to get caught."         "No.. He was trying to lure the authorities out, which he did.. And they followed him, all the way to the biggest narcotics farm in the country."         "What?!"         "And he also blew up three drug labs, and the whole thing was controlled by the same man, who's also on his hit list. Six other's on it are dead. He's left a trail of bodies behind him."         "And there's a definite connection between it all?"         "Fraser. Every one on his list is connected to him in one way or another."         "They know who he's after, don't they?"         "They started drawing up a list of possible victims after the third murder. He proved them right four times."         "That makes seven."         "The crime lord behind all the drugs surrendered himself to the authorities and confessed to an absolutely staggering list of crimes. He'll probably spend the rest of his life behind bars, but he'll still be alive, something that can't be said for the other men on that list who are in their own way connected to him."         "The six people he killed are all connected to the crime lord?"         "Yes, but don't ask me how. All I know is what I've been able to get them to tell me, which isn't much."         "And what do you know, exactly?"         "5 of the 6 men Dante's already killed were apparently involved in an attack on Fraser, which was linked to this crime lord. There were 7 possibly 8 men involved, 7 were definitely identified, 5 of them are now dead."         "And the 6th?"         "It seems Fraser was the first, and until Dante, last Mountie to ever find and shut down one of his drug labs. He didn't take very kindly to that and .."         "The 6th person was a woman right?"         "No."         "Oh."         "Why did you assume it was a woman?"         "I think I know who you're talking about."         "So Fraser told you about this crime lord?"         "What you're telling me sounds like the one he mentioned to me. He had all the dirt, and I do mean all the dirt on the guy, but he couldn't take him down. Because the son of bitch killed his informant and set him up.. and even though he got off the hook.. Fraser couldn't take him down. He was barred from even going back to that guys territory or having anything to do with the investigation into his activities."         "And wasn't thrilled about it either."         "Of course not."         "He's lucky. Among other things, this man admitted to killing six investigators, and arranging the deaths of 4 mounties, had another 3 sent to prison, where they were killed soon after, and there were apparently five others who ended up dead just because they happened to stumble upon the location of his narcotics farm."         "He confessed to all that?"         Welsh nodded.         "Soooo.. How did these guys Dante killed die?"         "In all but one case, they died slowly and painfully."         "Uh-hu..and in the other?"         "He apparently beat the man to death."         "That I can believe.. He came close to killing Fraser that way."                 "When he's not hunting down Killers & Rapists which is what all the men he's killed so far have been, he's busy torching places. Apart from the drug lab's, he's also torched 16 buildings. Including two RCMP outposts, where he served with Fraser in the past. And in every instance, there is a link to Fraser some how."         "That's why you wanted to know if they were sure it was that dope freak who trashed our place there."         Welsh nodded.         "There are five more names on that list.. People they're almost certain he'll go after next.. Your name is there.."         "As far as Dante's concerned, I'm history, he probably thinks that his little surprise package took care of me."         "Thatcher's name is on the list too."         "What?!"         "He knows she was involved in your attempt to get Fraser out of his clutches before it was too late. He wants you dead because A.) He possibly views you as competition for Fraser's affections and B.) You actively tried to separate them."         "Do you know for a fact that he knows Meg was helping me?"         "It went beyond that.. Once they started trying to work out who he'd go after, there were two things that made Thatcher a definite target. She stood up to him and made no secret of the fact that she'd nail his hide to the wall if she could find something to do it with. By all accounts, she *ordered* Constable Turnbull to go out and slash his car's tires to keep him from being able to leave in a hurry when she was trying to do that."         "I don't believe it."         "Believe it. Once they found out she helped you, they started back tracking and interrogated the staff at the consulate to find out what happened when she crossed paths with Dante."         "And he knows about that?"         "He's not stupid. I'm sure he knows who was behind what happened to his car. And he knows for a fact that Meg was taking action to get Fraser away from him. Some idiot called the Sydney consulate and told him she had made a formal complaint about him which they intended to investigate. The timing suggests, that the phone call is what prompted his near lethal assault on Fraser."         "Tell me that moron got more than a slap on his wrist for making that call."         "I'll have to look into it."         "Do you know where Dante was traced to last?"         Welsh pulled out his note pad checking it and gave Ray the name of the town.         "Have you got your phone on you?"         Welsh pulled it out and offered it to Ray. Ray waved a mittened hand at him, then gave him a number to dial. Welsh helped him rest the phone on his shoulder and then listened, a brow raising as he did.         "It's me, I'm just calling to see how you are... Oh, aren't we in a snit. I wish I was there to see it... Did I ever mention you're simply ravishing when you're stomping around in a snit."         Welsh snickered.         "No.. I mean it.. But then again, you look ravishing most of the time... What's that.. Caro, don't you know Italian men like their women big."         Welsh covered his mouth to hide his smile and backed up.         "What's more I can't wait to see you and prove it. Remember those plans I had before I flew out... Yesss, those plans," Ray purred making Welsh wonder what plans he was talking about.         "I can't wait to carry them out," Ray said then smiled.         "Is there a smile on your face? I just bet there's a really big smile on your face.. There is.. Ohh.. No.. I'm not doing that.. Why??? Er.. I'm a cel phone, that's why.. Haven't you heard, idiots with scanners can listen to your most intimate conversations and record them.... No. I'd love to, but I can't come to you. You have to come to me. Do you think you can get here sooner... You can't... Are you sure? Uh-hu. Oh well. If you say so... But I'm warning you, Ma's throwing women at me."         Even across the room Welsh could hear Thatcher's screech at that.         "Very attractive women.. Just last night she threw this voluptuous vixen who was over me like a rash. We're talking Barracuda here... I told her, I was spoken for as soon as I said, I wasn't married yet. She said.. Well.. never mind what she said.. I wouldn't want to make your blood pressure go through the roof... Well of course I told her to take a hike.. But Ma isn't going to stop hurling her at me until you show up and stake your claim.. One look at you my little beached whale and she'll stop throwing these women at me and start planning our wedding."         Welsh wondered what Thatcher had to say about that, whatever it was, it was obviously amusing because Ray laughed.         "You're probably right about that.. But.. It's not going to happen. By the way.. I forget to ask.. Do you know what sex the baby is yet?"         Ray fell silent for a short time.         "Say that again.."         Ray broke into a grin.         "That's incredible news.. Why didn't you tell me that the other night," Ray asked, then laughed at her answer.         "That'll teach me to ask the right questions.. here's another question for you.. Can I pick a name for the girl.. I can.. Great.. I've already picked it.. Francesca."         "Aha," Welsh crowed, working out Ray's little plan to show his sister how grateful he was.         "Yes.. I know it's my sister's name.. And if you want to know why I want to call the girl after her, well, you're just going to have to ask me to my face, Bye Caro."         He flipped the phone closed.         "That's how you're going show Francesca you're grateful."         Ray nodded with a little smile.         "I thought her baby was Fraser's."         "It... They are.."         "Now I'm confused."         "Meg and I were an item for a while... But that ended after we got to Canada. But she thinks I'm the father. I gave up trying to convince her otherwise.. I'm not going to argue with her about it. She's *thrilled* to bits that I'm finally admitting they're mine."         "They?"         "She's having twins. A pigeon pair, they worked it out during her ultrasound's."         "Uh-hu. If you're not careful, that wedding joke may become a reality."         "Oh, Meg has no interest in getting married. She likes things the way there are.. or were. And regardless of what I said to Meg, the last person my mother would suspect of fathering her baby is me. She knows as well as I do that I can't have children which is why she doesn't waste her time throwing women at me."         "I remember all the effort you went to trying to start a family with your wife.. That beeper of yours always seemed to go off at the worst time."         "Yeah.. And it almost got me killed."         "I remember that too. And the time it went off when you were in the middle of interrogating some one."         Ray chuckled at the memory.         "And the way you made him start talking.."         "How could I forget - it took weeks to live that down."         "Did it ever go off at anything but a bad time?"         "Just once. I got so sick of it going off at the worst times, that I worked out when it was most likely to go off next, and made sure nothing would go wrong.. I was spot on. Just as I was about to walk in the front door it went off. You should have heard the screech Angie let out when I walked in ten seconds later."                         Welsh laughed at that.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Fourteen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray blinked away as Doctor Paul Conti pulled back after helping him to apply the special contacts which would hopefully correct his vision.         "Now these aren't *corrective* lenses, they're just light filters, if your vision is blurred, tell me."         Ray nodded and his hands kept moving up and down as he fought the urge to rub at his eyes. The Doctor picked up his goggles and held them over his face.         "They don't work. Damn.. I was sure.."         "No.. I mean.. They're just.. irritating."                 The doctor lowered the goggles.         "Alright. It takes a little while to grow accustomed to lenses the first time. Now do you think you can stop blinking for a few moments and let me take a closer look at your eyes."         Ray heard him flip his head set piece down and fought the urge to blink and his eyes started focussing as the Doctor leaned closer to examine his eyes.         "No pain?"         "I told you, they're just a little irritating, but I s'pose I could get used to that."         The Doctor smiled to himself, the pain he meant was the pain Ray had complained about suffering whenever he was exposed to any light brighter than a candle flame, the fact Ray didn't register the pen light torch's light was a good sign the contacts were filtering out the light the way they were meant too. Putting his instrument in the tray, the doctor reached for the eye drops.         "Head back and no blinking."         Ray obeyed.         "O.K, now.. this should take care of that irritation."         Ray felt the doctor run something along the bottom lid of his eyes.         "There we go.. You can blink away as much as you like now."         Ray did and the irritation stopped after a few more blinks.         "That's better."         "Hmm.. Look around, can you focus now?"         Ray looked around the room and slowly a smile touched his face.         "I can *see*. Charlene is sitting on a stool at the back having a cup of coffee. Frannie was right, this place does sparkle.." Ray said.         The doctor gave a soft laugh as he babbled away describing everything he could see in the room. Then Ray looked back around and up at the Doctor and gave a little laugh as he realised why his sister made sure she was never late for any of her appointments. The Doctor was tall, well built without being a muscle man and while with the cap and surgical mask made it difficult to see his face, he had what he imagined women called eyes to drown in.         The Doctor held up a hand, one finger up.         "Follow my finger please."         Ray's eyes tracked it back and forth and up and down.         "What colour is my gown?"         "Claret."         "O.K. what about this?" The Doctor asked reaching out to pick up an instrument.         "Orange."         "And this?"         "Emerald Green."         "Close enough.."         "What do you mean?"         "The filter affects your ability to see colours. But you can differentiate between one colour and the other."                 "You mean I'm colour blind."         "No. This is green..But it's fluro green.. The other one is Fluro yellow, and my gown is red."         "Bright Red?"         "Yes."         "Oh dear."         "Can't be helped.. It took them 2 months to come up with a pair of filtered lenses which would block out the light but still allow you to see."         "You mean they don't make lenses like these?"         "They make all kinds. Including light filtering lenses. Yours are experimental.. They've never had a request like mine. And considered it quite a challenge. Here, can you read what this says?" The Doctor said changing the subject holding up an instrument still in sterile packaging.         Ray focussed on it, the small lettering was just a blur but he read out the brand name and other details which he could make out. The Doctor pointed to the blurred details. Ray shook his head.         "I can't read that bit. It's just a blur."         "I'll set up an appointment with the optometrist for you."         The Doctor set the instrument aside and reached for a mirror holding it up.         "But I think you can see well enough to see what you look like now."         Ray looked in the mirror then frowned.         "A little ice should take care of the residual swelling and the bruising will fade soon. Madeleine will give you a make over before you leave and show you how to hide it."         Ray raised a still mittened hand and reached out to tilt the mirror.         "Is there something wrong?"         "Wrong?! I've got more hair on my head than I used to have!" Ray almost wailed, then he touched his nose, "And my nose is different.. You gave me a nose job, and I look at least.. Ten years younger, this is terrible."         "It is? Most of my patients would be *thrilled* to look ten years younger."         "Well I'm not!" Ray snapped, thinking of how this would make it impossible to pretend nothing had happened with Meg.         "Charlene, get the *before* snaps, please."         His sister set her coffee aside, placing the lid on the cup before she walked away to find the file in question. He walked away with the instrument tray, the whole tray went down the incinerator chute, then he peeled off his gloves and tossed them in the incinerator and moved to the sink to scrub up again, before pulling on fresh gloves and heading back to the patient chair and pulling out a new tray from the stand to place up top.         "While we wait, let's have a look at that arm."         "Which one?"         "The one with the itch your sister told me you've been complaining itches all the time about at home and never mentioned to me."         "Ah so you've been using my sister to spy on me."         "Male patients, are the worst kind, you *never* tell me if you feel any unusual aches, pains, tingles or itches. For all you know your arm could be ready to drop off from gangrene, all because enduring pain without complaint is the macho thing to do."         Ray held his arm up and the doctor reached for the scissors and began cutting through the special bandages that covered Ray's arm.         "That's why I decided to go with you."         "What do you mean?"         "I mean out of all the Doctors I could have gone with to carry out the follow up treatment, I chose you because Frannie said this place was so clean it sparkles. You're so fanatical about cleanliness that there's no way I could get an infection or anything like that."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Mrs Vecchio stood on the porch watching as Fraser helped Meg to alight from the cab which was parked in the drive. Frannie skidded to a stop beside her.         "Was that your brother? He was supposed to be back over an hour ago," Mrs Vecchio hissed in an aside.         "That was the Doctor. He said something went wrong."                 Mrs Vecchio's head swung around and she pinned Frannie with her gaze.         "*What* went wrong?"         "I don't know," Franni said, smiling and wiggling her fingers at Fraser, "He just said, something went wrong and he took Ray to the hospital, for tests. He's going to be there all night."         "I will kill him."         "Who, Ray or the Doctor?"         "The Doctor."         "Do you think you can wait till he finishes treating my burns.. One last session and I'll be scar free."         "Fine, I will kill him later."         Francesca's eyes widened when Fraser moved to the side, and she got her first good look at Meg in over a year.         "Migod... She's huge."         "She's having twins. They're due within a month"         "That explains it."         "Remember not a word about what happened to your brother.. As far as they're concerned he's been undercover these last few months."         "I know, I know.. She's soooo delicate, she has to be handled with kid gloves, etcetera, etcetera... Maybe it's a good thing he's not here.. He is sooo clucky."         "Let me do all the talking.         Frannie rolled her eyes, and her mother gave Fraser a big smile as he helped Meg up the stairs.         "Welcome back, Benton, you're looking much better."         "Thank-you.. Have you.."         "Met Meg.. Yes. Come inside, get off your feet," Mrs Vecchio said as she moved to take Meg's other arm.         Fraser looked at Francesca noticing the gloves on her hands and the bandages that were covering her arms.         "What happened to..."         "My arms. Let's just say young children and matches don't mix."         "Oh Dear."                 Mrs Vecchio sent a little prayer of thanks upwards Frannie's "story" was both simple and believable and hoped she didn't decide to embellish it, but knowing her youngest, she was about to do that.         "Francesca take care of their bags," Mr's Vecchio cut in just as Franni opened her mouth to add a little detail to it.         Francesca rolled her eyes and headed for the cab while her mother took care of their guests, almost dragging Fraser in as he instinctively tried to assist Frannie.         "Where's Ray?" Meg asked.         "Ray is out. He had some business to attend to, he thought he would be home before you arrived. But it seems you beat him home," Mrs Vecchio said as she lead them to the lounge and made Meg sit.         Fraser looked around and rustled up a foot stool for her to put her feet up, while Mrs Vecchio slipped a few cushions behind Meg's back.         "How is that?"         Meg settled back, wiggling a little, then gave a weak smile and a nod.         "Much better.. After that trip, my back is killing me."         "I'll just go help Francesca with the bags," Fraser announced preforming a perfect about face and marching off.                 Mrs Vecchio sent a prayer upwards that her stubborn offspring would refrain on embellishing her story while he was helping her.         "Would you like something to drink?"         "Coffee and make it fast, before he gets back."         With a little chuckle Mrs Vecchio bustled off.         "He's one of those men."         "Cluckity Cluckity cluck cluck cluck."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser helped Meg down the staircase, where Mrs Vecchio met them, wiping her hands on a tea towel.         "Did Ray come back last night?"         "Yes," Mrs Vecchio lied, "You were sleeping when he arrived and he chose to sleep on the couch rather than wake you. You missed him by half an hour."         "Where did he go?"                 "I have no idea. He was out the door before I could ask him, though he did say something about house hunting. Were you planning..?"         "Meg nodded."         "Yes. It's not that we don't appreciate your hospitality. It's the stairs."         "I understand completely."         The front door opened and Frannie bounded in, Ray's keys in hand, a big shoulder bag hanging at her hip with a map sticking out of it.         "Good, You're up. Are you ready to go?"         "Go where?"         She pulled out the map and a note pad.         "House hunting."         Meg and Fraser shared looks.         "There's a great cafe near the first place on Ray's list. We can get breakfast there. The car's open Benton, why don't you help Meg into the car. And don't say it Ma, You know exactly what Ray thinks about Meg staying here, in her condition," Frannie said rapid fire.         Her mother threw her hands up and walked away.         "Ray isn't joining us?"         "He's already seen all these places, and has his favourite, which is last on the list," Frannie lied, she'd been out canvassing every real estate agent in town to find decent houses for rent and knew exactly what the last house on the list looked like, it had been the one the family rented to be near Ray at the hospital.         "He asked me to take you around," She said, that much was the truth.         "Why isn't he joining us?"         "He didn't tell you?"         "We missed him."         "Oh.. He had to go to court.. He could there all day."         "Ah," Meg and Fraser both chorused.         Then Fraser began leading Meg to the door. Frannie moved after her mother and cornered her in the kitchen.         "Did you see him?" Mrs Vecchio said in a low tone.         Frannie nodded.         "How is he?"         "Do you remember how he kept complaining he had an itch was driving him up the wall and rubbing at his arm?"         Her mother nodded.         "It was itching for a reason, he had an infection... He could loose his arm."         Mrs Vecchio closed her eyes at that.         "He said, Doctor Conti exploded when he saw his arm and called him every name for idiot under the sun for not telling him about that itch before now. He shut his surgery down to take Ray to the Hospital and he's doing everything he can to beat the infection without going that far."         "How is Ray taking it?"         "He's pretty out of it.. They've got him on pain killers and antibiotics, he could barely stay awake to talk to me and tell me what to do."         "We can't afford this now.. There's no money left."         "You don't have to worry about it, Doctor Conti is paying for everything out of his own pocket."         "He is???"                 "They preformed tests.. They're waiting on the results.. The tests should tell them what caused the infection and once they know that they'll be able to work out how his arm became infected.. The Doctor said, that no matter what the results were - he would be covering everything out of his own pocket. If the test's prove he got the infection at the Doctor's surgery.. Ray will be compensated.. How much he gets depends on what the end result is."         "We don't have to sue him?"         "No."         "Why?"         "That's what I said, he told me to ask him that question when the whole matter is settled."                 *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray lay on his hospital bed, which had been sterilised to within an inch of its existence by his Doctor's staff. His infected arm was extended out from the bed resting on sterile sheet, on a sterile stainless steel mobile table, under a sterile tent that hid it from view. He could feel hundreds of something's crawling all over his arm and kept shuddering and wished he hadn't refused the Doctor's offer to put him under again.         He'd wanted to be more aware when Frannie returned, now, even knowing that the gross treatment his arm was undergoing was his last chance to keep it, but revolted none the less he wished Doctor Conti would come back and make the offer again. All he wanted to do was pull his arm away and brush the creatures consuming the bad tissue away, among other things.         He heard the door open and listened to the foot steps. He recognised them as Doctor Conti's. He listened to the Doctor move to the side of his bed and heard the rustle of cloth as the Doctor checked his arm.         "Oh. Yes.. This is good.. This is very good."         "Is it?"         "I know what your arm looked like, but our little friends here are showing me just how far the infection had infiltrated your tissue. And it looks as if it didn't go as deep as I feared. In fact it looks to me like it's concentrated in and around the grafts."         "My other arm?"         "Looks clean so far."         "You missed Frannie again."         "I did.. And I wanted to talk to her about .."         Ray snorted.         "You just want to talk to her, period."         He heard rustling, squeaks and other sounds of nervous movment.         "You've got the hots for my sister, haven't you?"         He heard more nervous movement.         "She's still a patient, I don't date patients."         "But when you finish what you started and she's no longer your patient, you'd like to see her, socially, wouldn't you..?"         "Is this when you give me the if you touch my sister, I'll flatten you speech?"         "No.. if you want to date my sister, that's fine with me."                 "It is???"         "But if you mess with her, I'll kill you."         Paul chuckled at Ray's threat.                 "I'm Catholic, single, rich and a well respected member of society. Who's on the prowl - for a wife, not a one night stand."         "Oh.. So you think my sister might be wife material?"         "Can she cook?"         "Uh-hu."         "What's she like with kids?"         "Great."         "Any objections to your sister being *courted*."         "Absolutely none at all."         "Good, I hate sneaking around."         Ray heard plastic tearing then felt something attached to his forehead.         "Let's go through the list again shall we. Any aches or pains in new places?"         "No."         "Any itch?"         "Yeah, my nose."         Another plastic tearing noise followed, he felt latex covered fingers touch his face and his nose and checks started to feel just a fraction warmer.         "Hmmm.."         "I *hate* hmmm's. I think Doctor's invented the Hmmm, just to torture their patients a little."         The Doctor chuckled.         "Sorry.. I'm going to move something over your nose in a minute.. Tell me when I touch the spot that itches."         Ray gave a little nod and listened to him open something else. He felt cool metal touch his nose and gently slide over it.         "Right there."         The faint warmth returned for a short time then he heard a bottle being opened and felt a dab of chill liquid on the spot. The itch continued for a few seconds and vanished.         "There.. That should take care of it. Any other itches?"         "There's a really maddening one that keeps coming and going on the sole of my foot," Ray said, lifting the foot in question.         He soon felt the blanket being turned up, and then the touch of that cool liquid being smeared over the sole of his foot before the blanket was drawn down and he heard the doctor moving about.         "Anywhere else?"         "No, thank god.. That's the only *good* thing about this whole disaster.. The itch was driving me insane. Now it's gone.. I'd be estatic if you could just make those creepy crawlies stay off the rest of my arm."         "You can feel them?!"         "Yeah... And it feels gross."         "I know you're sick of hearing me say this but.."         "That's a good sign."         "Yes, but there's no reason you have to put up with that, I'll give you a local, that will do the trick."         "Could you do it, *now*.. In some ways, that's *worse* than the itch."         "What did I tell you?" The annoyed doctor asked.         "To tell you if I felt any pain, but it's not exactly.. Pain, it's just.. It's hard to describe.. the only word I can think of is.. revolting."         Ray heard rattling and plastic being torn, then movement. A short time later he felt soft swabbing and a prick as needle was put to use. That was followed by the sound of the needle being tossed and more plastic being torn. The whole procedure was repeated three more times.         "There.. Now this one is really going to hurt, try not to go through the roof, hmm. And don't even think of bitting your lip, scream all you like.. but don't wreck my work."         Ray gave a little chuckle at that then let out a scream as the needle plunged home.         "Migod, you weren't joking about that hurting," He panted. "But I s'pose you're gonna say that's another one of those good signs right."         He heard rattling and felt the touch of fingers on his arm.         "That is a good sign isn't.." Ray's inquiry became a loud scream and the Doctor's hand flew to his shoulder to stop him moving.         "Oh-god.. What did you do?"         "Sorry."         Ray screamed even louder and clawed at the bed with his other hand as his arm was manipulated again.         "OHGOD, STOP!"         Ray arched off the bed as the next thing the Doctor did produced the most agonising pain yet. He thought he was going to pass out or throw up, maybe both. Then it eased off and his whole arm was just a mass of throbbing pain and he heard the rattling and plastic ripping.         "God.. Give me the pain killer already."         He felt the prick of a needle again, and the pain slowly faded but along with the reduction of pain, came the sensations that told him it wasn't the pain killer he was given.         "I said.. The pain killer..not the sedative," he slurred as he fought the sedative's effects.         He felt the touch of a hand, stroking his hair.         "Stop fighting it, when you wake up, it'll be all over."         "Don't.. take my arm off.. Please.. I don wanna loose my arm.."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  "I love this house, what do you think, Benton?"         "It is certainly the best one we've seen so far."         "We can turn that bedroom at the end of the hall into an office, and that one in the middle would make a perfect nursery."         Frannie listened to Meg babble on about the house and what they could do with it with a touch of annoyance. The house *was* the best one they'd seen, it was better than the one her family had rented in more ways than one. It was only a few years old, it was in a nice street, all the rooms were large and it had a chef's kitchen, a sensualists bathroom, all marble and sparkling fixtures, a spa and pool in the back.         "We would have to have the pool fenced off and covered."         "What?"         "Well once the children start walking it would be a death trap. Toddlers and inground pools are a lethal combinations, and that Spa would have to go, I read this article that said.."         Frannie smiled to herself as Fraser began to list all the things that were in his opinion, band points about the house, including it's perfectly landscaped gardens, French doors, that beautiful bathroom. She felt better already. If the way Fraser was shredding the house's best features was anything to go by, he'd *loooove* the next and last place.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg sat on the porch stairs watching Ray's car, and scowling at the traffic that ran past the house in a never ending stream. Fraser and Francesca finally joined her on the porch, Frannie locking up as Fraser babbled.         "It is absolutely perfect. That room at the back would make an excellent nursery, the room adjoining was obviously an office once, I can see why Ray loved this place."         "I can't."         "Security," Fraser and Frannie said in unison.         "Can we leave now? The traffic is giving me a head ache," Meg grouched         Fraser hurried to her side and helped her to her feet. Frannie moved to help him.         "You don't need to worry about the noise, the house is sound proofed, you wouldn't even notice the noise if all the doors and windows were closed, and the house is air conditioned and well vented."         "The walls make me nauseous, that wallpaper pattern is truly horrendous, that carpet looks older than Raymond's car. And the whole colour scheme is disgusting."         "I'm sure that if you take out a long term lease that they'll let you repaint and paper the house to your taste."         "I am not going to waste my money renovating someone else's home."         "It would not be renovating," Fraser pointed out.         "The walls in every room, and the carpet have to be replaced."         "That may be true, but beyond that everything else is perfect. The house is solid, there is a large garage and workshop out the back, the kitchen is ..."         Frannie smiled to her self, her prediction was spot on, Fraser was sold on the place. Now all she had to do was wait for him to talk Meg around and join in whenever Meg brought up something that Fraser couldn't come up with an answer to.         "Did I forget to mention that the estate agent said that if you took out a long term lease the owner would be willing to recarpet the house?"                 "He would?"         "Yes, the estate agent said, that the owner had the house completely sound proofed the last time he had a long term tenant. And the house was completely rewired after the last tenants moved out. The plumbing was all replaced too. Now that all the major work is out of the way, he can get to work on the cosmetic overhaul. You could probably make a deal with him.. Do the work to your taste, in exchange for the equivalent in rent free time."         "That sounds like a fine arrangement."         "I'll tell Ray to talk to him about it."         "Hmmph," was all Meg had to say about it.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "Ray.. It's me Frannie. Are you awake? I can't tell with those bandages covering your eyes."         Ray's head moved as he responded to his sister's voice.         "Good, you are awake, the Doctor said you might be out of it, you were last night when I came back."         "My arm.." Ray said his voice slurred.         "Your arm is fine."         "Not that one."         "Don't worry the Doctor said it was all over now."         "Took my arm off."         "No."         "Still there?"         "Yes."         "Thank god.. Thought he was gonna take it off."         "He said, if it was his choice, he'd have amputated, but you made it pretty clear that it was to be the definite last resort."         "Wha elze he zay?"         "Let's see.. The creepy crawlies did the trick, your arm is free from infection now, they got the tests back, it was a bacterial infection, they're trying to work out how you contracted that. There is no way you got it in his surgery. Which means he's in the clear on that one."         "Zat's nize."         "You're doped up again, aren't you?"         "Yezzz.."         "What else.. Er.. Don't even think of trying to move your arm.. Not that you could, it's splinted from the shoulder down to immobilise it. He said he hopes you're willing to pay the price for keeping it."         "What price?"         "There was a lot of nerve and tissue damage. Once the creepy crawlies did their work you went into surgery, and he went to work on your arm. You won't have any sensation at all in the affected area's, good or bad. You're gonna need a lot more work on the arm."         "Go home."         "Not yet. You've got to go through another round of skin grafts and he isn't going to do it right now. And there all these tests he still has to run, you're not getting out of here till he's preformed them all and got the results back."         "Wanna go home."         He felt her hand on his hair.         "Did I mention that you have more hair? He must have given you a hair transplant and it's been hidden under those bandages all this time.. Up the top, it's as long as you used to wear your hair before you got that buzz cut. Long enough to run your fingers through it. The back and sides are longer. I bet Margaret will like that."         "Meg.. O.K?"         "She's a grump."         "How does she look?"         "Like a beached whale."         "Be nize."         "Apart from that, she's almost glowing with health, but then she wouldn't dare be anything but, Fraser wouldn't let her. You should see him, he's turned into a real mother hen. She can't do anything without him hovering around her. He controls everything she eats and drinks. He even makes her exercise."         "He does.. How?"         "Little dumbbells and ankle weights that he straps on. She lies on the bed and does all the exercises and I dropped them off at a gymnasium, when I left she was hanging upside down in a pair of gravity boots and he was giving her back a massage and she was saying, "I love gravity boots, a little lower Ben.. purrrr."         Ray chuckled at that.         "She says he gives the best massages, that's the only reason she hasn't strangled him yet. And I don't blame her.. He is worse than the Doctor."         "What do you mean?"         "He's turned into a clean freak.. He spent half the night cleaning the house, the kitchen has never been cleaner, neither has the lounge. The bathroom is so clean everything gleams. He threw out the shower curtain and told me to get a new one, and he went through your wardrobes and drawers and organised everything to within an inch of its life.. He did the same thing in the kitchen. He won't let Ma wash up, he does that and uses boiling water."         "Hmmm.. Meg mentioned that he has become obsessed with cleanliness and order."         "Obsessed is definitely the word for it."         "How did the house hunting go? Did you find anything decent?"         "Oh, yes, there were four houses that were quite decent, the house she liked was a real show home, and I mean that literally. And the rental, well, let me tell you, you're lucky Fraser said I won't move into that death trap."         "Oh."         "His favourite is the one I told you about. The one we stayed in after your accident."         "Ah."         "She of course loathes the place."         "Of course."         "I have to talk to the estate agent about getting the walls redone. She loathes the paper, and says the colour scheme is disgusting."         "Leave it alone."         "What?"         "Leave it be."         "I thought you said I should try to talk her into agreeing to that house, because it's an urban fortress."         "Not gonna rent.. Gonna buy it."         "Ray you can't afford to.."         "Can't afford to put petrol in the car, let alone buy a new house.."         "What?!"         "No money left.. Paying for.. all the treatment.. took everything I had saved up.."         "I'll pay you back."         "Don wan your money.. Don need your money.. Bank manager.. said.. I couldn't get a loan.. No money coming in.. Gotta sell the house.. Talked to the real estate agent.. He took a tour of the house while you were both out.. He said we could get a real good price for the place.. I'm hoping..there'll be enough left over to pay off all the bills and spruce that place up.."         "You can't sell the house!"         "My house, I can do what I want with it."                 "But.."         "Don worry.. You said that place has plenty of room.. Muz have if the whole family moved in.. You and Ma..are going to stay with us.. Where you'll all be nice and safe.."         "I don't care I am not going to let you sell the house."         "Can' stop me.."         "Watch me."         "Like you could pay the bills.."         "If you could get a loan to cover things until you can get back to work would you reconsider."         "Never going back to work.."         "What?!"                                          *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Fifteen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Welsh was minding his own business, which at that moment in time was tucking a file away in a cabinet, when a tap on his door caught his attention. He looked around to see Huey, with Francesca hovering behind him. At a signal from the Lieutenant, Huey opened the door, poking his head into the room.         "Francesca would like to talk to you, she says it's important."         "Send her in."         Huey ushered her in then closed the door.         "Take a seat."         Frannie sat while he moved to his own.         "This is about your brother I assume."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Huey watched as Francesca walked out of the bullpen, he was justifiably curious as to her reasons for being there, and his discovery of said reasons was preceded by a whistle from Welsh. When he looked around, it was to see Welsh signalling him and he hurried to the office.         "Should I follow her?"         Welsh shook his head ushering him in, closing the door behind him.         "Why didn't you tell me Ray hasn't been home?"         "He's not there?"         "No he's not. He's in the hospital."         "Again? Did he have an accident?"         "No. Those damn burns of his became infected. According to Francesca they came within a hair's breath of amputating his arm because of the infection."         Huey gave a little wince at that.         "I just spoke to his doctor over the phone. He's history as a police officer. It's all over except the paperwork. He's never going to regain use of that arm. And his sight is permanently impaired."         "Maybe he can do something else, he's a great profiler, it would be a pity to.."         "Run that by me again???"         "He's the one who did those profiles for me."                 "You're joking.. He was practically on his death bed when you came up with the first one."         "I know.. that's what was so incredible about it."         "Are you sure he came up with it?"         "The Smitheson case *was* his case before the accident, hell there were details in that profile and the notes attached to it that weren't in the records, and others that were but they definitely weren't public knowledge, no one asked to see the records, the only person who could have written it was Ray."         "He couldn't even talk how on Earth did he..?"         "Ah, that was the Dragon Lady's contribution," Huey cut in, "She brought in a brace for his hand a writing stand. By the time I visited him he was getting pretty good with it. Had no trouble at all communicating. I guess he wrote everything up and gave it to her to type it up nice and neat."         "I thought it was done by the FBI's Master Profiler."         "No, he just wrote a cover note, backing up Ray's profile. He told me the man was his profiling coach and that if his first one helped me to crack the case he'd be doing it a lot more often in the future when he got back to work. But he didn't come back."         "How did you get the rest?"         "I bumped into him while he was out walking Deif around, just before he went to Canada, he told me all about his plans.. He even said that Thatcher had plans to get him into the FBI's profiler accreditation scheme.. So he'd come back to work with better skills than he left with."         "Hmmm..."         "Any way.. I used the information I got out of him that day to track him down when I ran into a brick wall on the Weisman case, he was thrilled to hear from me and didn't mind a bit when I asked him if he could do a profile for me. I sent him everything I had on the case.. Two weeks later it came back with the profile that helped me break it.. And you know that that profile was even better than the Smitheson Profile. It was so good the D.A used it during the trial. When I told Ray that, he said he'd be happy to do it again, any time I really needed one."         "And he did do it.. three more times."         "And we got a conviction on all those cases, thanks to his work.. That's gotta be worth something."         Welsh slapped Huey on the arm, and started leading him to the door.         "Oh, it's worth something alright, you may just have saved the Vecchio's house."         "What? Is he going to lose the house?"         "Not any more.. Now, get going, you were supposed to take over from Dewey half an hour ago."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "I know you're awake Ray."         "I don wanna talk to you, go 'way."         He heard paper snapping.         "Do you know what I've got right here in my hot little hands?"         "A piece of paper."         "A cheque.. From the CPD."         "What??"         "And another one from Lieutenant Welsh."         "What did you do Francesca?"         "I went to the station and had a talk to him. He came around this morning and gave me the cheques."         "What are they for?"         "The one from the Lieutenant is a loan, you can pay him back later, with interest.. The other is Payment for services rendered.."         "What services?"         "He said it was for some Profiling work you did for Huey.. Huey forget to mention you were the profiler who did the work, when he found out, he talked to the Chief, who talked to the Commissioner about it, who talked to someone else about it, found out what the going rate for profilers is and now - you're $9000 better off."         "I am.."         "And that's how you're gonna pay back the loan. You're gonna finish your studies get your certification and become an accredited profiler. Or else."         "Or else what?"         "The Luitenant'll come around and put you out of your misery, that's what."         Ray chuckled.         "Now.. About the house."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray listened to what was for him the distinctive sound of his Doctor crossing the room.         "Your timing's atrocious, Doc."         "It is, why?"         "You just missed Frannie again."         "I did??"         "Yeah, she came around to do a little gloating.."         "Damn.."         Ray chuckled.         "Well.. You sound much better. Whatever she came to gloat about seems to have done wonder's for your mood."         "It did.. This is one time, I don't mind being wrong."         Ray listened to the Doctor moving to the side of the bed and heard the sounds that always preceded one of his examinations.         "She told me you got the test results back.."         "We can make sure the infection doesn't take hold again with antibiotics now."         "So do you know where I got it? I doubt it was your surgery, you're so much of a clean freak, a germ wouldn't stand a chance there."         "In a manner of speaking I did give it to you, it was the skin we cloned for the grafts."         "What?!"         "It's not the first time it's happened, though it's never happened to me before. The lab the cloning is carried out in must be absolutely sterile, the nutrient solution we clone the tissue in would be heaven to germs, they'd multiply like crazy in it."         "And that's what happened. All my grafts are gonna turn black and.."         "You're talking to the clean freak, remember," The Doctor cut in. "I had 12 different batches cloned. The fact that has been no sign of cross infection is what made me suspect it was the grafts. I was right, 3 batches were contaminated. But I always make sure there's more than I need, so that I can use the rest for tests.. The last thing I want is to discover a patient has allergies to some lotion I use or prescribe. According to my records the batch I used on your arm was cloned when the contaminated batches were produced."         "And the rest weren't?"         "They did them in batches of four.. The last batch of four was contaminated. Every thing else would appear to be clean."         "How did it get contaminated?"                 "That's what I'd like to know.. I've reported it, there will be an investigation, and you shouldn't be surprised if a lawyer comes around and tries to sweet talk you into accepting a pittance in compensation to get them off the hook."         "Compensation.."         "You have a right to sue them for what happened. Now take my advice.. He's going to make you an offer. Nod and say, that'll do, for starters."         Ray chuckled.         "I have a question for you now. Why did you say my efforts to give you your looks back terrible? It's been driving me crazy."         Ray smiled faintly.         "My lady doesn't know what happened to me.. She's pregnant and the Doctor said, if she didn't reduce the stress she was under she'd loose the baby. I was hoping I could pretend it never happened with her."         "And how did you keep her ignorant?"         "She was in Canada.. I came back home for a break.. And this happened.. I'm a cop, she's a Mountie.. She thinks I've been on an undercover assignment. But now she's gonna take one look at my face and .."         "Is she as beautiful as your sister?"         "In her own way."                 "In the interests of a harmonious relationship with my future brother in law.. I have a suggestion.. A good quarter of my patients are people who simply want to look good for their lover or spouse."         "It doesn't matter any more. She came back here.. She arrived the other day.. I was supposed to be there to greet her.. Frannie can only explain away my non appearance for so long."         "I'm sure they noticed her arms, what did she tell them happened to her arms?"         "Short and sweet, Kids and matches don't mix.. and left the rest up to their imagination."         "Good explanation."         "She already told them I got burned too. So they wouldn't ask questions about my arms. But that was before Frannie found out what went wrong."         "I assume there is a very good reason you would prefer it if your lover didn't find out the truth."         "Yeah.. We've been taking care of a friend of ours, who was left for dead by a guy who's since escalated his level of violence to outright murder.. And the same guy who messed him up is the one responsible for what happened to me."         "And you're concerned he might come back to finish the job."         "Very.. She's also a potential target.. Right now he's in Canada.. Which is why I'm glad she's back here now.. And I'd like to keep them as ignorant as possible about him for as long as possible.. Or at least keep her ignorant until the babies are born. He's on the mend at last but he's still got a long way to go.. Something set him off back home in Canada.. And he's likely to go right off the deep end if he finds out what's happening .. I need time to work with him, so that he won't go to pieces if this guy isn't caught before he decides it's time to finish what he started."         "And when is the baby due."         "Sometime within the next month..She's having twins actually, and I hear twins usually decide to enter the world early."         "So all you need to do is keep it from her for another month.. Is your sister coming back tonight?"         "Yes."         "Did you arrange for a visit at a specific time?"         "She said she'd be back around 6."         "Hmmmm.."         "Again with the Hmmm."         "Sorry.. Tell me about your friend. What does he look like?"         "Everywhere we go, women drool.. Even Frannie does it. And it's not just because he's so good looking, he's oh so polite, when the came up with the word Gentleman, they had him in mind. And whoever said chivalry is dead never met him."         "It will work."         "What will work?"         "Does Francesca know what you've been doing?"         "Yes. I explained it all the other day."         "And your mother."         "She knows too."         "It will definitely work."         "What will work?"                 *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Fraser was heading for the kitchen to make Meg a cup of herbal tea when he heard Frannie's voice.         "Paul says it'll be a few more days before the bruises fade and the swelling goes down. Then he can come home."         "So all we have to do is find a way to keep them from realising Ray hasn't been in the house for a few more days," Mr's Vecchio's voice carried to Fraser's ears.         Fraser stopped dead in his tracks.         "I'm running out of ideas here."         "Come up with new ones, or you will spoil your Brother's surprise."         "I think it's a pretty stupid surprise."         "Francesca.."         "Well it is, she didn't fall in love with his looks in the first place, having cosmetic surgery to look better for her is just plain stupid.. I could think of better ways to spend a few thousand dollars."         Fraser's brows defected.         "Meg said he wasn't taking care of himself properly in the first place, his confidence was low, you said it yourself, when you picked him up from the airport he looked terrible.. If having this surgery gives him back his confidence, then it will be worth every dollar.."         Fraser started backing up.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg jumped when Fraser rushed into the room.         "Benton, don't do that to me."         Fraser looked at Meg closing the door and leaning against it.         "What's wrong? Something frightened you."         He shook his head.         "I.. heard them.. Talking about Ray."         "Oh.. What did they say?"         "He is not here.. He hasn't been here at all since we arrived."         "What? Why would they..?"         "Lie.. I heard his mother say he wants to surprise you.. That he.."         "Stop right there Benton. Just answer yes or no."         Fraser nodded.         "Does the reason Ray hasn't been back here have anything to do with the surprise he has planned for me."         "Yes."         "And it would spoil his surprise if you told me what you heard, wouldn't it?"         "Yes."         She raised a brow and Fraser thought about it.         "Spoiling his surprise would be.. bad."         "Yes, Benton."         "Then.. I will not tell you what I heard."         "You can tell me one th.... Owwwitch," Meg yelped her hand flying to her expansive belly.         Fraser gave her a suspicious look.         "Have you been drinking coffee again? You know that coffee is bad for you, when you drink coffee they become more active and move around and keep you awake all night and then you're grumpy and being grumpy is not good for you."         Meg rolled her eyes.                          *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray got no more than five paces into the house before his mother descended on him, and hugged him till he thought his ribs would crack.         "Ma, I like to breath," he gasped.         "Don't ever do that again."         "It wasn't intentional."         She stepped back and studied him.         "What do you think?"         She stepped back and took a good look.         "I think it looks good."         "Good.. You think it looks good, I think it looks great."         She laughed at that and nodded.         "It does. Now show me your arms."         Ray held out his arms and she slid back his sleeve revealing an elastic brace that ran from the knuckle to the elbow and beyond on the right arm. When she tugged back the sleeve, his left arm was covered from the wrist to the elbow and beyond with the same kind of brace, but there was a metal brace with an elbow & wrist joint over it, and his left hand was covered completely with a medical glove, the metal brace extending up to his knuckles.         "How long do you have to wear those?"         "The one on the right.. For at least a few more weeks. The one on the left, for quite some time to come. But this time, I know that when they come off my arm's will look as close to normal as Paul could get them."         "Oh, now it's Paul, instead of The Doctor."         "Get used to it, He's gonna start dropping in, he's got *intentions*."         "Intentions?"         "Yeah, he wants to court Frannie."         "What?!"         Ray chuckled.         "He is totally smitten with her.. And it's a sure bet she isn't going to say no to him when he asks her out, the man looks like Brad Pitt. Think, Interview with a Vampire and you'll get the idea."         She looked up into his eyes.         "You *can* see.. You're not wearing those goggles any more."         He nodded.         "He got me contact lenses which filter out most of the light"         "That's why your eyes have changed colour."         "Right, I can't see as well as I used to, but, I had my eyes tested after I got these, and he's ordered a special pair of prescription lenses, but they'll take a while, cause they're a special order. But I got a script for glasses that I can use with these. The optometrist said they'd be ready tomorrow."         "That's one less thing you have to explain."         "Did.. you.. set things up for me?"         "You know that Francesca has an inbuilt radar that tells here where Fraser is."         Ray chuckled at that.         "We set things up.. He's *overheard* us discussing it three times."         "Good."         "Is that Ray?" Frannie called out.         Ray looked around, to watch Frannie approach then stop dead in her tracks, her eye's widening and her jaw dropping.         "Oh-mi-God."         He chuckled.         "You look..."         He gave her the wind up sign.         "Great.."         He laughed at that.         "Where are they?"         "Up stairs.. Fraser is Maria's room, sleeping, Meg is in yours."         "Is she awake?"         "Yes."         Ray took a deep breath and headed for the stairs.         "Time to face the music."         "Hold it right there."         Ray stopped looking at his mother.         "I know what you are planning to do. Move out again. In her state.. I won't hear of it, We'll convert the dining room into a bedroom, that way she won't have to deal with the stairs," his mother stated firmly.         "I knew you'd say that.. But we're doing it anyway, the maniac who sent me that surprise parcel is still out and on the loose, and after what Welsh told me there is no way I am going to risk the family by staying here a minute longer than I have too. End of discussion."         "He thinks your dead."         "We don't know that, that damn surprise package was meant to disfigure not kill and he's gone from random acts of aggravated violence to murder and arson and there's a chance that he could come after Meg next, and if he comes after her he's gonna find out about me and Fraser.. And that's why we're outta here as soon as I can find a safe place to move into. I don't want anyone else getting hurt like Frannie was."         "I'm going to take him over to the place we rented, Ma."         Their mother looked at around.         "The house near the hospital?"         Frannie nodded.         "In her state she should be close to the hospital. And It was like a fortress."         Her mother nodded.         "Yes, I remember that. Bars on every window and security shutters."         "Sounds good to me," Ray said, "The question is wether or not it's still available?"         "It is, I put a deposit down, so they'd hold it till you got out of hospital so you could look at it."         "Fine, if it's O.K with you, we'll take a look at it tomorrow," Ray said.         Frannie nodded.         "Great, can we make it around 9ish?"         "Sure, but we've got all day."         "No, we don't.. Paul is reopening his surgery tomorrow, and he's got your name at the top of his list of rescheduled appointments.. You're down for 10.. First patient of the day. He wants to get your treatment over and done with."         "What?!"         "What's the matter, I thought you'd be happy to have the treatment over and done with."         "I am."         "Fine.. Find something really good to wear.."         "Why?"         "I could be wrong, but the Doc was always sooo disappointed when I told him he just missed you.. I think he's got the hots for you, so wear something nice and you never know.. he might ask you what your doing later when he's through."         "Isn't he married to Charlene?"         "Charlene? She's his sister. Trust me, this guy is Interested with a capital I. Play your cards right and you could reel this one in and land him."         "Are you doped again?"         "What you think I can't tell when a guy is interested in my sister.. Trust me, he's interested."         "Yeah right, when he's got his pick of the most gorgeous women in town strutting through his surgery every day. Beside's.. It's true what they say."         "What?"         "That all the cute ones are Gay."         Ray laughed.         "Like Benton."         "Benton is not Gay.. He's Bi," Ray said before he turned and headed up the stairs, he stopped at the first landing and looked back.         "Oh, By the way, I would appreciate it if we we're disturbed, Meg and I have a lot to discuss. "         Frannie turned to her mother as Ray started bounding up the stairs again.         "Translation, he's gonna prove that Italian men like their women big."         Ray stopped dead and peered over the railing.         "Francesca, were you eavesdropping on my conversation with Lieutenant Welsh???"         "Were you talking to him, I thought you were talking to her on the phone."         "I was you eavesdropper."         "I wasn't eavesdropping. I just heard part of your conversation on my way to the laundry."         "Sure you did."         "You know if you keep this up, she's going to fall asleep before you get up there."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg was propped up with numerous pillows on Ray's bed, reading when the door opened, quietly and Ray's hand slipped around the frame to turn off the light. She looked up as the door opened all the way to see Ray silhouetted in the door.         "How's my favourite beached whale?" He quipped as he approached the bed.         Her smile became a look of confusion, and he moved to the edge of the bed to sit at her side.         "How are you feeling?"         She reached out to turn the lamp on, did a double take when she saw him in the light.         "Are you wearing a wig?"         He laughed and ran a hand through his hair.         "No.. That's all the real thing. I had a hair transplant.. Among other things."         "You had cosmetic surgery!"         He nodded.         "Do you like it?"         She reached out to touch his face.         "Why did you.."         "Now no one is gonna ask why you're with me instead of Fraser."         Meg worked out what his little surprise was.         "And I wanted to look good, for you. And I think it was worth it.. Everyone kept telling how terrible I looked now it's Migod, you look great," He said smiling.         "You.. Do.."         He smiled even more.         "But."         The smile vanished.         "But what?"         "How could you *waste* so much money.. That must have cost you a fortune.. And your about to become a father too, how could you.."         "Don't worry about the money.. It didn't cost me a cent."         "What???"         Ray held up his arm, the sleeve fell back showing his brace and the glove.         "Frannie told you about the fire the kids lit and how we got burned trying to put it out."         She nodded.         "The Doctor we've been seeing to get the burns treated is a cosmetic surgeon, he's the best around. He did the work on my face gratis. Well not exactly gratis, he gave me my money back."         "Why?"                 "He's got the hots for Frannie, and thought it was a good way to get into his potential brother in law's good books."         "Potential brother in law???"         "Oh yeah, he's gonna start courting her soon."         "He's not courting her now?"         "She's still his patient, and he doesn't date patients.. But once he zaps the last of her scars away, she's not gonna be a patient any more. As for money, you don't have to worry about any more.. Something went wrong with one of my skin grafts.. I was gonna sue the pants of the lab who's fault it was.. But Paul went and negotiated a deal with them.. A law suit like mine could have them shut down, permanently, over what they say was essentially a freak accident.. They gave me a tour and explained how they do everything and agreed to change one or two things, to ensure an accident like that never happens again. I agreed to take the deal they offered in exchange for dropping the law suit.. And it was a two fold deal, they cover all the bills that crop up as a result of what happened and everyone's happy. And I get two pay outs.."         "Two??"         He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cheque and handed it to her. She looked at it her eyes widening.         "$250,000 dollars."         "That's not going to last long.. I'm gonna use it to buy a new house."         "You said there were going to be two payments."         "The second one will be decided once we know what the end result of what happened is. But right now I've got enough money to buy the house I was looking into buying, and keep going till I finish my studies.."         He reached out to run a hand over her belly.         "And set things up right for these little miracles."         He was going to say more, but he forget what he had in mind when he felt a good strong kick against his hand and Meg gave a little hiss.         "Woah.. Now that's what I call a kick."         "Move your hand to the other side."         Ray did and felt a kick against his hand again, then another.         He spread his fingertips over the other side and felt movement there.         "My god.. They're having a party in there."         "I should have listened to Fraser."         "Oh, why?"         "He keeps saying, you know what happens when you drink coffee, they always get active."         Ray chuckled and moved closer.         "May I?         She nodded and he leaned over her to put an ear to her belly and listened to the beating of the babies hearts.         "They sound pretty healthy... But then I'm no expert."         "I've got ultrasound's somewhere in one of my bags. The Doctor says, they're disgustingly healthy. But they wouldn't dare be anything but.. Not after the way Fraser's been molly coddling me. Nothing passes my lips that he didn't approve of first, except the occasional cup of coffee."         "Really."         "He has been collecting magazines on the subject ever since he found out. If I hear him quote one more so called expert on the subject of having children, he's going to need a nose job."         Ray laughed.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Sixteen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Frannie stood on the porch of the urban fortress watching Ray's car, until she heard footsteps approaching and looked around to see Ray step onto the porch.         "What do you think?"         "I think it's perfect, security wise. That big room out back connected to the office would make a perfect nursery for the babies. And having 3 toilets, two showers *and* a main bathroom is great, there wouldn't be any arguments about needing the bathroom around here."         "The best thing about it is that they all have separate hot water systems."         "Really, that's great. Did you notice the fittings in that main bathroom, I'm positive this place was converted for an invalid, Meg wouldn't have problems."         "Except with the colour scheme."         "I was talking about the bathroom. The colour scheme of the place can be fixed. I love that office, did you see that file room, and those built ins, it's perfect. Or would be.. I'll have to rip out the door and replace it with a set of French doors, then it'll be perfect.. And that kitchen's great. I've never seen a refrigerator like that in a private home.. It's huge and the amount of bench space in there is fantastic. I am so sick of tiny kitchens with hardly any bench space."                 "Since when did you care about how much bench space a kitchen had?"                 "Since I started doing most if not all of the cooking for our household."         "Ah, then we'll have to get you to show us what you can do in the kitchen."         "Scratch that, I'm going to have to teach Fraser to be a good cook or we're gonna be eating a lot of take away food," he said holding up his hands, explaining why with that one simple gesture.         She laughed at that.         "I couldn't find the key for that door that leads upstairs, what's up there?"         "Bedrooms, a study, with in built shelves and a window seat, a storage closet, a kitchenette and another toilet."         "Really, how many bedrooms?"         "6."         "6! With the two downstairs that makes 8 Bedrooms."         "I think this place used to be some sort of medical center. The big rooms downstairs were the surgical suits, waiting room and offices."         "Ah that explains the size of the rooms, that bathroom and refrigerator.. How big are the rooms up stairs?"         "Most are about the size of the office. There are two that are the size of the room you're thinking of as a nursery."         "Great, Did you notice how big that dining room is? I could turn that into a joint lounge/dining room and turn the lounge into a pool room."         "Did *you* notice that there's reverse cycle air conditioning in every room in the house?" Frannie pointed out.         "Yes. What's it like in summer?"         "Wonderful."         "Great.. The only thing I'm a bit worried about is the proximity to the road.. The traffic's pretty heavy around here."         "Don't worry, the noise won't bother you. I think the house has been sound proofed, the only time we ever noticed the traffic noises was when a window was open. Go back in and close the door and you won't hear it, trust me."         "O.K.. I'm sold on it.. Let's go," he said bounding down the stairs.         Frannie shook her head at it and followed after him.         "Don't you even want to know what the rent is like?"         "I already told you, Frannie, I'm not renting, I'm gonna buy it."         "I thought we had a deal.."         "I said I wasn't going to sell the house to buy this place. I didn't say I wouldn't buy this place if I liked it."         "So how do you think you're going to buy this place? with the money from Welsh and your back pay you *might* have enough for a deposit, but Margaret would be the one who'd have to keep up the repayments and she hates the place. The only way you'd convince her to go for it would be to spruce the place up and you wouldn't have any money left to do that with and..."         Ray pulled the cheque out of his pocket and held it out. She trailed off taking the cheque to look at it and stopped dead.         "Where did you get this?!"         "It's part of the compensation pay out for what happened."         "You could have got a lot more than this, Ray," Frannie berated him.         "And I *will*. That's just a fraction of what I'll get in the end.. That's just hush money, to keep me from kicking up a stink about until it's all settled," he said heading for the car again.         Frannie couldn't think of anything to say about it, and followed him to the car. Opening the door she climbed in stretching out to open the passenger side door for Ray. He climbed in pulling the belt on, before he reached for the door.         "Belt up."         She rolled her eyes, belting up before she started the car.         "By the way, I did mention that I expect you and Ma to move in with us, didn't I."         "I don't see why we have too. Maria and Tony took the kids and.."         "I didn't mean permanently, I meant until Dante is dealt with, one way or another."         "Did you tell her about him yet?" Frannie asked as she turned the car around and waited for a break in the traffic.         "No."         "You have to tell her sometime."         "The lieutenant is in touch with the RCMP who are tracking him, if he crosses the border, he'll know it, and he'll let me know as soon as he gets the word, if that happens before she has the twins, then I'll tell her. Other wise, I'll wait till the twins are born, take her out for the night, get her into a good mood, then tell her everything."         "Better make that a *really* good mood, she's gonna kill you when she finds out you've been lying to her all this time."         "Tell me something I don't know.. I hope you don't mind if I drop into the precinct after we talk to the agent. I gotta give the Lieutenant that cheque he gave you back and thank him.."         "Are you forgetting my appointment. You made it."         "Oh, yeah.. What's the time?"         "You're the one with the watch."         Ray patted his pockets and found his fob watch pulling it out.         "Hmm.. Better head for the surgery first. God only knows how long all the paper work will take."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray was half way through a chapter in one of his psychology text books when the door of the car opened. He marked his page and looked around as Frannie climbed in smiling like the cat that got the canary.         "Well how'd it go?"         "You were right, he *did* ask me out."         He chuckled at that.         "By the way, you know how you said tell me something I don't know?"         Ray nodded.         "Charlene thinks you're cute and wants to know if you're taken."         Ray laughed at that.         "I hope you told her I'm spoken for."         "He told her that you were not only spoken for but about to become a father. She looked so disappointed."         Ray chuckled, tucking his bag away into his bag as Frannie belted up.         "Paul asked me to give you this," Frannie said holding out an envelope with a business card clipped to the front with a paperclip.         "So it's Paul now," he teased taking the envelope, and looking at the card. "What's this for?"         "He wants you to make an appointment with that photographer, for photographs, so he can have *after* photographs, for your files. And unless you object he'd like to put your before and after pictures in his display to show future patients."         "Ah. Well.. I can hardly object to that now can I."         "He said, take a look at the *before* pictures before you make up you mind, you can say no if you want.. He'll understand."         Ray pulled the clip off and opened the envelope to pull out the picture and for the first time saw what the acid did to him. He shuddered at the first photo, which showed the horrendous burns to his face, throat, chest and upper arms. He flipped to the next one which showed his face in close up and gave another shudder then ran a finger down his nose.         "No wonder he gave me a nose job," he muttered.         "He did a great job on your nose," Frannie commented as she started up the car.                 "I had no idea the damage was this bad. The way the Doctor at the hospital went on I thought the burns to my face were pretty mild."         "He understated it."         "That's for sure."         He quickly flipped through the rest of the photo's each new picture eliciting another shudder. Keeping the facial shot separate he tucked the rest into the envelope and studied the facial shot, trying to remain clinical about it as he touched his face, thinking about the way he looked now. After studying it for a time he tucked it away with the rest and the envelope joined his book.                 "Oooh-kay, Let's make the first stop the banks and see if we can cash these cheques, then we can grab something to eat before we go to the agent.. And after that we hit the mall."         "The mall? I thought you wanted to go to the precinct to return that cheque."         "Yeah, but we can go there later. I feel like.. Letting my hair down.. I've been cooped up for months, it's time for a little fun.. So after we get through with the agent we're hitting the mall and going shopping, I was thinking of taking Meg and Benni out for dinner, which means Benni needs some decent clothes, and Meg need's a nice dress."         "She needs more than a nice dress, her maternity wardrobe is all huge t-shirts and sweat pants."         "Fine, I'll get a few nice things. But the first thing on the list is finding you the perfect outfit for your hot date tonight.. Hmm and maybe a visit to the beautician and the hair salon to get your hair done."         She glanced at him for a second.         "My treat. I'm feeling grateful, milk it for all it's worth while you can."         "O.K, are you feeling grateful enough to give me the Riv, since you can't drive any more."         "Don't push it."         She chuckled.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray leaned on the counter at the most expensive dress shop the mall had and watched Frannie do a twirl in a dress that would make any red blooded American male look twice, even if he happened to be a red blooded American gay male. The sales assistant looked at Ray hopefully.         "Show me what the other one looks like."         Frannie dashed off to the change room again.         "Well take that one too. Can you have them delivered to our place?"         "Yes, sir."         "Great," Ray pointed to a white dress. And that one too.. But not a word to her about it. I want to surprise her."         The assistant smiled and started adding up the cost of the dresses.         "And we'll have the one in the window too."         "Which one?"         "The green one," he said and smiled as an idea came to him, "I'd like two of those.. Can I borrow your phone to find out the other size."         The assistant lead him around the sales desk and waved at the phone. Ray looked at the cordless phone, and then flipped it over and dialled the number.         "Can you do alterations?"         The assistant nodded.         Ray picked it up and listened to it ring and ring, till it was finally answered.         "Hey Tony, it's me Ray.. Is Maria there? She is. Great. Put her on I need to ask her a question."         He waited for his sister to come to the phone, during which time Frannie came out in another dress.         "No way. No how, you look like a whore in that. Forget it. Show me what you look like in the one I picked."         "All you want to do is cover me up from head to toe," Frannie declared as she flounced off back to the dressing room.         "I want you to look good, not cheap. You don't need to flaunt the flesh to get a mans attention."         "I take you don't want that outfit." The assistant commented once Frannie was safely esconded in the dressing room.         "You got that right."         Then his sister was on the line.         "Maria, I'd love to chat but I don't have time for it, I'm shopping and the assistant here let me borrow the phone. I was thinking.. Mother's day is coming up soon have you got something for Ma yet? No, great. I was thinking of giving her something from all three of us this year, a portrait.. You like the idea, great, I just saw a dress that would look fantastic on you in a portrait, give me your dress size and I'll get it."         He listened to her babble about not being able to afford to buy a new dress at the moment.         "I said *I'll* buy it Maria, this is my treat.. Trust me, you are going to love this dress. Now I'm going to give the phone to the shop assistant I want you to tell her all your details, before I change my mind."         He handed the phone over and watched the assistant take down Maria's details, asking for her hip, waist and bust measurements taking those down before she handed the phone back to Ray.         "Yeah, I'm back.. No.. I haven't made the appointment yet, I'll let you know when it's all set and get Frannie to drop the dress off, with a little something extra, so you can get your hair down for the portrait, and buy the little rug rat's something nice to wear. Oh and Tell Tony to find a nice suit. Something in green or brown. Well of course he's gonna be included in the portrait... Oh.. Fine, take him shopping and find something and tell them to hold it and I'll pay for the damn suit then.. I really gotta go. I'll talk to you later."         He hung up and rolled his eyes making the assistant chuckle.         "Can you make out separate bills? I don't want Frannie to work out I'm buying more than one dress. I'll come back and pay for the bulk of it after I leave her in the clutches of a beautician."         "I think we can do that.."         "Great.. I'll also have that dress, that dress and that one over there in Maria's size."         "If I can make a suggestion, sir?"         "Sure."         The assistant put a hand on his back and lead him to the door and pointed across the way.         "They have a suit that would match the dress you ordered for the portrait with your sisters *perfectly*."         "Thanks.. I'll take a look over there when I come back later."         "And while you're at it, perhaps you should visit a hair stylist too."         Ray racked a hand through his mop of hair silently agreeing with her, it had been well over a year since he'd had a hair cut, he'd been intending to get one while he was 'on holiday' instead it just gotten longer.         "That's not a bad idea. I don't suppose there's a good his and hers salon around here?"         The assistant pointed down the thoroughfare.                         "Down that way, take a left, then a right, it's half way down the block."                 "Ah, thank-you."         "And a dress like that should have matching jewellery," she went on moving back to the shop desk and rustling up a card.         When Ray joined her she handed it to him.         "That's the card of the jeweller who supplied the jewellery on the mannequins."         "Thank-you."         Frannie returned clearing her throat loudly and he turned looking around and stared at her for a good ten seconds.         "Got any complaints now?" He asked.         She shook her head, and looked at the price tag.         "Just about the price.. It's almost $800."         "No one's gonna call you cheap in that. Wrap it up, we'll take it."         Frannie bounded back to the change room with a smile.         "Now, where can I get the shoes and accessories to match those dresses?" he asked the assistant.         She pulled out a pad and pen and began writing the details down.         "You seem to know where all the good places to shop around here, you couldn't point me in the right direction to find some nice maternity wear could you, my lady's *very* pregnant, and the clothes she's wearing are strictly blahsville. I want something that'll make her look drop dead gorgeous."         "We have a number of maternity dresses. That Red Velveteen dress over there for example," she said pointing.         Ray looked around and checked the dress out.         "There are ties at the back which make it adjustable."         "Hmmm.. I like it.. I'll take that too and ring you back with the size later.. Does it come in any other colours?"         "Yes, Emerald Green, Sapphire Blue, Shimmering Gold, Deep Purple and Midnight Black."         "Great, I'll have one of each."         Frannie popped up behind him.         "One of each what?"         Ray pointed.         "That. For Meg, it's a maternity dress.. You wouldn't have any idea what her size is would you?"         "Gotta pen?" Frannie asked the assistant.         The assistant ripped the page off the pad, handing it to Ray, then gave Frannie the pad and pen.         "What's that?"         "A list of places to get the accessories for that incredible dress," Ray said tucking it into his pocket.         The assistant took the pad back and looked it over.         "We can have these delivered, by Thursday."         "No sooner?"         "Well, the one on the mannequin is the right size, it could be adjusted to a woman of this size."         "Can we take that one today?"         "Will that be credit card or cheque?"         Ray pulled a huge wad of bills out of his pocket and started peeling off hundred dollar bills, making the assistants eyes light up.         "Cash."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray left Frannie in the beauty salon, and carried the myriad of boxes and bags to the Riv, which was being watched by a security officer he'd slipped a c-note too to watch the car. With the officer's help he got all the purchases packed into the trunk. Then it was back to the dress shop to pay the smiling assistant for the other dresses he'd ordered and arrange for the ones he'd chosen for Maria to be delivered to her current address. He got a real kick out of the assistant dumping a society lady to rush to his side to deal with him. Especially when he recognised the snooty woman. He'd encountered her at some fund raiser he'd attended with Louise, and snob was the only word for the woman.         He headed for the menswear shop next and found out that the assistant was right, there was a green suit that would perfectly match the dresses he'd ordered for his sisters. He snapped it, and the accessories up on the spot and then picked out half a dozen more suits, while he was at it,         necessitating another trip to the Riv before he wandered through the mall, wandering in and out of shops.         Three toy shops, six more clothing stores, shoe shops, jewellers, a Lingerie store, three gift shops an a Infant's and Toddlers store and numerous trips back and forth to the Riv later, he met Frannie at the beautician's to present her with a necklace and bracelet with matching drop earrings to go with her dress. A rib threatening hug later, he escorted her through to the hair salon where he was talked into something much more daring than the short back and sides cut he asked for by his sister and two stylists. The way he saw it, he could always ask for a short back and sides cut if he didn't like whatever style it was they decided was absolutely perfect for him.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Welsh was returning from a trip to the men's room and wondering why things were so quiet in the bull pen. The answer came in the form of Huey approaching him with a thick envelope in hand.                 "Lieutenant, you have two visitors.. The Director of the local branch of the FBI and the Police Commissioner.. They're waiting for you in your office," Huey said.         "Do you know what they want?"         "No, but the Commissioner asked for some of my case files."         "Which ones?"         "All the ones Ray did profiles for me on. The Director wanted to have a look at them, the profiles that is."         "Did you give them to him?"         "I thought I'd check with you before I gave them to him.."         "Forget about it. The day I give that man any help without a direct order will be a cold day in hell," Welsh growled before he marched off for his office.         Elaine moved in on Huey once he was out of earshot.         "What's going on?"         "Well any moment now.. I think he's going to throw the Dictator out of his office."         "Don't you mean Director?"         "No," Huey said, turning to walk back to his desk.         No sooner did Huey's tail hit his chair than Welsh's door was thrown open and the Director stormed out. Welsh followed him as far as the door way to watch him storm out of the bull pen then Welsh spun slamming the door behind him as he moved back into his office.         Elaine joined Huey.         "I don't suppose you know the winning numbers of tonight's lottery draw too."         Huey gave a weak chuckle at that.         "It was a pretty easy prediction," Huey said reaching for a pen and pad.         "Oh, by the way, did I mention that Fraser's back in town?"         "He is? When did he get back?"         "He arrived with the Dragon Lady, last week, they're staying at Ray's place."         "Not for long," Dewey said.         Elaine and Huey jumped and looked around and Hewey wiggled his fingers at them.         "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be keeping the house under surveillance."         "Unless one of them left, in which case, I was supposed to call it in and follow them around."         "Who left?"                 "Vecchio and his sister. She's driving him around."         "So what are you doing here, why aren't you following them?"         "I am, in a manner of speaking. They're out front, He wants her to stay in the car and wait there, she is sick to death of him telling her to watch the car and they're having an argument about it."         "You said they won't be at Ray's place for long, what did you do, creep up and eavesdrop?"         "No. It was pretty easy to work it out after I followed them.. First they went to a real estate agent, then they visited an urban fortress near the hospital, then it was off to the clinic. Where he spent over an hour in the car waiting for her, reading a book so thick it'd choke an elephant. After that, it was off to the bank, then back to the agents. I pretended to be checking out the for sale collection in the window and watched what was going on."         "And.."         "I could be wrong, but it looked like he brought the place he was looking at, and paid *cash* for it too."         "You're kidding."         "Like I said, I could be wrong. But I doubt it. I saw the agent make a call, then a guy in a cheap suit arrived, and they spent the next fifteen minutes dickering and he put his bag on the desk and pulled out bundles of cash and start piling them on the desk, and the guys eyes almost bugged out of his head, after that there was a lot of paper work being done."         "He paid *cash* for a house?!"         "A big house at that. Mind you, I saw the card for that house up on the display, it was going for $175,000."         "He paid $175,000 *cash*."         "From the way they were dickering, and the way he and Frannie celebrated, I'd say he got it for less than that."         "How did they celebrate?"         "They hit the high end mall, and hit all the exclusive designer clothing shops, shoe shops, jewellery stores.. And he flashed a huge wad of cash in every place."         "What?! I thought he was on the verge of bankruptcy."         "Let's see.. If that wad was all c-notes, he spent something close to $5000 at the dress shop alone. Then there was the trip to that super book shop where he had half the shop assistants following after him, fawning as he brought up a copy of every motivational book they had along with every recipe book, half a dozen books on interior decorating, a huge stack of psychology text books, an even bigger stack of books on crime. Then he told Frannie to pick a few books and she went mad in the romance section. *And* he made their day by ordering even more books. The back of the car is just covered with books. He must have spent near on three and a half thousand there."         "Where the hell did he get the money??? It was only the other day his sister said he was this close to going to bankrupt, due to the medical bills," Huey said with a tiny gesture.         "I'd say he got it at the first and national."         "What? Why?"         "Well, he visited two banks before he hit the estate agents. And he took the bag into the First and National, and that's where he had the money he used to pay for the house. And it's a sure bet he's going to be moving the beached Whale and The Hen to that fortress before the weeks out."         "Beached whale and Hen?" Elaine said.         "Thatcher and Fraser."         "Beached whale?"         "She's pregnant."         "What?!"         "And she is H-UUU-GE. I'm betting she has triplets."                 "Twins," Huey said.         "Triplets, at the very least," Dewey said.         "Twins."         "Ray's going to be a daddy.." Elaine said, a smile appearing.         The two men looked at her.         "Ray?" They both said.         "Yes. Ray."         "Funny, I thought it was the Hen," Dewey said.         "Trust me, it's Ray," Elaine said.         "Well, he's obviously in the dog house over something then," Huey said.         "What do you mean?"         "Well, after he got home last night, he went up to his room, and spent maybe an hour with her, then he spent a few hours with Fraser, and after that, he spent the night on the couch."         "And you call me a peeping tom," Dewey said as he reached out and plucked a pen from the desk and walked away to find the form that had to be filled out, in triplicate, to say that nothing happened.         "I didn't have to peek," Huey informed Elaine. "The curtains weren't drawn, I saw him moving around from room to room."         "Uh-hu."         Huey went back to making his notes, hoping she'd disappear when Ray walked into the bull pen carrying a bag and looked around. A semi hush fell as people noticed him and started doing double takes. Elaine looked around and gaped, slapping Huey's arm. He looked around her and did a little gapping of his own. Elaine slapped him again and smiled, Huey sat up flipping his pad over so Ray wouldn't see what he'd been writing. Rising, Huey smiled at Ray as he approached.         "Who's in the office?"         "The Commissioner."         "Really, what's going on?"         Elaine and Huey both shrugged.         "You look... Great," Elaine gushed.         Ray grinned.         "Thanks," he said giving his hair a nervous little tug. "I wasn't sure about the hair style, I wanted to get it all lopped off but Frannie convinced me to try something a little different."         "Don't even think of getting it cut off. It looks great, it make's you look at least ten year's younger."         He gave a weak smile at that, then Huey reached out to tweak his hair. Ray kicked his skin.         "It's real."         "Did you have a nose job?"         "No."         "It looks like you had one to me.. And Elaine's right, you do look at least ten years younger, and it's more than just that hair style. What did you do tell the doctor, while you're at it, take a little off the nose, give me a little more hair and take a fews years off."         Ray reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph, the facial shot. He held it before Huey's face and watched the man recoil shuddering. Elaine peeked, shuddered and he put the photo away.         "Laugh that off."                 "Is that you looked like before he started?"         Ray nodded.         "He did an incredible job."         "Yeah. That's what you call Serendipity. Here I was thinking that parcel going up in my face was the worst thing that ever happened to me.. I can't believe how everything's working out now.. One day, I'm staring bankruptcy and the end to my career in the face and over night my life suddenly taken a turn for the better."         "So you found a solution to your money problems."         Ray held up his arm, pulling his sleeve back to show off his brace.         "I got an infection in this arm, through no fault of my doctor, or myself.. I almost lost my arm.. I only kept it because I've got the best Doctor in town looking after me. He went after the people who's fault it was that my grafts were infected, and they agreed to pay compensation without a big legal fight. They wanted to avoid a court case because their reputation would be shredded if something like that got made public. And they'd loose, because my Doctor can and did prove I got it via something he used during my treatment that he got from them which was contaminated on their end."         "So how much did you get out of them?"         "250."         "Thousand?"         "Uh-hu."         "That's peanuts."         "I'll get more later.. Once we know how serious the end result of the infection is. That was just Hush Money," he said.         "That won't last long with all the bills you must have racked up."         "Well, actually, that's why I was staring bankruptcy in the face.. I managed to cover all the bills for Frannie's treatment and mine with my savings...and cashing in a few policies.. But I was down to my last dollar and looking at selling the house as an option to stay on top of the bills, when Serendipity happened."         "So you don't have any bills to cover now?"         "Nope.. Thanks to Frannie some money came in last week that will take care of the remainder and part of the compensation deal is that they pay all my related medical costs."         "So you can do what ever you like with it."         "Well I could.. But I won't."         "Oh???"         "I learned my lesson. I opened up two accounts at the bank.. I put 50 thou in an emergency account.. And I put 30 aside to cover the usual expenses until the matter of how big a lump sum I get is worked out."         "That leaves around 170 to play with."         "That was part of my budget too.. Frannie found this big house that's more secure than my place. It was going for 175, but the owner agreed to drop it to 150 for Cash in Hand. Which meant I had around $20 thou that wasn't included in my budget to have fun with, and boy did I have fun. I can't wait to get home and see everyone's faces when all the things I brought today start arriving."                 "What did you get?"         "Way too much stuff..I think I dropped around 15 thou.. The biggest expense was a whole new wardrobe for Frannie.. But I owe her big time anyway.. And it'll pay for itself soon enough," he said with a grin, "My sister's hooked her self a rich doctor.. and all the stuff I brought today is to help her reel him in and land him."         "What do you think her chances are?"         "Pretty damn good," he said opening his bag and pulling out a gift wrapped package.         He held it out to Elaine.         "I also got you something. A little gift, to say thanks for visiting while I was in the hospital."         "You didn't have to do that," she said accepting the gift anyway.         "Don't open it here," he said as she prepared to do just that.         "Why not?"         "You'll see, later," he said pulling another gift wrapped parcel out of his bag and holding it out to Huey.         "This ones for you."         "What's this for?"         "Well Frannie told me you told the Lieutenant about those profiles I did as a favour for you."         "That's right."         "Well, if what Frannie told me is right, you might have secured my future career doing that."         Huey ripped the wrapping off to reveal a large box. He opened that to reveal a desk set, and every piece had his name embossed in gold lettering on it. In no time at all he had it all set up on his desk and was reorganising it.         "I knew you'd like it."         "What else have you got in that bag?" Elaine asked trying to peer in.         Ray held it open so she could see there was one last gift inside.         "I got something for the lieutenant too. Oh.. And I haven't forgotten that everyone chipped in to get my car restored like new after the accident," He said with a grin.         "What else did you do?"         "I've got to consult my mother to find out just who gets a big thank-you for that. And once I have all the names, then you'll find out what I've got in mind to thank all of you," Ray said before he wandered over toward Welsh's office to peek in and see what was going on.         Dewey returned to join Elaine and Huey and checked out Huey's gift.         "That's worth about 250... I saw him buy that at one of those expensive gift shops," He said, then he looked at Elaine's gift and grinned.         "Do you know what this is?"         "Well, let me put it this way. Don't open it here."         "What is it?"         "I could be wrong, but I could swear I saw him walk out of a lingerie shop with a few parcels just like that one."         "No wonder he told you not to open it here," Huey said with a laugh.         "Now that I've spared you some potential embarrassment, maybe you'll tell me how you know it's him not Fraser who's going to be a daddy."         "Well, it's simple. Before he decided to disappear off the face of the Earth Ray bounced in, grabbed me and asked me to help him find out what paperwork he had to file to make sure his Defacto relationship was officially recognised."         "Defacto.. The Dragon Lady is his Defacto Wife?!"         "Yep."         "I heard that," Ray's voice drifted over.         "So when's the wedding Mr I heard that?"         "What wedding?"         "Oh come on, Ray, Don't tell me you're mother didn't start planning it after Margaret started visiting you every day in the hospital and gave you better bedside service than the nurses," Elaine said.         Ray wandered back with a faint smile.         "You maybe right about that, but you know what they say about the plans of mice and men, or in this case Mama."         "It didn't work out.. You were so happy when you.."         "I didn't say it didn't work out."         "Then why are you dragging your feet?"         "Well for one thing she hasn't asked me to marry her."         They all stared at him.         "What, you never heard of women's lib?"         They all rolled their eyes.         "I didn't call her the Dragon lady for nothing," Then he gave a love sick little sigh, "God, she's ravishing when she's breathing fire."         Elaine snickered while the men rolled their eyes. The sound of silence made them look around to see the Commissioner walking out of Welsh's office. He stopped, looking at them, then pointed at Ray and indicated he wanted him to join him. Ray's hand to went to his chest and the commissioner nodded. A little nervous and wondering why he was being singled out Ray crossed the space separating them.         "You are Detective Vecchio, aren't you?"         Ray nodded.                 The commissioner frowned a little.         "Stay off TV. It makes you look considerably older than you are."         Ray gave a weak smile.         "I have been discussing your situation with the Lieutenant."         "My situation, sir?"         "Do you or don't you intend to return to duty?"         "At this time, I don't even know if or when I will be fit to return to duty."         "Physically speaking."         "Yes, sir."         "There's nothing wrong with your faculties."         "Oh no sir, they're working just fine."         "I've been told you're studying psychology, S.A.C and Criminology."         "And you were the one who wrote those psychological profiles that Detective Huey used."         "Yes, sir.. But it would be dishonest to claim the sole credit for them.. I did have a lot of help with the first few."         "From a highly experienced Profiler."         "They don't come with any higher experience than my coach does. He's the man who invented Profiling," Ray said with a grin.         The Commissioner waved at the office and after a nervous moment Ray headed for the office with the Commissioner on his heels.         "I have a proposition for you, Detective."         "A proposition.."         "Yes, one that will kill two birds with one stone."                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Seventeen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray handed Meg a cup of herbal tea, approved by the Mother Hen and his mother, and gave a faint smile as she reached out to touch his nose as she took the cup.         "I wish people would stop doing that."         "You'd prefer I do what Ben was doing earlier?"         Ray gave a faint smile, remembering the way Fraser kept staring at his face earlier.         "You'll get used to it," he said as he sat beside her, curling his legs up, draped an arm over the back of the couch behind her and rested his other hand on her belly. She started twinging a finger in his newly acquired curls.         "So, how did the house hunting go today?"         "Frannie said you saw the house I brought. It was the one with all the bars on the window and the really gross colour scheme inside."         "Why do you want that dump? There was a much better house."         "Fraser hated it."         "Well I hate the one you want to buy."         "I can see it's potential. And you won't ask why I want that place once the painters are finished."         "Painters?         "I agree with you, the colour scheme is disgusting. I'm gonna have the painters in, to strip and repaint the place.. You can pick the colour scheme.. We can do that tomorrow, and when we've settled on a scheme we can visit a carpet warehouse and pick out something nice for the floor."         "So how much money do we have to play with to redecorate?"         "Well..I've got ten thousand left."         "What?! I can't believe you paid almost a quarter of a million for that dump.."         "I paid 150 for it..and put everything I budgeted away in the bank.. Which when I got the place for less than I expected left me with some money to play with."         "Ten thousand."         "Well, actually it was more than that.. I decided to have a little fun today.. I brought some gifts for my friends and family.. And I didn't forget you either."         "Ohhh.. What did you get me?"         "Most of it is going to be delivered later...But I did bring something back with me."         He pulled a faceted jewellery case from his pocket and held it out to her. With wide eyes she took it from him and opened it to look at the eternity ring inside.         "A ring."         "I got one for Benni too," he said in a low voice. "I'll give that to him later, when no one will ask questions about it."         He plucked the ring from the box.         "I got it engraved, see," he said turning the ring so she could see the message.         -Eternally yours (love heart) R.V -         She reached out to run a hand along his jaw, turning his head and kissed him, thoroughly. He pulled back reluctantly as her hand started wandering, and covered it, stopping her.         "Later."         She gave a little sigh, then held up her hand so he could slip the ring onto her finger. He smiled when he saw that it was a perfect fit, and raised her hand kissing it.         "I can't wait till we get settled down in the new place, Frannie said it's sound proof, and the main bedroom is down stairs. Ma and Frannie can stay up stairs."         "What do you mean they can stay upstairs, they aren't coming with us.. Are they?"         "Just until the babies are born. I'm pathetically useless around the house right now, you can't do any house work, and I want to break Fraser of his obsession with cleanliness and order.. That means I gotta rely on Ma and Frannie to help out. After that debacle with the Carer I hired I don't want to hire someone else. And Ma would be offended if I didn't invite her to stay with us at least until the babies are born."         "Of course. We'll have to get to work on redecorating that place straight away. With ten thousand to play with we can get a professional interior decorator to.."         "Forget it, Meg, I am not going to pay someone to foist their idea of good taste on me.. I don't want a fashionably decorated house, I want a comfortable home."         "It was just a suggestion. Besides.. I have some money of my own. I'll pay for the decorator."         "It's my house."                 "Are you saying I have bad taste?"         "No, I think you have great taste.. What you did with that house in Canada was great and I think it's a waste of money to hire someone to do a job you can do yourself.. And it's not like you've got anything else to do."         "Hmmph."         "I bet whoever decorated that place in the first place all those years ago payed some fancy decorator to do the work for them and look at the result.. I don't want to end up looking around and saying ugh whatever possessed you to chose that scheme a few years down the track."         "But a decorator can find everything and arrange to have all the work done...."         "At inflated prices and rates higher than you could get it done for if you arranged it yourself."         "I'm not up to walking all around town."         "I brought some books and every decorator's magazine I could lay my hands on. We can spend the day going through them *Together*, you, me and Benni.. And we'll decorate the place *together*.. As for getting the work done.. Well.. I can find painter's and carpet layers for myself. You want a carpenter to do some work, I can find a carpenter.. You want to play musical furniture, I'll find muscle men to move the furniture till it's just right. I'd say me and Benni would do it, but I'm not capable of it at the moment.. But I can find plenty of people who are who won't charge us an arm and a leg to do it either."         He nuzzled at her ear.         "It'll be *our* place, we should do it together."         "Mhhmm..There's something else we should do together, it involves a bed and my two favourite men.."         He chuckled against her throat and she almost purred as he did a little nuzzling, a kiss, and nibble his way back to her ear.         "What say, tomorrow we book a suite at some place like the Drake, where you me and Benni can get reunited, properly, hmmm?" He said in a low purr.         "Why don't we do that now?"         He sat right back and sighed.         "Raymond?"         "I can't, or get up to anything more .. involved than a little necking right now."         "Why not?"         "I'm expecting someone to drop by."         "Who?"         "Well for starters, there's the courier who's gonna collect half the staff I brought today and bring it round, then there a few shop assistant's who agreed to deliver things to close a sale with me.. And then there's Lieutenant Welsh."         "Why is he coming?"         "Er.. Well I can't go back to my old duties at the precinct... I know that.. The Commissioner made a proposition but I had to say no."         "Why?"         "He wants to stick me behind a desk for the rest of my working life, I almost resigned on the spot, I was actually in the middle of doing it.. When The Lieutenant said shut your mouth, go wait out there and let me sort this out.."         "And did he?"         "I don't know. He came out and said, he ran an idea past the commissioner that'd be more up my alley, and that they just had to agree on the terms of duty, wages, budget that sort of thing.. They were still hashing out details when I left. He said he'd drop in or ring me to let me know how it went."         "Do you know what he had in mind?"         "He wants me to complete my studies and become an accredited profiler..and come back and join the team again. Where as the Commissioner basically wants me to teach cadets how to do it at the academy, and go over unsolved murder case files and create profiles. The Lieutenant said there was a lot more to his idea of how I could serve on his team than what the Commissioner has in mind."         "Well, the Lieutenant has the right idea. You should finish your studies and get accredited."                 "Oh, even if I went back to work tomorrow it wouldn't be a problem. I can earn extra credits through work experience, and the Dean will be happy to hear I'm returning to work. That was one of the reasons the scholarship committee awarded the scholarship to me. They want to attract more mature age students, and I'm gonna be an example to other's that it's possible to mix work and studies."         "I see."         "And I am not going to quit again.. I'm in for the long haul now."         "Really."                 "Did I say something wrong??? I thought you would be thrilled to hear that."         "Would you mind telling me when you sorted out the matter of your studies? I was under the impression that you haven't been back to Canada, that you were undercover until last week," she said coldly.         "Er..I finished a few weeks ago..And wouldn't you know it the day I get back Maria's kids started that fire, and it was off to the hospital.."         "I know you're lying to me."         "Er..."         "I'm still trying to work out why?"         "Er..."         "And how much of what I've been told is a lie."         "Er.."         The sound of Frannie clearing her throat loudly made Ray look around.         "You have a visitor," she announced.         "Who is it?" Ray asked uncurling grateful for the temporary reprieve.         "Lieutenant Welsh."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Ray joined Welsh on the porch, noticing the envelopes tucked under his arm.         "So how did it go?"         "He wants you to return to duty ASAP. Meaning tomorrow."         "But Sir, I only just got out of the hospital yesterday, I still need extensive work on my arm, I'm not fit to return to work yet."         "You're as fit as you'll ever be.. In that regard."         "Oh well I was going to resign any way."         "You haven't heard what the deal is.. You don't have the qualifications, a police psychologist needs, and you're not an accredited profiler either.. Yet you're damned good at profiling and have some form of psychology certification, don't you?"         Ray nodded.         "It would be a shame to waste it, and then there's the fact that you are a detective, first and foremost, not a psychologist or profiler .. So.. after much discussion, he agreed to an official experiment, to be run through the precinct, the post of Psych officer we hashed out what your duties would be and there's far less emphasis on the Psychology and more emphasis on real police work."         "Oh.."         "Now, I told the commissioner about your studies and that we had to come to some arrangement that would allow you to continue your studies and work. He's willing to give you six months to prove you be an asset as a Psych officer on a part time basis.. with one or two strings."         "That's great news.. What are the strings?"         "If you want to work from home, you have to have a separate office."                 "Can do.. We're moving to a new place as soon as the paper work is settled and the painter's have been in to change the god awful colour scheme there. It has the perfect office, with a separate lockable File room."         "It has to be secure."         "It is."         "I'll have to inspect it and make that judgement for myself. "Now.. We've got the matter of the expenses of setting things up," Welsh pulled out one of the envelopes and held it out.         "That's all the paper work you'll have to fill out. You can requisition whatever you need to set up your office, but you have to be able to justify every expense and you better keep good records.."         "As far as wage's go, for the trail period it will be something between what you got before the accident, and what an accredited Profiler earns. If after the trial period is over he decides you were worth the expense, you're wage will freeze until you get your diploma and accreditation. Think of it as incentive to continue your studies and get accreditation for your profiling studies.."         Ray smiled faintly.         "I've been doing the advanced course, which meant I had to study harder to finish my studies in half the time. Right now, I'm studying full time via correspondence but it was really taking it's toll on me when I had to factor in my duties as Fraser's primary carer when he needed a minder around the clock. I was going to talk to the Dean about switching to part time.."         "You can continue to study full time for at least the next six months.."         "That will depend on my work load."         "You have to put in at least four hours a day at the station, and be on call after that," Welsh said holding out an envelope, "This outlines the whole deal, there are also forms that have to be lodged.. I know you can't do paperwork right now so I filled it in for you, all you have to do is sign it if you agree to the terms and duties and get it back to me by Friday."         Ray nodded.         Welsh held out one of the thick file envelopes.         "Now, this is a case the Commissioner would like you to take. A double murder investigation that's going no where. It's not in our district, all the leg works been done, he just wants to see wether or not it's worth going to the effort of creating a new position. Consider it your make or break case.. He can still pull the rug out from under you at any time.. But if you can get somewhere on that where they've failed.. That Rug will be secure for the next 6 months."         Ray nodded.         "I understand."         "Good.. Now this is what you asked for," Welsh said handing over the last envelope.         "Everything I could get on Dante McIntire."         "Great."         "By the way, you're going to have to get new I.D photo's."         Ray nodded and held up his hands.         "And get my prints done again."         Welsh looked at his hands.         "Half my prints are gone."         Welsh carefully took hold of Ray's arm and made him hold his hand up where he could see it in the light.         "So they are."         "And if you think that's bad, you should see my other hand," Ray said with a little shudder. "I lost everything, palm and finger prints.. Only one finger came out unscathed and I'm going to be undergoing more grafts on that hand."         "I thought the grafting was over."         "So did I.. But, I got an infection in the grafts, they were stripped back.. and I gotta wait for a new batch of skin to be cloned before I get the new grafts."         "Ah. That was what your sister was talking about."         "Don't go anywhere I had something I wanted to give to you but didn't get a chance to."         He spun and dashed back into the house finding his coat, fetching the cheque and then finding the fit he'd brought. He returned to the porch to hand the cheque to Welsh.         "Thanks for the offer, but I don't need the loan now."         "You don't? You're not going to sell the house to pay your bills are you, your sister.."         "Everything has been settled.. I got compensation for what happened to my arm."         "Ah."         Ray held out the gift.         "And I got you something to say thank you for everything you did for me."         "You didn't have to do that," Welsh said taking the gift anyway.         "You didn't have to offer me that loan either."         "Did I mention that the arrest rate around the district has dropped since we lost the team of the Vecchio and Fraser."         Ray smiled faintly.         "No."         "Well it has. We don't want to loose the best team we've had in a long time."         Ray looked through the doorway, then back to Welsh.         "Benni's still got a long way to go before he can take up where he left off."         "I gathered that when we talked last. But you've found a new way to continue your work, a way that attracted the attention of the Commissioner and the local branch Director of the FBI."         "Didn't you say something about them ignoring a warning about Dante."         "Yes. I did."         "Well whatever it was that he wants he can.."         "Go to hell?"         "Exactly."         "That's what I told him."         Ray grinned.         "I bet that went down like a lead balloon."         "I also told him he could expect to face a lot of resistance from my people towards assisting his people, unless or until you receive a personal and public apology for that piece of stupidity."         "A public apology?"         "Public as in front of everyone at the precinct."         "Well, I hope that didn't get you in any trouble."         "I did it in front of the Commissioner, and explained my reasons afterwoulds. He said if I could prove they got the warning *before* Dante's plane landed, or before that parcel was mailed, he'd demand an investigation into the whole mess."         "Can you prove it?"         Welsh gave a faint shrug.         "All I've got at this stage is the word of one of the Australian Fed's.. An Officer Mandaway."         "He's the one who helped me out, in Australia, he's in charge of the whole case..His word should be good enough. He knows that Dante made threats against me, Benni told him everything before.. he lost it completely. And I do mean everything. I think.. He just wanted to curl up and die at that stage, and held out long enough to make damn sure Dante didn't get a chance to carry out his threats."         "Do you know what Dante threatened to do, or was it just a general threat?"         "He knew I was there.. He must have seen me.. I didn't understand how he knew.. It's not as if we ever met.. Now I know he saw me with Benni in the Riv the day he carved up the paintwork."         "But what did he threaten to do."         "For starters..." Ray glanced at the open door way, and took a side step away. "Carrying out the threat he carved into my car. If he ever saw me around Benni again."         "Which he did. What else did he threaten to do?"         "The usual.."         "You remember how you told me all but one of his victims died slow and terrible deaths.."         Welsh nodded slowly.         "And you remember how the exception died."         Welsh nodded.         "That's pretty much what he threatened to do to me."         "I have the feeling there was more to it."         Ray sighed.         "There is."         "Most of it could probably be taken for ranting in the heat of the moment.."         "What else.."         "I would rather not.."         "Did he threaten to hurt members of your family too."         "My mother," Ray said in a low voice, "He knows what she looks like.. He met her once.. When she was trying to be helpful. I didn't think anything of it.. Not at the time.. I thought they'd catch him.. That he wouldn't be able to carry out any of his threats.."         "Now you know better."         "I'm doing what I can, I brought a new place, a real urban fortress, near the hospital."         "The old medical center."         "You know the place."         "That's the only "urban fortress" near the hospital I can think of that would be up for sale. It's been up for sale for years. No one seemed interested in buying it."         "Yeah well.. There were things wrong with the place that the owner spent years trying to rectify. I got lucky, I got it after all the major problems had been rectified.. The security on that place is great," Ray said, fishing the key's from his pocket and holding them out.         "You can check it out for yourself if you like. And inspect the office there while your at it"         After a moment Welsh took the keys, nodding, and tucked them into his pocket and pointed across the way.         "You may or not appreciate the fact that you're place has been under around the clock surveillance ever since you received that packet."         Ray's eyes widened as he looked around and recognised the car across the way. Welsh gave a signal and the door opened, and Huey stepped out of the car and leaned on the door.         "Huey, Dewey, Rawlings and Davis have been taking it in shifts."         Ray made emphatic gestures to Huey and the dark detective shut up the car and headed across the street.         "Is that .. official or.. voluntary."         "Both.. The moment he mailed that parcel to you he earned our attention. We won't give him a chance to finish what he started if he comes back for you."         "That's nice to know sir."         "In light of his activities in Canada, this has been given the official green light. If we get official word that he's crossed the border, our presence will be greater."         "That's good to know sir. I take it they've been making sure all the mail and parcels that arrive here is clean."         Welsh smiled very faintly and nodded as Huey arrived climbing up the stairs.         "You fraud.. You coulda told me what was going on when I was at the precinct this afternoon," Ray said poking him a few times for good measure.         "He was under orders, to be discrete."         "Uh-hu.. Well, you can scuttle back to the car and try to be a little more discrete in a minute. There is going to be a large number of parcels arriving tonight. I know where each and everyone is coming from and who every person delivering them will be, so you don't need to pounce on anyone. Unless you see a muscle bound Adonis walking up with a parcel in brown paper. I asked for everything to be delivered gift wrapped."         "Got it."         "Good, now scat before someone notices you hear and starts asking awkward questions."         "Too late," Meg said.         The trio jumped and looked around to see the hugely pregnant inspector leaning on the door frame, a frame to her belly.         "Oh dear," the trio chorused.         "Please tell me the babies have decided it's time to come into the world, Caro."         She gave him a positively evil smile, then winced rubbing at her stomach.         "You wish."         "I'm dead, aren't I?"         "Well you've got three options."         "Oh, what are they?"         She started ticking off on her fingers.         "Start talking, and make it good, studmuffin."         Welsh and Huey snickered at that.         "That does it, I'm getting the buzz cut back."         "Don't even think of it."         "What are the other options?"         "Start running."         "Uh-hu, and what's the last option."         "Do you remember what we were discussing earlier."         "Alright, you can hire an interior designer."                 She rolled her eyes.         "Not *that* discussion, the *other* discussion."         He thought about it for a while.         "Right *now*."         "Uh-hu."         "The car is still loaded with book's and things."         She stuck two finger's in her mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle that made the trio of men cover their ears. In short order Fraser appeared at Meg's side.         "You called."         "Keys," Meg said holding out her hand.         Ray passed the keys to the Riv over. She slapped them into Fraser's hand.         "Empty out the Riv and carry everything inside."         "Where should I put it's contents?"         "On Raymond's bed, he won't be using it tonight."         Fraser bounded out to obey her biding.         "Aaaalrighty..Let's just say I agree to do that. Megatron, You gotta agree to let this whole thing drop and trust me."         "If you make it worth my while, *Caro*, she said, before she waddled off.         "Uh-hu.. Can I borrow a phone?"         Welsh and Huey pulled out their Cel phones offering them to Ray. Ray reached out and hit a button on Welsh's then racked his memory and dialled the number of the Drake and took the phone, waiting for confirmation he got it right.         "Oh, Hello, I was wondering if I can get a suite at your hotel at short notice.. Right away if possible.. I can, good, I'd like the honeymoon suite, if that's possible. It is, wonderful. Excuse me, one moment."         He covered the mouth piece looking around.                 "Fraser, there's a Gold dress box in the trunk with a red ribbon around it, with Frannie's name on it, and another one with Meg's name on it, take them in first. Make sure they get the right box too, hmm. Oh, there will be half a dozen blue boxes, with Red and Blue ribbons around them. You can take everything else out.. But leave those there."         "Yes, Ray."         Ray returned to his call.         "Yes, I'm back, what was that.. Champagne, no.. Alcohol is a no-no.. Chocolates.. Yes, Alcohol no... Oh, that sounds fine.. Thank-you.. You have a complimentary pick up don't you.. Oh, Good.."         Ray made arrangements for a car to come around and pick up a party of two within the hour."         He signed off and handed the phone back to Welsh.         "Which Hotel??"         "The Drake."         Welsh rang the station and called for another team to take up watching the house.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Eighteen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         After Welsh departed to check out Ray's new place, Huey helped Fraser empty out Ray's car.         "Did you have to buy out the store," Huey grumbled as he moved past Ray with a large stack of thick books.         "I need every one of those books for my studies."         "No student needs that many books."         "Wrong, the rest of my class mates can just take a short stroll to the library after class to pick up the books on the recommended reading list. I'd probably have sent Frannie out to do it for me, only my coach said never borrow a reference book when you can buy it, you never know when you might need to refer to it again."         "I'm sure he didn't say buy out the shop."         "You haven't see the list of books he recommended that I buy.. There are over 500 titles on it. I'm still trying to find half of them."         The books were stacked beside the staircase and Huey went back out to the car for more while Fraser carried another stack into the car.         "I see you are replacing your books," Fraser said, while Meg came down the stairs, unnoticed.         "*Replacing*.."         "Yes..Isn't that why you brought all these books to replace the ones that were burned.."         "*Burned!* My reference collection was *burned!*"         Fraser stacked the books beside the stack Huey had brought in, then faced Ray.         "Didn't Meg tell you? I thought that was why you brought so many books."         "My books were burned.."         "Yes.. When Dante broke into the house and trashed it.. He started a fire in the library.. Didn't Meg tell you?"         Ray closed his eyes, deep breathing and counting to one hundred.                 "Fraser.. Get the rest of the books," Meg said from the landing.         Fraser looked around and did a double take then smiled.         "You look ... stunning in that dress."         "Thank-you, now go and get the books.. Before Raymond explodes."         Fraser nodded and hurried out. Ray turned and looked around and lost count, Fraser was right, the Red Velveteen dress with it's empire styling looked stunning on Meg. She raised her hand, the hoop from it's trailing train around her rest, showing a flash of leg and matching red slippers as she descended the final flight of stairs with what appeared to be more grace than she'd waddled up them with.         Ray watched her descend then spun around and marched out the door.         "Fraser! Remember what I said about those blue parcels in the trunk.. Forget what I said, bring them in."         "Did you get me something else to wear."         He turned to find her behind him and took her hand making a little bow over it before he kissed it.         "Fraser was wrong, stunning isn't the word for how Ravishing you look in that dress."         She smiled.         "The parcels I'm talking about are some new suits for Fraser and I that I brought after I got that dress, from a shop that seems to work on the "dress to match your partner" principle and stocks suits to match the dresses of the designer ladies shop across the way."         "So you brought a suit to match my dress."         "Suits. One for me One for him. Well actually it was more like half a dozen.. But the rest are being delivered later tonight."         Huey gave a little cough from behind and they moved out of the door way. Huey gave Meg the once over, twice as he passed through the door.         "I don't suppose that dress comes in other colours."         "Actually it comes in 6 different colours," Ray said reeling off the list."         "Great, I couldn't get you to pick up a shimmering gold could I.. I think it would make a great gift for mother's day. Just let me know what it costs and.."         "Forget it.. I still owe you one.. I'll get the dress and we'll consider it even."         "Deal."         Fraser came back, arms loaded with books, followed by the Doctor, Paul, who was just as loaded down.         "I see you didn't waste any time spending that money," Paul commented.         Ray gave him a smile.         "I got lucky, the house I had my eye on cost me less than I budgeted for."         "And if what's in your car is anything to go by, you celebrated by going on a spending spree."         Ray grinned nodding.         "Nice hair cut by the way, it suits you."         Meg reached up to twine a finger in one of Ray's curls.         "I thought so too."         "I take it this stunning creature is your lady."         Huey took the books from Paul and added them to the pile, while Ray introduced them.                 "You guess right. Meg I'd like you to meet Paul Conti, My Cosmetic surgeon, and future Brother in Law."         "A pleasure to met you," Paul said, taking her extended hand to plant a kiss on it.         Ray gave him a mock glare.         "Is Francesca ready?"         Ray looked at the stair case and smiled.         "I don't know, you tell me," he said and pointed.         Paul turned and his jaw hit the floor as Francesca gracefully descended the stair case, her curls piled on top of her hair in an artful array of ringlets, emerald drop earings brushing her neck, the matching necklace around her bare throat glimmering in the light, that also set her matching bracelet a glimmer. The set not only highlighted her flawlessly made up eyes, but the deep emerald colouring of the shimmering medieval style velvet and silk dress with a plunging neck line and long slashed sleeves that she wore. Even her slippers matched.         Paul moved to the foot of the stair case to take her hand and place a lingering kiss on it.         "I am going to be the envy of every man in the place tonight."         She gave him a radiant smile and looped her arm through his.         "And here I was thinking how I'd be the envy of every woman."         "Didn't I tell you he was smitten," Ray said in a hushed aside to Meg.         The lovebirds headed out the door billing and cooing at each other while Huey gaped. Ray laughed at the look at his face.         "I hate to say it Ray, but I wouldn't start planning your sister's wedding just yet."         "And why not.. The man is positively smitten with Frannie."         "He is just the most eligible bachelor in town, something you forget to mention, when you were telling us about him."         "Well, he may have been eligible, but he's not any more. He's Frannie's man now.         "Not for long, every socialite in the state is throwing herself, or her daughter at him, he's neck deep in gorgeous women."         "Are you insinuating that my sister can't be included in that category."         "No, but she's way out of his class."         "That's where you're wrong. He asked me, as the head of the family, for permission to pay court to Frannie, he fully intends to make her Mrs Conti in the near future. And I don't care if it costs me the rest of the money I got to turn our cygnet into a swan, nobody but nobody is going to be asking *why* he picked Frannie."         Meg kissed his cheek, wrapping her arm around his waist. With a wince he raised his arm to wrap it around her.         "Am I to take it, you don't object?"         "If that's what you'd do for your sister, I can tell that Francesca Jnr is going to be spoiled to death."         Ray smiled laying his hand on her belly.         "Along with her mother.."         Huey decided it was a good time to get another load of books from the car and Ray kicked the door closed behind him, and stretched out a hand to Fraser who was watching them. With a smile Fraser joined them and a group cuddle ensued.         "I bet you thought I forget about you."         "I understand."         "Good, then you won't be offended if I tell you that we have to take separate cars to the hotel.. and arrive at different times."         "Are we going to a hotel?"         "Mhmmm.. Do you remember what I planned to do before I went away."         Fraser nodded.         "Well, I plan to go through with that plan, tonight, where we don't have to worry about anyone finding out we're a threesome."         Fraser smiled. Ray nuzzled Meg's ear.         "That ought to show Meg we still think she's beautiful even if she does have a passing resemblance to a beached whale."         She swatted him and Fraser laughed.         "Grab those parcels, the one with the Red ribbon is for you."         Fraser lit up.         "You got me a present too."         "Well of course I did, it's a new suit. The moment I set eyes on it, I thought of you.. Now shoo.. Go and get it. The taxi I booked to take you to the hotel will be arriving soon and I want to see you in that suit before it gets here."         Fraser shooed, leaving Meg alone with Ray.         "Now, let's talk about who's been keeping secrets from whom. Shall we."         She blushed faintly.         "When did you intend to tell me what happened to my book collection?"         "I was hoping I'd get a chance to replace all the books first."         "It took me over a year, and at least two and a half thousand dollars to amass that collection."         "I had insurance, and don't worry, for lack of anything better to do one day, I went through your collection with Fraser's help and listed all your books plus their value on your computer. That thief didn't touch any of the files.. Your catalogue is still intact. We can replace everything."         "Why do I have the feeling that *everything* mean's almost literally that."         She gave a little sigh.         "It means everything he left behind."         He stepped away growing agitated.         "Why didn't you tell me?! I would have dropped everything and flown out as soon as.."         "I *know*," she said in a meaningful tone of voice cutting in on his diatribe before he had a chance to really get going.         "Know *what*?" He asked hoping it wasn't what he thought.         "About the real reason you started consulting that doctor. You were *undercover* in the sense that you were covered in bandages, after he sent you an acid bomb through the post."         He drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes.         "How did you find out."         "I know about McIntire too.. I *am* a Mountie, remember. Ever since your Lieutenant notified us that he crossed the border using Fraser's I.D we've been tracking his path of death and destruction across the country."         "Does Fraser know?"         She nodded with a sigh.         "He doesn't know what happened to you.. But he does know Dante got out of Australia and returned to Canada to start his campaign of death and destruction. They came and interrogated him, to try and work out who would be next when they realised he was killing people who were connected to him in some way. They came back three times before he told them anything useful."         "That's why he started backsliding. They wouldn't let it drop till he gave them what they wanted."         She nodded.         "And what he gave them was the names of all the men Mc Intire's killed so far.. He had the worst night terrors of all during that period and started becoming obsessed with cleanliness, personal cleanliness. We had to keep dragging him out of the shower.. He was scrubbing himself raw.."         "That's why she said he should be sent to a psychiatric hospital.. he started losing it again."         She nodded.         "If you knew.. The story about me being undercover was just a lie.. Why didn't you.."         "You were still hospitalised when he was going through the worst of it, what did you expect me to do, drag you out of your hospital bed to tend to him?"         "How did you cure him of his obsession with personal cleanliness?"         "I poured over your books and notes and tried everything they suggested when a patient developed the obsessions he was displaying.. I broke him of the worst of his habits.. But nothing I've done stops him from obsessing about the cleanliness of his surroundings.. it's as if he transferred his.. obsession with personal cleanliness to an obsession with his environment being as clean and orderly as he can get it. He actually started improving when I gave up trying to stop him.."         Ray thought about that.         "Being able to control the order of his environment give's back something Dante took away from him.. Control of his life.. He lost that and he's trying to get it back by controlling his environment.. He's telling us he wants control back.. That he still feels unclean, that's why he goes on cleaning frenzies. Instead of scrubbing himself raw, which doesn't work, he cleans his surroundings.. He can get those clean.."         "It's not going to be easy to break him of that habit is it?"         "It's going to take a while, but it won't be impossible. Have you noticed any difference in his behaviour today?"         She raised a brow, a thoughtful look on her face and nodded slowly.         "Yes.."         "Good.. I had a long talk with him last night. He isn't going to give me a fight.. he's ready and willing to accept my help.. It's almost frightening the amount of trust he has in me."         "You gave him good reason to place that trust in him."                 "I'm amazed that he could extend it to me in the first place.. He used to put his faith in Dante and look what it got him."         "You're not Dante.. You couldn't be more dissimilar if you tried. He knows you know what it feels like to be trapped in an abusive relationship, you told him all about your father."         "Eavesdropper."         She smiled faintly and sadly.         "I didn't have to eavesdrop on your conversations with him to learn about your father.. You were quite vocal in your sleep about it on more than one occasion."         He blushed, deeply.         "You proved all the statistic's about the children of abusive parents wrong.. And proved your father wrong too.. And he is putting the lessons you taught him, to rebuild his shattered life to work."         "He is?"         She nodded.         "I didn't pull him out of the despair when he slid back.. He clawed his own way out of it. And I think you'd be pleasantly surprised to find out just how much he's improved in some area's."         "Did you keep records for me?"         "Of course, studmuffin," she said winding one of his curls around her finger.         "If you keep calling me that, I'm gonna get another buzz cut."         "It's a compliment," she said moving in for the kill.         "You left, looking like a good stiff breeze would blow you away, even before you left, I worried myself sick about you.. Which is why I sent you away.. I couldn't send Fraser away, and I knew that if I didn't act, soon.. I'd lose you and the babies," she said reaching out to pop a button while she started nuzzling at his neck.         "I thought, the best place you could be at that time was with your family, that they'd cluck over you and make sure you got yourself back on track."         Her hand slipped under his shirt and started wandering and he arched his throat to her.         "I was kept in the dark about what happened to you until they knew for sure that you would pull through it.. I know what happened. How serious it was, and I know why you asked your superior to lie to me.. But there's no need for the charade any more.. I let Fraser cluck to his hearts content, and nag me into taking better care of myself, so the reason you lied in the first place would become a moot point."         "I didn't want.. you to lose the babies.."                 Her wandering hand passed over his chest and her fingers began to toy with a nipple which sprang to attention along with another part of his anatomy.         "That is what made all the effort worth while. You care what happens, to them, and me, even though you don't believe they're yours."         "They're not."         "They are, but I'm not going to argue the point, we can settle the issue after they're born with a paternity test. Which will prove that rather than sterile you're a virile studmuffin."                 "If you keep calling me that.."         "It's what you are.. The last thing I expected was the scrumptious man who walked through that door last night," she continued nuzzling at his ear.         "I'm going to be beating the competition off with a stick now."         "Flattery will get you everywhere and if you don't stop what you're doing right now..."         "You'll do what? Ravish me right here. Go right ahead."         The sound of Fraser clearing his throat broke in and they both looked around. Ray smiled and Meg laughed.         "Is this a company meeting or a party?"         Ray chuckled at that.         "There's nothing wrong with his memory."         She swatted him.         "You look good, Benni."         Fraser tugged at the form fitting red coat he wore over black pants with a yellow braid down the legs, and tweaked at the collar of the black satin shirt he wore under the coat.         "It's a little tight."         "Well, you won't be wearing it for long, so that doesn't matter, does it," Ray said as he slipped out of Meg's clutches and approached Fraser to reach up and open the collar one handed and tweaked it up, so the stiff collar stood up.         "There, now it's not choking you."         "One of us is under dressed."         "You wish," Ray said looking at Meg over his shoulder as he wrapped his hand around Fraser's arm.         "But I can take a hint, come and help me get into my suit."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Huey did a double take as he turned away from the car, to see the trio on the porch. Ray's choice of personal apparel was a pair of pants that matched Fraser's a black satin shirt of the same cut, only a few size's bigger and baggier. His red over coat was the epitomine of style, though it too was at least two size's bigger than it should have been, but the reason for that was obviously the brace he wore.         Huey kicked the car door shut behind him, juggling the last stack of books as he approached the porch and ascended the stairs.         "They're going to see you coming from a mile away."         "If you think these are bright, wait till you see the other coat's I got."         With a loud blare of the horn, the cab driver announced his arrival, and Huey looked around.         "This is the last load, I'll just put it away and.."         "No hurry, Huey."         Huey turned and hurried into the house, while Ray descended from the porch with Fraser on his heels. He leaned toward the driver pulling out a 50 and handed it to him.         "Take him to the Drake," he instructed the cabbie, before he moved to the back window which Fraser wound down.         "We'll meet you in the lobby."         Fraser nodded and the driver pulled out driving away as Huey returned to the porch looking around. A van pulled up in front of Ray and he stepped back as the door opened and the driver climbed out clip board in hand and pulled a parcel out from the front seat. Huey moved in as the driver looked Ray over.         "Let me guess, the bandages finally came off Mr Vecchio."         Ray grinned and nodded accepting the clip board as it was offered to him.         "You're looking good."         "Thanks. You timed it just right, Sam, I was about to leave for a night on the town," he said as he clumsily signed for his parcel.         Huey tried to intercept it, but Ray took the parcel hugging it to his chest.         "It's just my latest correspondence package, Jack," he said, pointing to the address label in the corner as Sam the delivery man climbed back into his truck.         "See. The only way the contents of this would kill me would be through sheer boredom as I wade through some of the most boring texts you never read."         Huey backed off, taking his word for it.         "It never hurts to be cautious."         Ray headed back to the house carrying his parcel, with Huey on his heels.         "There's cautious and there's paranoid Huey. Cautious is treating any unexpected package with extreme care, Paranoid is treating every parcel that arrives, even when your expecting one, as if it could be another nasty surprise package."         Ray was at the door when the Drake's courtesy car pulled up.         "I think your car's here."         Ray looked around, then tossed the parcel through the door, pulling it closed as he turned. He stepped away reaching for Meg.         "Where's Fras.."         Neither Ray's action, or Huey's question was completed as an explosion shook the porch and the door was blasted outward accompanied by a huge ball of flame. Huey flew backwards, as Ray went flying, and Meg, the furthest from the door, was almost thrown off her feet. As Ray went flying past, her arms flew out to catch hold of the porch post and clung to it for dear life to avoid being sent flying.         As Ray and Huey hit the front lawn, the courtesy car door flew open and the driver jumped out, to race across the lawn. Meg looked back wide eyed to see the huge smoking hole that was the door way, splintered, smouldering wood, Ray's new collection of books scattered everywhere in flames and the ceiling caving in over the entry way.                          *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Ninteen                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         The last thing Welsh expected when he returned to Ray's place was to find the fire department putting out a fire, along with the paramedics and ambulences. Pushing his way through the crowd of gawpers Welsh found Huey sitting on a trolley, his torso wrapped in bandages, watching the firemen work to put the fire out.         "What happened?"         "Another parcel bomb, the explosive kind this time."         "You were suppoused to intercept any parcels."         "He got to it first."         Welsh looked around at the house.         "He's fine.. He didn't open it, he tossed it inside. It must have gone off when it landed."                 "Where is he?"         "He and Thatcher are on their way to the hospital."         "Is she.."         "She's fine, but the shock sent her into premature labour."         "What's his condition?"         "He's a little dazed, singed, bruised and in full panic mode about the babies. Beyond that, he's fine."         "Fraser?"         "I lost him.. They sent him somewhere in a taxi while I was distracted.."         "What about Mrs Vecchio and Francesca?"         "Frannie's going to be in for one hell of a shock when her date brings her home. And you'd have to ask Dewey where Mrs Vecchio is, she left the house before I took over."         A paramedic approached.         "What's his condition?" Welsh demanded.         "Mainly bruises, though he may have cracked a rib, we want to take him to the hospital for X-Rays."         "Do that," Welsh said.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         A phone call to the Drake resulted in Fraser arriving at the hospital. Welsh escorted Mrs Vecchio to the hospital after he finally tracked her down. While Welsh was checking up on Huey's condition, Mrs Vecchio caught sight of Fraser trying to find out where Ray and Meg were and lead him through the corridors to the natal ward.         Fraser went into mother hen mode, rushing to Ray's side to cluck when he saw Ray standing before the huge observation window in his singed and filthy coat.         "Stop clucking, I'm fine.. Look.. Meg had the babies."         Fraser looked around.         "Which ones?"         "Over there.. In the incubators the nurse is checking out."         "Are they alright? They weren't due for another.."         "They're fine.. They're perfect.. They're an instant family, she had triplets."         "What?!"         "That's what we said, after the Doctor delivered the first two and said, there's another one here.. The doctor said the third one must have been masked. That's why it didn't show up in the ultrasounds."         "So what are they?"         "We have a Francesca, a Gregory and an I don't know yet."         "What do you mean an.."         "It's another boy," Mrs Vecchio said.         "Ah.."         "We weren't expecting another baby, we don't have a name for him yet."         Huey wandered into the corridor, with Welsh.         "How are they?" Huey asked as he approached.         Ray looked around, smiling.         "They're fine, she had triplets, can you beleive that?"         "Damn.."         "What?"         "Never mind.. Congratulations."         "I thought you were expecting twins," Welsh said.         "We were.. The third one gave everyone a surprise. He was hiding behind the other two, Ray said and pointed out the triplets incubators.         "So what did she have??"         "Two boys and a girl. By the way.. If you're going to tear strips of Jack about that bomb, don't..         "You're too late.. He already reamed me out for it."         "It wasn't his fault, sir. I stopped him from intercepting it. I thought it was my latest correspondence package, it was delivered by the same guy who delivered all the rest.. It had all the right stamps and labels.. I don't understand how he got to it."         "I told you, Dante broke into the house," Fraser said.         Ray looked at him.         "It would have been simplicity itself for him to work out how to reach you.. You left all your study materials behind."         Ray was amazed. This was not the sort of thing Fraser did any more. His amazement became delight as Fraser continued.         "It would have been a simple task to discover you were doing most of your studies by corresspondence. There were envelopes and forms that carried all the details. If he watched the house before he broke in, he would have known that you were no longer in residence, and worked out that your most likely place of residence was your home here. He may have gone on to the college and learned for a fact you were still studying via correspondence."         "That's assuming Dante was the one who was behind the fire there."         "Of course he was, they told me he was torching houses. I'm sure if you examine the data gathered on the other places he burned down the evidence will prove that he was behind the fire at our place. Though I am not sure it will prove he sent that bomb. Though he had the motive and oppourtunity I don't beleive he sent it."         "Why? Because bombs aren't up his alley. I hate to break it to you like this, Benni, but it's not the first parcel bomb Dante's sent."                 "It's not???"         "No. We didn't want you to get upset so we didn't let you know.. I got the new face because he sent me a nasty surprise package shortly after he got out of Australia.. I didn't receive it till I got back home and it went up in my face. And they found his prints on the packaging.."         "It wasn't explosive?"         "No.. It was an acid bomb.. among other things. But it wasn't explosive."         "That I can beleive was his work.. But not the explosives. It isn't right."         "In what sense, Benni?"         "To send explosives. Something that would maim you, yes.. But explosives..No.. Explosives could hurt someone other than their intended victim.. And he wouldn't hurt an innocent.."         "Benni, the man is psycotic.. Psycho's don't care who they hurt."         "He is not phsycotic, there is a definate pattern to his attacks.. He is *punishing* people.. Everything he's done, every person he's killed, every building he's burn, every act he's taken has been to punish people who hurt me."         "Hey, Benni, I didn't hurt you."         "You and Meg are exceptions to the rule, you are being punished for coming between us.. And he did nothing to Meg, he torched the house, instead of attacking her, because she was pregnant, and if he went after her personally an innocent, in that case, the baby, would be hurt."                 "Benni, Dante wasn't the one who torched the house, it was the Dope smoking wacko you got expelled from the college."         "No. He admitted that he broke into the house, trashed it and stole Meg's Jewelry and your laptop and that is all he admited too. He only admited to that after they charged him with arson.. In his confession, he said that if there was a fire it was an accident. He did not deliberatly light a fire and the fire was *deliberately* lit. Dante was responisble for the fire."         "And you're dead certain he wouldn't have sent that bomb."         "Yes."         "But no one else had a reason to send me a bomb, Benni.. I haven't been an active cop since the accident. You pointed out he could have found everything he needed to send the bomb and make it look like the parcel came from the college."         "I don't think it was Dante.. I don't know who else would be motivated or know enough to do that.. And it makes no sense to me, if they were concerned that he would send another parcel bomb why wasn't the postal service warned to hand any parcels addressed to you to a explosives expert to be examined.."         "They were," Walsh interjected. "The Feds were suppoused to be han..dle..ling.."         He trailed off and he and Huey shared looks.         "They did it *again*," They both growled at the same time.         "Did what?" Ray and Fraser both said.         "The Feds were warned about Dante, before he sent the first bomb. They had a chance to catch him before he got off the plane at O'Hare. The Australian Fed's warned them he'd gotten past them, and boarded a plane for the US and would probably be using a stolen passport. They ignored the warning."         "That's why that damned bomb got through.. They ignored the request to assist us by making sure your mail was intercepted and inspected before it was forwarded onto you. I didn't really trust them to do it after what happened.."         "That's why he told us to intercept any parcels that arrived," Huey added.         Welsh nodded.         "Now, I've got the proof I need to nail that bastard's hide to the wall."         "Why would they ignore warning's of such a nature I don't understand."         "It's because we pissed them off, Benni. We made them look like idiots. And when we caught the Bolt brothers after they turned us into a walking bomb, and made everyone look like fools, we came out of that debacle as the hero's of the hour while they looked just plain imcompentant on *national* T.V at that. Even Meg made them look stupid. She worked out what they were really after."         "You worked that out for yourself, all she did was give you the clue you needed to do it."         "Yeah, but she worked out there was something fishy going on first. And did it without all the clues we had that something else was going down there."         "True."         Ray looked at Welsh.         "And you better make damn sure he gets nailed for this, or I'm gonna send him something nasty in the mail myself," Ray said, looking away at the instant family in the ward.         "And I've got five good reasons to go after that son of a bitch for it."         "Five.. There are three babies," Fraser said confused.         Ray gave a very faint smile at that.         "Meg and Huey are the other too," Ray said, then looked Huey over.         "You O.K?"         "Just some bad bruises. I'm gonna be as stiff as a board come morning."         "You and me both."         "I've got your place under gaurd, for the moment, I can have a team move in in the morning to start packing up whatever the fire didn't get after forensic's and the insurence company are through .."         "The insurence company won't be sending anyone out. There is no insurence on the place right now."         "What?" His mother almost shrieked.         Ray winced.         "I didn't have the money to renew it Ma.. I was gonna take care of that and the rest tommorrow. But don't worry about it.. I'll get someone in to take care of the damage.."         "With what?!"         "Don't worry about it, I got some money.. If it doesn't cost to much I should be able to cover all the repairs.. Course it's gonna mean I can't spruce up the new place the way I planned.. Meg'll loove that.."         "New place? What new place."         "I brought the place we were talking about last night."         "The house we rented while you were in the hospital."         "That's the one."         "You're cusion Mario is a painter. And his sister is an interior designer.. I'll call their mother in the morning and get them on the job... If we get them to do the work on both places we can get a big discount on them and you'll be able to afford to do both at the same time.. Of course we'll have to get them to do the other place first, there is no way we're moving back into that house until they've finished the work... If I make a few calls I'm sure we can rustle up enough helpers to get the work done as fast as possible."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Ray discovered just how much fun it was to be the one Fraser clucked over after over the next few days. He spent the first day following the explosion in bed, every bruise on his body making itself felt. Fraser clucked and molly coddled him and he was in enough pain to take it without complaint. The closest he got to visiting Meg at the hospital was to make a phone call, making her laugh when he told her that the way Fraser was clucking that it wouldn't surprise him if he sprouted feathers and a beak.         He got a break from Fraser's clucking for an hour when Fraser, accompanied by a police escort, went to the hospital to visit Meg and the Babies. He returned with a huge smile and asked if he minded if Meg named the second boy."         "I don't mind, why should I mind."         "Well it is a boy, she thinks that since she chose to name the other one after her father that you should at least have a chance to think of a name for the other boy.. Since he is your son."         Ray rolled his eyes thinking here we go again.         "The last thing on my mind right now is going through a baby book to pick a name."         "If you have no objections, she would like to call him Robert."         "Robert??? Why does she want to call him Robert?"                 "Well, she can't call him Benton, that would cause too much confusion, and while Fraser is a perfectly acceptable christian name, that would still cause confusion, so she chose Robert instead, after my father."         "Oh, well in that case, Robert is fine by me."         Fraser smiled.         "It's not as if I had my heart set on any other name. And Robert Thatcher sounds fine."         "It's not Robert Thatcher."         "It's not?"         "It's Robert Benton Thatcher-Vecchio."         Ray laughed.         "And the other boys name is Gregory Raymond Thatcher- Vecchio."         "And the girl?"         "Francesca Pauline Thatcher-Vecchio."         "Pauline???"         "I thought you chose her name."         "Francesca, yes, but Pauline, no."         "Oh, she said that it was after the man who turned you into studmuffin."         Ray laughed at that.         "And if you get a buzz cut, she's going to give you a full body buzz cut and the itch as your hair grows back will drive you insane. She likes your new hair style."         "I have no intentions of getting it cut.. I just like teasing her.. She can't keep her hands off it."                          *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         When Fraser finally let Ray out of his clutches, he was joined by Welsh and driven to his new home to inspect the work in process. As they walked through the urban fortress dodging painters and workers as they went, Ray stopped in his tracks and Welsh had to side step fast to avoid running into him.         "Elaine???"         The coverall and scarf covered woman up a ladder hard at work ragging the paint looked down, proving that it was indeed Elaine.         "I don't beleive it, what are you doing up there?"         "She's not the only one here."         Ray looked at Welsh.         "What do you mean? Don't tell me..."         Huey walked in, with a bottle in hand and Elaine scrambled down the lader tossing the rag onto the drop cloth wiping her hands on her cover alls.         "You're going to owe us big time for this," Elaine said as she accepted the drink Huey presented her with.         "So you finally dragged yourself out of bed."         "Fraser wouldn't let me out till I stopped wincing every time I moved. Now I know how Meg felt when he was clucking over her."         "With any luck we'll have this place livable by the time she and the babies are ready to leave the hospital."         "Oh, she's out.. Not that you could tell, she's taken root there.. Watching the babies. The only time she leaves their side is when Fraser arrives to take over so she can get some sleep."         Dewey, paint can in hand, wandered past, his coveralls and cap splattered in paint.         "What's he doing here?"         "I twisted his arm, I told him if he wanted his fifty he had to put in a little work."         "Hmm.. I have a supicion I know why you said Damn when I said Meg had triplets."         Huey laughed.         "After the new's that you were A. Returning to duty soon, and B. Are now the proud father of an instant family, we had a vote."         "Oh, what sort of vote?"         "Wether to give you a baby shower, a welcome back party or help prepare your new house so the work would be done before the babies were ready to leave the hospital. The majority elected to lend a hand."         "If I have any money after I pay for all this work I'll be throwing a big party to thank you all for the work."         "Well, you should have enough, this place is crawling with your relatives. I think the only person who isn't related to you, or one of your work mates is the blond beamouth who is doing the carpet laying. Which means all you have to pay for is the materials."         "There you are."         Ray looked around as his cusion walked in a clip board in hand and homed in on him to draw him away asking to bombard him with questions about colour schemes and the like.                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  3 day's later, Fraser was jugling a pair of baby boys, and Ray took his little Francesca out of Meg's arms and handed them to his ever present police escort, before he took the boys from Fraser.         "Pick her up."         "What?"         Fraser picked her up, and Ray kicked the front door open, so Fraser could carry her over the threshold.         "Voila," Ray said as he followed them through.         Meg looked around as Fraser set her down. Not that there was that much to see, since the door opened onto a corridor, but there was a lot to see in the way of improvements to the decor, among other things a sky tube brought more light into the hall than there used to be, which showed off the profressional paint job, of egg shell blue walls, with picture rails, from which numerous pictures from the family home had been hung.         "You like?"         "This..is the last thing I expected."         "Well.. You did say you wanted to let an interior designer loose here."         "I thought we were going to redecorate the place together."         "You were so wrapped up in the babies, I wasn't up to it, and Fraser was busy clucking over all five of us, you, me and the babies included. Someone had to do the work so we'd have somewhere to live once the babies were ready to leave the hospital. Wait till you see the rest of the house, my cusion, Maria, really did a great job, I arrived to take a look around at just the right time to stop her from going over the top in some of the rooms."         She collected her daughter, and stuck a finger in the babies mouth as she make a feed me face.         "Perhaps you should show me the nursery first."         Ray handed one of the boys to Fraser, and then headed down the hall with the trio following.         "Oh mi," Fraser said when he saw the nursery."         "This is.."         "Incredible," Ray finished for Meg.         "Yes," She said as she looked around at the partioned off room.         Each partion was composed of thick glass, that ran from the floor to the ceiling, the walls were a creamy pearl white with a rag wash molting of a rainbows worth of pearlescent colour giving it the appearence of mother of pearl. The floor was covered with a thick soft pile carpet with a rainbow's worth of colour and each partioned section held a swinging cot, and shelves that were painted to match the roof. Soft fluffy toys hung suspended from hooks in the roof with invisible nylon threadsm or attached to the wall with the aid of Velcro tabs and there was a rocking chair set in the center of the room with a table painted to match the walls.         "Ma had the rocker and the first cot up in the attic, I brought one to match it when I was on my shopping spree, then Ma, Frannie and Maria got together and brought the third. I got all the fluffy toys when I was on my shopping spree. Lucky I went over board in the toy department, there were plenty to go around."         "Why Glass?"         Ray placed his little bundle of joy in one of the cots and then crossed the room to pull back the mother of pearl curtains to show off the office behind the thick glass sliding doors. Meg placed Francesca Jnr in her cot and then joined Ray as he slid a door open and walked into the office and spun slowly waving at his pride and joy, which the colour scheme of the adjoining nursery had been extended into.         After he deposited the last little bundle of joy in a cot, Fraser joined them.         "I know who came up with the design for this office, Benton."         "How did you guess."         "It was in a magazine he showed me..Those wall units are the only thing it didn't include, but I know they were already here."         "I think it looks great. He snuck in and pounced on Maria and convinced her to have the office done to his specifications."         "The doors were my idea. I was thinking French doors, so I could see into the nursery when I was working here and I had a fight with Luitenant Welsh about them, because French doors are secure enough. Maria came to the rescue by suggesting the sliding doors. There are bolts that can lock them into place, and it's bullet proof no one can smash their way through it. That was paid for by the CPD, they also replaced the window in here and the nursery with the same glass."         "The partitions?"         "Are the same stuff. There won't be any glass breakages in that room. They also ripped out the doors and frames into both rooms, and the file room and took down the walls around them, the walls were rebuilt, with cement, the frames are security grade steel, and so are the doors, Maria did a great job having them fitted out and painted to look like the rest of the doors in the place. And the finishing touch was an alarm system that'd wake the dead. Once I bolt the doors for the night, it will automatically kick in, and if anyone manages to get in that alarm will kick in."         "They paid for all that?"         "Uh-hu.. And the other door way too."         "What other door way?"         "The room adjoining the nursery is the main bedroom, they knocked half the wall down and put in a door there, a sliding door like that one. You can't even tell that it's there."         "They paid for the office fittings too," Fraser added.         "They did?"         "Well, they paid for the materials. Apparently I have a cusion or three who are handy with the carpentry tools. They went over the pictures Fraser showed Maria and reproduced the look, and took the doors of those units and replaced them so everything matched."         "And the locksmith.."         "Ah, yes.. And they paid for a locksmith to come in and change all the locks and put them in on every window, and he installed that computer lock on the file room. The only way into it now is with a key card and the code."         "What computer lock?"         Ray crossed the room to show her the lock which was cleverly concealed behind a fake light switch on the wall.         "The lock on the door's for real, but this disengages the lock - and the file rooms alarm. Unless you use this first, the door lock won't disengage, and the alarm will go off. And both alarms are back to base, in this case the precinct."         "Why did they go to all that trouble and expense?"         "Because this is where I'm going to work. Just as soon as the new computer is delivered and the phone line is set up I'm back on duty, as the New Psych Officer."         "But you haven't finished your studies, you need better qualifications than you have to become a police phsycologist."         "I'm not a police phsycologist.. I'm something that's a cross between a profiler, a police phsycologist and a detective. It was the Luitenant's idea..It's an experimental post.. I've got 6 months to prove I can handle it and do a good job, if I can, it'll become a permenant position, and I've got you to thank for it. Making me keep studying to qualify for the profiler's acreditation course. Once I get accredited, It'll become a full time position, and I'll be expected to start training others. But, I'll get a big pay raise and a promotion, and a fancy title to go with it."         "What sort of title."         "Cheif of the CPD Psych department. You should hear the Commissioner, now he's had time to think about the whole idea, he's getting really excited about it. And I've already got three cases on the slate."                                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         The "housewarming/Thank-you" Party was thrown the next day, and the busiest room in the house wasn't the lounge/dinning room, it was the nursery as Ray's relative's and work mates all trooped through to coo at the triplets and gush over the babies. During a lull in the visitations Ray slipped through nursery into his office, dragging Elaine in after him, pulling the curtains closed behind them to make use of the newly installed computer.         All the records on the three cases he'd been assigned had been installed, and one of those cases was Dante's. With Elaine's help the computer was hooked up to the internet in next to no time, via the mobile phone Welsh had presented him with on his arrival.         With a little more help from Elaine he contacted the Head Office of the RCMP. Elaine slipped away to rejoin the party and Ray slipped into his comfy chair and awkwardly typed out a message notifying them that he was the New Phsyc officer of the CPD, and detective in charge of the Dante McIntire case stateside, and informed them of the recent parcel bomb, which may or may not have been the work of Dante. Then he requested to be notified of his movements, particularily if he crossed the border and included the number of his mobile phone and badge number.         He heard noises coming the nursery that he'd already come to recognise as the precuser to a full throated feed me wail. Sending the message he closed down the programme and headed for the nursery, making a stop at the tiny room that held all the baby care parenphenilia to collect a prepared bottle of expressed breast milk from the warmer, popping it in his pocket.         He discovered Francesca Jnr was the culprit and leaned over the side of the cot to tease her lip with a finger. She opened her mouth and latched onto his finger and started suckling.         "Are we hungry, Mia Caro?" he asked knowing the answer as he drew his hand back.         She made mewling noises as he pulled the bottle from his pocket and popped the cover off. He was about to start feeding her when he heard his mobile phone ringing.         "What the hell?"         Fumbling with the bottle, he got the bottle back into his pocket and with an effort, wincing and hissing, he got the baby out of the cot, shifting her to his shoulder and carried her into the office where he'd left the phone. Sinking into the chair, he sat cross legged and set the baby in his lap. Tapping the phone he picked it up moving it to his shoulder and pulled out the bottle as he answered.         "You have reached officer Vecchio's office, this is the human answering service speaking."         The cap popped off the bottle and he listened to the Mountie on the other end identify himself as the head of the McIntire Task force and ask to speak to him.         "Speaking. I thought you were someone else.. That was a preety fast response, I only just sent the e-mail message off," Ray said giving the baby the bottle, then smiling as she latched on and started suckling hungrily.         :"E-Mail?":         "This isn't about my e-mail?"         "Luitenant Welsh informed us yesterday that a new officer was taking over the Dante Case stateside."         "That's me, that's what my E-Mail was about."         He awkwardly slipped his crippled hand under the bottle to free up his right, and turned the chair to reach out and open a drawer, pulling out a legal pad and pen and scooted the chair to a clear section of the desk.         "I take it there's been more action on your side," Ray said prepared to take down the details.         "I've got nothing but Bad news. Your Luitenant Welsh informed us of the bombing at the time, and the opinon expressed by Constable Fraser."         "I'm aware of his opinon."         "It would seem so is McIntire. We have a leak."         "What?"         "There are a few people in the RCMP who think McIntire is doing us a huge favour, especially after his terror crusade netted a drug lord responisble for killing several of our people.. I've suspect for some time now, that it's no coincidence that he was able to avoid the traps we set to catch him.. I finally got confirmation this morning."         "In what way?"         "Someone on my team is obviously among those who think he's doing us a favour.. The new's of the bomb and Fraser's opinon was passed on to McIntire. I recived a letter in the mail this morning, specifically addressed to me, from McIntire, that I think you should see."         "What did it say?"         "Do you have a fax?"                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Welsh was laughing along with a group of his officer's at a joke when his cel phone trilled. He patted his coat down and moved away from the group to a quiet corner of the room to answer it.         :"Luitenant, it's me, Ray.":         Welsh looked around the room.         :"I'm in the office"         Welsh heard babies squaling in the background and smiled faintly thinking Ray just wanted him to send Meg in for him."         "Can you come, and bring Meg with you. The RCMP just got a very long letter from McIntire, and faxed it through to me.. I think you better take a look at it," Ray went on to say wiping the smile off his face.         "Oh, and bring Fraser too.. I've got more hungry infants than I can handle at once right now."                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                  Part Twenty                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Once the babies were fed and changed they were set on a bunny rug and Fraser entertained them. Meg joined Ray and Welsh in Ray's office, closing the doors behind her.         Welsh was handing back the sheath of pages that was the print out of faxed copy of Dante's letter the RCMP had received and forwarded onto Ray.         "What's your opinion?"         "He's definitely Psychasthenic."         Welsh rolled his eyes.         "Tell me something I don't already know."         "What do you have?" Meg asked.         Ray handed her the papers.         "20 pages worth of ranting. He confessed to every crime he committed, including at least 3 murders and 6 arson attacks that they didn't know about. They're not on the list I've got."         "Why did he..?"         "They've got a leak on their end. Someone who's possibly helping him find his victims.. There are some officers who think he's doing them a big favour. Whoever the leak is told him about the bomb I received."         Meg started flipping through the long missive.         "He states 3 times that he didn't send it. Even though he admitted he sent the other one. He backed up Fraser's opinion of the explosion."         "Which was?"         "That Dante didn't send it. He kept saying it wasn't right. That even though Dante had the opportunity and motive he wouldn't send explosives. Because something like that could harm innocents. And after reading that, I have to agree with Fraser.. Just look at it, every page lists the records of the scum he killed, he went after killers and rapists. Half his victims worked for this Fitzsimmon's character, the crime lord who handed himself over to the authorities."         Meg handed the papers back to him. Ray flipped through them, and then tapped one.         "Here, he says he lost his temper and didn't mean to hurt Fraser and that all this death and destruction is his way of making up for what he did to Fraser. He says he promised Fraser that he'd never hurt him again. And he broke his promise, and doesn't deserve to have a man like Benni."         He flipped through to the second last page.         "And here.. He proved Fraser right again.. Fraser said he was sick, that there was something physically wrong with him. Dante says, he's dying, he's well aware of the fact. He finally did what Fraser asked him to and went to see a doctor who told him he has a brain tumour growing in the worse possible place. It's untreatable."         Ray tossed the pages down on the desk.         "And the rest of it is a rant about how he's gonna take out everyone who ever hurt Fraser and got away with it before he goes. He's making sure the people who hurt Fraser pay for what they did.""         "Does he specifically say that you are not on his hit list anymore?"         "No."         "But he says it in a round about way," Welsh added.         "He said no such thing," Ray said.         "What do you mean?"         "I mean all he said was that he didn't send that bomb and wouldn't do something like that because it could kill innocent people. He didn't say he has no interest in taking me out. Just that no innocents would die as a result of his Vendetta.."         "You still think you're on his hit list?"         "I need time to go over all this.. You want a better profile .."         "I didn't ask for a profile I asked if you still think you're on his hit list."         Ray drew in a deep breath.         "I think there's a very high chance that I am. Benni said to go over the data on the other arson attacks and compare it to the evidence they got at the house in Canada. He was wrong about who the arson was aimed at.. It wasn't aimed at Meg. He will never aim his violence at Meg, as far as he's concerned Meg is just doing the right thing by one of her men. He did the same sort of thing for Benni. Benni was his subordinate once, and he got hurt, bad, when he walked out at the wrong time. He took care of Fraser and helped him after the event - even though he was really pissed off with Fraser, with justifiable reason. In this case he knows he hurt Fraser as bad as the bastards he's hunting down now, and Benni was her subordinate.. So in his view it's her duty to take care of Fraser."                 "Uh-hu. And if we take that one step further that means that the fire was aimed at..?"         "It was aimed at me."         "How did you come to that conclusion?"         Ray sat, sliding his chair up to the computer and clicked through his programmes.         "Well, he's not after Fraser, or Meg, which naturally leaves me as the target, and beyond that.."         Ray found the programme he was after then called up one that showed a floor plan of a house.         "That's the floor plan of our house in Canada," Meg said after a glance.         Ray nodded and pecked in a command.         "Show him where the library is."         Meg pointed and a virtual explosion took place under her finger. She pulled her hand back, and another virtual explosion took place, followed by another.         "Your study and bedroom."         The virtual flames started spreading through the rest of the virtual house.         "That's where the fires started. They found accelerants in all three places. He lit the first fire in the library, made his way to the study and lit that, and torched the bedroom on his way out. They could tell where each fire started, and what order they started by the amount of damage to the house and rooms around it," Ray said tapping the screen.         "The rooms either side of the library suffered the most extensive damage, and ceiling over it collapsed which is how they know that's where he started the first fire."         "I don't remember him taking credit for that in the letter."         Ray rolled the chair back to where he left the copy of the letter and scattered the pages till he found what he was looking for and tapped the page.         "It's right here, second last on the list of places he torched. That's our address back in Canada."         "Oh."         "And the third last place listed here is for a house in Queensbourgh lane," he said looking around at Meg.         "That was only two blocks away."         "That's how he found you. He probably saw you and Fraser out walking Deif and followed you back to the house.."         "Yeesss.. It makes sense now."         "Speaking of Deifenbaker, where is he?"         "He was sick, they've been keeping him in quarantine until they find out why."         "What contact number did you give them to let you know it was time to get him out?"         "Your family home's phone number."         "Don't you think you should call them, hmm? They can't exactly ring us there. There's no one home to take the call."         A little embarrassed that she hadn't thought of it, Meg nodded and reached for his phone.         "Uh-uh.. Hands off, that's for official business only."         She rolled her eyes and spun on her heels walking away.                           *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg rolled over in bed to blearily look at her buzzing alarm clock before she slapped it off. Muttering about 4am feeding's, she dragged herself out of bed, grabbing her robe on the way to the door and promised herself that she'd talk Fraser into taking the early morning feeding's.         She pulled on her robe and slid the door open, stepping into the nursery to stop dead in her tracks, looking around the room. All three cots were empty and the room was lit up, not by its own lights, but via the lights from the office.         Trudging across the room, she peered through the thick glass and almost chuckled when she saw Ray and the babies. Judging by the blue jump suit covered in bunnies, Gregory was lying in Ray's lap kicking his little legs and waving his arms around as Ray held a now empty bottle to the baby's mouth with his crippled hand. The other two little bundles of joy were lying in baby bouncers set on the desk either side of the computer. Pacifier's kept Francis and Francesca Jnr quiet as they made little swipes at the mobiles which had been a gift and now hung stands clamped to the shelves that surrounded the computer.         The reason Ray didn't notice the baby had finished with its bottle was because he was busy intently studying the glowing computer screen.         Both Meg and Ray jumped half out of their skins as the sound of the nursery door handle being jiggled was followed by an alarm loud enough to wake the dead. The baby bottle went flying, and Ray spun the chair around with a hand to the desk as Meg spun around to look at the door.         Ray slid the chair across the floor, ripping open a drawer and pulled out his gun, tucking it under his arm before he rolled the chair further across the room and pulled out the under the desk rolling file cabinet and put it between the chair and the door shielding the baby in his lap with it. He held the baby carefully, moving a leg to the floor but keeping it in his lap, then he pushed the mobile file cabinet forward, scooting the chair up to the doors. Opening the doors just enough to slip a hand through, Ray pulled the gun out preparing to defend himself and his infants.         Meg glanced around as the doors parted to see the gun poke through the gap and Ray noticed her presence for the first time.         "Get behind the curtains," he hissed at her.         She slid behind the curtains without a sound and listened intently. Sure enough she heard the sound of movement coming from the bedroom. That was followed by the sound of the second slide door being nudged open a little more.         "Freeze! Hold it right there, or I'll blow your head off," Ray growled         "Don't shot, it's me," Fraser cried out.         "Benni, Damnit, don't you have any sense?!" Ray growled withdrawing the gun.         Meg stepped out from behind the curtains as Fraser approached.         "The babies need to be feed."         "He beat us both to it."         Ray pushed the mobile file cabinet away and shoved against the door. The chair rolled back, and he spun it around with his foot, stopping himself from hitting the desk with his hand. Snatching up the phone he hit the speed dial with his thumb as Fraser and Meg moved into the room behind him.         "This is Vecchio.. I'm calling in about the alarm, it's a false alarm. Fraser set it off trying to get in to feed the babies. We don't need a response. Thank-you."         He flipped it closed setting it aside and spun.         "One of you better get to the door before someone breaks their foot trying to kick it in to get inside."         Meg hurried away leaving Fraser to face the now grumpy Ray's attention. Ray ignored him as the babies started squalling and rolled the chair across the room to hit the alarms controls and punch in the code to shut it down and reset it.         "How could you do *that* after I told you they rigged the place with Alarms?"         "You forget to mention they rigged the nursery door too."         "It is one of the ways to reach the office Benni."         "I'm sorry.. I was just trying to.."         "Be helpful.. I know.. I know.. So be helpful, I can't calm down three babies at once."         Fraser moved in to take Francis from his bouncer and cradled the asexual baby in his arms, to start rocking and crooning away to the baby. Ray pushed himself to Francesca's spot, brought his leg back up supporting Gregory then reached out to bounce Francesca Jnr in her bouncer, while he bounced the boy on his lap.         Frannie and her Mother arrived via the main bedroom in short order and Frannie took her name sake from the bouncer to start rocking her.         "What happened?"         "Fraser accidentally set off the arm, everything's alright.. Except to my plan to give everyone a chance to sleep through a night."         "I'm sorry."         "Yeah, yeah, I know.. Next time, you'll know better than to creep around in the wee small hours to feed the babies without being asked to handle it."         Fraser nodded and Ray swatted his mother's hands away as she tried to take Gregory from him.         "I can handle him."         Just to prove his father right, the little bundle of not so joyful baby settled down and happily waved his little legs and arms around, to latch onto Ray's finger when Ray reached down to stroke his face.         "Ohmigod," Frannie squeaked.         Ray pushed the chair back to the computer and blocked her view of the grizzly picture of a corpse on the screen as he put the mouse to use closing the window.         "How did you hear that alarm? I thought this place was sound proofed."         "I left my door open a little, so I could hear the babies if they started crying," his mother said.                 Frannie nodded as if to say me too.         "With the door to the nursery closed you wouldna heard a thing, did you think of that?"         From the looks of chagrin on their faces it was obvious they hadn't.                 "You seem to have had them all under control."         "I checked them before I went to make some coffee and discovered they all needed a diaper change and decided to feed 'em while I was at it and keep them from waking up Meg."         "No need to ask what you were doing up so late."         "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd get some work done. I gotta start earning a wage now I'm officially broke again."         "You blew *all* that money?!"         "Getting this place fixed up, paying for the repairs to the other place and the bills for the triplets, I was wiped out. Throwing that party took the last of my money, but I figured I owed em for all the help they gave to get this place fixed up in time to bring the babies here."         "If you had consulted me about those hospital bills, Raymond you would know there was no need to pay for them," Meg said as she returned.         They all looked around as she stalked into the room, irritated. She held out her hands to Frannie and Frannie handed her name sake over.         "Fine, I'll give them to you and you can get your health fund to refund the money," was Ray's response.         "And while you're at it you can show me the receipts for the work on this place. I know you had it redecorated because I didn't like it the way it was."         "Trust me, it wasn't just because you hated the decor I thought it was pretty disgusting myself."         "Fine, we'll spit the difference, straight down the middle."         "No, we wont."         Frannie and her mother backed up and as one spun on their heels and walked out.         "Yes, we will. It may be your name on the title deeds but you said this was *our* home. And unless you stop playing Macho games of I'm the one the one who has to support the family, I'm going to take this instant family you won't even admit is yours and go home to my mother who I'm sure would be overjoyed to see her grandchildren."         "You do that."         She stared at him, then gave him a narrow eyed look.         "You don't get rid of me and the babies that easily. This house is as secure as it's possible to make a home, and McIntire won't touch me or the children."         He clicked his fingers making a rats gesture.         "You worked it out."         "You're not the only one who studied that Profiling Guide, Studmuffin. I read it to you, remember. I can do an instant profile on you any time I care too."         "You can stop bouncing the baby now, Ray. I think he's gone to sleep," Fraser intruded         Ray looked down to see that little Gregory was indeed asleep. Meg stepped closer to look at him and transferred the sleepy Francesca Jnr to her shoulder to reach down and caress Gregory's cheek. The baby made a few suckling movements and let out a little sigh.                 "Did I mention that you handled them very well?"         "Thank-you."         "Don't do it again. You could have an accident, I imagine your arm is killing you after all that effort, and.."         Ray reached up to poke her in the sternum.         "Don't tell me to stay out of my family's care, Megatron."         "Megatron??" Fraser queried and was ignored.         "I intend to have a big part of their upraising. A *hands on* part. And you better get used to it. I don't care if I can only use one arm, or that it hurts when I have to use both - I gotta get used to the pain anyway cause I'm gonna suffer it for the rest of my life."         "There is no reason to suffer pain when you don't have too, Fraser and I are quite capable of..."         "You're not the only one who can threaten to walk out here. If you try stopping me having an active role in taking care of my babies I will walk and take Ma and Frannie with me," Ray cut in.         "Oh, so now when you want to play *surrogate* daddy, they're *your* babies."         "I am not playing surrogate, I know they're mine now."         "How? I never did get around to having that paternity test done."         "Ma."         "Don't tell me, she said the boys look just like you did when you were a baby and that was good enough for you."         "No.. She knows that I didn't think they were mine, Frannie heard me say it and told her to stop planning our wedding because they weren't mine. I got grilled about why I thought they were someone else's while they were still in the hospital. And she did something no one else could do.. Give me a reason why all the efforts to have a family with my ex-wife failed. And it had nothing to do with me. The fertility problem was my ex's"         "Oh.. So you took her word for it, when my word that you were the father wasn't good enough."         "No I did not take her word for it. I contacted my ex, told her what my mother said, and asked her if it was true. she confirmed it.. After she talked to a doctor."         "In other words.. she didn't realise the problem was hers until you told her what your mother told you."         "Yes."         "How did your mother.."         "Angie caught the mumps from some kid she was baby sitting and I didn't know about it.. I got my skull fractured when I hit in the head with a bottle while I was trying to deal with a bar room brawl during my day's as a man in uniform. I was comatose the whole time Angie was down with the mumps. 6 weeks all up - not her, me. No one ever told Angie that mumps could cause infertility. And Ma came across that little bit of information when she was going through her trusty Medical encyclopedia trying to work out what was wrong with one of Maria's kids and worked it out for herself."         "Oh, that would explain it."         "Ange.. My ex, tracked down the Doctor who treated her at the time, confirmed my mother's suspicions, then visited a gynaecologist who had good and bad news. The Good news was that she's not infertile, the bad news was that she is incapable of having children without specialist intervention of the kind we never had because we couldn't afford it."         "Ah."         "I'm sure my mother thought she was just being helpful when she told me about Angie's problem. But I wish she'd kept her suspicions to herself. I woulda chalked it up to that explanation you gave.. You know the one about being under stress. Cause even though the physical reason Ange and I never had a family was with her, the actual fault was mine."         "I don't understand.          "Ange was all for starting a family right away.. I wasn't, for various reasons, the main one being finances. I wanted to have a home before I started a family, I didn't plan on spending the rest of my life living under my parents roof.. I wanted a chance to save up at least enough to put a deposit down on a house. An apartment is no place to raise a baby. So I made sure we didn't have any kids before I was good and ready to become a daddy. By which time it was too damn late."         "Oh.."         "She knows it too.. She was not pleased.. She knows I became a daddy.. She took strips of me for it. And I suppose she's got a right to be angry. You and I ain't married and we've got the family she wanted and I deprived her off letting my pride get in the way. I ain't gonna make the same mistake twice.. If you want to cover the costs of redecorating this place. Go right ahead, but I ain't splitting the costs right down the middle, it ain't my name on the title deeds, it *our* names.. Your's, Benni's and mine."         Meg and Fraser stared at him.         "So if you want to split the costs they gotta go three ways."         "You put my name on the deeds?" Fraser breathed unable to believe what he was hearing.         Ray glanced at the doors and Fraser moved across the room to close them before moving back to the desk, to perch on the edge.         "I told you, I'd hate to have to chose between you and Meg. I'm not about to go public with the fact we're a threesome. If it happens, it can wait till you are officially declared fit to handle your own affairs. Meg and I could get into serious trouble if it happened before that."         "I..understand."         "Do you, I mean, do you really understand Benni? Or are you just saying that because you think that's what I want to hear. Every now and then I think you're ready, then you do something that makes me kick myself for wishful thinking."         "I do understand. You are my legal guardians. You could be charged with sexual misconduct if people found out that we had intimate relations."         "He understands alright."         "And I'm surprised that he does.. When so much else can go right over his head."         "When that man and woman came to Meg's Apartment to interview you and inspect the woman.. The woman tried to question me.."         Ray nodded, remembering the event in question.         "I only vaguely comprehended what she was trying to do and I couldn't have answered her leading questions even if I'd been inclined to at the time.. I couldn't express my self at all at that time."         "She asked you leading questions."         Fraser nodded.         "Do you remember when you broke your wrist, the day my allergy manifested?"         Ray nodded, then he remembered something else and guessed what Fraser was about to say.         "They thought something was up then, because of what you did to be able to get to me at the hospital, by letting that Doctor think you were my S.O."         Fraser nodded.         "She said, the hospital records stated that we were a couple. She wanted to know if that was still the case, if we were having sex.. If you touched me in a sexual manner, if Meg ever touched me that way.. She even stated outright that if you did it was wrong, and would be classed as a misdemeanour, that they would have you charged and take me to a," he made a face, "nice hospital where the doctors and counsellors would help me get better."         Ray scowled.         "I knew I didn't like her."         "If they suspected that why did they ever give us guardianship?" Meg wondered aloud.         "I think I convinced her partner that Fraser was getting the best care he could get under the circumstances. And I don't think we did anything wrong. We didn't make him do anything that he didn't want to do.. We never forced him to join us.. Except for..one occasion when I'm not sure of the exact circumstances, it was always his decision to get involved."         "You're talking about the time we greeted you in full dress reds."         Ray nodded.         "That was my idea," Meg admitted, "but I didn't make him do it. You told me to read that book, and I only did what the book said. Which was to show the victim that they wouldn't be treated the same way as they had by the abuser."         "Oh, so you decided to use me to show him that bondage games didn't have to necessarily mean Domination."         "He used to.. chain me to the bed."         They both looked at Fraser.         "He put a collar on me and made me wear it all the time.. And he used it to chain me to the bed. He made me wear matching cuffs too.. He used those to do it sometimes.. And he would leave me there... chained to the bed while he went out to make sure I couldn't leave the apartment all the time during the last few weeks."         "Did you try to break loose?"         "All the time.. As soon as he left.. But he always kept the chain so short that I couldn't reach beyond the bed to find something to break the lock and the chain was too strong.. But I finally found a way.. I pocketed a sharp knife while I was loose one night and hid it where I could reach it and I used it the next time he left me chained to the bed when he went out and cut through the collar and cuffs. But it took too long.. He caught me before I could get out.. And locked me in.. And brought new ones. And he used those to do it.. And he didn't stop until I fought them so hard I passed out.. I had bruises and friction burns on my neck and wrists that couldn't be hidden.. Or ignored after that."         If he hadn't had a lap full of baby Ray would have risen to his feet to comfort Fraser, with a cuddle and promises that if he had his way nothing like that would ever happen to him again. He opened his mouth to say words to that effect but Fraser had only stopped to draw in a deep breath.         "That was wrong.. That was not my fault.. I do understand that.. I understand what you told me.. No one deserves to be degraded that way," Fraser went on, then he rose and moved, juggling the baby to his shoulder, to reach out and caress Meg's cheek.         "You did the right thing.. Even though I could barely comprehend it at the time.. What we did that day was not wrong, it was not meant to humiliate, degrade or dominate. That was.. when I learned the difference. It was just a game with you.. You stopped and made him calm down and took the cuffs off when he became excited and started fighting them. That was something Dante would never do for me. That's what makes you different. You gave Ray a choice, and a chance to back out of it.. I never got that choice. But if you asked me to do it, if either of you asked me to do that, I would agree to it, because I trust you. Because I know it would be nothing more than a game."         Fraser got two radiant smiles at that.         "But right now.. I just wish we could sleep in the same bed together again.. But I understand that we can't do that right now."         "Oh, there's no reason we can't do that now if that's what you want, Benni."         "Your mother and Frannie.."         "Don't worry about them.. After that wake up call they'll sleep in.. Besides, if you want to get a little frisky all we have to do is make sure *all* the doors are closed and they won't hear a thing."         Fraser glanced at Meg.         "Well, I don't know about Fraser, but I've been feeling frisky for months and like the Rolling stones say, I can't get no satisfaction."         Ray laughed at that, then awkwardly and with a barely controlled grimace moved little Gregory to his shoulder before rising to his feet.         "Then what say we put our instant family here to bed and get reacquainted."         "Can we do that, I mean, Meg just had the babies, is it safe too.."         "I had a C-Section. And the Doctor gave me the all clear the other day. There's no reason I can't get frisky if I want to."                 "Oh..well.. Let's put the babies to bed then shall we."                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Twenty One                                  ooOO0=@=0OOoo                 After getting Francesca Jnr settled, Meg entered the bedroom to find Fraser under the blankets but no Ray.         "Where's Ray?"         "He's making sure all the other doors are closed."         Considering it had taken her a good ten minutes to get Francesca Jnr settled, Meg found it a tad suspicious that little job wasn't over and done with already.         "I just want to get a drink of water. I'll be back in a minute. Don't even think of getting so comfortable you fall asleep there," she said heading for the other door way.         He gave her a little smile and waited until she left the room to roll over and reach for the alarm clock to reset the alarm.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg headed for the kitchen to give truth to her lie about the glass of water, and discovered Ray sitting on a stool. He was staring at a small medication bottle on the bench with a hypodermic needle and sterile swab sachet beside it.         "Raymond?"         He glanced up at her and back to the medication with a sigh.                 "You know that old saying.. About the spirit being willing."         She approached and reached out to pick up the bottle and looked at it.         "This isn't Fraser's."         "It's mine, Paul gave it to me."         "It's for your arm isn't it?"         "He said I should use it if I was going to get up to anything that might make me use my arm.. Everything beyond raising and lowering it is painful.."         "You hide it well."         "I'm always taking pain killers for it.. But they just keep the ever present pain down, Sometimes.. When I move my arm without thinking, I just wanna scream and wish he had amputated it. It was pure vanity that made me beg him not to do it. I didn't want go through the rest of my life with only one arm. He said, I better be ready to pay the price for keeping it."         "And the price is pain."         "Pain I can handle.. With the pills he gave me.. The occasional twinge of severe pain, I can handle.. But sometimes it goes beyond pain, sometimes it's pure unadulterated agony," he said, heaving a deep sigh, "Like just now.. I shut the door in the hall and reached for the light switch near it without thinking.. Big mistake. It was so bad I almost passed out"         She plunged the needle through the cap of the bottle and loaded the syringe.         "That's why you came after this."         He sighed with a nod and held up his right arm, his hand was shaking so bad that if he'd been holding a carton of milk he could have turned it into a milk shake into next to no time. She ripped the sachet open with her teeth and then reached out to pull his sleeve back to swab a spot near his elbow where a vein was clearly visible.         "If you give me that shot I'm gonna be pathetically useless in bed. It's not just pain it kills."         Her hand froze as she reached for the loaded syringe.         "That's why you were just sitting her staring at it."         "That and the fact I couldn't inject myself with it right now. I was.. hoping the pain would fade to a manageable level."         Her hand fell on the swab packet.         "Do you have any more of these?"         He nodded and waved in the direction of the refrigerator.         "In the red container."         She capped the syringe and slipped it into her pocket before she collected the bottle and carried it to the refrigerator. She found the container he mentioned and opened it to find a 11 identical bottles, a white pill bottle and a packet of swab sachets. She slipped the bottle back into the container and pulled out a swab tucking it into her pocket and then she pulled the pill bottle out and looked at it. His name was on the label, along with instruction on how many to take when necessary. Opening the bottle she looked inside to find it was close to empty. She tapped two pills out then put it and the put the container back where she found it.         He watched her move from the refrigerator to the cupboards where she fetched a glass to fill it. Then she joined him and tapped his lips with a finger.         "Open up."         He did and she popped the pills into his mouth and helped him drink.         "How long do they take to work?"         "At least 20 minutes."         Setting the glass down she took his shaking hand and tugged him off the stool to lead him out of the kitchen.         "Do you know what Endorphin's are?"         He smiled faintly.         "Yeah."         "I think it's time we reminded your body what they are."                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "Ah, good, you didn't fall asleep on us."         "I was about to go looking for you."         "Ray bumped his arm."         "Ouch."         Ray gave a weak smile.         "It's a little tender right now, so we just have to make sure we don't anything that makes him go through the roof for the wrong reasons," Meg told Fraser.         "Oh," Fraser said disappointed as he came to the conclusion that meant getting "reacquainted" was out.         Meg pulled the swab and syringe out of her pocket and set them on the bed side table before she turned to give Ray a light push to make him sit on the edge of the bed.         "That doesn't mean what you think, Ben, I think one of your fabulous back rubs would help him rediscover the mood."         Fraser scrambled out from under the blankets and crawled over the bed to kneel behind Ray.         "You'll have to remove his top."         She smiled, kneeling before Ray to begin the slow process of undoing the half dozen buttons. She kissed her way down his torso with each new button that was separated from its button hole. The whole time Fraser's fingers meandered over Ray's back through the thin material of his soft cotton pyjama top. By the time Meg reached his belly button he started forgetting about the pain in his arm and remembering what it was he missed so much about his lovers.         "I love Endorphin's" he murmured as she worked her way back up his chest and gently pushed his top away.         With a chuckle she kissed him while Fraser took care of getting the sleeve over Ray's brace with infinite care. The top hit the floor and Fraser's hands started moving over his back finding every point of tension and working with a gentle skill to eliminate it. Meg's hand's got busy along with Fraser's, moving over Ray's torso, her finger's skittering over skin which grew warmer to touch as they worked. Her mouth moved from his to glide over his throat and shoulder before moving lower, trailing kisses and a nip or two down his chest as her hands travelled lower.         He gave a pleased little growl as her mouth closed over his nipple and she began to lave that bud with her tongue and her fingers teased his skin at the waist band of his pants. He arched, both his body and his neck when he felt Fraser's mouth against his neck.         "Oooh yes," he breathed.         Meg's teeth began to gently tease the hard bud his nipple had become as her tongue flicked it. And Fraser gave him a thorough love bite.         "I...uh..think..you better stop."         They stopped, Fraser leaning forward to look at him, Meg looking up.         "Or this is gonna be all over real soon."         They both chuckled and Meg rose, taking his hand drawing him up to his feet. His pants joined his shirt in short order and they climbed under the blankets where Fraser and Ray turned their attentions to Meg and set about making sure she got satisfaction, with nothing but their hands and mouths.         "God.. I missed this."         "Me too," Ray said as he moved up her body to kiss her.         "Me three," Fraser chimed in making them giggle.         "I think me three is the odd man out, don't you."                 "I agree with Me too," Meg said.         With that Meg and Ray pounced on Fraser and had him shrieking with laughter and pleasure through the means of tickles, caresses, kisses, nips, sucks and his favourite kind of groping.         It was during the midst of this that Fraser's hands stopped clawing at the sheets and sought out Ray's body to pull him close. A husky passionate request had Ray rearing up wide eyed, startling Meg, and Fraser blushed from head to toe and rolled away.         Ray reached out to stop him.         "Benni.. I didn't say no.. You just.. surprised me."         Fraser looked over his shoulder, with a look that melted Ray's heart.         "Are you sure you wanna.. do that.. I mean.."         Fraser rolled back, and Meg reached out to stroke his chest, waiting to see what happened next. She had a very good idea of what Fraser wanted in mind, the only question being wether he wanted to do it, or have it done to him.         "I'm sure that I want to do it, with you. But.. do you want to do it with me."         "I.. I.."         Fraser reached up to press two fingers lightly to Ray's lips.         "I might be ready for that, but you're not, yet."         "I'm sorry."         Fraser gave him a tremulous smile, and then pulled his head down.         "I understand," he said, before kissing Ray putting all his longing, passion and desire for the Italio-American into that kiss and letting his other hand roam over Ray's body.         Ray gave a deep moan of pleasure and returned the kiss measure for measure as Fraser's hand roamed lower and lower. The bed shifted suddenly and then Meg's hands joined in and he felt her brush aside his pony tail before her lips brushed the nape of his neck.         Between them, Fraser and Meg rolled him onto his back without his tender arm being jostled. He reached out to pull Fraser's head back down.                 "Later," he promised, and kissed the tip of Fraser's nose, to be rewarded with a radiant smile.         Meg's activities thoroughly distracted Ray as Fraser moved away. As she took him into her moist sheath his hands clawed the sheets and he arched under her. Then she froze over him and after a few moments he opened passion glazed eyes and looked up to see her straddling him, with Fraser behind her, looking around her, both of them looking down to his left.         He looked down and realised he'd moved his finger's without being aware of the pain that usually accompanied such movement. Before that fact fully sunk in Meg moved over him and he felt Fraser's finger's on the jewels of his manhood. Rational thought fled as together they took him to the heights of ecstasy and pushed him over the edge leaving him crying out in rapture.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "Lieutenant Welsh, good morning, would you like some coffee," Meg greeted Ray's superior the next morning.         "Yes, thank-you. Is Ray up? Or is he with your instant family?"         He expected a little smile, he didn't get it, instead she turned to lead the way down the corridor.         "Ray is still in bed, with his doctor in attendance. Having Ray's sister here convinced him to pay a house call."         "What's wrong?"         "If something was wrong, he wouldn't be here, he'd be in hospital."         "If there's nothing wrong then why did you call the doctor?"         "It's just one of the things we have to learn to cope with.. Thanks to McIntire," she said, the last a low growl.         Welsh followed her into the kitchen to find Fraser, Frannie and her mother up, dressed and all with a baby on their shoulder. In Fraser's case it was Francis, who gave an indelicate little belch.         "Yesss.. Who's a good Bambino," Meg said taping him on the nose as she moved past Fraser.         In Frannie's case, she had a damp patch on her shoulder and her name sake was happily mouthing on a curl that had escaped the bun she'd put her hair up into. And Mrs Vecchio was rubbing little Gregory's back.         "How do you like your coffee Lieutenant?" Meg asked as she pulled cup from the hooks that held and displayed a matching set of six coffee mugs and set it before the jug to reach for the coffee.         He told her and looked around as Gregory gave a belch that put his sib's to shame.         "Now where have I heard that before?" Frannie said in a faintly arch tone thinking of her father and making her mother give a faint chuckle.         "I heard someone set the alarm off last night," Welsh commented as he accepted the cup Meg handed to him.         "That was me," Fraser said, accepting full responsibility. "I didn't realise the alarm system covered the nursery door too and tried to be helpful by coming down to feed the munchkins at 4 am to let Meg and Ray get some sleep."         "Not that Ray was sleeping."         "He beat everyone too it," Frannie said.         "He didn't beat any one to it, he was up half the night working."         "Some people play computer games while they nurse a baby, he looks at pictures of corpses instead," Frannie said with a little shudder.         "Male or Female?"         "Female."         "Ah good he's putting some time in on the Pearen case then."         "Which one is that? He mentioned three cases," Meg commented as she made herself a cup of coffee, then poked her tongue at Fraser as he gave her a stern look.         "The Pearen case is a Double homicide, unsolved, with a traumatised witness we've spent a fortune on specialist counsellors trying to get the story out of. With no luck. It was when that particular case came to mind that the Commissioner decided to run with my idea for bringing Ray back into the fold. They've already spent more than it will cost to run the experiment for six months trying to break that case. If Ray can do it, he can secure his place for the next six months at least."         "I don't see how staring at a picture of a corpse is going to help him break a case," Frannie said transferring her name sake to the other shoulder.         "Actually, Frannie, you would be surprised at what a profiler can learn about a killer from staring at such a picture."         "Particularly in the case of a double homicide where there's a second victim. By comparing picture's he could learn a lot about the killer's M.O.M."         "Mom?"         "Method of murder."         "Oh. I thought that was M.O for modus operandi."         "It's much the same thing. In this case, he could work out the particulars of how each person died, in so much as what the killer did and how he or she did it, over the cause of death."         Frannie held the baby out.         "You hear that Mia Caro, get used to it. You're going to hear them talking like that all the time."         There were chuckles all around at that and Frannie rose, still holding the baby out, her nose wrinkling.         "Who's got diaper duty, this piccino needs a pooper scooper."         Meg set her coffee down moving to take the baby from her.                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg gave the baby a bath, changing her jump suit before transferring her to a cradle. She heard the sliding door open and looked around as Paul entered and stopped dead looking around the room in admiration.         "Who's your interior designer and is he still available?"         "She's one of Ray and Frannie's cousins, and if you want to hire her you'll have to speak to either Ray or his mother about it. I have no idea how to contact her."         "I'll talk to his mother about it, I *love* this room. My patients aren't the only things that can could do with a face lift in my surgery. The waiting room could do with one too."         "How's Raymond?" Meg asked to concerned to laugh at that joke.         "I gave him something to put him back to sleep. He's still awake, and feeling no pain, but he'll drop off soon."         "Apart from that?"         "I'm amazed no one came in to stop me from *torturing* him the way he was screaming as I manipulated his arm."         "The house has been thoroughly sound proofed. We didn't hear a thing."         "Ah, that explains it. Are you sure you saw his fingers move?"         "Quite sure. They were definitely moving. And he did a lot more than just move his fingers, he was using his whole arm at one point."         "And he didn't scream his lungs out at the time?"         "He had other things on his mind at the time."         "Babies or sex?"         A faint pink flush tinted her cheeks.         "The later."         "That'd do it. Sex raises the pain threshold. But it doesn't eliminate it. Which means you have two choices, you can either get used to him passing out on you when the pain reaches a point when all the endorphin's in the world couldn't dull it or convince him to wear the new brace I'll drop around tonight. It will keep his arm totally immobile, and have the added benefit of making it much safer to get frisky without worrying about wether or not his arm might get bumped."         "Is that a brace you're talking about or a cast?"         Paul smiled very faintly.         "You could call it a slimline, reusable cast."         "No offence, Doctor, there isn't someone we can consult, about more work on his arm, is there? An expert who can .."         "There were two such experts at the hospital that I consulted. They examined him, while I had him under, and they both agreed on the same point. Amputation was the most humane thing to do. But he was adamant that he wanted to keep the arm."         "He mentioned that you warned him it would come at a price."         "That price may not be as high as I thought.. Make him keep the cast on for at least a week, two if possible. Then send him back to me. I'll let Francesca know when I can slot him in. I want to examine his arm again, if you can keep him in the cast I should be able to finish the grafting and all going well, set up phsyiso sessions for him.. The fact he was moving his arm, fingers and all suggests he might regain movement."         "But wether he regains it without extreme pain when he uses it is another question."         "I'm afraid so."         "Thank-you for coming."         "Any time."                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         Meg sat on the edge of the bed and brushed Ray's hand with her finger tips. His eyes opened to half mast, and closed fast, his arm going up to cover his eyes.         "Turn offff z'light, hurz.."         Meg jumped to her feet, to cross the room in a hurry to turn off the light. On returning to the bed, she laid a hand on his leg.         "It's off now. How are you feeling?"         "Muz better now.. gave me a zot," he slurred, lowering his arm.         "So he said."         "Zoo-pid..zoulda no bet-terrr."         "I should have taken, I'm in pain in as a hint."         "Not yourr f..ffault. All mmminne. Won' appen.. 'gain."         "He's going to bring a new brace around to put your arm in to make sure it doesn't happen."         He had nothing to say about that and she gave him a little poke. He rolled over and mumbled something totally incomprehensible. She tugged the blankets up and leaned over him, brushing his hair back and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Sitting back, she watched him snuggling down and settling into sleep.         "If he comes to finish what he started, I will kill him for what he did to you and Ben."         "Zat's what he wants," Ray muttered in his sleep.         Meg started and leaned closer.         "Run that by me again and expand on it, please."         "Wanz to die... No more pain.. Izn' the zuizidal type.. He woulda killed himzelf.. after... he realized.. what he'd done to Benni if he was.. In pain.. Benni zed so.. He doz'n wanna live... wouldn't be.. so e-z to track.. if he waz'n leaving trail..to find.. wanz to be caught, wanz to be killed.. Wanz someone to put him out of hiz mizery."         "When did you work that out?"         "Larz night. Thaz whaz letterz abouz. Iz a taunt to make uz react the way he wanz. I've done thiz and I done that an I'm gonna keep doing it an you carn ztop me, nhah nhah.."         Meg leaned closer.         "Do you think he wants to kill you, or just scare you into giving him what he wants."         "Both..Either.. one or the otherrr. Doz'n matter.. Hez coming zoon."         "How soon?"         "Two left..onza liz.. Arz them.. zend records.. Narzy zonz of bitchez. He will take them out.. He won't come.. until they're dead.. And when they are.. He'll come... and he'll do it.. in a way that gez attention.. zo I'll know hez comin.. and be ready to defend myzelf."         "I see.. I'm curious, what did Fraser want from you tonight, what did he ask you to do?"         "Wanzta go all the way.. With me.. Thaz good.. Never tried to do that before. He never tried it with you..or did he."         "No, he hasn't."         "Good zign.. great zign.. Hez not juz zaying one thing and doin anozer.. Zed he truz uz.. and.. that proved it. You should try..to zeduce him.. zee if he takez you up on it. If he doz then hez ready for the next step."         "You're not ready to go that far with him yet."         "Don' know.. never.. done that.. juz learning.. thinz az I go 'long.. Do to him.. what he doz to me.. that workz.."         "Tell me about the babies."         "Zair boot-e-full..ador-e-bull..I can't believe zair mine."         "They are."         "Yez... Keep.. pinching myzelf.. I wanned zem to be mine.. zo bad.."         "Why?"         "Cauz I wanna be a daddy.. Gonna be the bezt far-zer any kid ever had."         "That's why you *really* wanted the to be yours. There was no other reason?"         "Juz one.. babiz would..be a reazon to..ztay togzer.. when Benni got better.. I mizzed tha zo muz.. You were alwayz zic.. zo I ztudied..hard inztead.. never even tried.. to get my noz outta my bookz.. thought.. it waz over.. "         She leaned over him, stroking his hair and placed a soft kiss near his ear.         "Once or twice I thought of putting on my naughtiest lingerie, getting my cuffs, luring you away from your books, to cuff you to the bed and have my wicked way with you," she said and watched him give a sleepy smile.         "Actually, it was a lot more than once or twice.. I thought about doing it a lot."         His smile grew wider.         "I even got Fraser into his uniform once.. He was like a little puppy, so excited about the idea."         "Zo what happened?"         "I sent him in to lure you out.. But all you did was say that's nice Benni.. Do you mind, I've got 3 assignments and I have to get this finished tonight."         "Oppz."         The sound of people in the nursery caught her attention. One of the voices she heard was Lieutenant Welsh's. He wanted to get his hands on Ray's copy of the McIntire letter."         "3rd CD, from the left zecond shelff to tha right. Soundwave."         She frowned trying to work out what he was talking about then realised he must have heard Welsh talking. She couldn't work out what it meant, but it was sure to have something to do with it.         "I have to go.. But I have one last question."         "Mhhm."         "You were studying the Pearen case file too.. Did you come to any conclusions on that case?"                  *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*                  Meg found Welsh closing the drawer of the mobile file cabinet and looking irritated when she entered the office.         "Do you have a key?"         "Of course I have a key. I have two, the master and the spare. Do you know where he put that letter?""         "No."         "It must be in the file room, do you know where he put the key card?"         "No.. Wait.."         She moved to the computer, looked to the right, and pulled the 3rd cd from the left out and opened it. All it contained was a CD. She pulled the booklet out and the key card slipped out onto the desk.         "One key card," she said picking it up.         "I don't suppose he told you the code too?"         She walked over to the file room, pushed the fake light switch aside and slipped the card in, tapping in the name Soundwave. The light turned from red to green and she heard a beep and a click. Welsh moved in pulling out his keys and opened the door, to enter the room.         "Did you interrogate the Doctor?"         "Of course."         "Whatever he gave Raymond to put him to sleep would make a wonderful interrogation tool," Meg commented as Welsh found the I file drawer and opened it to find a lone file there.         "What makes you say that?"         "He's talking in his sleep. Quite intelligently I might add, if a little slurred. He heard your voice and told me where to find the key card and the code."         "Ah."         "I asked him about the Pearen case.."         Welsh closed the drawer looking around.         "What did he have to say about it?"         "In his opinion, and he did say he could be wrong, there were two killers, one is the second victim, the other is the child you've been trying so hard to get to talk about what happened.."         "What?!"         "The couple had a fight, one of them picked up a knife, probably the wife, to fend her husband off. He got the knife off her and stabbed her several times, in the heat of the moment, the child came to his mother's defence, too late. In a frenzy of fury the boy kills his father. When he realises what he's done, he goes into traumatic shock. That's why there's no sign of forced entry, no apparent motive, no enemies, no theft. It also explains why the majority of the wounds are to the lower body. Once he got started, he went berserk, that's why there are so many stab wounds. According to the records you gave him. The couple had a history. The husband was charged with spousal abuse several times, but the charges were always dropped. Child abuse, physical not sexual was suspected, but not proven."         Welsh turned and hunted down the P file drawer unlocking and opening it to pull out the lone file there.                 *~~~~~~~~~~*ooOO0=@=0OOoo*~~~~~~~~~~*                                 Part Twenty Two                                  ooOO0=@=0OOoo                 Ray slept through the day, and the return of the Doctor who placed his arm in the cast like brace that would immobilise his arm from the shoulder to the fingers. He also slept through the return of Lieutenant Welsh, 3 feeding's, numerous turns at diaper duty, the bathing of the babies, and the fruitless seduction of Fraser by Meg after Frannie departed with the Doctor for a night on the town and Mrs Vecchio volunteered to watch the little bambino's for a time, while they "caught up on their sleep".         He awoke to find he had company in the bed, the kind of company that snuggled up next to him, on either side. His movements woke them up, and they put a smile on his face. A very big smile.         Around nine he slipped out of the bedroom and into the bathroom to shower and shave. Passing through the master bedroom again on his way to the nursery Ray found them contently sleeping each other's arms. He found six bottles in the warmer in the baby care room, along with a pile of freshly cleaned diapers. He then began inspecting each of the triplets onto to find they were in no need of immediate attention.         He spent half an hour simply admiring and occasionally stroking his instant family before his grumbling stomach reminded him that it had been some time since he'd eaten and he went off in search of food.         In the kitchen he found a note on the refrigerator door from his mother, telling him his dinner was in the ice box and an envelope with his name on it. Investigating the refrigerator he found a meal she left for him and into the microwave it went. He pulled out the milk and made himself a cup of coffee, carrying it and the envelope to the island bench, returning to the micro wave to fetch his meal and a fork to eat it with.         In between mouthfuls he opened the envelope to find a copy of memo from the Commissioner to Welsh. It was short and sweet and confused the hell out of him.         Pearen case closed. You were right. He is too good to be wasted. Inform Vecchio, his post is secure for the next six months under agreed terms - with room for negotiations, re: our discussion.          -I don't get it. I didn't do anything. How did they close the case? Why does he think it was me? and what negotiations is he talking about?-                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "You talk in your sleep," Meg said when he showed her the letter and asked if she knew what it was about.         "I do?"         "I've been hearing you do it since we started cohabiting."         "Oh."         "I'm looking forward to seeing if I can have an intelligent conversation with you while you're sleeping again or wether that was just a once off fluke."         "What were you doing? Interrogating me in my sleep?"         "Yes."         He stared at her and she handed him a cup of coffee.         "Go back to work. You've got two more cases to work on."         "One really."         "Oh?"         "The other one is Dante's. I'm supposed to write up a profile on him."         "Well, I suggest you get started on it. You've got everything you need now."         Ray nodded heading for the office.                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         One week became two during which Ray cleared away the second case he'd been given and written up the requested profile on Dante and resumed his studies. Meg convinced him to keep the cast/brace on the whole time.         On the third week Paul arrived to drag him off to the hospital, put him out and went to work on his arm. He returned home with his arm in pressure bandages encased in the special brace for safety's sake.         He spent the next month trying to pretend he wasn't worried about how the final operation went. He had other things to concentrate one. He was handed four more cases to work on, called out to talk 3 leapers from splattering themselves on side walks, there were also 6 hostage situations where he was called in. Two of the bank job gone wrong type, four of the Husband's gone nuts and threatened to torch/shoot/knife/kill the wife and/or kids type. On top of that he had his studies to take care of, Fraser's counselling sessions, which were going extremely well, and despite the best efforts of Fraser, Meg, his mother and sister, there were times he played devoted daddy to the triples to the exclusion of all else.         The quartet gave up trying to keep him from taking a hands on approach to father hood and Meg had a wicked idea that she put into action.         Ray walked into the nursery hearing gurgling coming from a cradle and wandered to the partitioned section that contained the apple of his eye, Francesca junior. A few second later he burst out laughing. Meg & Fraser poked their heads into the room.         Ray reached into the cradle, and pulled Francesca Jnr out of the cradle, with one hand, using the cleverly designed strap and brace system with a handle on it that had been strapped into place over her bright'n'colourful jumpsuit.         Looking around as he transferred Francesca Jnr to his shoulder he spied Meg and Fraser.         "Who's bright idea was the baby handle?"         Meg's hand went up, then she entered the room, with Fraser on her heels.         "You're the one who insists on having a hands on part of their upbringing. It will make things easier for you to do it."         "Where did you get it?"         "Oh. I rang several disability support centers, who put me in touch with manufacturers of aides for people who loose the use of one arm, either due to a stroke or amputation. Most of them hung up on me when I told them what I wanted. But the last one laughed, asked if was serious and told me to bring a baby in. It was designed with padded straps so it won't harm the baby and the handle band is fixed with a rotation frame so that the handle will move around as the babies roll around. That's what the padded belt around her middle is for."         Ray examined it more closely while Francesca Jnr grabbed a handful of his hair and started gumming it.         "This is great.. How long will it last?"         "The straps are adjustable. He said that unless they become fat little dumplings it should last until they're about 12 months.. When we'd have to bring one in to be measured up for a new set.."                         *~~~~~~~~~~*=@=*~~~~~~~~~~*         "It's enough to make you wonder how they ever conceived the Bambino's in the first place," Mrs Vecchio almost wailed to her friend over the phone.         Meg heard her voice, and her words from the corridor she had been traversing on her way to the nursery. As she realised Mrs Vecchio was talking about her and Ray she changed direction to approach the lounge room door way and plastered herself to the wall beside it.         "It's no wonder he buries himself in his work, she does nothing to make herself attractive for him... I think it is a blessing that she had triplets, because the way things stand I doubt she'd ever lure him away from his work and back to the bedroom to add to their little clan."         {Hmmph}                                 *~~~~~~>{*}{*}D Return to Due South Fiction Archive