Phoenix    Phoenix by Lys

 Author's notes: Contains- graphic sex between consenting adults who love
each other and violence

  

 Rated NC-17 for sections that contain adult sexual situations and a
section that contains violence. 

 Pairings: BF/FV, RV/BM
 Spoilers: Purgatory and Limbo 

 This story is part of the Phoenix Rising Series and covers the continuing
recovery of Benton Fraser from kidnapping and rape. There are explicit
descriptions of sex between two consenting partners in this story, While
the earlier sections of this series were very intense, this section is
much lighter in tone. 

 Also, please note that I am not trained in medical areas and any
references I make to treatments or illness are purely fictional. 

 Words between + ...+ indicate the thoughts of Benton Fraser. 

 Hope you enjoy reading my story. 

 Lys 

 lysTYK@hotmail.com 

 Phoenix, part 3 in the Phoenix Rising Series 

 Teaser from Limbo, second in the Phoenix Rising Series 

 "Ok, you can relax now," he put the syringe down on the tray. As Ben
rolled over, the doctor could see the beads of sweat running down Ben's
face. He watched as Ray and Franny settled Ben back into a comfortable
position on the bed. The nurse rolled the cart over to a corner of the
room and left. "I'll check on you in about an hour, call if you need me
before that." 

 The door to Ben's room swung closed as the doctor left. Three pairs of
eyes noted the time on the room's wall clock. They were silent. 

 "So we wait." Ray was the first to break the silence. 

 "Ray, did I ever tell you about the time I waited 9 days for a criminal
to come out of a cabin?" Ben asked with a mischievous grin. 

 "Oh God, Franny. Here comes an Fraser story, I just know it." 

 Three quarters of an hour later, Ben began to feel sick to his stomach
and felt his leg muscles burning. Ben's face broke out in a sweat and he
smiled. "I hurt like hell," he whispered, "My legs hurt." 

 Franny leaned over and kissed his hair, Ray left the room to get the
doctor. 

 Chapter 1 

 +The pain is building in my legs and back. The nausea is trifling
compared to the pain I feel. I cannot move in any direction least the
stabbing pain in my pelvis takes over and blots out everything around in
this room around me. I know Ray is one side of me holding my hand, as is
Franny on my other side. I can hear the door swinging open as a nurse
enters the room. The sweat is pouring from my face and I cannot open my
eyes for fear the nausea will put me all to sea again. I know I am trying
without success to loosen Ray and Fanny's hold on my hands. The pain is
letting up again and I feel myself thrashing about in the bed, the
movement quick at the release of pain. I am relaxing back into the pillows
to wait for the next wave of pain. I can hear the nurse talking to Ray and
Ray's voice rising in response. Everything seems so far away, I cannot
make it out. Oh will this pain please bring me the freedom I so wish to
have again. I cannot speak; I have no energy for it. I turn my head to see
Franny watching, her eyes full of love.+ 

 "No lady, we will not agree to retrain him. You've read the doctor's
orders, haven't you!" Ray exclaimed to the nurse in a loud whisper. Ray
grabbed the head nurses hand and dragged her to Ben's bedside. He exposed
Ben's wrist to her so that she could see the thin scar there. He flipped
up Ben's nightgown to expose his waist. He urged her to look at the thin
scar that ran around Ben's torso as well as the one around his neck. "He
was manacled in one position for over three weeks lady and it ain't
happening to him again. No one restrains him by tying him down, NO ONE." 

 +Oh my dear Ray, you care so much and I can offer you so little in
return. I vow you will always have my friendship and my love for you as a
brother. You and your family are mine now. I know it. I am no longer
alone. Oh, I am so tired; please let me rest before the next rise in pain,
please God.+ 

 Franny rose and approached the nurse. "He will not hurt me, and I promise
you he will not move when the next shots are given." Franny watched the
nurse's eyes as they lingered on the scars on Ben's wrists. 

 "We'll see, but the bindings will be on the bed frame in case we need
them. It's for his sake I am suggesting this. It wouldn't do for a needle
to break off in him." She dropped her eyes and left the room quietly. 

 +How much longer until it is time for the next shots? It can't be much
longer, can it? Franny please take my hand. I wish I could ask you, please
Franny, hold my hand again."+ 

 Francesca turned to walk around the bed and noticed Ben's eyes follow her
through the slights he had held them since the pain had become bad. She
sometimes thought he was semi-conscious, but knew every time he squeezed
her hand that he was awake. She settled on the bed next to him and raised
his hand in her's, kissing it. "Just 20 minutes more Ben. Twenty minutes
more then the second set of shots. Can you hear me Ben?" 

 +I squeeze her hand to let her know I can hear her, her kiss soft upon my
fingers.+ 

 "When they give you the next set of shots, Ben I am going to hold you. I
will climb upon on that bed and be your body pillow to grab and hold. Ray
will lie across your legs Ben. But you mustn't move, Ben. Do you
understand?" 

 +I squeeze her hand again and turn my head towards her. Can she see I
understand, does she know I will not hurt her?+ 

 The room becomes silent as Ray and Franny watch the clock, each stroking
one of Ben's hands. The twenty-minute wait crept by, but finally arrived.
Ray took in a deep breath as the doctor entered the room to examine Ben
before he began the second set of shots. 

 "Still the same I see. Any more movement in his legs?" The doctor flicked
the blanket back to see Ben's feet twitching and jerking. "Good." He drew
the covers back down. And used the call button to summon his nurse
assistant. Going to the medical cart in place in the room since the first
series of shots, he prepared the new set of three syringes. 

 The nurse entered the room carrying leather restraints in her hands and
began attaching them to Ben's bed. Ray leaned over and pulled Ben up into
his arms as Franny climbed up on the bed and settled against the pillows.
Ray gently laid Ben down against Franny. She wrapped her arms around him
and settled his arms on either side of her. Ray climbed up on the end of
the bed and waited for the doctor to return with the first syringe. 

 +I can't do this. Yes, I can. I am a Mountie. Please don't let me hurt
Franny. Please God."+ 

 Franny held on to him tightly as the first shot was done. She knew it
hurt him, she could feel him twitch and hear his small gasp of pain. The
second shot made him reach around her and hold on tightly. The third found
him digging his hands behind Franny trying to find something to grab onto
besides her. She held on with her small arms and pulled him closer to her,
her lips upon his brow. 

 +God we did it. This set is done. I can feel Franny holding me. I can
hear her whispering to me. Ray's weight is gone from my legs. I can relax
for whatever precious few minutes I have before the pain begins again.+ 

 "Doc, is it going to keep getting worse?" Ray searched the doctor's face
while he waited for an answer. 

 "I can't answer you, Ray. I can tell you he is responding as well as any
one of the patient's in the records I was given from the pharmaceutical
company." 

 +I hear them and lapse into sleep.+ 

 Chapter 2 

 +I am waking up. Must have been asleep. I wonder how long this time. The
pain has turned to pricking hot pokers all along the back and front of my
legs. The return of the pain must be what has awakened me. The pain is
increasing again. Must ride it out. My bones feel like liquid fire is in
them. Are Franny and Ray here? Ah, yes. Franny is still lying beside me,
her frail arm flung across me. It is hard to believe my little butterfly
Franny is also my brave lioness. There's so much strength in that little
body. + 

 Ray woke from a light doze in the chair next to Ben's bed. He woke to
check on Ben. Ben's eyes were staring at the ceiling; his fingers were
tightly gripping the blanket. Ray noticed Franny slept still and peaceful
next to Fraser, her arm flung across him protectively. Only 20 hours to go
before the final set of shots. God this was going to be the longest day
he'd ever lived through. 

 Standing as quietly as he could, Ray stood and leaned over the hospital
bed. His eyes searched Ben's for recognition. Ben's deep-blue eyes stared
back at him filled with watery tears, which did not fall. Ray picked up
some Kleenex from the bedside table and gently wiped Ben's eyes. Taking
Ben's clenched hand into his Ray massaged the hand and then the arm,
feeling the tension in those muscles loosen as he worked. 

 +Ray, thank you. That feels so good. Helps. Wish I could talk, but my
throats too tight. Oh God, here comes another wave of pain. Don't move,
mustn't wake Franny. + 

 Ben's eyes closed tightly suddenly and Ray knew the pain was back. He
moved to the end of the bed and uncovered Ben's legs. He began with the
left foot and gently pulled and massaged until he worked his way up almost
to Ben's hips. Then he began on the right leg. He watched Ben's face relax
while he worked, so he could only assume that what he was doing was
helping. 

 +Ray, Ray. Thank you. I think he knows that's it's helping. He seems to
know just what I need. Must try to say thank you. Hope he will hear me.+ 

 Ray noticed Ben's lips moving and leaned over to put his ear next to
Ben's face. He heard the barely whispered words of thank you Ben tried to
force out. He laid his hand on Ben's face and lovingly eased away the pain
puckers on the pale brow. 

 Franny began to wake and watched her brother tenderly easing Ben's pain.
She gently reached out and touched Ray's hand before he pulled it away
from Ben's face. The smile she gave her brother warmed his heart. 

 She rose as gently as she could from the bed. "Ray, has he taken any
liquid since I was asleep?" 

 "Not very much." 

 "We're gonna have to try again to get him to drink something. You know
what the doctor said, "He can't become dehydrated and I don't want them to
put in an IV." 

 +No more needles. Please no more needles. I'll try to drink something.
Lips are so dry, feel hot.+ 

 Ray picked up the ice chip container and spooned a little out. "Let's try
it this way." Franny gently held Ben's head up as Ray moved the spoon
carefully to Ben's lips. 

 +So cool. Please give me more. Helps the thirst.+ 

 Ben moved his lips greedily over the ice chips. Ray spooned out more.
They watched as Ben smiled for the first time in many hours. 

 Franny settled back in a chair next to Ben's bed, a blanket over her
knees. Ray sat on the bed holding Ben as another bad wave of pain over
took him. She jumped in her chair when she heard Ben cry out. She climbed
up on the opposite of the bed from Ray and began to massage Ben's neck and
shoulders. 

 +This is getting worse again. Can't stand it. Must stand it. I am after
all a Mountie. I am. Please God. Let it stop. I can't hang on much longer
this time.+ 

 And with that Ben fainted from the pain. Ray jumped down and cranked up
the foot of the bed as Franny lowered Ben's head back onto the bed. Ben
was out only a few minutes. Franny and Ray looked at the clock, 18 hours
to go before the next and last series of shots. 

 The brother and sister looked at each other trying to assess if the other
was going to be able to hold out. Ray was about to speak when Ben's
hospital room door opened. Franny gaped in surprise when she realized who
stood in the door. 

 Chapter 3 

 Rosa Vecchio entered Ben's room followed by Margaret Thatcher and
Constable Turnbull. Rosa walked to her daughter and folded her into a hug.
"I talked to Benton's doctor, he seemed to think you and Ray might need
some help." 

 At a nod from Thatcher, Turnbull took off his Stetson and set it on a
shelf, and began unbuttoning his tunic. Once it was removed he drew on a
regulation sweatshirt and stood quietly waiting instructions. 

 Rosa Vecchio led her daughter to the empty bed in the room and urged her
to lie down. She covered her gently with the hospital blanket and
whispered assurances that everything was going to all right. When Franny
was lying quietly, she turned to Ray and motioned him out of the room. She
followed him to the door. "The nurse has a spot for you to lie down in, go
use it Raymundo. Benton is going to need you and Franny later. Right now
let us help. Ok" 

 Ray wandered tiredly off to the nurse's station. When he was out of
sight, his mother turned and reentered the room. Margaret Thatcher was
already taking charge. She had Turnbull changing Ben's blankets and was
setting out fresh cloths to wipe Ben's sweating face. She was all
business, but her eyes betrayed her. Rosa could see how much the lady
cared for Benton but could tell from the way the lady moved that she knew
she had lost whatever chance she had had to win Ben's love. 

 Ben lay quietly with his eyes closed. His whole body tense and still. 

 +I know those smells. Ma is in the room, who else. Someone very strong is
lifting me. Ray can't do that that easily. Big hands, strong-arms; must be
Turnbull. I know that other smell. She doesn't wear perfume. Meg has come.
Good. Franny and Ray need help. Where's my lioness?+ 

 Ben turned his head painfully with barely open eyes. Margaret was
adjusting his pillow. "Where's Franny." Ben managed to whisper. Margaret
never wavered but gently turned Ben's head to the side so he could see
Franny peacefully sleeping in the next bed. 

 With a very weak, "Thanks Meg." Ben drifted off into sleep. 

 Chapter 4 

 Ben's room was quiet. Meg Thatcher sat at his bedside watching him get a
little deserved sleep. She noted the circles of deep blue under his eyes
and the grayness of his lips. He was totally collapsed into a deep sleep.
She hoped that sleep would continue for a while. 

 Her gazed lifted over his sleeping figure and took in the sleeping figure
of Franny Vecchio. Meg laughed wryly to herself. She had watched Ben's
eyes search the girl out and knew without a doubt that any hope she had
had for a future with Ben was over. She had to admit though; the girl was
steadfast and determined. Meg smiled, perhaps that what Ben needed. 

 Rosa Vecchio busied herself with her rosary across the room in the other
visitor's chair. She watched Margaret Thatcher as she looked at Benton and
Franny. Noting the sadness in the woman's eyes, Rosa contemplated what
could be done for the kind Inspector. But that was for later. Rosa bent
her head again to her rosary beads. 

 +I still hurt. Each time I wake up I hope the pain will be gone, but it's
still here with me. The very air as it touches my skin is painful. I wish
I had the energy to open my eyes. I wonder how long until the final series
of shots. Dare I move my legs to see if there is any change? The pain will
all be worth it if I can walk on my own again. Oh God, the pain is so
thick in my hips. Please don't let anyone touch me right now. I don't
think I could stand it.+ 

 Franny woke quietly and rolled to lie on her side to watch Ben. Quickly
she climbed out of her bed. She went quickly to the ice receptacle and
spooned some chips out. Meg watched as Franny gently lifted Ben's head
into her hand and spooned the ice chips into his mouth crooning to him
while she moved. Meg heard Ben's sigh of relief as Franny laid him back
into the pillows. 

 +Ah Franny, you always know what will help. My beautiful, colorful
butterfly. My lioness. The coolness feels so good in my mouth.+ 

 Franny picked up one of the clean cloths they were using to wipe Ben's
face and gently dipped it into the cool ice water in the basin on the
nightstand. Pushing her own hair back on her head, she gently bathed Ben's
face. She brushed his hair off of his forehead and stroked the side of his
face. 

 Ben turned his head towards Franny and barely opened his eyes. His dark
lashes fluttered against the blue bruises under his pain filled eyes.
Franny glanced up at the clock. "Another five hours to go Ben, five more
hours then the last of the shots. OK." He barely moved his head, but let
out a long sigh. 

 Meg was astonished at the byplay between them. She felt her own throat
tightening and rose from her chair. She envied Franny her ability to know
what it was Ben needed without him even asking. That was a skill Meg had
never learned and she knew. 

 Meg moved out of Ben's room quietly, to stand in the hall next to
Turnbull who for lack of any other job to do had taken up sentry duty
outside Ben's sick room. Meg noted how comical Turnbull looked the hallway
full of nurses and doctors, the bulk of him stationed in the hall
unmoving, huge and robot looking. She had an idea Ben would enjoy this
picture and wished she had a camera. 

 Ray Vecchio saw Meg Thatcher outside Ben's room on his return. And there
was Turnbull doing the sentry duty thing. Ray winced as he felt one of his
muscles pull across his shoulders. Straightening his shoulders he walked
up to Meg and smiled. "How's Ben?" 

 Opening her eyes and staring directly at Ray, she smiled back. "Franny
and your mother are with him, when I stepped out of the room he was ok." 

 Together they turned made their way into Ben's room. 

 Chapter 5 

 +The door just opened again. I can hear Ray and Meg coming back. I won't
turn my head towards the door; the light is too bright there. Franny is
still here. The pain is subsiding again. Good, I can move a little, relax
a little. I am really dreading the next set of shots. The spinal one hurts
so bad. Should open my eyes for Franny.+ 

 Francesca was wiping Ben's forehead as Ray and Megan returned to the room
and the clicking of her mother's rosary beads sounded in the room. Ben's
eyes widened beyond their slits a little. He watched Franny's face
quietly, his face becoming relaxed. 

 Ray watched his sister for moment then began to wander the room. He
stopped his wandering just under the room's clock and stood mesmerized by
the ticking of the clock's second hand. Meg settled into the chair next to
Ben's bed and watched the Vecchio siblings, so different and yet so alike.
But Megan too began to watch the ticking of the seconds on the clock. The
Seconds were ticking away the time until the next set of shots. 

 Unable to keep standing still, Ray again began wandering the room. He
stopped next to the medical cart that had been in the room since this
began. Without touching anything, Ray examined each piece of equipment.
His eyes stopped roaming the cart when he saw what was on the second shelf
of the cart. Kneeling down so he could take a closer look, Ray drew in his
breath. Ray looked towards Meg and motioned for her to come over to the
cart. 

 Meg looked the cart over but didn't see anything unusual on it. All that
the cart contained was just medical equipment, normal, everyday medical
equipment. Then she, too, looked at the second shelf of the cart. Ray was
watching her face intently and she turned to meet his eyes. 

 "Is that what I think it is?" Megan knelt closer to the cart. 

 "Yes, my money says it is." Ray put his hand in his pocket and brought
out a small notebook he had been keeping with him since Benny first
disappeared. He quickly thumbed through the pages until he found what he
was looking for. "Yea, I'd say this matches Ben's description pretty well,
wouldn't you?" he said passing his notes to Meg. 

 They looked up at the clock and stood up quietly. "Less than two hours to
go for the third set of shots." Deep hazel eyes questioned the brilliant
green eyes. "I'd say that we need to talk to the doc." Meg gave Ray a nod
and looked back at Ben and Franny. 

 Ray went over to Franny and tapped her gently on the shoulder. He put a
finger across his mouth and motioned her away from the bed. Meg moved in
and took over wiping Ben's face for Franny. Ray took Franny over by the
window and whispered into her ear. "Meg and I are leaving the room for a
bit. Don't let anyone come in, and don't you or Ma leave. OK?" 

 "You're scaring me Ray." Franny looked over to Meg and saw concern in
Meg's eyes. "OK. No one comes in." 

 "Including the doctor Franny. OK." 

 Franny nodded her head and went back to Ben's side freeing Meg to leave
with Ray. The two of them left the room quickly. Meg stopped outside the
door. 

 "Turnbull, no one is to enter of leave the Constable's room. On my order.
No one." 

 Turnbull asked only one question. "Does that include hospital staff,
sir?" 

 "It includes hospital staff." 

 "Yes, sir." And Turnbull returned to sentry duty in an even stiffer
position than before while Ray and Meg raced down the hallway. 

 Chapter 6 

 Meg and Ray reached the doctor's office and pushed open the door open.
Their eyes roamed the office quickly and efficiently. He wasn't there. 

 "Damn." Ray turned and went quickly back to the nurse's station on Ben's
floor. 

 Meg approached the nurse on duty at the nurse's station and quickly
inquired where Ben's doctor might be. Meg and Ray were told they could
find the doctor in the lounge area. They rushed off in the direction of
the lounge. They rounded the doorway into the lounge and spotted the
doctor. 

 Ray and Meg exchanged looks and approached the doctor. The doctor looked
up and noticed them moving towards him. The doctor gave Ray a questioning
look and rose from his chair. 

 "Doc, can you come with us an answer some questions for us?" Ray watched
the doctor's face intently waiting for an answer. 

 The doctor rose to stand next to Meg and Ray. "Is there a problem?" 

 "What can you tell us about the equipment on the medical cart in
Constable Fraser's room?" Meg watched the man's face closely. 

 "It's all pretty standard equipment," remarked the doctor as the three of
them began moving down the hall. 

 "What about the stuff on the second shelf?" Ray asked point blank. 

 "Which item?" The doctor gave a questioning at both Ray and Meg as he
began to push Ben's door open only to be stopped by a vice-like grip on
hand from Turnbull. 

 Meg rolled her eyes back in her head and gave a loud sigh. "Turnbull,
he's with me." 

 "Sir, but you did order me not to let anyone in this room." 

 "Turnbull, I now order you to let the doctor enter the room." Meg said
with a deep sign and opened the door. She exchanged amused looks with Ray
as the three of them walked quietly into the room. 

 +Someone is coming into my room. Still have no energy to open my eyes. I
can hear voices by my door. If only this pain would go away. Have to relax
more. Muscles so tense and my back is on fire too now. Franny's still by
me, I can smell her soft scent, feel her gentle touch.+ 

 Franny looked over at Meg and Ray as they came into the room with the
doctor. She glanced up at the clock and knew that there was more than an
hour left before the final series of shots. She cocked her head at the
trio and watched as they stood around the medical cart. 

 "Ok Doc, anything on this cart not strictly legit." Ray was at his most
sarcastic as he watched the man slowly go over every item on the cart. 

 Meg watched the man's face keenly while he looked over the cart's
contents. As he knelt to look at the second shelf, she traded glances with
Ray. 

 "The only items unusual to our normal cart set up would be the three
items in the corner here on the second shelf." The doctor carefully picked
up the zip lock back which contained two small vials and a larger piece of
what looked like tubing. 

 "These things were supplied by the drug company?" Meg kept watching the
man's face. She was beginning to think he obviously didn't have a clue
about their interest in the items. 

 "Yes, the tube is an alternate aid in administering the drug for the
third series. It was sterilized and put in that bag for possible use." 

 "Dam" Ray burst out. "So what you're saying is that this is a piece of
experimental equipment from the drug company." 

 "Yes." 

 Meg took the bag from the doctor's hands and began looking at the tube,
which was perhaps 24 inches long, one end narrower than the point of a
pencil then widening to 2 1/2 inches in circumference at the other end.
The vials both had the word lubricant on them. Meg glanced at Ben lying on
the hospital bed and back to the doctor. 

 "Do you know for sure that this piece of equipment was sterilized?" she
inquired stiffly in her best Inspector attitude. 

 "Well, I didn't watch the procedure if that's what you mean." 

 "That's exactly what I mean. Would you mind sterilizing it yourself while
either Ray or I watched." 

 "Of course not." 

 "Doc, what do you mean alternative treatment method for the third series"
Ray narrowed his eyes as he jabbed his fingers towards the bag Meg held. 

 The doctor kept his voice very low, "First, let me say I am well
acquainted with the Constable's chart. I didn't bring this up earlier
because of his history. The alternative method is direct infusion into the
intestinal wall via that tube. The shots are the most effective method.
However, if the nerve area at the base of the spine shot the patient's
skin or the shot sights become inflamed, the only alternative is to use
the tube or stop the treatment. In Ben's case, he's a male rape victim.
Therefore, we would not want to traumatize him further by using the
intestinal tube since the treatment sight would be reached via the anal
area." 

 "And when had you planned on telling us this little bit of information
doc?" Ray said with his voice set in a very low whisper. 

 The doctor looked up at the clock. "I was going to wait until about an
hour from the time set for the last series and check the shot sights. " 

 Franny brushed some of Ben's hair away from his face and settled his
pillow while she listened to the conversation by the cart. She dropped a
kiss on Ben's brow then joined Ray and Meg. 

 Franny gave each of them a direct glare as she said, "You check him over
now, determine if you have to use that thing, sterilize it and get going.
Understood." She pivoted on her heels and marched back to Ben's bedside. 

 Exchanging amused stares Ray and Meg turned to the doctor. "You heard
her. Any use this had in Ben's legal case is already questionable. We have
no idea if this is even the same tube. But she's right, Ben comes first."
Ray smiled at his sister. Benny's right, she's his lioness. 

 Chapter 7 

 Ben lay still and let the doctor's hand's roam his hips and back. He
flinched and was sure he yelled each time those hands neared one of his
shot sights. Sweat was pouring down his face. 

 Ray, and Meg stood a little away from Ben's bed and watched as the doctor
efficiently checked Ben over. Franny hovered near the head of Ben's bed.
She saw that each shot sight was red and enflamed. The area near the base
of his spine was red and hot looking as well as puffy looking. The hands
probed gently, but each of the watchers could see that Ben was in severe
pain at each touch. 

 +God, I'm holding as still as I can. Fire, Fire please put out the fire
along my back. Someone please. I can hold out. I can't. Please, it hurts.
OH GOD it hurts. Franny, where are you?+ 

 The doctor nodded to Franny who gently covered Ben up and rubbed his
shoulders gently as he cried into his pillow. "I don't think we have any
choice." He stripped off his plastic gloves. "The shot sights are overly
sensitive and the spinal area is puffy. I'm worried about using that area.
" He smiled at Franny's devotion to Ben as he watched her soothing
attention to his needs. 

 Rosa Vecchio sat in her corner quietly watching, her beads clicking in
her hands. She watched sadly. Her prayer continued unabated. Behind her in
the shadows Robert Fraser watched his son, he griped the back of Rosa's
chair and listened to her prayers, his lips moved in his own silent
prayer. 

 'Which of you is going to watch me do the sterilization procedure?" the
doctor asked as he went and picked up the bag that contained the tube. 

 "I will." Meg volunteered. 

 Meg and the doctor left the room. Ray sank into the chair next to Ben's
bed and took Ben's left hand into his hands. He began talking in a tone
that he hoped would get through to Ben. "Benny. Hope you're listening,
cause I gotta tell you something. In just a little while the doc is gonna
do the third drug set. " He could feel Ben's hand shake as he held it.
"You're listening aren't you." The hand he held shook again. "OK, here's
the scoop. No more shots." Ben's hand moved slightly. "They have to use
something else to give you the medicine Benny. The doc is going to use a
tube, Ben. The tube that he's going to use has to be used like an enemas
pack Ben. You ever had one of them?" Ray could feel Ben's hand tense in
his hold. "Yea, I know Benny. But we got no choice buddy." 

 +They have turned me onto my stomach for a while. Feels so much better. I
head Meg and the doctor leave. Franny's has her hands on my shoulders, so
soft and gentle. Ray's holding my left hand in his hands. What's that he's
saying? Next series is soon. Thank God. I know I'm moving my hand in his
to let him know I hear him. I hear him speaking...no third set of shots?
My hand is tense. Tube? Oh Dear. I will survive it Ray. Really I will.+ 

 Franny and Ray both looked at the clock on the wall. Only minutes more
and the doctor would return. 

 Turnbull opened the door to let the doctor and Meg back into the room.
The doctor carried a small tray with the newly sanitized medical tube on
it. A nurse followed him into the room. Casting a look around the room's
occupant's Turnbull closed the door quietly. 

 Quickly the nurse set up the cart near Ben's bed leaving Franny to keep
Ben settled on the pillows. The doctor pulled on a new set of plastic
gloves and began setting up the procedure. When he picked up the bag with
the vials labeled lubricant, he appeared disgruntled and asked the nurse
to go obtain new vials from supply in a hurry. "Detective, Inspector. I
won't use the lubricant vials supplied by the pharmaceutical company." 

 Both officers nodded. Ray took out a bag from his pocket that he always
kept on him for evidence gathering. He took the plastic bag containing the
vials and dropping them in the new bag, he pocketed them. 

 They waited. Only Rosa Vecchio's beads made any noise in the room. Her
quietly intoned prayer continued. Robert Fraser held his position behind
Rosa, his shoulders tightening. 

 "Inspector, you might call in that rather large gentleman from the door.
We could use him here I think. " The doctor smiled as he and the nurse
continued reading the drug for insertion into the tube. 

 Meg called Turnbull in and closed the door quietly. 

 "Here's what we need to do. I need him on his side; one knee flexed and
pulled up towards his stomach at a slight angle and held gently. Someone
is going to have to hold his hands. I'll need someone to help keep his
legs still. Miss Vecchio, if you could hold him and talk to him that would
probably help a great deal." 

 Meg motioned for Turnbull to position himself next to the foot of Ben
bed. Ray gathered Ben's hands gently into his own. Franny draped the
coverlet over Ben's shoulders and hips and settled herself on the bed next
to him covering his shoulders with her body and laying her head next to
his. 

 Franny whispered gently into Ben's ear. "You've got to hold still, we're
going to help you. But you have to hold still. Scream if you want to, ok,
but don't move Ben." 

 +Franny is talking to me again. Must pay attention. She's saying not to
move. I'll try as long as it won't be those shots I can do it. I've got to
do it. Scream she says. I thought I was screaming.+ 

 When everyone was in position, the doctor gently touched Ben on the hip
and rolled him onto his side. The doctor gently pushed Ben's upper leg
into position and Turnbull put his hands on Ben's leg to hold it still.
Taking the tube into his right hand, the doctor gently spread lubrication
on it and onto Ben. He used one finger to begin spreading Ben's anus to
receive the tube. Gently he touched the tube to Ben's body opening. 

 Ben bucked against all the loving hands that were holding him. He sucked
his breath in tight, holding it and not letting it out. His hands shook
inside Ray's grip. The doctor pulled back a little but continued to hold
his hand on Ben's hip soothingly. Franny clenched her arms around Ben's
shoulders tighter and kissed his hair before whispering quietly to him. 

 +Oh God, it's that tube. It's cold and metallic. Oh God. Do they know
it's that tube? They must know, remember what Ray said. Ray and Franny
wouldn't let anyone hurt. Neither would Meg. Relax, damn it relax.+ 

 Ben suddenly relaxed in their hold and sighed. The doctor took the
opportunity and forcing as gently as he could he inserted the tube inside
Ben. Ben's body began to shiver uncontrollably but he didn't buck against
them this time. The doctor stopped for a moment before continuing the
tube's passage into Ben. Ben let out a loud keening sound. The sound began
deep and rose high to be broken off as he drew in another breath. "No," he
yelled. "I said no. Please, Michelle, get this man away from me. Please
Michelle." Ben relaxed again. 

 Franny set up a chant of whispering to Ben as a fresh stream of tears
coursed her face. "Relax, keep relaxing. That's it Ben. You're doing
great." Her face was pale. 

 +How much longer? It just keeps sliding, getting larger and larger. Stop.
Oh stop. Please. Franny don't let go. Don't any of you let go.+ 

 The doctor watched the marked line on the tube nearing Ben's body. Just a
bit more, only a little way to go. Finally the tube was seated and the
doctor pushed the plunger end of the tube and began to withdraw it even
slower than he had inserted it. 

 +Get that thing out of me, please. Hurts but not like the shots.+ 

 Finally, the doctor was able to remove the tube and dropped it a clean up
tray. He took a soft towel and wiped Ben gently, before nodding for
everyone to release him. 

 Turnbull opened his eyes. He'd held them shut through the whole
procedure. He stood back and tried to hold back his tears. He felt the
Inspector's hand on his arm and looked at her. She smiled at him and
handed him a Kleenex, before taking one for her self. Renfield surveyed
everyone in the room as he wiped his eyes. If this is what friendship and
love was about, he wanted more of it. He straightened his shoulders and
headed back to his sentry post. 

 Ben's forced his eyes open to find Ray crying at his side and Franny
still holding him. He knew there were tears running down his own face. 

 Chapter 8 

 The doctor stood back and motioned the nurse out of the room. He watched
Franny settling Ben back into a more comfortable position on the hospital
bed. Ben seemed to be falling asleep as she settled him back under the
covers. The doctor smiled at Meg and Ray. 

 "Now we wait. The waiting period is the same, 24-hours. He may get
feverish before it's over. I'll order some topical medicine for his back.
I'll be back to check his reflexive motor movement several times during
the next 24-hours. Call me if you need me. " The doctor ushered the nurse
out of the room and left himself. 

 Ray and Meg watched Franny as she settled back into a chair next to Ben's
bed. Franny was exhausted looking, her face was gray and pinched looking.
Ray walked over to his sister and picked her up out of the chair. She
protested by trying to shove him away, but Ray held her tighter and turned
to set her on the room's spare bed. 

 "Get some rest, Sis. You're the one he's going to want to see when he
wakes up." Ray covered Franny with a blanket. "Meg and I will watch him
while he's sleeping. OK." 

 Rosa Vecchio smiled from her corner as she watched her children. Her poor
Benton. Hopefully, he would be able to sleep for a bit. She looked over to
Ray and said, "You and Margaret go get something to eat. I'll watch them
while they sleep." 

 Ray had almost forgotten his mother was in the room. He whirled around to
face her when he heard her voice. Going over to her, he knelt before her.
"You sure Ma? You've got to be tired too." 

 "Bring me back some coffee." She patted his hand. 

 "Ok Ma, But I'm sending you home soon." 

 Ray and Meg left quietly. Franny finally dropped off to sleep. Rosa
Vecchio stood and stretched, setting her rosary in her pocket. Robert
Fraser remained where he was in the corner of the room, watching his son
sleep. He turned to the window to watch the night sky beginning to fall
over the city. 

 Rosa walked over to Benton's bed and leaned over to kiss his hair and
settle the blanket over his shoulders. She fussed over him and stood
watching him sleep. "Caroline Fraser, I love your boy like he was my own
son. I hope you can hear me. I'm taking him into my family. He won't be
alone anymore. He's such a good boy." 

 Robert Fraser turned at Rosa's words. "Well even if Caroline can't hear
you," he muttered to himself, "I can and I appreciate it. My boy needs all
the help he can get right now." He watched Rosa fuss around Ben's bed and
sit down in the chair next to it. He was surprised when he heard her
humming lightly. "You're a good woman, Mrs. Vecchio." 

 Rosa stopped humming and taking up her beads began the rosary again. 

 Chapter 9 

 +Pain. Lots of it. But my legs, I can move them a little. The fire is
still in my back. Bones feel so sore. Been sleeping. How long I wonder?
Room's so quiet. Feel hot. But I can move more. Good. I can move more.+ 

 Ben opened his eyes slowly and was able to glance around his room. He
could see Franny sleeping in the next bed. Her hair was tousled, the
covers tucked neatly around her. He heard clicking and turned his head the
other way. Rosa Vecchio was sitting next to him, saying her rosary. She
was beautiful sitting there like that. He had a vague memory of his own
mother sitting next to his bed praying when he was very little. He smiled
and tried to clear his throat. 

 Rosa heard Ben's movements and looked at him. She rose quickly and picked
up the cup with ice chips and spooned some into his dry lips as his eyes
followed her movements. 

 "Oh Caro, you are awake. You should sleep more. Listen to me, Caro. I
know you are going to be well. But you need more sleep. Sleep my Benton."
She began brushing his hair back with her hand in repeated long, slow
strokes. "Shh, sleep. Pleasant dreams my son. " She leaned over and kissed
his forehead, then straightened his covers. 

 Ben closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. Rosa continued to whisper
softly to him for a while. When she was sure he was sleeping, she sat back
in her chair with a satisfied smile on her face. 

 Robert Fraser watched from the corner he had chosen to make his own.
"Caroline could do that. I never could. He'd lie still for hours when he
was ill, if only Caroline would sit next to him. There was one time;
Benton must have been almost 5 years old, I think. Which cabin were we in?
Oh guess that doesn't matter. Well, anyway the boy got very ill. Caroline
was beside herself with worry. It was one of the few times I was home. I
tried, but it was Caroline who kept the boy quiet. Sat next to his little
cot for two days, waiting for his fever to come down. We packed him in
snow and waited. God that was the hard part. He was so little there in
that cot. " He turned back towards the window. "It wasn't until Benton's
temperature dropped that Caroline began to waiver. She was strong for a
little bit of a thing. Ben misses her. I know I do." Robert smiled at
Rosa. "You're a good woman, Benton's lucky to have you." 

 Rosa sat clicking her beads, her hands flying over her beads. She watched
the shadows in the corner of the room. Something in the room was
comforting her. She could feel it. She shrugged her shoulders and
continued praying. 

 Franny moved fitfully on her bed. She mumbled and sat straight up. Rosa
hurried over to her daughter and held her tightly in her arms and Franny
began to cry. "Oh Ma. I knew it was bad for Ben. I did, really I did. But
it must have been hell for him. " Rosa soothed her daughters hair before
turning the small face up to hers. 

 "I know. Grandmere and I have talked a little. I know it was a bad time
for Benton. You love him, don't you?" 

 "Yea, Ma. I do." 

 "Then just be there for him, like you have been doing. I've watched him,
he watches you all the time. His eyes sparkle when they see you. Be his
bright spot Franny. I have watched you with him. You are changing Cara. I
like the change." 

 "Ma, I would like to kill those people that hurt him." 

 "I know Cara. Ray will take care of the bad ones." 

 "You know Ray loves him, Ma." Franny watched her mother's eyes fill with
tears. 

 "I know, I know. Benton loves him like a brother. " Rosa kissed her
daughter's hair again and gently moved her back into the pillows. "Rest
little one, everything will be all right. I know it." 

 "I sure hope so Ma." Franny settled in under the covers on her side so
she could watch Ben sleep. 

 Rosa sat in the chair between the two beds and began her rosary again. 

 Chapter 10 

 Meg and Ray sat drinking their coffee. They had eaten sandwiches and were
about to return to Ben's room. Ray was pensive, not sure how to broach he
request for help. 

 "Ray, how much evidence do you actually have so far." Meg inquired softly
breaking into Ray's silence. 

 "Not a hell of a lot. We've got enough to put him away right now, but Ben
might have to testify. And since Benny never actually saw the man,
well.... I want to avoid that. " 

 "Yes, I agree. Testifying will not help Ben at this juncture. How long
before trial?" 

 "There, our good Illinois court system is working in our favor. There are
so many cases pending, that this one may take months to bring into an
actual courtroom." 

 "That's good." 

 "That could also be bad. Evidence can degrade, get lost. His attorney
could demand due process. The DA might screw up. And what worries me most,
is this perp came after Benny once already after he was in lockup." 

 "So you're saying that Ben's still in danger." 

 "The guy warned Benny via the last attack that anything might happen if
Ben testifies. He threatened all of us. Anyone connected to Ben." 

 "What does Ben say to this?" 

 "You know Benny. He's just more determined than ever to get well and nail
the guy legally." 

 "Yes, I do have to give Ben that. He is a by the book officer." 

 "Is that why he jumps on cars and trucks?" Ray laughed 

 Meg laughed. "No, that is an entirely Benton Fraser quirk." 

 Finishing his coffee, Ray pushed his chair back. 

 "Let's go back. I want to send Ma home." 

 "Your mother is very nice Ray. I like her." 

 "Thanks, Ma's the best. I was born lucky." 

 They picked up their trays and headed back to Ben's room. 

 Chapter 11 

 Ray moved in his chair trying to find a more comfortable position. Ben
still slept, though it was a fitful sleep. Ray watched as Franny rolled
over pushing the covers from her shoulders. It was quiet in Ben's room. Ma
had left with Meg and Turnbull. The quiet was peaceful. Several hours had
passed since the doctor administered the last dose of medicine. The nurses
had come in to check on Ben and put a topical salve on his shot sights.
Ben had seemed to become more relaxed within the last hour. 

 The doctor entered the room quietly and smiled at Ray as he moved over by
Ben. He gently pulled up the covers over Ben's feet. He smiled at Ray and
motioned Ray over to the end of the bed. Ray watched as Ben began to pull
his right leg back to get it under the covers and away from the cool air. 

 "This is a good thing? Right." Ray asked with a really goofy smile on his
face. 

 "I would say so. There's a long way to go in the next 15 hours but I see
some progress here. He's not going to walk in any marathons soon, but I
think the odds of getting rid of that chair are going up." 

 "What about permanent damage?" 

 "We'll wait and see on that. Things are progressing nicely. His
temperature hasn't spiked. That's something we have to watch. I'll come
back and check on him later. Right now, get some rest yourself." 

 The doctor left Ben's room. Ray sat back in his chair and dropped his
head back to stare at the ceiling. Sure looks like things are picking up
he thought. 

 Several hours later Franny woke up slowly and lay for a minute listening
to the quiet sound of the room. She rolled on to her side to watched Ben
sleeping peacefully in the bed next to her. His face was faintly flushed,
but he was sleeping a relaxed sleep. She noticed Ray snoozing in the chair
on the other side of Ben. Rising out of her bed, she adjusted the covers
and made her way quietly to Ray's chair. 

 Nudging Ray, Franny pulled at him until she had him sleep walking to the
bed where she had slept. She pushed and shoved him into the bed and
covered him with the hospital blanket. As quietly as she could she made
her way back to Ray's vacated chair and sat down to watch Ben sleep. She
watched Ben move around on the bed to get comfortable and smiled to
herself as she watched him move his legs as he repositioned himself. 

 Chapter 12 

 Robert Fraser watched from his vantage point in the darkest corner of the
room by the window. He moved out of the shadows and stood at the end of
Ben's bed. Ben rolled over again and Robert smiled. Franny moved to adjust
the covers over Ben. She brushed a kiss across his forehead as she leaned
over him. 

 "Well, she's not that sturdy, but she has heart. Yes, she has heart.
Heart counts too. She loves you boy. Any fool can see that. Don't let this
one go. She's wiry, probably yells like a banshee when she's mad too. No,
son. Don't let this one go." Robert rocked back and forth on his feet
while he talked, certain Ben was sleeping too deeply to hear him. 

 +Dad's here. Where the hell's he been? Didn't he know I needed him? Wish
I could wake up. Eyes still feel so heavy. I can hear him talking about
Franny. Got to try and wake up a bit.+ 

 Franny rose to check Ben over a bit. Satisfied that he was breathing
evenly, she walked quietly over to the room's bathroom, went inside and
closed the door. 

 Robert Fraser moved closer to the bed where his son lay and got down
close to his face. "Wake up son, can't stay asleep forever." 

 +He's here. Dad's definitely here. Got to open my eyes some more.+ 

 Ben finally made his eyes open a little to see his Dad's face near him.
Ben glared at him and rolled over to face away from his dad. 

 "Well, come on son. I know you have things to say. Get them off your
chest. Now's as good a time as any. " Robert Fraser put out one hand as if
to touch his son and pulled it back. 

 Ben gritted his teeth and lay silent. 

 "You're mad. I can see that boy. I've not left you boy. I know. " 

 Robert's comments tore at Ben. "You know. What do you know? Do you know
how badly I wanted to hear your voice? Do you? What would have been so
wrong in letting me know you were there? Part of me didn't want you there
you know. I didn't want you to see what was happening to me." Ben said
through tears and gritted teeth. 

 "But I was there. I don't know why I didn't talk to you, I don't. But I
was there. I had hoped you knew that boy. " 

 "You always run away dad. Every time I really need you, you're not there.
How was I to know you were there? Tell me, how was I to know?" 

 Robert stared directly into Ben's eyes as he replied, "I was there when
they left you alone and I was there every time they locked that damn door.
I was there. I wanted to hold you, but I'm dead. I can't hold you. So what
was I supposed to do?" 

 "Talking to me would have helped Dad. A voice I knew in the darkness
would have been a help. Knowing you were there might have helped. " 

 "I couldn't watch what they did son. My mouth wouldn't say the words. But
I was there." 

 "You've never said the words Dad. I can't remember you saying the words.
Did you say them to Mom? Did she know you loved her before she died? Did
she?" Ben's voice rose a little. "God, I prayed for you to be there. Did
you hear me Dad? Did you?" 

 "I heard." Robert's eyes never left Ben's face. He stood at military
parade rest next to his son's bed. "I heard and my poor, old heart nearly
broke. Being dead has definite disadvantages son." 

 "Then you were dead most of my life Dad. You were never around when I
needed you." 

 "I tried to be there when it counted Ben. I know I missed some important
dates, but I did try to be there when I could." 

 "You weren't there for me for the longest time Dad when Mum died. I
needed you. I really needed you to hug me." 

 "I know son. I know. I was lost in my own grief and forgot about you for
a time. But I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and came back to you." 

 "Yes, and then not long after you handed me over to Grandma and Grandpa.
I was six and I was lonely. I missed Mum and you gave me away Dad. Why did
you give me away? Was there something wrong with me?" 

 "Is that what you thought? My God, Benton. I love you, always have,
always will. You're my son. I'm proud of you, no matter what you do."
There were tears in Robert Fraser's eyes. 

 "Well, you left me. What was I supposed to think? All I remember is that
I was six years old and I woke up one morning to find myself at my
grandparent's cabin and Mum wasn't there anymore. And you were gone. I
woke up to find my mother gone from me and you were gone too. " 

 "I said goodbye to you Benton. I told you I had to go. But you were so
silent. You were in a world of your own. The doctor's were worried you
might never talk again. I couldn't take care of you. You needed more than
I could give you." 

 "I needed you Dad. I needed you." Ben pulled himself up on his pillows
and stared his father right in the face. "I remember taking care of myself
right after Mum died. And I remember the oatmeal you made that morning
before you left me. But I don't remember when you left and I don't
remember you talking to me." 

 "When I took you to my parents cabin, I took you because you wouldn't
talk. You wouldn't talk and you just sat in a chair by the window all day.
Killed me to see you that way. I tried everything Benton. Everything I
could think of, but the jolly little boy I had known was gone. My parents
lived near a doctor Ben. So that's where I took you. I didn't leave you
until you started talking again. Really I didn't. But I had a job to do
son." 

 "I've waited for you my whole life, Dad. Mum waited for you. Why weren't
we enough? Why?" 

 "Your mother knew." 

 "Did she, or do you just think she knew? Duty is that the word Dad. Did
duty save you from a child who wouldn't talk to you? All I ever wanted was
a hug. Was that so bad? Grandmother hardly every hugged. She waited for me
to hug her. Wasn't I huggable Dad? Wasn't I?" Ben's voice was becoming
raspy and thick with tears. 

 "Ben, I didn't know what you needed? I'd had so little experience as a
parent. Your Mum always knew what you needed? I had no idea you were so
sad with my parents. Really I didn't son." 

 "They raised you, didn't you know how they would raise me? I know they
loved me, but there was so little warmth there. I wanted you!" 

 "I'm here now, haven't left you side for the last three months Ben." 

 "But you couldn't tell me you where here. Why?" 

 "I didn't think you would want me knowing what was going on Ben. I was
afraid you would hate me knowing." 

 "Your voice would've helped Dad. There was so much silence. I'm used to
silence when I chose it. But I didn't choose any of that Dad. I was so
alone. I needed you and you weren't there. Just like always." 

 "What do you want Ben. Do you want me to leave you? Do you want me to
leave you for good?" Robert tried to hold back his tears. "I'll do what
you want. Name it." 

 "You're actually asking me? Well hell. I guess I'll think about it and
let you know." Ben smiled a nasty little smug smile. "You can just wait
around til I decide. OK Dad?" 

 "Ok. By the way, I like Francesca. Not too sturdy but the girl has more
than enough spirit to make up for that." 

 Ben pulled himself up in the bed and glared at his father's face. "YOU
leave Francesca out of this. You got that?" 

 Robert smiled and stepped away from Ben. He turned around and returned to
his corner of the room to be lost in the shadows once more. 

 Franny stood just inside the bathroom door. She could hear Ben talking to
someone. She knew there was no one in the room beside Ben but Ray. And she
thought Ray was still sleeping. She could almost swear she heard a voice
talking to Ben. Nay, she thought. It's my imagination. 

 She took a few steps out into the room to see Ben still sitting in an
upright position on his bed. He seemed to be glaring at the empty corner
of the room. He turned to her as she walked to his bed. Holding up his
arms, he beckoned her to him. Franny climbed up on the bed and gave Ben a
big hug as she nestled into his arms. Ben smiled and laid back into his
pillows holding her to him, Franny, my Franny he thought. My lioness. 

 Chapter 13 

 Ray woke to find himself stretched out in the spare hospital bed. He
thrust out his arms and legs to stretch and rolled over to look at Ben.
Ben and Franny were sleeping soundly wrapped tightly in each other arms.
Their dark curly heads were touching. Ben looked more relaxed than he had
since coming to the hospital. 

 Rising slowly, Ray went into the room's bathroom where he splashed cold
water on his face, before cleaning himself up a little. Visions of his
sister and Ben lying together tugged tightly at his heart. He went back
into Ben's room with a crooked smile on his face. Benny loved Franny, it
was obvious to anyone that might see them sleeping like that. He wondered
if the Mountie had admitted it to himself yet. Ray knew he'd had his own
chance with Benny. He knew it wasn't his fault or Ben's that things
wouldn't work out for them. Ray still couldn't believe Benny didn't hate
him. God he was thankful for that. 

 Ray glanced up at the clock to see that another 5 hours had passed since
he fell asleep. He considered getting the doctor, but then couldn't bear
to do anything that might waken Ben. 

 Ben's door slowly opened to admit Meg Thatcher and the doctor. They
entered the room quietly. Meg looked inquiringly at Ray and then stepped
back to watch Ben and Franny sleeping. Well, Meg. You sure blew this one.
That could have been you lying with him there. Meg thrust the thought to
the back of her mind as she watched the doctor gently moving the blankets
off of Ben's legs. 

 The cool air brushing across his legs made Ben move a little, drawing
both of his legs up. The doctor gently put a pin to Ben's skin and watched
Ben shift that leg away from the pricking pain. He covered Ben's leg again
and motioned Thatcher and Ray from the room. 

 Once the three of them were outside, the doctor gave a sigh of relief.
"There's still a 10-hour window to get through. But I think we can say
we're on our way out of the woods on this one. I won't release him soon.
We'll do a complete evaluation before his release. He'll probably require
the chair for a short time, but he'll be on crutches soon. I won't make
any promises beyond that point." He put his hand on Ray's shoulder. "But I
think you can tell him he can junk the chair soon." 

 Ray gave a small whoop and grabbed Meg by the shoulders. "Yes." He said. 

 Meg was pulled off balance by Ray's hug but smiled broadly at the doctor.
"Thank you for all your help. I know we've been an inconvenience around
here." 

 The doctor laughed. "I just told everyone that you're all Canadian." He
watched Meg blush and invited her to follow him to his office where there
were some forms for her to sign. 

 Ray watched them traverse the hallway and thought. "Hey, Meg. The doc
likes you." He laughed and returned to Ben's room. 

 Ray stood inside the door and beamed at his sister and Benny while they
slept. Things were definitely on the up swing. He could handle that. 

 Chapter 14 

 +Franny. Smells nice being here with her. She's so small. Thank God the
pain is receding. But hot, wish I weren't so hot. Too tired to wake up.
Will just settle back down here for a bit.+ 

 She moved a little and felt the arms around her tighten. She was held
securely in Ben's arms. Her head lay next to his on the pillow. She felt
protected and safe. She tried twisting a little to see his face. His
beautiful face was slightly flushed, his lips dry looking. The dark curls
on his forehead were damp. Franny gently pushed against his arms until he
released her whispering her name. 

 Picking up the ice chip bowl, she saw that Ray must have replenished it
recently. She turned to see her brother smiling at her from a chair by the
window. Returning the smile, she spooned out some ice and gently lifted
Ben's head to place some ice chips against his lips. She picked up a cloth
from the table at Ben's bedside and gently wiped Ben's face, being careful
not to wake him. She settled the covers around him. Then she walked over
to Ray. 

 "The doc was in a little bit ago." He said smiling at her as she
approached. "I just called Ma and told her the good news. Benny's got a
good chance of making it back all the way." 

 Franny threw up her arms and in a whispering yell danced in a little
circle in front of Ray. 

 "The doc said we're not out of the woods totally yet. But things are
looking up for Benny." 

 The rest of the day passed quietly. Franny and Ray took turns keeping Ben
cool and hydrated. They watched him sleep. Franny hovered closer to Ben
than Ray did. Once in a while Ben would wake up and smile at them only to
drift back to sleep. 

 Robert Fraser stayed in his corner of the room and watched. He kept a
smile on his face though his eyes were troubled. 

 Chapter 15 

 +My eyes feel hot, must have a temperature. Franny's is wiping my face
again. The pain is going away. Thank God. I can move my legs more.
Stretching feels so good. Must wake up to see Franny. Wonder how long I've
been sleeping this time?+ 

 Franny watched Ben's face as she wiped him with a cool towel. His eyes
were fluttering open in his flushed face. She heard the rustle of the bed
covers as Ben moved his legs. She smiled a broad smile to herself as she
stole a look at the moving covers. 

 "Great ain't it." Ray said as he stepped up behind her. "Doc will be
running tests on Ben tomorrow. We'll know soon now much movement Ben will
recover. Looks Good Franny. " 

 Ben opened his eyes to see the Vecchio siblings smiling at each other
next to his bed. His own face lit up with a broad smile. "What is it,
mutual admiration day?" Ben asked with just a hint of a snicker in his
voice. 

 "Hey, somebody's feeling better." Ray gave Ben one of his goofy looks and
sank back into his chair. "They're gonna put the Vecchio name on this
chair when I leave. In honor of the hours I've spent sitting in it." 

 Franny chuckled, "Then they would label this the Fraser/Vecchio room in
honor of all the time you two have spent in hospitals since you met."
Franny put her cloth down and sat on the edge of Ben's bed. 

 "Twenty-four more hours and we get to go home," Ben sighed in relief. 

 Ray hung his head and didn't look Ben in the eyes. "More like 48, Ben.
The doc won't release you with a complete work up on you. Sorry." 

 "Ok, Guess I can live with that. But what does he mean by work up?" 

 "You'll have to ask him." 

 Forty-eight hours later a very disgruntled, pinched, prodded, poked,
pricked, and sulking Mountie prepared to leave for home. He swore to
Franny that the aftermath of the treatment was as bad as the treatment
itself. 

 "Ben, you're just tired and homesick. Admit it." Franny said as she
handed him his sweatshirt. 

 "Well, you try being the one to give blood, move this way, move that,
hold still, etc, etc. at the drop of the hat." Ben let his mouth pout a
bit. "I'm surprised I have any blood left at all." 

 Franny sighed. She knew his attitude would change once they were on their
way out the door. But she'd been surprised at the little boy attitude Ben
displayed while he was recovering from the treatment. 

 Ray entered the room pushing Ben's wheelchair. Ben gave the chair a
decidedly disgusted look. 

 "Look, Ben. Everyone knows your getting better. But the doc says it's the
wheelchair for just a little longer and then you get to use your shinny
new crutches. " 

 "I'm ready for them now." Ben said stubbornly. 

 "No, you're not!" both Franny and Ray yelled at the same time. 

 Ben laughed and smiled at them. "OK. But I'm not using that thing any
longer than I have to." 

 Franny motioned for him to get into the chair. She and Ray held Ben's
arms and helped him lever off the bed and turn into the chair. 

 Sweat was popping out all over Ben's face. Franny grabbed a tissue from
the tissue box and held it out to Ben. Ben wiped off his face, but
refrained from making any comments. 

 Ray sighed, "You sure are stubborn, Ben." 

 Ben gave him that who me look he was so good at and chuckled. Franny
picked up his travel bag and dropped it in his lap. "When you can get in
and out of that chair without it wiping you out, then you get the shiny
new crutches." 

 Ben slumped back in the chair, "She means it Ray." 

 "I know Benny, I know." 

 "Let's go home." Benny turned his chair to Ray. "Let's blow." 

 "It's not blow, it's "Let's blow this place"." Sheesh Ben, haven't you
learned anything yet?" 

 Franny followed the two of them out of the door with a huge grin on her
face. 

 Robert Fraser grinned as he watched the trio leave the room. He turned
and left the room himself. 

 Chapter 16 

 Brianna McBride stood by the nurse's station as the Ben exited his room.
She looked over at the trio as they made their way towards her. A smile
lit her face as she saw Ray pushing Ben's chair. Looks like they are
working things out. She thought. She watched Ray's brilliant green eyes as
they approached her. 

 "Hey Doc. How ya doing?" Ray asked as he stood up straight and threw his
shoulders back. 

 "I'm doing quite well now that I see the three of you on your way of this
place." She smiled down at Ben. "I heard the good news." 

 "Thank you kindly, Bree." 

 Franny watched the interplay between her brother and the doctor.
Something in their exchange of looks prompted her to get behind Ben's
chair. "I'll meet you at the elevator Ray." She smiled at Bree as she
passed her. 

 "I want to thank you for giving me that other doctor's name. He's helping
me a lot." Ray said shyly. 

 "Good," Bree watched those green eyes and wished he had never been a
patient of hers. 

 "I'm realizing a lot about myself. I'm neither a round or a square peg,
if you know what I mean" Ray said with a laugh. 

 Bree adjusted her long, blond hair over her shoulder and raised her eyes
to Ray. "I think I have an idea of what you mean." 

 "You do?" Ray seemed surprised. "Can I call you, you know, ask a few
questions, check on Ben, whatever." He said nervously. 

 "I'd like that, please do." 

 "Great, I'll do that." Ray began walking backwards down the hall towards
Franny and Ben. Ben was trying his best to peer over the back of his chair
and watch Ray as Franny pushed him down the hall. 

 "Ben, stop that. Give Ray a little privacy will you?" Franny hit Ben on
the shoulder. 

 "Ouch," Ben laughed and tilted his head up to Franny. "You hit me." 

 Just then Ray walked up to see Ben holding his shoulder. "Franny, did I
see you hit Ben?" 

 The elevator door opened and Franny pushed Ben inside. Ray stood still
and watched his sister laugh as she pushed Ben. Ray stood almost
hypnotized by the sight of them in the elevator. 

 "Well aren't you coming Ray?" Franny chided him. 

 "Yea sure. Can't wait to get out of here." 

 Bree watched the trio from the nurse's station as they entered the
elevator. She had to smile at Ray as he stepped into the elevator and
turned around to push the elevator buttons. She blushed as the doors
closed. 

 Chapter 17 

 The Riv pulled in the driveway and Ray jumped out. Franny climbed out
from the back seat after Ray. Ray ran to the rear of the vehicle and
opened the vehicles trunk. He easily lifted out Ben's wheelchair and
setting it up wheeled it to Ben's open car door where Franny waited. 

 Ben sat in the Riv with his head thrown back sleeping. He hadn't even
realized when the car had come to a stop. His hair fell about the skin of
his pale forehead in thick curls. His lips were slightly parted as he lay
there quietly sleeping. Ray and Franny stood watching him for a few
seconds. Franny shrugged her shoulders at Ray and made a gesture with her
hands. "Be my guest," she whispered softly. 

 Ray leaned into the Riv and gently touched Ben's shoulder wakening the
sleeping man as gently as he could. Ben turned his sleepy eyes towards Ray
and gave a yawn as he stretched. Ray slid his right arm under Ben's leg's
and his left behind his back. "Come on sleepy head, time to go in the
house." Ben was still painfully thin and it was easy for Ray to lift and
pull him out of the car. He set Ben down easily into the chair and knelt
down to be at Ben's eyelevel. 

 "Ben, you awake now." 

 "Yes, Ray. I'm awake." Ben said with a little slur as he still made
stretching movements in the chair. 

 "Ok, Well listen up. See that chair ramp. It's there for you to use to
enter and leave the house. The doc says you need more sunshine and outside
air. You're going to get it. " Ray reached inside his coat pocket and
retrieved a couple of brown lunch bags. He put them in Ben's lap and with
a wicked little smile said, "Use these if you have to, understood." 

 Franny covered her mouth to hide a laugh turned away from Ben. Ben looked
directly into Ray's eyes, a hint of laughter and embarrassment filled his
voice as he replied, "Understood." 

 Ray stood behind Ben's chair and continued to grin as he said, "Nuff
said." 

 Franny couldn't help but laugh right out loud which drew Ben's attention
to her. "Well, it's funny. He's beginning to sound like you." 

 Ben shrugged his shoulders and dropped his head a little, but a smile set
happily on his lips. 

 The trio made it up the ramp and onto the porch before the front door
flew open and little Chase ran out to fling himself up on his father's
lap. "I have been watching in the window for you papa. Grandmere said I
should wait in the house, but I couldn't." The little boy flung his arms
around his father's neck and held on like a little limpet as Ray pushed
the chair into the house. 

 Ben hugged his son back and tucked his head down close to Chase's dark,
curly hair. He breathed in the scent of his young son and sighed in
contentment. Chase pulled his head back and their deep, blue eyes met.
Chase giggled and pulled his hand up to run his fingers through Ben's
growing curls. "You need a hair cut papa. But I like it." 

 Rosa Vecchio and Grandmere waited in the family's living room determined
not to overwhelm Benton. Ray rolled Ben's chair to the living room
doorway, "He's got to go to bed, per doctor's orders. " 

 Ben gave Ray an exasperated look, "Ray, I can talk for myself." Chase
looked at his father's face and giggled. When Ben saw that Ray was not
listening, he chanted, "Ray, Ray, Ray," Ben dropped his head. "Ray, I can
talk you know." 

 "Papa, you are pouting. Grandmere says it's not nice to pout." The little
boy ran his fingers over his father's lips and giggled some more. 

 "Chase, I am not pouting." Ben said with a bottom lip that protruded more
and more. 

 "Papa, you are too." 

 "Mounties don't pout," Ben said with an air of authority. 

 Chase gave his father a kiss and climbed down off of his lap. "Uncle Ray,
papa needs a nap." The little boy ran around to the back of the wheelchair
and began trying to turn it around. Ray smiled down at the little boy and
said, "I can agree with you on that one Chase." Together Ray and Chase
turned Ben away from the living room and took him down the hall. 

 Franny listened to Ben complaining all the way down the hall as she stood
near the living room door. She looked in at her mother and smiled. "He's
getting better every day now. Listen to him give Ray trouble." 

 Rosa and Grandmere listened and smiled as they heard Ben, "Ray, Ray, Ray.
I don't want to go to bed." And laughed outright when they heard Ray
reply. "You trying to get me in trouble with Franny?" 

 Francesca blushed and dipped her eyes towards the floor. Rosa went to her
daughter and gave her a big hug. 

 Chapter 18 

 Ben settled back the routine of the Vecchio home easily. He rose very
early very morning and Ray helped him get some physiotherapy done and get
ready for the day. Each passing day brought Ben a little closer to using
the new crutches that stood in the corner of his room. Ray had had a set
of parallel bars installed temporarily in Ben's room for the visiting
therapists to use with Ben. Ben's appetite was coming back and he ate more
of Rosa's cooking everyday. Ray and Franny made sure he didn't overdo any
of his exercise sessions. Ben's legs continued to strengthen but it would
still be a few weeks before he was ready enough to use the crutches. With
the returning feeling and strength in his legs, Ben was able to get of bed
and into the chair easier with each day. It was soon obvious even to Ray
that Ben didn't need to be watched constantly. 

 Rosa Vecchio and Grandmere were out for the day taking Chase with them to
do some shopping. Maria and her children were out in the yard enjoying the
sunshine. Ben was relaxing in the living room, reading a book Franny had
bought him. His concentration was so complete that when the doorbell rang
it startled him. 

 Ben wheeled himself to the front door and opened it to see a thin, little
man in a dark business suit carrying a briefcase waiting outside the door.
Ben cleared his throat to make his presence known and said, "Can I help
you?" 

 The little man smiled very unsurely, "Do I have the pleasure of
addressing Benton Fraser, Constable, RCMP?" 

 "I am Benton Fraser, on leave from the RCMP. Come in, what can I do for
you?" Ben wheeled backwards and indicated that the man should open the
door and entry the house. 

 "Is there somewhere where we can talk?" 

 "No one is in the main portion of the house right now, please come into
the living room." Ben felt nervous in front of the little man. He was
unsure if it was a result of everything that had happened to him or just
leeriness to dark briefcase carrying men in general. Once in the living
room, Ben whirled his chair and motioned for the man to take a seat on the
most uncomfortable chair in the room. 

 Opening his briefcase the gentleman identified himself as Wilton
Rushdean, attorney with the firm of Glendenning and Glendenning. Ben
watched as the man lifted out a large, brown envelope and opened it. 

 "Mr. Fraser, I have been retained to clarify certain legal requirements
regarding the custody of one Chase Metcalf Fraser." 

 Ben jumped in his chair a bit, but said nothing. He watched as the man
noticed his movement and reacted more even more nervously. 

 "My firm was hired to conduct and substantiate your relationship to the
said minor, Chase Metcalf Fraser." 

 Ben interrupted harshly, "Who hired you?" 

 "I am not at liberty to state that right now, Mr. Fraser. Please let me
continue." The little man adjusted his shirt collar and picked up more
papers. "When Chase Metcalf Fraser was born you, Mr. Fraser, were listed
as his biological father by one Victoria Metcalf. When she died, custody
of the minor child would normally have gone to you, but Miss Metcalf
placed the minor in the care of her maternal Aunt, Marie Caroline Pinset
duRoche. As I understand it, recent events placed you in the care of Miss
Metcalf's cousin and Mrs. duRoche. When your care was transferred over to
a hospital here in Chicago, Mrs. DuRoche requested blood testing to
confirm paternity for Chase Metcalf Fraser." Here the little man
hesitated, picked up some papers and rather nervously held them out to
Ben. 

 Ben grasped the papers and began reading the first one. Chase was
identified biologically as his son in the papers. He began flipping the
papers in his hand and reading very slowly. The second paper in the pile
gave him legal custody of Chase and named him as the biological father of
one, Chase Metcalf Fraser. Ben's eyes were misty as he tried to read
further. 

 "Your grandmother is a very cautious woman, Mr. Fraser." Mr. Rushdean
continued pulling out papers and did not notice Ben stiffen in his chair
nor see Ben's hands shake as he held all those legal papers. "I think
you'll be quite happy with the arrangements she has made on behalf of you
and your son. Your grandmother has settled quite large amounts of stock,
property and cash on your son, to be his at the age of 25. She had already
set up a similar settlement on your mother before she reached the age of
25. However, your mother, Caroline Pinset Fraser, never availed herself of
this trust. With your mother's death, you became the beneficiary of those
funds and properties. Our firm has been searching for you for quite some
time, Mr. Fraser. Mr. Fraser, if you will read and sign those documents,
we will release your mother's inheritance to you, as well as the trust
that was set up at your birth for yourself to be received at the age of
25." Mr. Rushdean held out a gold, extremely expensive pen for Ben. 

 Ben sat staring into space. He jolted back to the present as the flash of
the gold on the pen flickered across his face. "Did you say, my
Grandmother? Now I may not be thinking straight right now, and my marbles
may be flying out of my head recently, but I did hear you say grandmother,
did I not." Ben took the offered pen and began signing the documents as
Mr. Rushdean pointed out the appropriate signature spaces. 

 "Yes, I did say your grandmother. We assumed you knew her, Mr. Fraser."
Mr. Rushdean looked at Ben's face and was a little taken back by the
pallor of Ben's skin. "Oh my," he cleared his throat. "You have no idea
what I'm talking about, do you?" 

 "Good day, Mr. Rushdean. If I have any questions regarding all this
paperwork, I will most certainly call your office." Ben rolled his chair
back and indicated by a wave of his hand that Mr. Rushdean should leave
now. 

 After Ben closed the door behind Mr. Rushdean, he rolled his chair to
Grandmere's door, pushed it open and rolled inside to sit in the darkened
room and wait. 

 Chapter 19 

 Rosa Vecchio opened the front door and carried in her packages. She was
followed into the house by Chase who carried several bags as he skipped
into the house. Chase's Grandmere followed behind in her wheelchair
several packages in her lap. The private limo driver in her employ
followed behind the group carrying several more packages. 

 Grandmere smiled at the driver and motioned for him to set the packages
down on the hall bench. He set the packages down carefully. She addressed
him kindly, "Please drive the car back to the estate. I'll let you know
when I may need you again." She smiled in genuine gratitude to him. 

 Chase roared up the stairs towards his room. "I have to hide my sprises
for papa. He won't find them up in my room." The small child made it to
the first landing huffing as he hauled his packages upward. 

 Rosa and Marie listened to the child fast growing out of the toddler
stage as his feet kept trudging up the stairs. They sighed, each
remembering an age when they had had that kind of energy. Taking her
packages with her Rosa began to climb the stairs to her room. "I'll be
back down to start dinner in a few minutes." 

 Marie, nee' Grandmere, rolled her chair down the hallway to her room. She
entered the darkened room and stopped by the doorway to turn on the light.


 "Don't turn on the light." Ben said. "I'm not sure I want to see your
face right now, grandmother." 

 Her hand froze in position over the lamp's light switch. She took a deep
intake of breath and let it out slowly. "So you know." She dropped her
hand back into her lap and then rolled a little closer to where Ben sat in
the darkness. "I'm sorry, mon cher, I wanted to tell you before someone
else told you. I just didn't know how to start." 

 "You could have started by just telling me, you know, or did you think I
was too fragile for that." Ben spit out tersely. "Thank you for making
Chase mine legally. That was thoughtful of you at any rate." Ben said
softly in a tone that belied his hurt feelings. 

 "Chase has always been yours, even Victoria knew that from the minute he
was born." Her soft smile set kindly on her face. 

 Watching his face she began quietly, "I've wanted to hold you since you
were born, I wanted to love you, keep you safe and protect you. But I
wasn't allowed to do any of those things." She kept her gaze directly into
Ben's as her eyes began to fill with tears. "It's a very long story. How
much do you know?" 

 "Mr. Rushdean from your attorney's office came by today. All I know for
sure is that you must be my grandmother, Marie Caroline Pinset duRoche. I
don't need the money and property, I needed you. All my life I needed you.
Where were you when my mother died? Where were you when my father left me
with his parents? Where were you every birthday and Christmas I spent
without you? Where were you when my father died? Why? I need to know why?"
Ben's voice started to sound ragged and tear filled as well as angry. "Why
didn't you visit us when I was a child, why?" 

 "It's very complicated Benton. For me the story starts when I was a young
girl. My father forced me to marry a man of great wealth which was to
benefit our large family." She sighed as she remembered the fights she had
endured trying to avoid that marriage. The young man I loved was not
considered a suitable match for me. My family lived in a socially strict
area and our society rules were very outmoded. Daughters married where
their families benefited. My father did not care that I loved another. He
saw a chance for social prominence and money. I was that chance." She
turned her head away from him. "My husband hid from my father the fact
that he wanted me as his wife in name only. He had other male diversions
in life, which my father never knew about." She halted almost shyly. "We
never shared a marriage bed, Benton. My husband wanted an heir and knew
about my true love who was a distant cousin. He arranged for us to travel
in Europe, which we did extensively. We traveled, we loved, and we
traveled some more. However, he became ill in Paris and died there. My
husband joined me and helped make the arrangements to send my cousin's
body home to his family. It wasn't long before I found I was pregnant.
This made my husband very happy. But he warned me if the child were a
girl, he would make other arrangements for the child." 

 She stopped and looked off into space a moment, "Caroline was born such a
beautiful child. She was small and perfect. But I was never allowed to
enjoy loving her. My husband arranged for a relative's family to take her
in and adopt her. But I made sure to see her often and became a favored
aunt. Your mother never knew about me, Benton. She never knew she was
adopted. My husband watched Caroline grow up into a beautiful girl, he
decided she would make the same kind of marriage I had. This I was
determined should not happen to my daughter." 

 "I knew of the rivalry between your father and Buck Frobisher. I
encouraged her to enjoy it. When Caroline was young she was very
headstrong. I knew how to manipulate that streak in her. I made it seem
that she should marry the man of my husband's choice, even going so far as
to get her adopted father to pressure her. My strategy worked. Caroline
fled the family in anger and eventually married your father. I kept in
contact with her through other people. I knew when you were born. I knew
everything I could find out about you. But your mother never forgave me
for my part in trying to marry her off, I was not allowed near her or
you." 

 She rolled a little closer to Ben. "I wanted so very much to be near you
both. When she died, I almost gave in and made arrangements to sweep you
away to safety. But I knew I couldn't take you from your father, he needed
and loved you. For years I watched you from afar." She put her hand down
in the pocket on her wheelchair and withdrew a small photo of Ben sitting
with his mother. (The same photo Franny and Rosa had seen weeks before.)
"You were such a lovely child." She handed Ben the photo. "I have many
more my dear. They shall all be yours." She went on to explain how she had
managed to arrange photos of him and how his parents had never known about
her. 

 Ben lifted his red; tear swollen eyes from the picture. "But you made no
effort to contact me since I've been an adult. Why? There's no one to have
prevented our contact now." His hands griped the picture. 

 "A little over ten years ago, I took in some cousin's of yours, Victoria
Metcalf and Michelle. They needed help. I gave it. It was about that time
that my contacts said they lost track of you. I paid them well, but they
insisted you were not to be found. I should not have given up mon cher.
Then when Victoria had Chase and told me the story, I hoped you would
become a family. She died not long after I held Chase in my arms for the
first time. I was ill myself then and I believed Michelle when she said
she would find you. " She took in a deep breath. "I will understand if you
hate me." 

 She watched the emotions flick over her grandson's face calmly ready to
take whatever punishment he determined was correct. She looked over into
the shadows of the room to see Robert Fraser watching his son. 

 Robert Fraser couldn't help it. He knew the old woman deserved to be shut
out but he wouldn't let Benton do that. For of all people, Robert knew
just how much Benton needed family. "She's your grandmother son. Whatever
differences I've had with her, I do know she loves you and the tyke. Your
mother may not have let her visit, but she did speak kindly of the old
bat. Seems the old bat kept close contact with your mother as a child. Go
for it, Ben. Take her hand, accept her. Don't let someone else go away." 

 Ben looked over his shoulder into the shadows, but couldn't see his
father through his tears of frustration. 

 "I don't understand how you could have let all this happen." Ben paused,
"But I won't let Chase grow up without knowing you. I want to know you.
I'm not good at expressing feelings, maybe because those I have are always
so intense. I, ah, I can't, it's hard to get out what I.." Ben's
stuttering answer was cut off by a knock on the door. 

 The door opened slowly and Chase stuck his little head around the door.
"Why are you sitting in the dark?" The always to the point toddler asked. 

 "Something's are best said in the dark, Chase." Grandmere said. "Come
here. Sit on my lap. We have something to tell you." 

 Chase saw the picture in his father's hands and his eyes grew wide.
"Grandmere, that's my papa, isn't it." The little hand pointed to the
picture. 

 "Yes, that's me." Ben smiled at his son. "When I was little like you. My
grandmother had them taken and saved them for me, didn't you grandmother."
Ben said with a sly smile. "Why don't you tell Chase our story." 

 She held Chase close her and began, "Once there was a young girl who
lived in a very small village. Her family was neither poor nor rich. The
young girl's father wanted to be able to provide for the girl's brothers
and sisters so he decided that one of his daughters should marry a rich
man." Chase turned his head up to his grandmother, "That young girl was
you, wasn't it" he asked. She smiled and continued. 

 Sometime later Chase hugged his Great grandmother and then his papa. "We
are a family." 

 "Yes, Chase we are." Grandmere replied. 

 Chase bounded down from her lap and ran to the door. "Love you," he
yelled at them before turning and running down the hall. "Hey, everyone.
Grandmere is my papa's grandmother. We're really family." 

 Rosa Vecchio stood at the kitchen door and watched the small child run
for the stairs to tell the Vecchio grandchildren he was just like them, he
had more family. 

 Chapter 20 

 Ben folded all the legal papers he had received from Mr. Rushdean and put
them away in one of his dresser drawers. One of the papers he set down on
top of the dresser. When he closed the dresser drawer, he wheeled back
towards his set of weights and began exercising. Soon he was huffing and
puffing as he worked with heavier and heavier weights. 

 Ray walked into Ben's room carrying a tray with cups and saucers as well
a teapot. He smiled as Ben set down the weights he had been using. The two
men looked at each other and then out the window. Chase and Maria's
children were running about the yard with Dief and the puppy. Shrieks of
laughter could be heard as the children raced along with the animals in
pursuit. 

 Ben cleared his throat and settled nervously in his chair. "Ray." He
began. "Ray, Ray." He sighed when Ray didn't hear him. "Ray, Ray, Ray!"
Ben gave up in frustration and settled back in his chair with a smile. 

 Turning back to Ben with a smile Ray laughed. "Those kids sure are having
fun." 

 "Yes, I believe they are Ray." 

 "I brought you some tea, Ma thought you might like some." 

 "Thank you, tea sounds good." Ben replied in a soft voice. "Before you
pour the tea Ray, would you get me that piece of paper on my dresser?" 

 "Sure thing Benny." Ray retrieved the paper but didn't glance at it or
read it. He handed it to Ben and sat down to start fixing the tea. 

 Ben put the paper down on the table next to the tea tray. "Ray, I need to
go to the bank. Will you take me?" 

 Ray looked affronted. "What you need something I don't have here for you?
Where you gonna spend money? Or should I ask?" 

 "No, you have a right to ask Ray. I find myself in a position to repay
some debts and I need your help to do so." 

 Ray reached into his pocket and brought out his billfold. "How much you
need?" 

 Ben laughed, "No, Ray I don't need your money. I have money of my own.
But I need to go to the bank." 

 "Thatcher drop off some back pay or something?" 

 "Or something might be what you'd call it, Ray." Ben swept his hand down
towards the paper he had set on the table. "I need to deposit that." 

 "Oh sure, no problem. I'll take you after tea." Ray said then looked down
at the paper. His eyes bugged out and he nearly choked. He grabbed his
teacup and drained it in one gulp. 

 Ben leaned over and hit his friend on the back. His eyes twinkled as they
watched Ray recover. 

 "Benny, that's a check for a million dollars. Is that real?" 

 "Actually Ray, there are two checks on that paper, one belongs to Chase,
one to me." 

 "Benny, where, naw - not my business. Sure, I'll take you the bank. Are
those real?" Ray said as his eyes literally looked like they would bulge
from his head. 

 Ben began to laugh. Ray thought the sound was beautiful. Ben had hardly
laughed at all in the last three months. bout time he laughed at something
Ray thought. 

 +Oh am I enjoying this. Ray doesn't know how much I am enjoying this.
Feels good to laugh.+ 

 "Ray, Chase isn't to know about his money." Ben stated on a more serious
note. 

 "Sure. I understand that one." 

 "It's my money, Ray. It's legally mine." Ben watched his friends face. 

 "Course it is Benny, I trust you." 

 "You shouldn't you know, trust me I mean. After Victoria.." 

 "Drop the Victoria shit already. That's done with, besides she had you
tied in knots. I knew that." 

 "She was Chase's mother Ray. It won't ever be done with." 

 "Chase was the best that she ever did Benny." 

 "Where did you get this? That is if I can ask." 

 Ben looked thoughtful for a moment then began telling his grandmother's
story to Ray. Ray had heard the story from Grandmere before, but not the
part about the money. Ray was silent a moment when Benny was done. 

 "So, you and the kid gonna move out?" Ray asked in a whisper. 

 "Why would I move out Ray?" Ben asked genuinely confused. 

 "You can go anywhere you chose, that's why. Why stay here?" 

 Without hesitation Ben remarked, "My family is here, Ray. Why would I
want to be anywhere else?" 

 Ray's throat tightened unbearably and he smiled at Ben. "Yea, family." 

 "The people in this house mean more to me than money Ray. Chase and I
need family, this is where we stay." 

 Ray poured Ben a cup of tea and they sat watching out the window while
all the children raced from one end of the yard to the other again. 

 Chapter 21 

 Ben was dressed in his best jeans and flannel shirt, his Stetson on his
head. 

 Ray pushed Ben's chair into the bank with quiet confidence. As Ben
removed his hat, one of the security guards approached them. 

 "May I be of assistance? The handicap window is at the end of the
counter." The guard smiled one of those I do this every day for a living
smiles. 

 "My friend wants to open a new account. Where would he do that?" Ray
asked in his best police official mode. 

 "Right over there, sir" 

 "Thank you." Ray rolled Ben's chair towards the new accounts desk. Ray
whispered to Benny, "Why are you picking the bank with the vault, tell me
that uh Benny?" 

 Ben gave Ray an exasperated look and refused to be drawn into an
argument. "Its just a bank Ray." 

 "Yea, right, we spent some of the worst hours of our life in this bank." 

 Ben's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled and gave a little laugh.
"The water ride was fun." 

 "Hey, Mr. Serious Business. You saying you enjoyed that deluge?" Ray
couldn't help but return Ben's grin. 

 The lady at the new accounts desk smiled as they settled in front of her
desk. She held out her hand and introduced herself. 

 Ben returned the handshake and pulled out his checks. "My name is
Constable Benton Fraser of the RCMP. I would like to open three accounts
using these checks." 

 "Why certainly Mr. Fraser." She lifted the paper and read the amounts.
She gave her shoulders a shake and leaned over to press a button on top of
her desk. "If you gentlemen will wait just a moment, we'll get started on
the paperwork." 

 Ben watched in amusement as she began pulling papers out of her drawers,
along with forms. The bank manager approached the desk and took one look
at Ben and Ray and cringed. 

 "Whatever they want, make it fast, Arlene." He said gruffly as he
recognized them as the officers who foiled the bank robbery but ruined his
beautiful vault. 

 "Mr. Fraser is opening an account." 

 "Fine, Glad to see you trust us, Mr. Fraser." The manager glanced down at
the paperwork Arlene was filling out. His eyes bulged out and he turned
red. The manager changed immediately from an officious oaf to a solicitous
welcoming bureaucrat. 

 "Arlene, anything Mr. Fraser wants, anything. Would you like some coffee
or tea, Mr. Fraser?" The bank manager graciously offered to get it
himself. 

 "No, thank you." Ben said as he removed another piece of paper from his
pocket. "But I would like to know if it's possible to set up this
account?" 

 The manager read Ben's paper and tilted his head. "No problem at all. I
will just need Mr. Vecchio's signature and then it can be set up for you."


 Ray gave Ben a stern look. "What are you up to Benny?" 

 "Paying you back." Ben stated flatly. 

 "You don't need to do that, you know." 

 "I know, but I want to help. I almost put the family out of a home by my
thoughtless actions. I want to make sure that doesn't happen again." 

 Ray put his hand on Ben's shoulder and squeezed hard. "I mean it, you
don't have to do this?" 

 "Yes, I do." 

 "Then put it in Ma's name, not mine. OK." 

 "Understood Ray. But your name will be on the account too. That I won't
change." 

 "You're stubborn. Why are you so stubborn?" 

 "I'm a Mountie. What can I say?" Ben laughed as he began filling out
forms to deposit his checks into the three accounts. 

 The two men left the bank followed by a retinue of bank officials. The
bank manager had called the issuing bank of the checks and had received a
full account of Ben's financial status. Nothing was too good for Mr.
Fraser in the manager's eyes. He blessed the day his precious vault had
been ruined. 

 Ben and Ray laughed as they drove home. "Did you see his eyes, when I
opened the RIV door for you. Man that was too priceless." 

 "Good to see you laugh, Ray." 

 "You too Benny, you too." 

 Chapter 22 

 Ray picked up the phone began to dial then dropped the phone back onto
its cradle. He closed his eyes, let out a huffing-sounding sigh and picked
up the receiver again. Again he began dialing only to put the phone back
in its cradle. He began rapping his index finger on the tabletop, and
tapping the toes of his left foot on the floor. Geesh he thought to
himself, he'd made this kind of call before, hundreds of times. He knew he
was jittery, almost laughably so. Anxious, now there was a good word, he
thought. Anxious, I am anxious. Oh god, I'm using touchy, feely words. Oh
well, got to do this. Hell, want to do this. Now I'm swearing, he thought.
Better get this over with. 

 With new, gritted teeth determination, Ray lifted the phone and dialed.
As soon as the ringing began sounding in his ear, his palms became sweaty.
This is so high school he thought. The phone at the other end was picked
up and answered. 

 "This is Brianna McBride. Hello." 

 Ray smiled at the sound of her voice. He cleared his throat. "Hi Bree.
It's Ray." He was silent for a second waiting to see if she was going to
hang up. She didn't. He heard her take in a breath and laugh. 

 "Hi Ray. I hoped you would call." 

 "Yea. I wasn't sure what was a decent interval between being a patient
and giving you a call." 

 "The new doctor working out for you?" 

 "Yea, he understands and I can actually talk to him. Thanks." 

 "Well that's good Ray." 

 "Yea," he was silent again. 

 "Ray, you still there?" 

 "Oh yea," Ray sighed, "I'm definitely here. "Uh, listen, would you a,
like to go, I mean would you consider going out for coffee with me?" His
palms had the ocean dripping off of them now. 

 "I'd like that Ray." Bree smiled as she twirled the phone cord in her
hands. 

 "How about Saturday, Ben has the whole family around him on Saturdays. We
can go to that new coffee place near you." 

 Bree smiled to herself. He's taken the time to find out where I live
without asking me, she thought. 

 "I'd like that Ray. I see Ben again next week. How's he doing at home?" 

 "He's doing a lot better now. He's smiling more now. That's a good sign,
isn't it?" 

 "Yes. What time Saturday?" 

 "Say around 1 and we should miss the lunch crowd. That ok?" 

 "Yes, Ray. I'm looking forward to it." She held back what she knew would
have been a schoolgirl sounding giggle." 

 "See you about "12:30 then on Saturday." 

 "Ok, that sounds fine." 

 "Well, I'll let you go now, you must be busy." Ray said with a quiet
sigh. 

 "Bye Ray. See you Saturday." Bree hung up the phone and twirled in her
office chair. "YES! Yes, Yes." She squealed. 

 Bree's receptionist heard the noise and poked her head into Bree's
office. She pulled back out quietly when she realized Bree was just happy.


 Ray set the phone back down on the cradle and wiped his hands on his pant
legs. "I did it. I really did it." He got up from his desk chair and
walked out of the bullpen whistling. 

 Chapter 23 

 Saturday morning came all too soon for Ray. He had risen early and made
sure Benny was on track for the day, and then had crawled back up to his
bed. He was glad Benny was needing him less and less each day. While Ben
couldn't walk on his own yet and was still somewhat tied to his
wheelchair, he was definitely getting his strength back. 

 Ray padded downstairs in his stockinged feet looking for something to
eat. He was hungry. He walked into the kitchen to find Chase and Ben
chomping down on their cereal. Chase greeted his honorary Uncle with a big
smile and went right back to his cereal. Ben put his spoon down and
watched Ray with a thoughtful look in his eye, but he said nothing. 

 Ray got out a bowl and spoon for himself and seated himself across from
Ben. He picked up the milk and poured it into his cereal. "Almost Saturday
morning cartoon time, Chase," he said with a laugh. 

 The little boy glanced up at the kitchen clock and began eating a little
faster. Ben put his hand on Chase's shoulder and said, "Hey slowdown. The
TV's not going anywhere." 

 Chase looked at his papa with a grin, "I know. But if I get in there on
time, I get a good spot." 

 Ray laughed, "You're learning Chase." Ray saw reproachful look in Ben's
eyes. "But don't rush OK." 

 "Thank you, Ray." Ben whispered before taking another bite. 

 Chase finished his bowl and gave Ben one of those kid looks that just
reek with the unspoken words please may I go. "Put your things in the sink
and you may go, Chase." Ben said as he tousled his son's hair. 

 Franny walked into the kitchen as Chase went running out. "Where do they
get that energy so early in the morning?" She laughed as she picked out a
bowl, spoon and cereal. She sat down by Ben and began getting her
breakfast together. 

 Ray looked nervously at Franny. "I'm going out this afternoon, sis. You
OK with that? I know Maria and Tony are taking Ma out shopping." Ray's
eyes flicked between Ben and Franny. He was relieved when neither of them
asked him where he was going. 

 "Ray, it's ok, get out of the house for the afternoon, I can manage."
Franny gave him a very lopsided grin. 

 "Thanks Sis. Just don't want to leave you alone with all the kids, ya
know." 

 Ben's face took on a pouting, dark look, but he didn't say a word. 

 Ray caught Ben's look and said, "What! What did I say?" 

 Ben refused to be drawn in, but kept his glance down on his bowl. Franny
noticed the tension in Ben's posture and looked back at Ray. 

 "Ben, you gotta answer me OK. I can't do anything about whatever I said
if you don't tell me." 

 "Ray, Franny won't be alone. I will be here too." Ben finally stuttered
out. 

 Ray and Franny exchanged exasperated looks. Franny killed Ray with the
look in her eyes. "Ben, I didn't mean to exclude you. It's just that
that's a lot of kids ya know. You shouldn't have to worry about it." 

 "You keep saying we're all family Ray. Let me prove it. OK." Ben's blue
eyes were set in his best pleading puppy dog look. 

 "OK, But don't say I didn't warn you." Ray picked up his bowl, took it
over to the sink and gave a Franny a look over Ben's shoulders. Ray's look
pleaded for Franny to help him repair the damage. 

 "Ben's gotta help. Sorry if I took your help for granted Ben. I forget I
should ask for your help like Ray asked for mine." Franny crossed her
fingers under the table hoping she had hit the right angle to draw Ben
out. "I think of you and Chase as family and forget I should ask you about
things." She blushed for her lie and hoped god would forgive her. 

 Ray laughed and left the room,. Let Franny did herself out he thought.
"See you two gluttons later." He called over shoulder. 

 "Gluttons?" Ben asked Franny. 

 Franny sighed and began explaining Ray's remark. 

 Chapter 24 

 Ben exited his bedroom in his wheelchair. He had just risen from a short
nap that both Ray and Franny had insisted he take if he was to help Franny
baby-sit all the Vecchio kids for the afternoon. His face was pink and
flushed, his hair brutally brushed into place. He was definitely looking
healthier by the day. He licked his lower lip. Straightened his shoulders
and determinedly rolled his chair towards the living room of the Vecchio
home. 

 Franny sat on the sofa watching the last of the Saturday morning cartoons
with the kids. Maria and Tony had left the house at 11:30 taking Ma and
Grandmere with them. She sat up straighter on the sofa when she heard
Ben's chair coming down the hall. He was early, she thought, noting the
clock hands as they set on the 12-noon position. She giggled to herself,
Ben was taking this seriously. 

 Rolling into the living room, Ben noted that the room was fairly empty.
Chase and the littlest of Maria and Tony's children were watching cartoons
indulgently watched over by Franny. He smiled at the picture the little
ones made as they sat about the living room watching the cartoon. Ben's
childhood had been devoid of this kind of entertainment and he secretly
enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons as much as his son did. 

 "Nap OK, Ben" Franny asked quietly. 

 "Yes, thank you kindly," Ben set his chair in place next to the sofa. "I
guess I really did need it. I didn't wake until the alarm woke me." He
answered her shyly. 

 Ben swept a hand towards the children and gave Franny a questioning look.


 "The older ones are in the back yard chasing Dief and the puppy. It looks
like rain this afternoon and they wanted their outdoor time." 

 "Well, I hope Dief and the puppy don't tire them out." 

 Franny laughed, "I think it might be the other way around. The last time
I looked Dief was fleeing with tongue hanging out." 

 "Ah, he was laughing." Ben nodded his head with a teeny smile. 

 "Laughing, I guess it did look that way," Franny laughed herself. 

 He could smell her perfume lightly in the air. He settled a little
nervously in his chair. This was definitely not the time to think of
Franny's perfume he thought. He could tell by the look on her face that
she might know what he was thinking. She blushed and turned back to watch
the TV. Ben turned his head to watch Chase as the little boy lay on the
floor, chin on hands, feet kicking in the air behind him as he stretched
on his stomach. 

 Ray bounded down the stairs with jaunty steps as he whistled his current
favorite tune. He reached the bottom of the stairs and headed over to the
living room as he listened to the silence of the house. He grinned from
ear to ear as he entered the living room to see Ben's chair planted near
the sofa where Franny sat. 

 "Hey you two, I'm leaving. Phones in my pocket. Call if you need anything
OK." Ray sighed as neither adult turned to face him or seemed to be
listening. "OK, is it safe for me to leave all these little people with
you two?" 

 Raising his left hand, Ben gestured for Ray to leave, but Ben never took
his eyes off the TV. "Sure Ray, everything's fine." 

 Ray sighed, "You've been bitten by the cartoon bug. You, Mr. I don't
watch TV." Ray shook his head and laughed as he turned around and left the
house. 

 "Ray, I have not." But Ben realized he was too late, Ray was already
gone. Ben shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the TV. 

 About 15 minutes later there was a clap of thunder outside and a herd of
children and animals could be heard rushing into the house via the kitchen
door. Franny rose and ran down the hall to supervise the loud entry of
small feet and canines. She pointed out to the group that they should be a
little quieter and made sure no mud was being deposited on her mother's
kitchen floor. Then she followed the group as they headed in unsuspecting
Ben's way. Just as she was entering the living room, the power went out.
Pop went the TV, and out went all the lights. 

 The children all jumped and clapped their hands. Chase rolled over
quickly and jumped into Ben's lap. Ben hugged his son and gave him a kiss.
"Just an electric out, Chase. We'll have electric again soon" 

 As luck would have it, just as Ben assured Chase it was all right, the
storm outside unleashed itself with another loud thundering boom. Chase
hugged his father tighter and the smallest of Maria and Tony's children
tried to climb up on Ben's lap too. 

 Franny sighed and went to the drawer containing the room's emergency
flashlight. She heard a lot of laughing behind her and turned around to
see Chase on the floor laying next to Ben's prone figure stretched out on
the floor and several Vecchio grandchildren climbing all over Ben. She was
about to rush over and check Ben when she noticed he was waving his arms
and playing with the kids. He was tickling them and grabbing anyone who
came too close. Chase sat on his father's stomach laughing as the others
tried to capture the coveted spot that Chase held as if king. 

 Franny walked over and dropped to her knees. She leaned over until her
face was directly over Ben's. Smiling, she said, "This is how you control
storm crazy kids." 

 Ben's blue eyes flickered in the light of the flashlight. He was enjoying
every bit of this. "Yes, why not." 

 As Franny smiled and laughed, another of the littlest ones climbed onto
Franny's back and lay flat on Franny. Franny collapsed to lie on the floor
with her head next to Ben's. Their eyes met, they both blushed. The
children chose that moment to begin a king of the mountain pile onto
Franny. She gasped, laughed and began rolling around the floor tickling
each child she could reach. Chase leaned forward on his father's stomach
and planted a kiss on Ben's cheek. "Love you papa." The growing toddler
whispered. Ben wrapped his arms around his son and kissed him back. 

 Ben set Chase down next to him and rolled onto his stomach to watch
Franny being attacked. He raised his head and set it down on his upraised
hands. Franny's hair was disarrayed, her eyes shinning as she attacked
another child with tickling fingers. 

 Franny looked over to see Ben watching her, "You gonna let them get the
best of us?" 

 "Certainly, that's what the best baby-sitters do, isn't?" Ben replied
with a rather devious unBenlike smile. He grabbed the flashlight she had
left on the floor next to him and began using it to make swirling circles
on the ceiling. One by one the smaller children climbed over Franny to set
beside Ben. Thunder and lightening crashed outside, Ben smiled at each
child and touched them each in turn with calm, loving hands. 

 Franny was soon battling just one child and they were laughing so hard
they almost couldn't breath. Franny finally got the upper hand and
demanded the victim yell "Uncle". 

 Ben began making a shadow play on the wall for the little ones using his
own hands and the flashlight. Franny rolled her body over next to his and
took the flashlight from him. Ben began using both hands to tell the story
of a wolf and a duck. As he ended the story, he began taking different
children's hands in his and teaching them to make animal shapes in the
flashlight circle on the wall. Pretty soon Ben had children circled all
around him and some sitting on him as he taught them shadow animals. 

 Franny watched Ben and knew he was truly enjoying himself. His face had a
healthy flush to it and his eyes were sparkling, as she hadn't seen them
in months. Her own eyes became moist with tears of joy. She inadvertently
dropped the flashlight a bit which drew his attention to her face. He saw
the moisture in her eyes and looked at her questioningly. She shook her
head at him and smiled. "Nothing's wrong." she whispered. 

 Ben was about to question Franny when the lights popped back on the kids
all yelled. "No!" 

 Franny laughed and smiled at Ben. He nodded and she rose and began
turning all the living room lights out. The next half hour was spent
playing story telling games in the dark. 

 By the time 2:30 rolled around, the littlest ones were sleeping in
various spots around the room. Chase was curled up next to Ben. The older
children tiptoed out and went upstairs to play in the family playroom.
Franny had collapsed near Ben and they lay in the quiet listening to the
room's little sleepers. 

 Chapter 25 

 Ray pulled the RIV up near the curb and turned off the engine. He did a
once over of his hair in the rear view mirror, efficiently stroking his
hair into place. Ray glanced down at the passenger seat to make sure it
was clean. Stop looking for ways to dawdle he thought to himself. He
climbed out of the car, opened his umbrella and shut the car door and made
a run for the apartment building. 

 Bree met him at the door, her long blond hair flowing down her back, her
face a happy flushed color. She was almost as tall as Ray and had chosen a
very expensive looking suit jacket over matching dress slacks in the color
of hunter's green. She wore little dress half boots and carried a raincoat
and umbrella of her own. She wore very little make up, but she clearly did
not need artifice to help her features. Her eyebrows were dark blond wings
over her large eyes. Her skin was translucent and while ivory in color had
a healthy glow and framed by her beautiful long, wavy blond hair. The
lipstick she wore was flesh colored and obviously only on her lips to
moisturize. The line of her face as an oval/heart shape with a strong jaw
line. She took Ray's breath away and stole his heart before she even
opened her mouth to greet him. 

 "You're ready on time. That's a nice trait." Ray said put out his hand
help her down the steps. 

 "You're on time. That's another nice trait." Bree laughed as she let Ray
put his umbrella over her as they began to go back towards his car. 

 "I'm always on time on my days off. I'm not so reliable on work days." 

 "Oh do I know that feeling," she replied as she stood aside for Ray to
open the car door. She climbed in quickly and settled in the car while he
walked around it, talking to himself yes, yes he thought, starting out
good. 

 Ray dropped into the driver's seat and started the car. Twenty minutes
later the couple sat in a quiet corner of the newly opened coffee shop.
The rain poured down the window by their table and another clap of thunder
obliterated their conversation. 

 Watching Bree's expressive face, Ray was even enjoying the thunderstorm.
This is one of those times I am glad I am neither a square nor a round
peg, he thought. She's smart, funny, beautiful and sensitive. 

 Bree watched Ray's eyes as she talked first date small talk. He's got
such great eyes, that green is indescribable. Her eyes glanced down to his
fingers and she looked right back up into his eyes. Those fingers should
be licensed as well as those eyes and that mouth she thought. Not to
mention some of his expressions were just so droll. She'd dated a lot, but
this was the first time ever that a first date was so comfy, and warm
feeling. 

 Ray's eyes took in every nuance of Bree's mannerisms. He loved the way
she held her head at an angle and kept her eyes on his. They sipped their
coffee slowly, having the cups refilled several times. It wasn't long
before their feet were touching under the table in a relaxed way. Their
hands reached for the sugar at the same time and they both felt the
resultant jolt just as a lightening strike flashed outside. 

 Wanting more time with her Ray spoke casually, "Listen, you doing
anything this evening. I'd like to take you to dinner and a movie." 

 "I'd love to Ray." Inside Bree's mind she was twirling and stamping her
feet. Yes, yes she thought. 

 Ray paid their bill and they walked out arm in arm to the car. 

 Chapter 26 

 Ben watched Franny as she left the living room to go put one of her
mother's huge, frozen lasagna's in the oven. He noted the time on the time
on the living room clock. It was 3:30 p.m. and Chase was still curled up
at his side sleeping. The little boy's face was turned into his father's
side and his little arm flung up and across Ben. Chase's hand was held
securely in one of Ben's. Ben rolled onto his side to look more closely at
Chase. Ben's own eyes drooped at little as he listened to the other little
sleepers in the room. He and Chase were part of this family. They were
irrevocably woven into the fabric of this house. Now that he and Ray had
discussed this he would have to see about having all of his things removed
from his old apartment. There were pictures and things there that he would
like to have near him in his new home. He ran a finger gently down Chase's
face. The boy, his son, had been conceived in that apartment. Poor
Victoria. She had cost them both so much. His eyes ran over Chase's face.
His son's beautiful face held none of Victoria's features. Though he knew
Chase received his curly hair from both his parents as well as its dark
color he could find little else in the boy's physical appearance to remind
him of the mother. He realized that Chase had some of Victoria's
personality traits; her stubbornness, her determination and her quickness
to smile. Victoria's smile had been the world to him. Ben sighed. But now
there was just he and Chase and the entire Vecchio familia. Not a bad
basis for a future thought Ben. No bad at all. 

 Franny returned from putting the family dinner in the oven to see Ben
intently watching his son sleep. The living room was still in darkness
with light flowing into it from the hallway. The children were all
sleeping and looked like cherubim around the room. But to Franny the two
Fraser's seemed like angels in heaven. Their dark, curly heads lay so
close on the floor. Their pale skin seemed to glow white in the darkened
room. Franny snuck in and sat on the floor behind Chase's sleeping form.
Her eyes took in the little boy's face and his little hand clenched in his
father's hand. Chase rolled over suddenly and Ben let the boy's hand go.
The child rolled up the opposite way and put his hand on Francesca's knee.
The little face remained serene as Franny settled her hand over his tiny
fingers. Her eyes stayed on the child's face as he slept and she wasn't
aware of Ben's eyes devouring the picture she and Chase made there in the
dim light. 

 The sound of the rain starting up again intruded on the room's silence.
One by one Franny's nieces and nephews began moving as they awoke. Chase
made a mewling sound as if he was frightened by a dream. Franny gathered
the little boy into her lap and held him while he woke up. Chase woke to
find himself in Franny's arms. He gave her a really huge smile and wrapped
his arms around her before turning to look for his father. 

 Ben watched as Chase stayed within Franny's arms and he marveled at his
son's trust in Franny. Chase trusted Franny not to hurt him. Ben was just
beginning to realize he trusted Franny in the same way. Ben rolled over
and attempted to get into his wheelchair. But he had spent too long on the
floor and his muscles were sore. Franny set Chase down and stood up. She
extended a hand to Ben. Chase got up and ran to lock the wheelchair
wheels. With Franny and Chase's help, Ben was able first to get to his
knees and then into his chair. He was proud of the fact that he did not
need more help than they could provide. When he was settled in his chair,
the made sure all the little ones followed them into the kitchen. 

 By 4:30, they had the table almost set; their laughter filled the whole
downstairs. Each small child was given a job; Franny was the master chef
and Ben the major domo as they prepared the family kitchen for an
onslaught of Vecchio and Fraser's. 

 Chase was prancing around the table waving a fork as he looked for a spot
to put it. Franny turned to Ben and demanded he sing or hum a tune. 

 "What would you like?" Ben asked. 

 "Something light and merry. Something the kids can learn." She threw him
a big smile, "I know, do you know the one about singing." 

 Ben rolled his eyes and swirled his face in a circle. "Franny, do you
have any idea..." 

 She swatted at him with the spoon in her hand. "All I know is it starts
out...Sing, Sing a song." 

 Ben leaned back in his chair with a happy smile. "Good, One I know the
words too." 

 He raised his voice in song as the children continued to march around the
table. 

 "Sing, sing a song,
 Sing out loud, sing out strong, 
 Sing of good things, not bad.
 Sing of happy not sad." 

 Soon all the little kids were humming along and joining in the chorus of
"La, la, la." 

 The group never heard the front door open or Rosa Vecchio, Maria and
Grandmere enter the house. The children continued to file around the table
laying napkins or silverware as Franny handed it out and Ben sang. 

 Chase was really good at the "la, la, la" part and marched in a happy
circle by the kitchen door. As he made one circuit he came around again to
stand in front of Grandmere and Rosa. He stopped singing when he saw them.
But Rosa motioned for him to continue so the little guy jumped right back
into his "la, la, la" chorus. 

 Franny looked over at Chase and saw her mother in the doorway. She
stopped her singing, embarrassed. Ben turned to see what Franny was
looking at and stopped singing right in the middle of chorus which of
course made all the children clamor for more. 

 Rosa and Grandmere clapped as Maria gathered in one of her young ones for
a hug. 

 "Were we too loud," Ben said shamefaced. "I do apologize, if we were." 

 Rosa drew herself up straight and walked over to Ben's chair. "This kind
of loudness I appreciate Benton. Never be ashamed of enjoying the
children. That's one of the things I love about you the best my son. Your
delight in their enjoyment lightens an old heart." 

 "Francesca, how long until dinner. Do we old people have time to relax a
bit?" 

 Franny was still reeling from surprise, but managed to get out, "We're
almost ready now, we can eat in about 20 minutes." 

 "Good, then Marie and I will be able to set down for a minute or two
before dinner. Thank you Francesca." 

 Rosa and Marie left the kitchen hiding private smiles to themselves.
Maria cornered her little ones and led them out of the room to wash up for
dinner. 

 Franny turned to Ben. Her face was flush with joy. "Did you hear that? Ma
left me in charge of the kitchen. Me in total charge of dinner." 

 "And why not you?" Ben asked. He was puzzled, but listened to her
intently as she began describing the lengths she had gone to previously to
be considered an adult in that household. 

 Chapter 27 

 The house was all in shadow, silent as the moonlight cast itself through
the windows. Franny tiptoed down each stair carefully. Her curly hair was
tousled and framed her head. Her robe was pulled closely about her its hem
brushing the top of her slippers. One tread, then two creaked as she moved
slowly as she did every night around 1 to 2 a.m. to check on Ben as he
slept. She knew he sometimes had bad dreams. Each night since Ben had
moved in Franny had made her way down to do a nightly check and soothe him
back to sleep if he needed it. 

 She finally stood bathed in the moonlight at the bottom of the stairs.
Glancing out the window by the front door, she turned and made he way down
the hall towards Ben's room. When she reached the door, she tightened the
belt on her robe before turning the knob quietly. She moved stealthily
into the moonlight room watching him sleeping. She moved close enough to
see if he was semi-awake. He slept but roamed his bed in the throes of a
bad dream; his dark curly hair was sweaty and sticking to his forehead.
Franny moved closer to the bed and leaned over and straightened his pillow
carefully and gently used her hands to punch it up around his head. She'd
learned from previous experience that just changing the feel of his pillow
started settling him down. He sighed and moved into a more comfortable
position. Franny pulled the covers up over him and waited to see if he
settled back into a deep sleep. 

 Ben heard the bedroom door as it creaked open. He knew someone was
entering the room, but was unable to completely wake up. Even though he
could not open his eyes fully, he could smell Franny's perfume. It was a
light, heady smell, and one that he was familiar with on a daily basis.
The smell calmed him and he was aware of feeling comforted even before she
leaned over to adjust his pillow. He turned his head towards her, trying
to open his eyes, but he was so tired. He sighed and knew she stood next
to his bed watching him sleep. He managed finally to pry his eyes open. 

 Francesca saw his eyes begin to open and started to step back into the
room's shadows. She was embarrassed to think Ben might waken and find her
standing over him. She saw Ben pull his right hand out of the covers and
reach for her as his eyes opened. 

 "Francesca," Ben tried to say but it came out through sleep-laden lips
more as Chesca. He repeated the nickname he often thought of for Franny.
"Chesca, is that you?" 

 Franny stepped forward with a smile. "Yea, it's me. You sleeping ok?" 

 "Why?" Ben pulled himself up in the bed and wiped his eyes with his
hands. "Did I wake you?" 

 "No, you didn't wake me, Ben." 

 He smiled at her, and looked at her questioningly. Holding out his hand
he beckoned her over to him. She stepped closer and took his hand in hers.
"I um, come check on you sometimes." Franny stammered. 

 Ben cleared his tightening throat and snapped his neck. "You check on
me?" 

 "Yea, I do. I worry about you sleeping. You have nightmares sometimes ya
know." 

 "You come down here every night?" 

 "Yes," she said shyly and almost pulling her hand from his light grasp. 

 He gave her a shy smile back. "You ...a, you." 

 "Yea, I do." 

 "Ah..." he said and kept holding her hand. "Thank you Chesca." 

 Franny tilted her head when she heard the nickname. "I've never really
thought of you as a Franny." Ben's voice was a low whisper. He was
blushing but smiling at her. 

 "I better let you get back to sleep." Francesca tried pulling her hand
away. Ben held on a moment, and then dropped her hand. 

 "Go back to sleep Chesca." Her smile made him feel lightheaded. "Thank
you." 

 "Ok. I'll just leave." Franny said backing up and almost tripping over
her feet. "I'll just go back to bed and let you go back to sleep." She
turned at Ben's door and made a getaway. 

 Ben lay in his bed sleepless for the next half hour, thoughts of
Francesca running through his brain. 

 Chapter 28 

 Ray woke up as the sun began to seep through his bedroom curtains. He
stretched and rolled and stretched again with a huge smile on his face.
What a first date he thought as he stretched again with a grin. Nothing
fancy just coffee, dinner and a movie. Who would have thought an old
fashion style date would be so much fun. They had sat and talked over
dinner and the movie had been a comedy, something with Julia Roberts and
Richard Gere. Oh yea, "The Runaway Bride". Bree had a really nice laugh he
thought. Yep, a good date. 

 He threw back the covers and grabbed his robe and slippers. Sunday
mornings were so quiet he thought. Yea as long as you got to the bathroom
first. He smiled as he opened the door and headed down the hall. Better
see if Benny were awake, now that he was able to get out more, Ma would
expect Ben to attend church with them. He glanced at his watch, three
hours before church. With his head down, he didn't see Franny heading
towards the bathroom. They arrived at the bathroom door at the same time.
She looked ready for a fight, Ray thought. Ah, let her go first. He'd just
go down and see Benny. 

 With a smile, Ray threw open the bathroom door and waved Franny inside.
She stopped dead in her tracks and gave him funny look. "What's wrong with
you? You never let me in before you." When he didn't answer but just kept
smiling at her, she squinted at him and looked his face and neck over.
Shrugging her shoulders, Franny took advantage of Ray's generosity and
scooted into the bathroom. Ray could hear her "Yes, yes. I'm first!" as
the door closed. 

 Ray made his way downstairs with jaunty kick to his step. He actually
sashayed down the hall to Ben's room, where he knocked before entering the
closed door. Ben was just waking up and doing a morning stretch of his own
as Ray walked into the room. Ben turned his head on the pillows and
watched a very cheery and jovial Ray walk over to sit in the big
overstuffed window by the window. Ben threw back the covers and sat on the
edge of the bed where he was able to grasp his wheelchair and rising by
himself turned and settle down into it. Ray enjoyed watching Ben move
easier each time he did a chair transfer. He knew the crutches Ben kept
next to his bed would soon be in use. 

 Ben rolled the chair easily over to sit near Ray. "I take it the date
went well." Ben remarked with a shy smile. 

 "Oh yea. You could say that." Ray swung his right leg over his left and
began swinging his slippered foot "And you know we talked, actually
talked. She's really nice." 

 "I know she is Ray." 

 "Yea, she is." Ray studied the slipper on his foot. "So when you asking
Franny out on a date?" 

 Ben jerked back in his chair and double cracked his neck. "I'm not sure
I'm ready for that yet 

 Ray gave a laugh "Well, don't let that chair hold you back. You need to
have fun together." 

 "We do Ray." Ben said as he blushed and looked down at his hands. 

 Ben's bedroom door opened and Francesca stuck her head inside. "Hey Ray,
bathroom's all yours." She widened her smile as she greeted Ben with a
casual whispery sounding good morning. 

 Without thinking Ben turned his head and smiled, "Morning Chesca." 

 Ray rose from his chair and dropped his head so that his mouth was near
Ben's ears. "Ah, pet names. You're ready." He laughed and left the room as
Franny stepped inside. 

 Franny watched Ben cricking his neck as she walked up behind him. She
leaned over and whispered into his ear, "What was that all about?" 

 Ben turned to face her and realized he didn't know what to say. 

 Chapter 29 

 Francesca moved to kneel down in front of Ben as her eyes searched his
painfully shy expression. He was looking down at his hands, his face
flushed pink with embarrassment and shyness. His beautiful black eyelashes
were lowered over his eyes so Francesca couldn't see the wonderful blue of
them. Her smile became tender and loving as she reached out and placed one
of her hands over his hands that were clasped in his lap. She could feel
the intenseness of his feelings as he tried to keep his hands still and
not pull back from her. She didn't pull her hand back but let it lie
gently on his as if it were a butterfly about to land. 

 Finally, Ben looked up to search Francesca's face with his eyes. Her eyes
were bright with unshed tears, but her smile was joyous and more natural
than any smile he'd ever seen her display. Her own dark lashes trembled
against her face as she closed her eyes and then opened them again to find
his eyes turning darker blue with every second she watched. Ben could see
that Francesca was awestruck by something in his expression. Ben cleared
his constricting throat and pulled his hands away from Francesca's to
enfold her small hand gently into his hands. He could feel the strength of
her in her hands; feel the power of her very soul as they touched. Here
was someone who would not intentionally hurt him. Here was the one person
he knew he could entwine with his own soul without fear of being
controlled. Ben realized that the Franny she showed everyone at work and
in front of other people was her shield to protect and guard herself from
others, much as he used his shyness. It was the fragile shell of Francesca
that she protected with her outward exuberance without realizing that she
had long ago healed from her wounds and was the strong lioness that Benton
knew. Benton leaned forward to search her eyes while still he held her
hand in his. Her tremulous smile became staunch and proud as she willed
her hand to stay still in his grasp as his eyes devoured her face. Ben
dropped his head and lifted her hand to his lips. He smelled the fresh
scent of her as he gently landed a butterfly kiss on the palm of her hand.


 Francesca was well aware that any chance she and Ben had for a
relationship was being tested in this moment. She remembered his anguished
words in the hospital, the fear in those words of his, as he talked of
Michelle and her companion in his drugged sleep. She remembered how that
fear of the companion had even made Ben call out for Michelle to save him.
She knew his confidence in her could be broken with one wrong move. He was
such a gentle being and her soul ached at the way he had been handled and
kept prisoner. Ray had been trying to protect her and Ben by not giving
her the horrific details. But in the end, when Ray realized that it was to
Franny that Ben looked for emotional comfort he had had to explain to
Franny the details of Ben's ordeal as he knew them. Those details flew
through Francesca's mind quickly making her chest constrict. As Ben
brought her hand to his lips, she thought she wouldn't be able to breath.
His lips were so soft and swift in their brush of her skin. She felt her
soul melding with his in that moment. One tear escaped her right eye and
trailed down her face. Ben lifted a finger up to catch the tear and looked
at it in wonder as it lay on his finger before placing his hand back down
over hers. 

 They were entranced in the moment, their two dark heads near but not
touching. Two sets of dark eyelashes raised and lowered to reveal their
eyes mirroring their souls to each other. Ben raised her hand to his cheek
and held it there for a moment, feeling the very blood flow through the
veins of her fingers. His grasp on her hand tightened for a second before
he lowered her hand and released it with a sigh of contentment. He tilted
his head towards her as she tilted her head towards him until their
foreheads rested against each other. 

 Ben spoke first in a deep, throaty whisper. "Chesca, I would like for us
to become better acquainted. There is so much I want to learn about you." 

 Franny laughed gently, the memory of their bathroom encounter flashing
through her brain. "Ben, there isn't anything I want more. Living in this
house with the family has been an eye opener for you hasn't it? We
Vecchio's aren't quite what we seem on the outside." 

 "Nor are we Fraser's, Chesca." His smile although shy was a little
teasing. 

 "I know you're restricted to that chair for a little while, yet, but
would you like to go out to lunch after church. Just you and me?" Franny
asked. "Maybe without the Vecchio circus we can talk." 

 Ben flinched back a little but quickly leaned back towards Franny. She
knew it was the thought of leaving the nice, safe environment of the
Vecchio home that caught him off guard. His answer surprised her. "Yes, I
would like to do that." 

 Francesca dropped a kiss on his hair as she rose a little unsteadily from
her kneeling position. "Ok, I'll just go make sure my car is ready. We'll
ride together to church. If that's ok?" 

 He nodded and smiled an affirmation at her as she turned to leave his
room. When the door shut, Ben raised his arms as high as he could get them
and in a whispering yell said, "Yes, Yes." He sobered up quickly as his
nerves began taking over. "I can do this, I know I can do this after all,
I, am a Mountie." He turned his chair towards his closet to retrieve his
robe and headed for the door to begin preparations for his first outing to
church and a date with Francesca. 

 Chapter 30 

 Ben arrived at the Vecchio front door as the entire household was filing
out to leave for church. His Grandmother and Rosa were riding together
with Ray and Chase. Maria and Tony good-naturedly pushed and shoved their
offspring out the door. Ben straightened up in his chair surveying his
image in the glass beside the front door. Dief and the puppy sat beside
him both begging to be included in the days outing. 

 "Don't give me that look. I've said you're not coming and you aren't. And
no begging from the children after church." Benton watched the two
four-footed fur balls as Ray called them both looking at him with the
saddest of canine expressions. "No, I won't give in on this, you are both
far too sneaky lately." 

 Ray snuck up behind Ben and leaned over to whisper, "They got you pal,
both of them ganging up on you like that." Ray stepped out in front of Ben
and made a pretense of watching Dief while he checked Ben over. "Franny
says you two are going out for lunch." 

 "Yes, we are. We are taking your advice and going out." Ben cracked his
neck but maintained a stiff posture. Ben's smile was shy but strong. 

 Ray reached in his pocket and brought out several brown paper lunch bags.
"Here, I know you haven't needed them in a while, but I thought you should
have some with you. Just in case, ya know." Ray became embarrassed. "Not
that I think you can't handle this, cuz I think you can, ya know." 

 "Thank you Ray," Ben took the offered lunch bags and put them inside his
jacket pocket. 

 "One more thing," Ray said with a wicked smile, "You two hurt each other
and I'll kill the both of you." He didn't pause to watch the surprised
look on Ben's face but opened the door saying, "Shall we leave?" 

 Franny pulled her car into a parking spot near one of wheel chair parking
slots. She jumped out and ran to the trunk of her car to retrieve Ben's
wheelchair. As she lifted it out of the trunk she looked up to see Ben had
already opened his car door and was standing almost nonchalantly against
the car. To the casual observer, he didn't appear to need the wheelchair.
But Franny knew differently and rushed to get the chair to him before he
started wavering on his feet. Ben sank into the chair gratefully and
rolled back from the car so Franny could shut the door. They both turned
to see the last of St. Michael's parishioners entering the edifice. They
squared their shoulders and headed towards the church. 

 Ben and Francesca were among the last to enter the main part of the
church. They found a pew that Franny where could sit and where he could
put his chair next to her. They sat through the service quietly; they
could see the whole Vecchio family sitting towards the middle of the
church. Ben was pleased to see Chase behaving properly, his little curly
head just reaching the top of the pew where he sat next to Maria and
Grandmere. During Father Behan's sermon, which was about thankfulness, Ben
and Franny exchanged looks. When the choir sang, Ben became wistful
thinking of the many times he had sung with them. When the service ended,
Franny put her hand out and asked Ben, "Do you want to be last or first
out. It's up to you." She watched his face to see if she could figure out
his answer. She saw his face light up with joy as he looked in front of
him. A second later Chase landed in his lap. 

 "Hi Chase." 

 "Hi papa" 

 Franny let out a giggle. "I like your mutual admiration society, can
anyone join?" 

 Ben's eyes crinkled as he smiled. Chase looked from one adult to the
other. "What's a admiran society?" Ben explained the concept to Chase who
then looked Franny over thoughtfully. "You can join Aunt Franny. I love
you. I mire you." 

 "Hey Chase," Ray said as he walked up. "We're leaving. Let's get moving."
Ray leaned over Ben's shoulder as Chase clambered down. "See you two
later." He laughed as he took Chase's hand and left the church. 

 Francesca looked around to see they were the only ones left and that
Father Behan was returning through the sanctuary. She rose from her seat
on the pew. Ben turned his chair and they began to make their way out. 

 Although Father Behan had been told a little about what had happened to
Ben, he had not yet seen Ben in the wheelchair. It startled him to see
such a vibrant young person changed. But he also noticed a change in the
interaction between Francesca and Benton. He noticed their hands, which
though were not touching were very close together at the side of Benton's
chair. So rather than remarking on Ben's health he smiled said he hoped he
would be seeing the two of them more often at services. 

 The couple exchanged looks but didn't seem in any way embarrassed. The
priest reached out to put out a hand to touch their each of their
shoulders. "I take it I'll see you next Sunday." He gave them a blessing
and passed on through the church. 

 "Well that went easier than I thought it would," Franny said taking in a
deep breath. 

 "Why?" Ben was truly puzzled. 

 "He's known me for a long time and he knows how foolishly I used to chase
you." 

 "Franny, I am a grown man, I could have avoided you any time I wanted."
His smile was mischievous. 

 "Are you trying to tell me you enjoyed all those silly things I used to
do? 

 Ben whirled his chair towards the exit and began moving. "Yes," he threw
out over his shoulder as he continued to roll. 

 Franny ran up and caught the back of Ben's chair stopping his flight. She
leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Molto bene. So you've
always liked me." 

 "Well, I never said I didn't like you, now did I Francesca." He laughed
and turned his face to hers. "Shall we go get some lunch?" 

 Chapter 31 

 Ben and Franny chose a restaurant that wouldn't be very crowded but
afforded booths for their customer's privacy. Ben transferred himself into
the booth and Franny moved the chair in behind them where there was a
little alcove. Their booth had very high surrounding seat backs against a
red brick wall. The tablecloth was red checked vinyl. It was a converted
old building and their booth was the last in a long narrow wing. The
opposite was all red brick and covered in local artists paintings and
crafts. In the front of the restaurant was a huge window across the whole
establishment. Natural light filtered back to Ben and Franny in their
corner. Franny sat with her back to the main area of the restaurant and
she watched the light play gently on Ben's face. She was glad to see his
skin beginning to return to its normal healthy look even if that was pale.
She marveled that all he had been through had not marred his features. 

 They ordered ice tea and the house pasta meal. While they waited their
waitress kept them supplied in biscuits and crackers. Franny noted to
herself that she probably had Ben's extraordinarily good looks to account
for their good service. She chose not to be jealous; after all it was a
benny of being with Benny. When their meal came they settled into eating
and talking companionably. Both were surprised at how easy their talk was
turning out to be for them. They were so engrossed in their conversation
that they never heard any noise behind them or the opening and closing of
the exit door 8 feet behind them. Ben and Franny ate their meal slowly
enjoying it and their conversation. They sat over their after meal
coffee's quietly like a couple that had been together a long time. 

 But finally the time came for them to leave. They both sighed and
reluctantly asked for the bill. Franny rose and went to get Ben's chair.
When Franny got to the spot where the chair was supposed to be she stood
rooted to the spot and could only point and make muted sounds as she tried
to get the waitresses attention. Ben slid over on his booth bench and
leaned over to see what Franny's problem was. He couldn't believe it. His
chair, the chair that he hated so much was gone. It simply was not there. 

 Ben put his head back and laughed until tears ran down his eyes. Franny
hissed at him, "It's not funny Benton, I know you hate that thing, but I
can't carry you to the car and I don't think you can walk that far." 

 Ben wiped the tears off his face and gave her a serious look. "I know
Franny." 

 By this time the waitress had notified the manager and he had called the
police. The manager approached the couple with his most heartfelt
apologies. Nothing like this had ever happened in his establishment
before. In less than five minutes from the thefts reporting, Huey entered
the restaurant. In minutes he was standing next to Franny and Ben. 

 The friends greeted each other, which made the restaurant manager feel
even worse. A cop's wheelchair was stolen. He'd never hear the end of this
he thought. Huey called in the details on his hand radio and wrote down
the details. By the time he was done, Duey arrived from parking their car.


 Franny tapped her little foot getting Huey's attention. "I'm going to go
get my car and pull it up outside of that door. Can you two get Ben over
there?" 

 "I'll get the car, Franny" Duey said. "Give me the keys." 

 Without thinking Franny handed the keys over as she talked to Huey. It
was only after the door closed behind Duey that she turned to Huey and
asked, "How does he know where I parked the car?" 

 "You parked close right for Fraser. How hard can it be to find it?" 

 "Don't give me that crap, what's going on?" Franny demanded. "We're being
watched aren't we? Ben, we're being watched. This isn't my brother's idea
is it, cause if it is I'll kill him." 

 Ben sighed, he had hoped Franny would never find out about the
surveillance that Thatcher, Welsh and Ray had arranged. 

 Franny turned to Ben and noted his silence. "You know about this? Don't
you? Ben, answer me please." She pleaded. 

 "Not here, ok?" Ben pleaded back. 

 "Ok, Just tell me the whole deal when we get home." She smirked at him. 

 Ben just smiled back. 

 Huey leaned over and offered Ben a hand in rising, which Ben took
gratefully. When he was standing, Huey put his arm around the back of the
Mountie to hold him up and steady him. God he's lost weight Huey thought
as Franny stepped up to Ben's free side and snuggled in next to his torso
to help steady Ben. The restaurant manager followed behind them as the
trio walked very slowly to the exit. Ben was sweating but smiling by the
time the got to the door to see Duey pull up in the car. Duey jumped out
and ran to the door and took Fraser's weight from Franny. Franny ran to
her car and opened the passenger car door. Ben's progress down the one
step and 10 feet to the car was very slow. He sank with relief into the
car seat. Franny closed the car door saying, "See you both soon. OK." She
ran around the front of her car and glared at them as she opened her door,
settled in the car and took off. 

 "What do you want to bet she's gonna kill us when she sees we're
following them?" 

 "No bets her claws are out." 

 Chapter 32 

 Franny pulled up in front of the Vecchio house and slammed on the brakes.
Ben flew forward into his seat belt, but didn't criticize her. She turned
her head towards him expecting to hear some derisive comment. But Ben was
looking at her with understanding not derision. She smiled and put her
hand over his as it lay on the console next to her. 

 "Sorry. I'll be right back. I'm gonna get Tony and Ray." 

 Franny ran up to the house and ran inside bellowing for Ray and Tony. Ray
already knew what the problem was having already talked to Huey on his
cell phone. "Calm down. Grandmere just laid down for a nap, I'll get her
chair to bring Ben into the house." 

 Ray avoided Franny's eyes as he turned and went down the hall to retrieve
Grandmere's wheelchair. Franny turned and went back outside to stand next
to Ben in the opening of the passenger door. As she opened her mouth to
say something the unmarked vehicle with Huey and Duey drove by them. To be
very blunt, Franny thought, I am pissed. She looked down into Ben's eyes
to see him watching her with a contrite smile. 

 "We were going to tell you." 

 "When Benton? I can handle it you know." She turned away from him as Ray
brought up the wheelchair. 

 Ben transferred from the car to the chair with Ray's help. "She knows
Ray." 

 "Yea, I guessed as much." Ray looked into Franny's eyes and became aware
of the depth of her wrath on the subject. 

 "Keep it from Ma and Grandmere, fellas not from me." She stated blankly.
"You both know I've taken self defense classes and I can scream better
than anyone in that house." She tapped her tiny foot on Ray's foot. "You
listening Bro. I have as much right to protect this family as you do." 

 Ben was remembering how she had taken care of him in the hospital
transport vehicle after the attack. He knew if he had to depend on her for
help, he would without hesitation. "Ray, Francesca has every right to be
mad at us. We should have told her." 

 A picture of Franny reaching for the metal rod she had hidden by her feet
in the transport vehicle raced across Ray's mind. He had no doubt she
would have brained Ben's attacker if the man had been fool enough to
return. 

 "Ok Franny. You've made your point. This whole house and neighborhood has
been under watch since Ben's attack in the hospital transport. There are
rotating teams and 24-hour coverage. But I expect the protection will run
out soon. Welsh has already been approached about the dollars. If it
weren't for Thatcher stepping in and demanding protection for a Canadian
citizen, I don't think we would still be covered." 

 "Ok you two. If we're being watched, how did Ben's chair get stolen?" 

 Ben reached into his jacket and brought out a paper he handed to Ray.
Huey gave me this as he helped me to the car. Duey found it in Franny's
car." 

 Ray took the paper and read. "Next time it won't be just a chair." Ray
paled and handed the paper to Franny. "In the house now. We have plans to
make." Ray got behind Ben's chair and the three of them headed for the
house. 

 Chapter 33 

 Ben, Franny and Ray sat around the small table by the window in Ben's
room. Ray was outlining for Franny the steps he had put in place to
protect Ben and the family. Franny sat with her arms folded tightly across
her chest in the overstuffed chair. She kept her eyes on Ben's face noting
that this was affecting him deeply. 

 "And just so you know, Franny, the Romero's in the house behind us are on
extended vacation, but the house isn't empty. We have guys there watching
the yard and the house on 24 hour watch." 

 "You need to tell Ma and Grandmere and Maria and Tony, Ray. They need to
know." Franny interjected heatedly. "Ray, answer me." 

 Ray hesitated but nodded his head. "OK, I tell Ma and Grandmere and
Maria. Tony, I don't know." 

 "You'd leave him the dark. He has children Ray." 

 "Can you honestly see Tony providing protection?" 

 Franny hesitated the merest fraction of a second, "He'd panic if he ran
up against something Ray, but I think if he knew ahead of time, he'd be
ok." She turned to look at Ben, "But quite honestly, I don't know what
he's capable of and neither do you." 

 Ben looked down at his hands, thinking all of this was his fault and
wishing he could make it all magically disappear. But he said nothing. 

 "This isn't exactly your normal stranger danger situation we're talking
about ya know Ray." Franny commented tersely. 

 Ray drooped his shoulders, "Ok we tell all the adults. But we're getting
them and the kids out of this house. Agreed." 

 "Oh yea, like we can afford to send them all to Disney World." Franny had
a cynical look on her face. She watched Ray's face light up as he looked
at Benny. 

 "Not bad." 

 "Might work well." Ben responded. 

 "Ben, Ray, we can't afford it." Franny watched the silent
interchange-taking place between Ray and Ben. She knew she was missing
something here, but couldn't put her finger on it. 

 "Do you think you can talk your grandmother into it?" 

 "I can try." 

 "She's been waiting years to do something for you, you know." 

 Ben shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'll ask her when she wakes up from
her nap." 

 It was clear to Franny that Ben and Ray weren't worried about the dollar
aspect of this plan. She decided she would just wait and when the time was
right, she'd get one of them squirming enough to tell her all the details.


 "I'm staying." Franny stated with the firmness of a mule. 

 "No, you're not." Ray leaned towards her and glared at her. 

 "She can stay, Ray. She's right. She can be a help." Ben gave Franny a
confident smile. 

 Ray's cell phone rang and he answered it. Franny and Ben listened quietly
as Ray yelled into the phone. 

 "Your chair is at the precinct office. One of the squads saw some teens
playing with it." Ray sighed. "The kids swear some guy dared them to do
it. Gave them 20 bucks apiece, if they could sneak in unnoticed, and get
the chair out when the waitress had her back to the chair. There was an
extra 10 a piece in it for them if could distract the unmarked car outside
long enough to get the chair away unnoticed." 

 Franny gave Ray a skeptical look. "Huey says he knows these kids. They're
not lying. Huey thinks it was probably used as an initiation stunt too.
Whoever we're dealing with is too smart to be seen." Ray turned to Franny;
"Some one is bringing the chair over here now." 

 "Ray, has forensics gone over the chair yet?" Ben asked. 

 "Geesh Huey didn't mention anything about that. I'll call him and get it
done." Ray proceeded to call Huey back and ask that the chair be gone over
before it was returned. 

 "Thanks, Ray. It's just a feeling I have." Ben sat quietly looking out
his window. His world was turning over again. Seemed like every time he
had a chance to get comfortable some one pulled something to jar his
equilibrium. 

 The three of them sat talking for the next hour, making plans and
settling arrangements. Ben and Franny would stay at the house with Ray.
The rest of the family would be shipped out at the end of the week for a
vacation. Franny wasn't sure Ma or Grandmere were going to like this. She
was glad it would be Ben and Ray talking to them and not her. 

 Chapter 34 

 Ben sat waiting for the return of his wheelchair in the overstuffed chair
in his room. He had protested to Ray that he would just start using the
crutches. Ray had immediately called Ben's doctors and let them know Ben's
plans. The doctor didn't hesitate at but ordered Ray to make sure Ben
continued to use the chair for at least 2 more weeks. The doctor stressed
the unknown nature of the drugs that had affected Ben and the fact that
while Ben was recovering nicely; he was far from strong enough to use the
crutches. In fact, the doctor said, some staff members on Ben's case
wanted him to use a walker initially after the wheelchair rather than
crutches. The doctor suggested Ray tell Fraser to behave or they would put
him in a rehab hospital for a few days to make sure he listened to
doctor's orders. 

 Ray took pleasure in explaining the doctor's orders to Ben. Because the
consultation had taken place by phone Ben had been unable to wheedle the
doctor over to his way of thinking. It tickled Ray that Ben's doctors had
Ben's measure and weren't going to let the Mountie steer them. Ray enjoyed
every second of watching the mutinous look on Ben's face when he relayed
the doctor's orders. 

 "Hey, watch that lip." Ray laughed. 

 "What lip?" Ben replied. 

 "The pouting one that Chase could sit on," Ray pointed to Ben's mouth and
laughed again. 

 "I am not pouting." 

 "Yea, and geese don't fly." 

 "I know you want to get rid of that thing, but the doctors don't want too
much strain on your back yet. Ok." Ray said as he lowered his eyes away
from Ben. 

 "There's nothing wrong with my back, Ray." 

 "Tell that to your T-8 vertebra." 

 "Oh." 

 "Yea, Oh." 

 Chase chose that minute to run into the room and fly up onto Ben's lap.
"Papa, Grandmere and Grandma Rose say we're all going to see Mickey
Mouse." His excited little face changing expression with almost every word
he spoke. 

 "Yes, but Uncle Ray and I aren't going." Ben told Chase. "And Aunt Franny
is staying here too. 

 "Aunt Franny will take care of you, papa," The little boy laid his head
on his father's shoulder. "I won't worry if Aunt Franny is here with you."


 Ray looked over at Ben and smiled, "Smart kid." 

 "Ray," Ben chided, "Don't encourage that line of thought" 

 Ray just laughed, "I won't have to, he's a Fraser. He'll probably be just
like you." 

 "Would that be bad?" 

 "No Benny, that's how it should be." 

 "Ah, then you meant the remark as a good thing." 

 "Yes, as a good thing." 

 They heard the doorbell ring, and Ray hurried to answer it before anyone
else. It was Huey personally delivering Ben's chair. He handed Ray an
envelope and pushed the chair into the foyer. 

 "You won't like what's in that note." Huey said as he turned to go out
the door. 

 "Thanks for the speedy delivery." 

 "No problem, everyone in forensics put that chair on priority. No prints,
no bombs, just what's in that envelope." 

 Huey left quietly as Ray stood in the hall opening the envelope. He drew
out a 5 X 7 piece of paper on which was printed in crayon, "Next time it
won't be just the chair." 

 Ray thrust the paper into his shirt and took the chair down to Ben's
room. Chase was still sitting on Ben's lap when Ray rolled the chair
inside the room. Chase leaped off Ben's lap and yelled over his shoulder
as he left the room, "I've got to tell Dief and explain to puppy why he
has to stay here." 

 Both men laughed as the little boy disappeared around the bedroom door.
Ray took out the piece of paper Huey had given him and gave it to Ben.
Ben's hand shook in anger as he read the short note. Ray noticed a glare
of anger in Ben's eyes as well. 

 "Are we moving to slowly getting the family away, Ray?" 

 "I don't know Benny, I don't know." 

 Chapter 35 

 The foyer resounded with the thunderous noise of the Vecchio/Fraser
family as they were preparing to leave. The door stood open as Maria piled
suitcases and Tony counted children and suitcases. Rosa Vecchio stood next
to her lone large suitcase starring at the family they were leaving
behind. Ray and Franny were frantically counting people and suitcases and
hugging everyone. Benton sat to the side of the huge press of people
holding the airplane tickets in his hands. Ben held his son on his lap,
hugging him tightly in the circle of his right arm. Rosa felt tears in her
eyes as she looked around at her whole family and thought about the reason
for this trip. 

 "Humor an old woman, Benton," Rosa said as she leaned over to kiss him
goodbye. "Keep this in your shirt pocket for me until I come back." She
pulled his right hand away from Chase and dropped one of her favorite
rosaries into it. She turned around quickly and started yelling, "Basta.
One cannot hear in all this noise." 

 Grandmere approached Ben and Chase and smiled at them. Her blue eyes took
in every detail of the picture the pair made as they sat there with their
dark curls shinning and their blue eyes framed by their thick, dark
eyelashes. She put out her hand, "Come along Chase, we have to leave now."
The little boy hugged his father one last time and got down carefully onto
his own feet. 

 "Papa, see you soon." 

 "I know Chase, I will think of you every day until you're home." 

 "I know papa, carry you in my heart like Grandmere taught me." Chase
turned around and raced over to Maria's children who were fidgeting and
dancing around as they saw the limo Grandmere had arranged for arrive in
the driveway. 

 "Well, this is it mon cher." Grandmere said as she laid a hand on Ben's
arm. "Please take care." 

 "We will Grandmere." Ray said as he came up to stand behind her. "Time to
leave." 

 Ben handed her all the airline tickets and touched her hand gently.
"It'll be ok." 

 "I know, but when one is old, one is allowed to worry." She replied with
a small smile. 

 Ten minutes later Ray, Franny and Ben were alone in the foyer. The
silence was as deafening as the sounds the family had made leaving. 

 Chapter 37 

 It was Saturday afternoon and the family had been gone for two hour when
Franny finished lugging that last of what she would need to stay
temporarily in Grandmere's bedroom downstairs. Ray would continue to sleep
upstairs. The siblings had argued about Franny sleeping upstairs. Both Ray
and Ben felt that if something happened in the house Franny had a better
chance getting out, if she was downstairs. On the one hand, Ray was happy
he wouldn't have to give up his comfortable room and bed. But on the other
hand, it left Franny and Ben alone downstairs should a break in take
place. The change in Franny's sleeping quarters was not the only change
they decided to make in their routine. Franny was due vacation and was
taking it now Ray would still go to work and stop by the house when he
could The family would be gone for two weeks. All three of them hoped that
in two weeks time they would be able to get whoever was behind the
threats. 

 Franny backed into Grandmere's bedroom door with her backside and walked
over to put her box of things on the bed. She turned around surveying the
room and noted that Grandmere had helped her mother change the bed linens
and put fresh flowers on the nightstand for Franny. She was touched by
Grandmere's attempts at affection. 

 She walked over to the nightstand to see an envelope with her name on it.
Picking it and opening the envelope Franny found a 2 photos inside and a
piece of paper. Reading the note she smiled for Grandmere had written. "He
thinks he is a grown man, but in so many ways he is and always will be a
small boy. I have taken him into my heart even more deeply than before for
he is brave and courageous and gentle. Take care of him for me while I am
gone. My grandson loves you, as I believe you love him. I love you both.
Find the boy between these pictures." The note was signed simply,
Grandmere. 

 Francesca laid the note on the nightstand and looked at the photos. One
was a picture of Ben when he was about 7. Franny could see how very sad
and lost the boy in the picture was. The eyes of the boy in the picture
were almost vacant. She slid the second picture over the first and saw Ben
at about the age of 5 with his mother. The child in that picture could
have been Chase with his big ready smile. Franny slipped the pictures
along with the note under some of the things in her box that she had set
on the bed. 

 She wandered out of the room to go make them all some lunch. When she got
to the kitchen, she found Ben already there standing up in front of his
chair but leaning heavily on the counter as he got a glass down from the
cabinets. Franny watched him stand still for a moment gathering the
strength to back away from the counter and sit down again in the chair.
She could see his muscles shaking from where she stood and she didn't
doubt that the back of his neck was wet with sweat either. 

 Ben almost collapsed back into his chair with relief, picked up his glass
and whirled the chair around to go to the table. Franny's disapproving
glare made him stop and look sheepishly at her. 

 "Caught red handed, Benton Fraser," Francesca said with affection. 

 "It was just one glass out of the cabinet." The blue eyes wheedled at
their best. 

 "Your neck sweaty?" 

 Ben was surprised that she knew about that. He nodded. 

 "I talk to the doctor's too Ben. They don't want you moving around with
shaking muscles and the sweats. Got it." 

 All Ben could do in reply was give her one of those Benton I heard you
smiles but this is my life. 

 "You hungry." Franny walked to the refrigerator and got out the milk.
"I'm making lunch." 

 Ray looked in the kitchen on his way to the back door. "Franny cooking.
Errrr...I 'm going out. Since we're trying for a normal routine here, I
have a date. I'll send the EMT's with a stomach pump for you Ben." Ray
scooted out the door before Franny could reach him with a raised spoon in
her hand. 

 Francesca heard Ben chuckling behind her. "What's so funny?" 

 "You, Chesca" 

 Franny blushed at the use of Ben's pet name for her and then went back to
preparing their lunch while he sat and enjoyed the view. 

 Chapter 38 

 After their lunch, Ben and Francesca each retired to their own pursuits
for the afternoon. For Francesca Saturdays meant a chance to really relax,
do her facial routine, and just plain veg out. For Ben Saturday without
Chase in the house was a very different experience. Even Dief and the
puppy were lolling around on the floor of Ben's bedroom. 

 Ben tried reading, doing his exercises and resting. But his mind kept
coming back to the idea of doing something special for Francesca. When the
idea came to him, he knew it was the right thing to do. 

 An hour later Ben was in the kitchen busily rolling his chair from place
to place. He had managed to set the table with a nice tablecloth with 2
place settings and a set of candles. For Ben the hard part of his project
was anything that involved him standing up for more than a minute or two.
He was getting tired, but he was almost done. He had managed to get one of
Rosa's frozen meals out she had left from them and had that in the oven.
The more exhausted he got however, the more he started banging into things
with his chair. And pretty soon the sounds of his banging around the
kitchen were traveling throughout the lower floor of the house. 

 He rolled backward to shut the oven door and banged into one of the
kitchen chairs. The "Oh Dear," he muttered was far from being soft and
kind. Shutting the oven door and placing the oven mitts on the counter, he
rolled over to the sink to get a drink of water. 

 Ben forgot to lock the wheels on the chair as he stood up to turn on the
water. The chair flew backwards from him and slammed into another kitchen
chair. Ben let out an undignified "Shhh..." and grasping the counter's
edge carefully extended one leg out to try and reach the chair. His leg
was about two inches too short. He stood as straight as he could while
grasping the counter and took a deep breath. Cautiously he stepped one
step from the counter with his right arm grasping the counter edge
tightly. Very slowly he pulled himself up straight and began to let go of
the counter while taking one more step, which would put in right in front
of the wheelchair. With the second step taken successfully, he swayed a
little but leaned over carefully until his hands gripped the chairs arms.
He was then able to move closer to it and turn very carefully to sit back
down. 

 He sat there for a minute sweating and hoping the sounds he had made
hadn't traveled up the stairs to Francesca. Unfortunately for him, Franny
heard the noises downstairs. She walked out and leaned over the railing
from the upper floors and yelled to Ben. "Ben, are you ok down there?" She
yelled. 

 Ben dropped his shoulders in resignation and then rolled his chair as
quickly as he could out to the foyer. Arriving out of breath at the bottom
of the stairs he yelled up "Everything's fine. I was just moving around
and hit into the kitchen chairs. Nothing to worry about. Go back and
relax." 

 Franny looked doubtful but took Ben's word for it that he didn't need any
help and went back to the bathroom where she was about to apply her weekly
facial mask. 

 Ben sighed thankfully and hurried back to the kitchen where he heard the
water still running in the sink. He rolled his eyes back and taking a deep
breath went back to start all over again at the sink. This time he locked
the chair's wheels carefully, and was able to get his drink and turn off
the faucet. 

 Ben checked the table over to see if it looked right and deciding that he
had everything under control he headed for his room. Opening his closet,
Ben decided the easiest thing to do would be to put on a clean shirt and
jeans. He removed the shirt from its hanger and switched easily. He'd been
wearing jogging outfits since he came to live with the Vecchio's and he
decided it was about time he started wearing more normal clothing. 

 He removed his shoes and jogging pants easily. He was able to get the
jeans onto his legs but knew he would have to stand up to slide the jeans
on. He locked the chair wheels and grabbed onto the doorframe of the
closet and stood as slowly as he could. Because he had not yet returned to
his normal weight the jeans slid up easily and he had no problem fastening
them and sitting back down. Ray had picked up some casual looking slip-on
shoes for Ben and he put those on rather than returning to his jogging
shoes. He put his shoulders back and headed off to the bathroom. 

 Twenty minutes later, after smacking his hair down, and shaving, Ben
returned to the kitchen to wait for his meal to be done. The entire
downstairs smelled of Rosa Vecchio's cooking. Ben was proud of himself. He
had done more physical movement in preparing this meal for Francesca than
he had in one his therapy sessions. He was tired and slightly clammy but
exhilarated. He turned the oven temperature to warm and left the room to
wait in the living room for Francesca to come downstairs. 

 Francesca felt smooth and relaxed as she soaked in her tub of bubbles.
Her hair was pinned up on her head and her face was covered with facial
cream. She languidly soaped her body sponge and began to cleanse her body.
Bubbles filled the tub as she lay back in the warmth of the water. She
raised her left arm and slowly let the sponge move in small, tight circles
down the length of her arm. She cleaned the back of hand and then her palm
with ever slowing circles. Raising the sponge she dribbled warm, soapy,
bubbly water over her left shoulder and dragged the sponge over each cell
of her skin until she needed to change hands with the sponge and then she
repeated the whole process over again as washed her right arm. The
bathroom smelled of lemon and flowers as the bubbles clung to her skin.
She could feel the waters warmth as she rose a little in the water to
clean her torso. She paused to drop her chin onto her chest as she rinsed
out the sponge and began working the soap into to it so she could clean
her the deep v between her legs and continue on to her feet. Each toe,
each toenail got its own attention from the sponge. The warmth of the
water had created sweat beads on her eyelids and forehead. She bit the
edge of her mouth as she gently began removing her facial mask. She sighed
in pleasure as she realized it was time to get of out the bath. Pulling
the plug on the tub, Francesca stood and started the water again. She
changed the control lever to shower and rinsed her body off just as
languidly as she had used the sponge to clean it. Picking up her favorite
herbal shampoo she washed her hair and rinsed it. 

 Turning the shower off, she wrapped her hair in a towel, the picked up a
body sized bath sheet and began to slowly dry herself off. When she was
dry, she placed the towel back on the wall rack and began dressing. She
pulled on the dark slacks and pale blue sweater she had chosen. She
slipped her feet into her shoes and dragged the towel off of her hair. In
minutes she dried her hair with her hair dryer and pinned it up quickly.
Opening the bathroom door a little, to let it air out and then she picked
up the mess she had made on the counter. 

 As she opened the door fully, she smelled the unmistakable smell of her
mother's cooking. Franny walked softly out into the hall and leaned over
the stair railing. Yes, there was no doubt about it. That was one of her
mother's lasagna dishes she smelled cooking. Smiling in a broad smile
Franny returned her things to her bedroom and took the time to comb out
her hair. Instead of applying her workday makeup, Franny applied a little
lipstick and a touch of mascara before taking the shine off of her nose
with just a hint of powder. Taking one last look in her bedroom's dresser
mirror Franny headed downstairs. 

 Chapter 39 

 Ben heard Francesca begin to descend the stairway. He thrust his
shoulders back, ran a hand over his errant hair and headed to the bottom
of the stairway to meet her. He licked his lower lip absent-mindedly and
watched her descend the last of the stairs. Ben could feel the sweat
rolling off his shoulders and all over the palms of his hands. He'd had
many conversations with his counselor about this first step and Bree had
warned him to just do what felt right and take it slow. He knew that the
lions and tigers jumping around in his stomach as well as the sweating
were signs that he was nervous. Well he'd been nervous before, he could
handle it he thought to himself. Looking up at the smile Francesca was
giving him as she walked up next to his chair fortified his resolve to
continue to reach out to her. He needed her, needed to give to her what
had been taken from him. He needed to begin to feel like himself again.
This was the right step for him. 

 Francesca could see in Ben's eyes how nervous he was about this their
first afternoon and evening alone in the big house. She watched as he
closed his hands into fists on his jeans and then rubbed them down his
pant legs. Her eyes took in the fact that he had changed from his
comfortable jogging clothing into street clothes. She kept smiling though
she noticed how his clothing hung on him. His eyes searched her face as
she raised her head to smell the cooking lasagna. 

 "Breaking rules again Ben." She laughed. "Caught red-handed twice in one
day. What am I going to do with you?" 

 "You could join me at dinner." Ben smiled back ruefully, lights dancing
in his eyes. 

 "Lead on Mr. Fraser, I'd be delighted to join you for dinner." 

 Ben chuckled at her and turning his chair led the way into the kitchen.
Ben rolled right over to the oven and grabbed the mitts off the counter.
He looked up to see Francesca standing in the doorway mesmerized by his
afternoon's efforts with the table. Her eyes sparkled as she raised on
tiptoe to better survey the entire table. One end of the table was set for
them in an intimate dinner style. On the other end of the table, Ben had
laid out several bowls of fruit surrounded by candles. The effect of the
whole table was at once romantic and quaint. Franny knew where every bit
of china and linen was stored and as she looked around, she knew just how
much effort Ben had put into this dinner. Slow Franny, she thought,
remember slow and easy. 

 Ben opened the oven door and lifted the large pan out. He set it on the
counter to cool for a bit and turned to present Francesca with her chair. 

 "May I offer you a chair," he said as he pulled her chair out. 

 Slipping into the chair Francesca looked first at her lap then the table
and then at Ben as he brought out the salad he had made and placed it on
the table. He rolled up to the table and presented the bowl to her.
Francesca knew right then that she would always think of this meal and
this salad as the day Ben began offering her his heart. In the past, she
had always thought he might give her a special flower, or some small token
of affection that she could keep and look at it. She had never imagined
him giving her a piece of himself like this. It must have been so hard
setting all this up. She knew he must be worn out, but he sat there next
to her looking fresh and really alive for the first time in many weeks. 

 They ate their salad quietly, smiling at each other once every few bites.
When Ben turned to get the lasagna, Francesca stilled his movement with a
hand on his shoulder. "You've done so much, let me bring it to the table."


 Ben realized that she was not trying to hold him back, but offering
something of herself to him. His smile for her was deep and dimpled taking
her breath away. His blue eyes flashed from light to dark blue in an
instant. She pushed back her chair with a smile back at him. 

 In a few minutes, they sat eating Rosa's cooking and talking in whispers
even though they were the only ones in the house. They talked about Chase
and Grandmere, of Rosa and the other Vecchio's. Ben kept the conversation
light and enjoyable. He steered conversation away from himself
successfully and watched her eyes dance as they talked of watching all the
children during Saturday morning cartoons. Soon they had eaten the main
course and sat eating fresh fruit. With each peal of her orange, Francesca
watched Ben eat his apple and crunch away. She watched Ben's tongue wipe
away the apple juice after each bite. Watched him turn the apple in his
hand before taking another bite. Francesca didn't think there was a more
beautiful site in the world than Ben sitting there eating that apple. 

 Franny was unaware of Ben's scrutiny of her and her orange. He watched
every slow rip of peal as she opened her orange. He felt his breath catch
in his throat with each movement of her fingers to free a new piece. Her
lips were moist as she continued to peal the second half of her orange.
Slice by slice the orange disappeared between Francesca's lips. Each time
she slipped a new piece in her mouth, Ben took another bite of his apple
and tried to keep breathing evenly. This is what I want he thought, this
is what I need. 

 When they were finished with their dessert, Francesca stood up and began
clearing away the dishes without comment. She carefully put the meal's
leftovers into containers and placed them in the refrigerator. Ben sat and
watched her as he sipped a cup of coffee. Her small frame stretched to its
fullest as she put away the dishes and glasses she had just washed. Ben
eyed her shoulders, back and legs and even her feet as she moved around by
the sink. She was so tiny he thought with the heart of a lioness. He
caressed her with his eyes as he waited for her to be done with her task. 

 Francesca knew Ben was watching her every move and determined to make it
worth his while. She exaggerated all her moves, stretching and swaying
back and forth on her feet as she worked. But she never looked over her
shoulder to verify that he watched. She could see his face in the
reflection of the kitchen sink window as she worked and she loved the
contemplative smile she saw on his face. When the last dish was done and
put away and the counter wiped off in fashion that she knew would please
her mother, she turned back to face Ben. 

 "Shall we watch a movie," Francesca asked as she watched Ben drink the
last sip of his coffee as she approached his chair and rested her hand on
his flannel shirted shoulder. 

 "Sounds like a nice idea," Ben replied as he turned his chair towards the
hallway to watch Francesca already pacing down the hall. "What shall we
watch?" 

 Franny quickly ran through the several hundred movie titles they had
collected in the house through her mind. The varied video library was one
nice thing about a large family living together she thought. Ray made sure
they had all the shootem'ups he liked, Franny and Maria made sure they had
all the love stories they wanted and Ma made sure the kids had access to
all the children's movies they wanted. She knew Ben had not access to many
movies where he lived in Canada so whatever she chose would likely be a
new movie for him to see. She stood at the video cabinet and ran her
fingers over the titles. No too violent, no too gooey, too silly, too
childish, she paused over the titles to watch Ben pulling himself out of
his chair and settling in to sit on the sofa. She finally grabbed Indiana
Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Maverick and Lethal Weapon and
Pretty Woman off the shelves and walked over to Ben. 

 "Chose one." She sighed, "I have no idea what to watch." 

 Ben pointed at one and sat back to watch her inserted the tape into the
VCR without reading the label. Franny grabbed the TV and VCR remotes and
sat down near Ben on the sofa. 

 Chapter 40 

 Francesca turned the TV on and set it to the right channel for the VCR.
She picked up the VCR controller to fast forward over the credits. Ben sat
relaxed back against the sofa's back and watched Franny use her fingers to
deftly set the VCR controls. He watched her slender fingers as they closed
around the controller and set down on the table beside the sofa. Music
began to play on the TV but Ben didn't hear a note. Francesca let out a
tiny puff of air through her moist lips and settled back to enjoy the
movie well aware of Ben watching her. 

 Ben looked down at his hands in his lap. With only a moment's hesitation,
he raised his left arm and slowly draped it onto the sofa above
Francesca's head. He let his fingers brush the feathery edges of
Francesca's hair. She turned to smile up him and slid over closer to him
on the sofa until their thighs almost touched and she could feel the heat
of him through his flannel shirt. Ben dropped his arm down around her and
snuggled her body to his. Francesca giggled delightedly and nestled in
against Ben's side. Ben's hand shook nervously as he ran his fingers
through her soft curled hair. He let the strands of her hair slip over the
skin of his fingers slowly, feeling its texture and thickness between his
fingers. He ran his shaking fingers threw her hair several times letting
his fingers just barely touch her scalp. Francesca took in a deep breath
closing her eyes and reveling in his touch. Ben turned his head and
dropped his face down against her hair, breathing in the scent of her
fresh herbal shampoo over her body's own sweet scent. He closed his eyes
and took a deep shuddering breath as he let his lips open and close
against the fine strands of her brown hair. The velvety silken softness of
her hair brushed against his eyelids and eyelashes. He used his lips to
grasp several strands of her hair and let the strands slid across his lips
sensuously as his moved his head from hers. 

 Francesca covered his right hand that lay on his lap with hers softly,
letting their skin barely touch. She cupped her hand over his trapping a
thin layer of air between them. Moving slowly, she withdrew her hand and
began to turn her body slightly away from his then she twisted and turned
to lay across his chest so she could look up into his face. His eyes were
closed as he tried to breath slowly. Ben moved his arms to cradle
Francesca to him and dropped his face into her hair again. Francesca
willed herself not to move, to lie relaxed against him when all she wanted
to do was take his lips with hers and not let go. Ben moved his lips from
her hair and let them slowly caress the skin on her forehead. His lips
brushed in butterfly like strokes all over her fragrant skin until he
reached her eyebrows. He moved his left arm so that his hand lay alongside
of her face and rubbed the skin of her earlobe between his fingers all the
while his lips fluttered against her skin. Ben could feel the softness of
her face as his lips devoured her, as he smelled all the natural items she
used on her skin. The smell was heady and light and purely Francesca. He
pulled her closer to him and began searching her eyebrows and eyes with
his lips, his eyes still closed. 

 Franny let her eyelids flutter against his lips and breathed in the smell
of him. He smelled clean and tangy and of the apple he had just eaten.
Fleetingly she longed to let her hands roam over him, hold him, feel him,
but knew he might react like a frightened deer and take off. Her thoughts
whirl winded in her mind like the force of a tornado before it hit the
ground. Her thoughts became jumbled and chaotic as Ben began to roam the
skin of her face under her eyes with agonizing slowness. His fluttering
lips were joined by the flick of his tongue as he began to taste her skin.
He began running his left hand through her hair again and then pressed his
forehead to hers. She could feel his hot breath bare centimeters from her
own mouth. Francesca could feel both their bodies shaking as they
hesitated and let their lips tremor in their near touch and knew Ben was
shaking with anticipation in every muscle of his body that touched hers.
Both of them held their eyes closed with fluttering lashes, their
breathing becoming synchronized. Their lips closed the distance between
them fractionally until only a micrometer could measure the air space
between them. Francesca held back waiting for Ben to make the first move. 

 Ben let his lips move the final distance between them and felt the
softness of her lips on his. He sought each cell of her lips with his,
kissing, touching, melding. He felt her gasp against his lips and open her
mouth for more. His tongue gently parted through the small opening of her
soft lips as she took in air and tasted the sweetness of her mouth. His
tongue met hers and he felt her relax in his arms. She sighed in pure
contentment as their tongues began the age-old dance of lovers entwined in
each other's arms. She let his tongue have full sway inside her mouth as
she lay in quivering anticipation of what his next step would be. He
withdrew his tongue and kissed the sides of her mouth and her cheeks and
chin before returning to her mouth and again seeking entrance there. She
sighed in relief when she felt his tongue ask again for entrance and
delayed not a second in acquiescing to its request. 

 He shifted Francesca in his lap to draw her closer to him and felt her
sigh in happiness at his move. Lifting her right hand in his left he
brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them before urging her to wrap
her arm around his shoulder. His free hand began roaming her back and neck
as he continued kissing her mouth. He let his fingers run up and down her
neck and entwine again in her hair holding her head to his as they kissed
through slowly swelling lips. Francesca pressed her body tightly against
his chest seeking contact with his warm muscles. She drew her knees up on
the sofa and kicked off her shoes as her toes wiggled in glee as they
kissed and thoroughly explored each other's mouths. Becoming surer of him,
Francesca let her right arm reach up and lay her left hand in his hair to
entwine it into her fingers as he did hers. Ben drew in his breath and
made a satisfied sound of exhilaration as he felt her exploring his hair.
He pulled back a little and kissed her eyes and chin again and moved his
lips to her ear. He nibbled at her ear lobe and bit the lobe skin softly
before returning to the mouth he could not get enough of with his lips. 

 Their breathing became more rapid as they began to sink further and
further into the sofa's cushions. Ben's free hand roamed Francesca's back
again pulling her tightly into his chest as if he would never let her go.
He pulled her up into his arms and raised his legs off the floor and
turned them to lie on the wide sofa and turned again with her until she
lay in the soft curve where the sofa back and cushions met. Francesca
didn't even realize they had moved but kept her lips locked to his. Ben
kicked off his shoes and lifted his right leg and laid it over her legs
and began playing with her toes with his. 

 Francesca felt his leg brush against hers as he moved his foot up and
down the length of her leg all the while they kept kissing without a
break. She wrapped her free arm around his torso and hugged him closer to
her. They were both shaking and warm. Their hair was becoming sweaty and
their hands moved more rapidly over each other. She felt Ben pull up the
back of her shirt and his hot branding hand roamed over her bare skin. Her
sigh of contentment reached Ben's ears and he kissed her harder than
before, taking her mouth with abandoned movements of his tongue. Francesca
returned the kiss measure for measure and snuck her hand over his back and
brought it up to his face. She gently inserted her hand inside the collar
of his flannel shirt and caressed his neck lovingly. He gasped as he felt
her hand with its warm skin moving over his and broke off their kiss to
again roam his mouth over her face and eyes to return again to her mouth. 

 Ben felt her fingers playing with the top button of his shirt and moved
back a little to let her have room to work, but never let his lips leave
hers. Soon her hand was branding the skin of his chest even as his branded
the skin on her back. Their hands moved slowly learning each individual
cell of skin on the other's body, memorizing each nuance of the other. Ben
trailed his kiss off of Franny's mouth and down over her jaw to her neck
where he nuzzled his face against her. He murmured "Chesca" softly against
her skin in a way that tickled her, but she didn't laugh. It felt right
and beautiful. 

 Chapter 41 

 Francesca slowly released the next button his flannel shirt with
trembling fingers. She slid her hand further inside the shirt until she
could feel his collarbone. She massaged his trembling muscles softly as
they continued to kiss neither willing to give up the other's lips. Boldly
moving her hands back to the shirt buttons she continued to unbutton the
shirt. With each button that opened to her, Francesca stopped and ran her
hand over new areas of soft, inviting skin. Ben pulled Francesca to him
again and nuzzled the softness of her neck as he buried his face in her
hair. They listened to each other breath and hungrily returned to their
lip-bruising kiss. Ben rolled back a little so that his entire body almost
uncovered hers and gently pulled more of her shirt away from her back as
his hands continued kneading her flesh with soft sure strokes. 

 Inching his leg between her legs, he carefully wrapped his leg around one
of hers the way children put two pieces of pipe cleaner together. Their
legs twisted against each other, held and rubbed together. He never let
his lips release hers as he gently used his right arm to reach up to the
neckline of her sweater. Ben motions were slow and palsied but determined.
He ran his index finger around the sweaters edge and felt the skin of his
fingers tingle at his touch. Franny gasped and pulled herself closer to
Ben trying to become part of him through the clothing that separated them.
She renewed their kiss with no thought to the marks that she was surely
leaving on his lips as she bit and sucked his lips into her mouth. Ben
pulled back from her a little and retook her mouth with his. He pulled her
sweater up between them and ran his hand over the smooth, tight muscles of
her abdomen. In answer to his movement Francesca took her hand and sought
his hair to keep him in their kiss. She pulled gently on his hair to keep
their lips locked. Ben used his fingers to trace her skin, as a blind
person would, wanting to know every inch of her small, compact body. 

 Francesca released Ben's hair and inserted her hand back inside his
flannel shirt to mimic the motions against his skin that he was making on
hers. She ran her hand all over his chest just avoiding his nipples. She
circled them; lightly pinched the skin around them, rubbed the area
between them, but never touched them. Ben's tongue held still inside her
mouth as he felt her hand against his feverish skin. He shivered before
renewing his tongues possession of her mouth. He swirled his tongue around
hers as his hand neared the front edge of Francesca's bra. His fingers
roamed the edge of the bra without lifting the edge then slid his hand
back towards her navel and back up to the bra's edge again. Franny
intensified her circling of his nipples as she continued to seek the
inside of his mouth with her tongue. She thrust her body closer to his
before pulling back a little, her skin where he touched her blazed with
the heat of his hand. She moved her hand closer to his right nipple and
teased the small hairs around it with her tiny fingers. 

 "Chesca," Ben whispered shakily. "Chesca." He buried his face against her
neck and held on to her as she continued to tease his nipple area without
actually touching his nipple. Ben became bolder and began to inch his
fingers up under the edge of her bra. 

 Ray eased the kitchen door open slowly and preceded Bree into the
kitchen. He could smell Ben and Francesca's dinner and smiled. The house
was in darkness; he turned to Bree with a finger to his lips. He turned
the kitchen light on motioned for Bree to take a seat at the table. Ray
opened the refrigerator and saw the remains of the earlier meal. Thank you
Ma, he thought as he began removing the dishes to place them on the
counter. He turned on the oven and set the casserole dish inside to warm
it. Then opened the salad container. As quietly as he could he removed
silverware and dishes from their storage places and set them on the table.
Then he opened the refrigerator and removed a bottle of wine he had been
saving from its interior and set it on the table. 

 It was as he was setting the wine on the table, that Ray realized he had
not heard any sounds in the house. He was puzzled because he knew Franny
and Ben were there. Bree sat watching him move around quietly, but she too
had noticed the unusual silence in the house. 

 Becoming worried, Ray motioned for Bree to sit still and removed his gun
from his holster and proceeded to move down the darkened hall. He checked
out Grandmere's room first. Franny wasn't there. He moved with stealthy
movements towards Ben's door. Ben wasn't there. Fear griped Ray's throat
as he removed his shoes and continued towards the living room. He heard
the TV and slowly inched his way towards the darkened room. He leaned back
against the doorway and put his head back against the doorjamb. He saw the
light from the TV playing across the room. At first, he didn't see a
thing. Then he noticed two sets of shoes on the floor in front of the sofa
and he took a slow step forward trying to see into the room better. The TV
suddenly threw a brighter light into the room as the scene on it became
filled with the color of cartoon daylight. It was then that Ray saw Ben
sprawled out on the sofa, his back to the TV. Ray relaxed and lowered his
gun. Aw, Benny was tired and sleeping he thought, that is until he saw one
of Francesca's little hands snaking around Ben's torso to pull on the
flannel shirt and trying to pull it out of Ben's jeans. 

 "Shit" Ray said to himself as he backed away from the door, his face
turning red. It was then that he heard the music on the TV. "Go ahead and
kiss the girl," was playing from The Little Mermaid. He knew that scene
well. That's what they had been watching. Well go figure, he thought.
Canadians, who would ever figure that Ben would watch that with Franny. 

 Ray backed away from the door slowly and tiptoed back down the hall. He
entered the kitchen with a smile on his face. "We eat the salad quietly
and we leave. " He watched Bree's expressive face as he removed their meal
from the oven. "I'll explain later. But for now, we have to be quiet like
mice. OK." 

 Bree had a good imagination and she couldn't wait for Ray's explanation. 

 Chapter 42 

 Ray opened the kitchen door to let Bree step out in front of him then
closed the door very carefully behind him. 

 He took Bree into his arms and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. "That's
for being so quiet." 

 "Thank you kind sir, but why were we so quiet." She asked with a hint of
mischief in her eyes as she had a very good idea of what was going on in
the house. 

 "Benny's doing a lot better than I thought he was. He and Franny are
using the living room for practice." Ray smiled. 

 "Excuse me," she looked confused. "Practice?" 

 "Yea, Benny and Franny are exploring mutual territory." Ray grinned. When
Bree still gave him a funny look, "Look my little sister and my best
friend are in the living of my home necking. Boy are they necking." He
gave an embarrassed laugh. "An I am not about to interrupt them." 

 Bree gave him a worried look. "I gathered they might be in the living
room kissing when I saw your face when you came back. I can see Ben's
therapy session this week is going to be eventful" She looked at the
ground ruefully. "I think I may have to remove myself from his case, Ray."


 "Why?" 

 "Because I'm getting far too personally involved in this whole
Vecchio/Fraser family. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep being objective."


 "Ahhhh." 

 "What does Ahhhhh mean?" 

 "I don't know, ask Benny." Ray laughed as they walked arm in back to the
RIV and headed out for dinner in a restaurant. 

 Francesca felt her bra lifting from her skin and her skin tingled as she
felt his finger fumbling with the bra's edge. She ran her hand even closer
to his nipples as she felt him begin to rub the underside of her breasts.
Deepening her kiss into his mouth, she lay quietly as he began to explore
her small, tight breasts whose nipples were straining at the cloth of her
bra. 

 He let his fingers roam freely over her but avoided touching her nipples
as she was avoiding his. He gently pushed her bra up and away from his
hands noticing it was one of those sports bras that were more like a tank
top than a stiff bra. He tried pulling his mouth away from Franny's only
to have her follow his lips with hers. He sighed and returned his
attention to her mouth. He let his hand cup the underside of her left
breast and slowly squeezed it gently before rubbing the skin with the palm
and the back of his hand. Franny had finally found the last button on his
shirt and was busy pulling the shirt away from his torso and out of his
jeans. She pushed her arm up under his armpit to feel the back of his head
and began running her hand up and down his back as he had moved up and
down hers. His skin was warm and soft and smooth. She could feel his
musculature easily as she wandered up and down the back of his torso.
Nearing the area she knew to be scarred from Ray's gunshot she slowed her
pace and began using small fluttering touches to his skin then altering
those touches with almost grasping rubbing. She smiled to herself as he
gathered her even closer to him and continued to lock his mouth with hers.
Emboldened, she dropped her hand down to the lower area of his back just
above his jeans and began teasing her fingers along the edge of the belted
jeans. 

 Benton moved his mouth back down to Francesca's neck trying to breath as
his breathing began becoming rapidly shallow and fast. He brought his hand
up to cup her chin and held her face gently before kissing each of her
eyes and laying his head back into her hair. Her breathing was quickening
like his as she gasped each time he kissed her ear under her hair. With
one quick move her hand was inside his jeans and under his boxer shorts.
She stilled her hand and pulled his body towards hers. With a low moan
Benton regained his control of her mouth and nibbled at her lips. She
entwined the hair of his lower pelvic region into her fingers and gently
teased it with her fingers until she could feel the quivering of his hips
as he tried to keep his body still. Ben stopped his brail search of her
lips with his tongue to take in a breath of air. Francesca chose that
moment to lower her head towards the uncovered areas of his chest. She
settled her mouth over his collarbone and kissed him in a way that he
almost wasn't sure had been a kiss. As she littered tiny kisses over his
chest, she put more and more finger pressure on his pelvis, driving her
fingers gently into his skin. She licked his torso and let her lips find
their way towards one of his nipples while removing her hand from inside
his jeans. By the time her mouth settled over his right nipple, he was
gasping and shivering beyond control. Her mouth formed a seal over his
tightly rising nipple and she sucked lightly over the area. She could feel
Benton begin to shudder under her mouth and dropped away to take his mouth
with hers while letting her hand cover the nipple and gently pinch the
nipples tip. She felt his hips beginning to rock towards her as she moved
her own body towards his. He lowered his head to trace his lips over her
exposed stomach and linger near her breasts with his tongue. He kissed her
breast lingeringly and searchingly avoiding the hardening nipple. 

 Francesca lowered her hand towards his abdomen and gently fingered the
top of his belted jeans. As her hand worked around the clothes edge, she
maneuvered her thumb under the leather of the belt as it wound through the
hasp of the buckle. Slowly she worked until the leather was entirely loose
from the buckles hasp. When the buckle was open, she worked stealthily to
open the jeans closure snap to give her hand more room to roam his skin.
Ben softly ran his hand down her torso and inserted his fingers in the
band of her slacks and used the material to pull her closer to him before
running his hand around to her backside and wrapping his arm around her
slender waist. He put his nose in her hair again and gently teased with
his teeth before lightly nibbling on the whorls of her ear. It pleased him
to feel her kissing his chest; it warmed him to his very core. She let her
hand slid well within his jeans and stopped moving for a minute to see if
she could gage his reaction. He pulled her closer and dropped his own hand
down inside the waistband at the back of her slacks. They held each other
gently, passionately as they sought out each other's mouths again. 

 Her hand became warm and lax as she let it lay across his lower abdomen
just above his pubic hair. In the recesses of her mind she knew she would
go no further without a positive signal from him. She brought her hand up
slightly and ran it over his side and onto the skin of his beautiful rear.
Francesca wanted desperately to push Ben onto his back and lie astride his
chest holding him to her. She was surprised when he drew her down further
into the sofa and almost covered her body with his. She expected to be
crushed and feel little but found he was holding himself a little away
from her as he partially knelt on shaking leg muscles. He made sure her
head was on the same level as his before moving her over slightly and
lowering himself in the v of the sofa cushions that she had been lying in
while they kissed. He drew her back to him turning them so that he was
almost covered by her body. Gently he grasped the back of head and drew
her down into another soul shaking kiss. Francesca began pushing his shirt
off of his shoulders in an attempt to feel more of his skin beneath her
searching fingers. As she pushed harder on the shirt to push it over his
shoulder and down onto his arm, Francesca used her mouth to take
possession of his neck and collarbone. 

 Francesca was so absorbed in removing Ben's shirt that she didn't notice
his sudden hiss of breath and cessation of movement. She pulled on his
shoulder and he raised it obligingly for her to try and get it down over
his arm. She only succeeded in trapping his arm next to his body. His lips
became lax against hers and she found herself staring at his face as he
lost all expression and stopped moving with her as his coloring became
very pale. Beads of sweat ran down his face as his eyes stared at the
ceiling. His breathing was rapid and becoming quickly out of control. But
Ben seemed oblivious to his surroundings and Francesca became frightened
as she quickly pulled herself away from Ben. His skin was quickly becoming
cold and clammy and Francesca realized she had to move quickly. 

 Jumping up from the sofa, she grabbed a sofa pillow and stuffed it under
Ben's feet then she quickly covered him with the blanket that was kept
over the sofa's blanket. His breathing was becoming more and more erratic
and Franny reached over into the drawer of the table by the sofa and
pulled out a brown paper lunch bag that her mother had insisted they keep
there where Ben was having hyperventilation problems. She held the bag
over his mouth and watched his coloring, which had gone very pale begin to
return as he began to breath normally. She was about to pick up the phone
and call Ray when Ben really opened his eyes and saw her standing over him
with the most frightened look he had ever seen on her face. 

 "What happened?" he asked. 

 "I'm not sure, you tell me." Francesca said as she dropped down next to
the sofa and gently brushed the hair from his forehead. "Please don't do
that to me again OK." 

 Chapter 43 

 Ben felt sick to his stomach, sweaty and embarrassed as he looked up at
Francesca through dazed eyes. He was aware of her hand smoothing his hair
away from his sweaty forehead and he couldn't help but be astonished at
the concern for him he saw in her eyes. Ben bit his lower lip as he felt
his eyes feel watery. 

 "Do you want me to call Ray or Bree?" 

 "No! I mean, no. Thank you. Dr. McBride and I discussed the possibility
that something like this might happen." 

 Franny scrunched her shoulders down and winced, "You discussed having sex
with me with Bree?" Franny croaked in a tiny whisper. She could see that
conversation in her minds eye. 

 Ben squinted, "Not precisely Francesca. We discussed the possibility that
at some point I might become involved in se.. in se.. er ah activity of
that nature and the problems I might face. The discussion was quite
general in nature, I assure you." He cracked his neck and tried to look
her squarely in the eye. 

 "Ok, so did Dr. McBride tell you might have this kind of a reaction?"
Francesca motioned with her right hand for him to talk while still
smoothing his hair with her left hand. 

 Ben squirmed uncomfortably on the sofa and replied. "She did indicated
that there was the possibility that any first "encounter" might have some
kind of negative reaction on my part." 

 "Ok, so you weren't unaware that something like this could happen to
you." 

 "Yes, I knew." Ben lowered his eyelids in shame. 

 "Oh Ben, it's all right." Francesca dropped her head down next to his so
that their ears were touching. "You didn't do anything wrong. DO you hear
me, Ben? You did not do anything wrong." She pulled back to brush her lips
against his cheek. 

 "I don't, it's just, I mean, I couldn't er wouldn't have attempted to er,
you a.." he ran his tongue nervously over his lips trying to calm himself
down. 

 "Ben, breath. Remember to breath." Francesca ran her eyes anxiously over
his features trying to gage if she should override his request and contact
Ray and Bree. 

 Ben closed his eyes and concentrated on relaxing as he felt her little
hands take his right hand to her lips and kiss it. She held his hand next
to her face and then laid her head on his chest. She listened to his
breathing and to the beating of his heart. With each beat of his heart and
each deeper breath she began to relax. 

 A few minutes later, Francesca adjusted the blanket over him and sat on
the floor next to him as he drifted in a light slumber. She was still
tempted to call Bree and talk to her but she knew that was up to Ben. She
glanced at the living room clock and saw that it was barely 7 o'clock. She
and Ben would be able to talk before Ray returned from his date with Bree.


 Ben drifted slowly up through a haze of ill feeling and opened his eyes
to see Francesca's dark curly head leaning against the sofa. He was so
amazed by her. Seeing her here in her family home had shown him what he
had suspected all long, Brash Police Aid Franny was a character she put on
to protect herself from the wise cracks of others. He thought she had
become so good at it that even her own brother didn't realize just how
sensitive Francesca could be. 

 His thoughts began running over each blissful moment of their exploration
of each other before he blacked out. He turned each gesture, each
movement, and each kiss over in his mind. When he ventured into their
actions just before he blacked out he realized that he had unconsciously
placed Francesca in a position of control over him. But he realized that
it wasn't until she tried helping him free himself of his shirt that he
had really panicked before blacking out. He knew they were going to have
to discuss this together and he was definitely going to have to discuss it
with Bree. Well, maybe not Bree. Perhaps he should think about changing
therapists. While he ran these thoughts through his mind, he came to the
realization that there was no other woman that he had met in his entire
existence that would have been as patient with him as Francesca. She gave
him the same gentle consideration she gave Chase, but treated him as an
adult. He could picture them old and on the porch of a house or cabin and
knew that he had found someone to grow old with, someone finally for him.
Of the few women he had been interested in, none had combined both
protectiveness of him and need like Francesca. Yes, he had thought he
might love Meg Thatcher at one point, but she was far too wrapped up in
her career and would never need him the way Francesca might need him. And
Victoria had gloried in the fact that she could control him in and out of
bed. Francesca didn't revel in control like Victoria and unlike Meg;
career was secondary to what life had to offer her. 

 Ben lifted his right hand dropped it lovingly on Francesca's hair. She
turned her face towards him with clear open eyes that searched his face as
well as his eyes. Victoria always looked at his face, but rarely met his
eyes. Meg was always aware of his physique and his face but not his eyes,
never really and truly his eyes. But he knew Francesca watched his eyes,
read him in them like a book in which only she knew the written language. 

 "Francesca, we have to talk." Ben said in a husky whisper. 

 "I know," Francesca, whispered back as Ben turned on his side and pulled
her in for a quick kiss. "I know we do." 

 Chapter 44 

 Ray breezed into the kitchen through the back door and turned on the
kitchen light. What an evening he thought as he checked the time on the
kitchen clock. He'd been out with Bree for most of the day and was mildly
surprised to find it was already 10 p.m. He wondered if Ben and Francesca
were still away and headed down the hall towards the living room.
Francesca's bedroom door was closed and he could see light coming from
Ben's out into the hallway. When he approached the doorway, he could hear
their voices pitched for only the two of them to hear. He knocked on the
doorframe and walked in with his normal nonchalant grace of movement. 

 They look like two kids caught keeping a secret he thought. I wonder what
they're up to now. But he smiled at them as if didn't notice their quick
exchange of intimate looks and the fact that they were holding hands. 

 "Hi Ray," Francesca kept her hand entwined in Benton's fingers as he lay
atop the covers of his bed. 

 Ben lay with his back comfortably on his pillows turned slightly on his
side with a shy smile on his face as he watched the back of Francesca's
head. His eyes seemed darker than usual with faint circles under them. But
his smile, even if shy, was far broader than it usually was of late. 

 "You two want a snack or something. I thought I might eat a little
something and then go on up to bed." Neither Francesca nor Benton answered
him. Ray looked from happy face to the other. "Naw, I can see you aren't
hungry." Ray turned around and began to walk out the door but hung back to
ask, "You going to church tomorrow?" 

 Francesca blushed, thinking of the confession she should be making this
week and said, "Yes, we're going." 

 Ray noticed she hadn't let Benton's hand go the entire time he had been
in the room and smiled to himself. Father Behan might be in for an earful
tomorrow. "You riding with me or driving yourself Franny." He noticed Ben
seem to jerk Francesca's hand a little but thought nothing of it as he
heard Franny say she would be driving Ben to church. 

 Francesca waited until she heard Ray puttering about the kitchen to turn
to Ben. "This isn't going to be an easy two weeks, is it?" She put her
head down and kissed each of Ben's fingers. 

 "It'll be what we make it Chesca." Ben said with a smile drawing their
joined hands to his own lips. 

 "I'll wake you early, Ok." Francesca said as she stood up and handed Ben
the pajamas he had laid out on his chair earlier. She leaned over and
whispered in his ear, "Though the dark of night keep us separate, I will
keep our love temperate and hold it in my heart as twer cupid's own dart."
She dropped a swift kiss on his hair and fled the room. 

 Ben's smiled as he watched her flee. 

 The three of them rose early Sunday and prepared for church without the
normal Vecchio/Fraser entourage. Breakfast was a quiet affair for the
three of them over quickly and the mess put away efficiently. Just before
the were to leave for church the phone rang and Ben answered it to find
Chase on the phone wishing him a merry Sunday and babbling about all the
things they had done on Saturday. Ben listened to Chase with a parent's
patient smile. Dief and the puppy crept up to him and sat with their heads
cocked in the direction of the phone. Ben put the phone down for them to
listen and laughed as the puppy tried to lick the phone. Ben wished Chase
a good time and asked for another call later in the week. He hardly had
time to say he loved the boy before Chase was hanging up. 

 Franny saw the pensive look on Ben's face as he hung up the phone and
walked over to put a hand on his shoulder. "This will all be over soon,
Ben. Then it will be your turn to show Chase other parts of the world." 

 Ben looked up, "I knew you would understand. He's having such a great
time. All of the kids are if I judge correctly by the sounds behind
Chase." 

 "Well, let's get our day underway. We have shopping to do this afternoon
after church and then you get to rest Mr. Fraser." Francesca laughed gaily
as she pushed Ben's chair down the hall. 

 Monday morning arrived quietly. Ray ran off to work and Francesca and Ben
prepared for another hospital visit for Ben. This time he was being driven
by Francesca and would be seeing Bree and the physiotherapist. 

 Physical therapy went well and the therapist told Ben he would be
reporting good progress to Ben's doctors. If his visit on Friday went as
well, it might be possible to begin working with the crutches very soon.
Ben and Franny went up to Bree's office where Ben became very nervous
about seeing Bree. Franny was well aware of his hesitation as he moved off
from her into Bree's office. 

 "Morning Ben." Bree's bright smile accompanied her greeting as she opened
Ben's file out on her desk. 

 Ben positioned his chair near her desk as he usually did on his office
visits but this time he was more nervous than usual and she could see it. 

 "Looks like you have something bothering you Ben." 

 Ben who usually hemmed and hawed all over the place before he would let
Bree know what was bothering him, began a short recitation of what had
happened to him Saturday night. "I know you warned me that there might be
problems for me. But the person I am involved with, I mean the person I
love is very much interested in working my problems out with me fully
knowing that some of them will just have to be handled by myself. I need
to know what you think. We, this person and I, were engag..express, I mean
we were a " 

 "In a loving situation." Offered Bree. 

 "Yes, and through no fault of this other person's, I found I had blacked
out and then had a panic attack." 

 "Have you and this, er..person talked about the problem. How long were
you out?" 

 "Yes, we have talked about it. Perhaps 2 minutes we think." 

 "I am going to be a little blunt here Ben. Ok." She watched his face turn
even rosier in color. "Were you kissing." She waited for an answer. "Just
nod Ben, you don't have to say anything. I know how uncomfortable you are.
Were things, ah, very intense?" 

 Ben gulped, "Intense, as in?" 

 Bree smiled sweetly, "sans clothing?" 

 "No, but that would have been the next step." Ben twirled his hat in his
hand almost mangling his beloved Stetson. 

 "Then was it a control situation?" 

 Ben looked at her quizzingly. "I had the problem when we began to, when
this other person began helping me...(he lowered his voice to a tiny
whisper) remove my shirt." 

 "Which of you was in the more shall we say upright position?" Bree
quizzed, "You or the other person? She watched his eyes. "Ok, the other
person." She hesitated a moment as she watched Ben's movements. "Can you
tell me how the other person feels about this?" 

 Ben's eyes brightened and he sat straighter in his chair. "She took
charge of the situation quickly, getting me comfortable, warming me, even
holding the bag for me to breath. She sat by me for an hour before making
me go to my room to lie down. She stayed with me for the rest of the
evening. Not once did she upbraid me for my actions, for disappointing
her. She was kind, understanding, loving. She's kept the situation to
herself. She wants to be included for what she calls 'the long haul'." 

 "Sounds like this other person, is someone you can count on Ben." 

 "She is." 

 "Ben, I am going to make two suggestions here. One is that the two of you
seek help with a couple's therapist who is familiar with situations like
yours. The other is that I am going to ask you to switch therapists. I
know you are comfortable with our visits, but." Bree's face became red
tinged quickly. "Ray and I are getting close and that means that sooner or
later you and I will be seeing each other on a social basis. That would
not be ethical of me. I will still help you with anything you need
regarding the court case, but I must remove myself from my position as
your therapist." 

 Ben blew out a loud sigh of air and looked a little frightened. 

 "Ben, I know change is hard for you, but in this case I think the change
would be good or both of us." 

 Ben nodded his head and looked at the rug. 

 "Now that I am officially off you case. I think Franny is just the right
person for you. I've met her a couple of times and she's a veritable tiger
where you're concerned. Just remember to take your, er, experimentations
slow. OK." 

 Ben's head bounced up and he smiled broadly at Bree. "Not many people see
what I see in Francesca. She's a surprise package. A wonderful box that
you have to take the bow off slowly." 

 "I think you're right. She's brass on the outside, silver and gold hidden
on the inside. Did she come with you today?" 

 "Yes. We're taking the afternoon off from our regular routines." 

 "Ask her if she'd like to come to dinner sometime soon with myself and
Ray. The long haul sounds good." 

 Ben met Francesca at the reception area with Bree. They stood around for
minute chatting before Ben and Francesca got on their way. 

 Chapter 45 

 Ray came home to find dinner on the table and Ben and Francesca busily
working together in the kitchen. He stood leaning on the doorframe of the
kitchen watching them work silently together. Seeing them together, Ray
wondered how he could ever have been so damn jealous. He stilled loved Ben
deep in his soul, but was more than willing for Ben to have the kind of
life that would be best for him. That life looked like it was going to
include Franny. 

 Ben and Francesca saw Ray standing in the doorframe at the same time.
They stopped whispering together and looking guiltily at each other. 

 "Just in time for dinner, Bro." Francesca said as she put the main entre
on the table. Ray was surprised to see it was a meal made from scratch and
not one of the frozen meals his mother had left for them. 

 "You're kidding, right," Ray said with a sly smile as he slid into his
chair. "Which one of you cooked?" 

 They laughed at him. "I did the side dishes, Francesca did the main
course." Ben said with a suave wave of his hand towards Francesca. 

 "Is it edible!" Ray said with a squeak in his voice. 

 "Yes Ray, it's edible." Ben said with a slight smile thinking of the
taste testing he had done earlier as Francesca made the souffl batter. 

 Franny gave her a brother a dignified look of disgust and began eating
her meal. 

 Suspiciously Ray lifted some souffl onto his fork and stuck his tongue
out to taste it. His eyes grew large as the melting taste of the souffl's
ingredients disappeared on his tongue. "Hey, this is good." 

 Ben and Francesca watched him eat about one third of his portion before
laughing out loud at him. 

 "What?" Ray looked at them in disgust. "It's good. Very good, Franny." He
looked down at his plate. "Sure you made this?" 

 Francesca threw her napkin at Ray and started to push her chair back from
the table. Ben reached over and placed his hand lightly on her wrist. "I
think he's teasing you Franny." 

 Realizing he had truly hurt his sister's feelings Ray picked up her
napkin and offered it back to her. "Yea, Franny I was teasing you." 

 Francesca looked at Ray with watery eyes accompanying her smile. "You
usually mean the mean things you say Ray." 

 "Franny, I think it's time we got past all that. I'm sorry. I'll try not
to tease you so much." He watched her carefully, "I promise." 

 Ben sat quietly taking in the exchange, his eyes bouncing from brother to
sister and back again. He smiled but made no comment. 

 After dinner the three of them cleared the table, did the dishes and went
into the living room. Ray turned on the TV and sat in his favorite chair. 

 "Hey, what's with you two and "The Little Mermaid?" Ray asked. 

 "What are you talking about?" Franny gave Ray an incredulously funny
look. 

 Ray thought fast. He didn't want them to know he'd seen them the night
before as they necked on the sofa. "I checked the VCR this morning. You
two used it last and that was the movie that was in it." Quick recover Ray
thought. 

 Franny shook her head. "No, we watched something else." 

 "Well, that's what was in the VCR." 

 Franny jumped up and picked up the box for the movie she had thought was
in the VCR. It was empty. She picked up the box for "The Little Mermaid"
and discovered the movie they had wanted to watch inside the case. 

 Laughing with embarrassment Ben stated flatly, "Remember the kids
dropping the pile of tapes last week. Chase helped put them back. He can't
read." 

 Ben and Francesca burst out laughing. Ray sat back and watched them
happily swinging his foot in the air as he tilted his chair back. 

 Tuesday morning, Ray left for work in a happier mood than usual. When he
had been gone for an hour, Ben picked up the phone and dialed Inspector
Thatcher's number at the consulate. 

 Meg answered the phone as she passed the reception desk on her way into
her office. Really where was that man. Turnbull was usually so prompt. She
swung her dark hair away from her and listened before answering. Turnbull
walked up to sit at the desk as she began making notes on his desk
blotter. 

 "No, I quite understand. Your request is not unreasonable and under the
circumstances I see no reason not to process your request. We shall see
you Thursday at 11 a.m. then. No, I assure you Constable Fraser, it will
not be a problem. I'm happy to hear you're doing so well. See you then." 

 She wiped her face up to look Turnbull directly in the eye, a defiant
look in hers. "Turnbull, we need to fill out a 1059B-A stroke 2-C." 

 "A 2-C sir! My, that requires two witnessed signatures." 

 "Yes Turnbull I know, yours and mine." And with that curt remark she
marched into her office slamming the door behind her. 

 Turnbull walked up to the door and stood there quietly for a minute. He
shook his head and returned to his desk to pull out the required forms. 

 Chapter 46 

 Wednesday morning found Ray still in a jaunty mood. There were no breaks
on Ben's case, but hey Benny was looking better and seemed to be enjoying
the quiet time the three of them were getting in the normally horrendously
loud Vecchio home. He checked all the stakeout positions along the street
as he left noticing Huey and Duey had car detail today. Lucky them Ray
thought. Those two are going to have a really quiet day doing nothing but
sit in that car. 

 About an hour after Ray left, Francesca bounced down the porch steps as
Ben and Dief came out of the house. Ben was using the wheelchair but had
his bright new shiny crutches in a carry pouch on the back of the chair.
Dief jumped and scrambled for a circle run around the yard Ben went to the
trunk of Francesca's car and collapsed the chair pulled out the crutches
and waited for Franny to help him put the chair in the trunk. If he'd been
alone he would have thrown the thing in by himself, but he knew Francesca
would yell if he overdid. He smiled to himself After closing the chair in
the trunk and walking by Ben's side as he slowly made it to the passenger
door, Francesca ran around the front of the car and started her engine. 

 "You know Ray put a radio in this thing last night." Franny reported with
a laugh. 

 "I heard him out here cursing, as did you Francesca." Ben laughed again
as he remembered looking out the window to see Ray's feet hanging out
Francesca's car door as he installed the radio. 

 Franny checked out her side mirror as she pulled onto the street and
laughed. "It's the duck boys today. Shall I lose them?" 

 "That would be unsporting of you Francesca." Ben said as he picked up the
mic to the radio. "Huey, we will maintain a steady speed and shall
endeavor to keep you in our rear view mirror." Ben put the mic back with a
decided grin on his face. 

 "Oh, you are so bad." Franny laughed as the little car sped down their
street. "Ray's gonna flip." She smiled brightly at Ben. 

 Huey swore as he pulled his car out into traffic behind Francesca. He
looked at his partner and sighed, "Was it you who said this tail was gonna
be a piece of cake. I wonder where they're going today?" 

 Franny and Ben pulled into the hospital parking lot and retrieved Ben's
wheelchair from the trunk. 

 "Remember, the therapist said start using the crutches in therapy or for
very short moves, then use that chair." She planted a kiss on his hair as
he settled in the chair and handed her the crutches. 

 "Yes, I will try to adhere to those rules." 

 "Big difference between try and do Ben." She laughed. 

 Huey and Duey parked their vehicle near Franny's and waited. Duey
followed them into the foyer where he sat and waited. Huey stayed with the
car. 

 Once inside the hospital, Franny and Ben took the elevator to the
physiotherapy floor. About an hour and a half later they returned with Ben
looking a little flushed and Franny chattering as she pushed his chair
into the main lobby. They both saw Duey and nodded a cheery hello to him. 

 Ben and Franny returned to Franny's small car and gave Duey enough time
to come out inconspicuously and join Huey in their car. Franny picked up
her radio mic. "We're going shopping, you guys need anything?" 

 Huey raised his mic, and swore before answering Francesca. "No, Franny.
We'll do just fine following you." He sighed. "And don't use the mic too
much, OK." 

 Franny waved as she and Ben drove by and out into traffic. Ben was
clearly enjoying himself Franny thought. "Ready for the rest of our day?"
she asked him. 

 Ben's eyes were crinkled in the corners from laughing at Franny's
cavalier treatment of their tail. "Let's just do everything we talked
about yesterday and return early so I can relax before dinner. But yes, I
am ready for a day out. Thank you Francesca." 

 For the next four hours the couple crisscrossed across town doing a
little shopping here, a little shopping there and even stopping by a
furniture store before returning home. Huey and Duey were tired and grumpy
by the time Franny parked her little car back in the driveway and she and
Ben returned home. 

 Ben was more tired than he would admit to Francesca. He headed to his
room and sat for a moment picturing the new bed he had ordered to replace
the hospital bed he couldn't wait to get rid of for good. The new bed
would be delivered Friday afternoon. He placed the huge bag of new sheets
and linens on the overstuffed armchair and stood up slowly. Taking his
crutches out of their carry pouch, he used them to maneuver over the
closet where he removed his robe and fresh clothing. He returned to his
chair, and leaning his crutches against the wall glanced at the walker the
doctor had insisted he keep by his bedside now. Such small steps he
thought. But he realized they were concerned that he not put too much
pressure on the T8 vertebrae in his back yet. Right now all he could think
of was a bath. 

 A heavenly bubble bath using the bubbles Chase had given him. Ben rolled
out of his room and entered the bathroom with a happy little whistle. It
was only 2 o'clock and he had plenty of time for a good soak before he and
Franny made dinner. 

 He started the tub and poured in the heavenly lemon smelling bubble bath
that Chase had picked out as a welcome home gift for him. The smell was
clean and fresh and enervating for Ben. He closed the door and carefully
put the chair against the wall giving him some room to move about even
though he had to cling to solid things as he moved. Removing his clothing
he laid it on the back of the toilet and then checked the water's warmth.
It was warm and inviting. He leaned on the edge of the old claw tub and
carefully balanced himself on its edge before raising one leg and sliding
it gently down into the water. He used his arms and lifted himself up
enough to let the other leg slip up over the tub's edge and into the
water. Then he slowly immersed himself down into the bubbles. Sinking back
into the tubs warmth he felt all his tired muscles relax. Putting his head
back against the tub he closed his eyes. 

 Franny came out of Grandmere's room in her robe and her bath things in
her hand. She tiptoed down the hallway, thinking that Ben had said he was
probably going to lie down for a bit. She listened quietly in the hall
then tiptoed over the door of the bath and gently turned the knob and
backed into the room. 

 "I see we meet again." Ben said with a cheerful laugh, though he was
grateful for the covering of the bubbles. 

 Franny jumped and put her hand to her heart. "You're gonna kill me." She
said with smile, her eyes taking in what she could of the body not under
the bubbles. 

 "I shudda knocked" she said, "But I thought you said you were going to
lie down for bit." 

 "I am lying down." Ben said with perfect honesty. 

 Francesca leaned down and dropped a kiss on his moist hair. "So you are.
I guess I'll wait until you're done." She started to pull back only to
find he had clamped his hand on her wrist and was giving her that puppy
dog look Ray always talked about. 

 "Stay." Ben asked in a whisper. 

 "I shouldn't" she answered. 

 "Yes, you should." He retorted a small grin on his face. 

 Ben sat up in the water and gently took Franny's bath things out of her
hand and threw them into his wheelchair. He looked at her expectantly. Her
cheeks were turning red and she was watching him through hooded eyes. 

 "Join me." Ben pleaded in a small voice such as Chase might have used to
wheedle another cookie from her. She didn't move, indecision plain on her
face. He reached up gently placed his right hand on her neck while
searching her eyes with his. Slowly he lowered his hand to the belt of her
robe and played with the loose knotting of her belt. 

 "Shouldn't we wait?" She questioned with the tiniest of smiles on her
face. 

 "We can if you want to, after all I'm not sure if I er, if a ...but a
bath together might be fun." Ben responded turning beet red. 

 "You mean use this as sort of a therapy session," Franny giggled. "I like
this new doctor Bree is having you talk to, this kind of thing his idea." 

 "No, mine." Ben said as he leaned up to take possession of her lips with
his mouth. He slid a little in the tub, but put his hand up and pushed her
robe gently off her shoulders while they kissed. 

 Francesca leaned in closer and balanced on the side of the tub. She
helped Ben begin to remove her robe as they clung to their kiss, each
seeking to hold the other by their lips alone. The robe slid slowly off of
her back and down past her knees until it lay in a small pile at her feet.
Ben kept his lips locked to hers as he gently placed his arms around her
torso and slowly pulled her over the tubs edge until her body sank into
the bubbles over his to disappear beneath the frothy foam. Ben immediately
turned onto his side as Franny turned and settled herself next to him.
They opened their eyes as they lay there in the warm bubbly water. Their
skin felt warm and slippery to each other. They were silent for a moment
before beginning devouring kisses of the kind they had shared on the sofa
Saturday night. Ben's right hand roamed Francesca's back and side as he
felt her touching his chest and shoulder. Her small hands reached around
him and pulled him closer to her the while bubbles cascaded off their skin
as they moved about in the water. 

 Ben rolled over to cover Franny with his body and held himself off her by
placing his arms on either side of her against the tub's bottom. Her hair
was wet and clinging gently to her neck, her face was flushed and happy.
They moved their feet together and wrapped their legs around each other as
they stared into the other's perfect eyes. Greedily Ben leaned in to kiss
her again, letting his tongue seek the cavern of her mouth. Her tongue
lapped at his gently as she moved her body upwards in the water to feel
him against her. She pushed back on him gently and motioned with her hands
on his shoulders for him lie on side. 

 She ran her free hand over him slowly until she found one of his
hardening nipples. She delighted in the feel of him as he moved to use his
hands to seek out her breasts. They lay in the water sated with the
water's warmth as they learned each other's secret places. Their hands
sought to feel every inch of each other while their mouths took refuge in
the heat of kissing. He was amazed at her smallness; she couldn't believe
the beauty of him. 

 Ben closed his eyes as he felt the water as it surrounded his heated,
throbbing skin as it enlarged. He felt himself begin to shiver despite the
water's warmth. Francesca ran her hand over him gently, neither holding
nor pulling but molding her small hand around him. She sought his mouth
again hungrily seeking him, signaling him with her tongue to seek her out.
He held back almost withdrawing his mouth from hers only to have her put
her hand on the back of his head and try to clamp his head to hers. 

 He drew in a quick breath and kissed her more fiercely than he had ever
kissed anyone in his life. He took possession of her very soul as he
kissed, and sucked and nipped at her mouth. She pulled him tighter to her
and lowered her hand to his stretching warmth, nudging her hips towards
him demanding gently that he continue. 

 Ben stopped to look into her eyes and saw nothing but love and desire
there. He rolled them over until he was over her again and let his body
sink into the water until he was almost glued to every inch of her. She
wrapped her arms around him with a small satisfied sigh and tried to bring
their mouths into contact again while dancing her hips up to his in the
water teasing him to continue. She nodded and sought out his mouth again. 

 Ben's hands shook as he held himself up on one arm and sought to become
one with her. His first gentle touch was probing and shy. His fingers were
shaking in his attempt not to be clumsy with her very small frame. She
held herself still as he separated and touched her opening. Gently he felt
of her, touched every small piece of her before dropping his body fully
over hers with one movement making them one. 

 Franny gasped as he moved them in the water. He felt right to her. Each
movement he made was a caress, a touch of love. She hugged him to her
tightly and kissed his ear, his neck his face. Seeking his eyes, she
softly brushed them with her lips as they moved slowly in the water
building bubbly waves over them as they melded into one being. 

 Ben felt every movement of her little body as he felt the warm water
caress his back with undulating waves with each movement of his body. He
needed her, felt her, came with her as they settled with a final sigh in
the water. 

 "Chesca, I love you more than anyone I've ever known." Ben said shyly as
he lay gasping next to her in the frothy bubbles. "You are my courage, my
light, my heart." 

 "Caro." Franny. "Caro, I love you too." Franny looked directly into his
eyes. "I love you, my world, my heart." 

 They lay in the water until it began to turn cold. Ben sat up and added
warm water to the tub and picked up a sponge and soap. He began to lazily
soap the sponge then began gently cleaning Francesca. She giggled and
sighed letting him clean every inch of her before doing the same for him. 

 Some short time later, they were both drying off and putting on their
robes when they heard the front door open and Ray enter the house. 

 "Oh god," Franny said. "He's going to kill us." 

 Ben put his forehead down against hers. Then he dropped into his chair
and placed a towel around his neck. 

 Ray listened to the quiet house and put his hand over his gun. He looked
down the hall to see Dief and the puppy camped out outside the bathroom
door. Both had their heads cocked at a funny angle while listening to
whatever was going on behind the door. 

 Quietly, Ray walked up to the bathroom door and listened. He didn't hear
anything so he knocked then put his hand on the doorknob. Just as he
started opening it, Ben opened the door seated in his chair. "Hi Ray." He
said his skin all clean and flushed from his bath. Franny stood behind Ben
in her robe crushing her bath toiletries to her. She looked as clean and
flushed as Ben. 

 "I'm not even gonna ask," Ray said as he turned and headed towards the
kitchen. "What do you want for dinner, I'm cooking." He grinned as he
entered the kitchen. 

 Franny and Ben looked at each other and giggled. Ben ducked his head as
his face became red with embarrassment. Franny put her hand down and
raised his face to look at her. She kissed him and whispered, "I love
you." She straightened up and stepped jauntily in front of him and headed
towards her room, humming to herself. 

 Chapter 47 

 Some twenty minutes later, Franny entered the kitchen to find Ray setting
out place settings at the table. Ray looked at her with a disgusted look
and seemed to be listening for Ben. 

 Francesca walked over to the stove and looked around to see what Ray was
preparing for dinner. Three salads were already on the counter so
Francesca picked them and transferred them to the table. 

 Ray put his hand out and took Francesca by the shoulder turning her to
face him. "This what you really want, Sis?" 

 Francesca searched her brother's beautiful green eyes, his best feature
she thought. "Yes, Ray. It is what we want." 

 "No, Francesca I asked if it was what you want." 

 "Ray, we're not little kids." 

 "I know, grown ups get hurt a lot worse sometimes." 

 Francesca looked at her brother and knew there was more behind his remark
that he might discuss with her. "Ray, we're not kidding around with each
other. Ben and I have talked about this." 

 "Talked about safety have we?" Ray said with a severe look on his face. 

 "I said we weren't kids Ray. Yes, we have talked about safety." 

 "Talk is cheap Franny." Ray hugged his sister to him. 

 "I can get our blood test results if you want them Ray." Francesca
offered. "I know you and Ben have them done regularly for your jobs. Ben's
just been through more blood work. I, ah, get tested too." She thought
about her ex, the jerk. "I'm not stupid Ray. Don't you dare bother Benton
with this? He's got enough on his mind as it is. OK." 

 Ray pushed his sister away from him with a sigh, "I just don't want to
lose either one of you, OK." Ray paused then gave her a smile. "You get
the sauce on the table, and I'll get the pasta." 

 Ben sat in his wheelchair in the hall with his hands balled into fists.
He had heard everything that had been said in the kitchen. He was glad
Franny had answered Ray so directly. He was sure he wouldn't have been
able to the words out and would have been stupidly tongue-tied. He waited
another minute then entered the kitchen. 

 Ben parked the chair near the door and pulled his crutches out of their
pouch. He was about to use them when Dief and the puppy raced into the
kitchen to sit at his feet. "No Dief. Move out of my way." Ben said
through clenched teeth trying to keep a smile off of his face. 

 Francesca turned around to see Ben holding his crutches and admonishing
Dief. "Ah, caught red-handed again. You're on down time buster." She
gracefully walked over to him and took the crutches away. "Resting part of
the day, means that chair for most of the day. I heard the therapist,
remember." 

 "Better give in Ben. She's not about to give in." Ray said taking the
crutches from Franny; he put them back in the chair carry pouch. Ray
pushed Ben's chair to the table and locked the wheels. 

 "I'm not a child Ray." 

 "Yea, I kinda saw that when I came home tonight Benny." Ray rolled his
eyes and turned away from the table. 

 The three of them sat at the table eating quietly. Ben and Franny
sneaking looks at each other once in a while. Ray watched them silently. 

 After dinner they cleaned up the kitchen, letting Ben do only those
chores he didn't have to exert himself to do. Then they retired to the
living room and watched television until it was time for bed. Ray was
surprised to see Ben sit in his chair near Francesca's place on the sofa
without either of them going all gooey eyed over each other. Maybe Franny
was right, they were adults. He was probably just used to their usual,
Franny chasing Ben routine. Ray turned that over in his thoughts for a
minute. He couldn't actually remember the last time he had seen Benny
nervous in her presence. He couldn't remember the last time they had run
their one step near, two steps away routine. He was just going to have to
get used to the new Franny and Ben. 

 Thursday morning dawned with rain on the windowsills and water pouring
off the roof. Franny woke and frowned at the sound. She tossed back her
covers and went to the window. Puddles were already forming in the yard.
She put her head against the window and frowned. 

 Ben woke to the sounds of the rain beating on his window. He pushed his
covers off and pulling his walker to him rose and slowly made his way to
the window. He placed his hand on the glass and watched the water puddling
in the yard. It was chilly by the window; he leaned back and drew in a
long cool breath of air. With a smile on his face he returned to his
closet and pulled out jeans and his best flannel shirt. Minutes later he
was dressed and using his chair to head to the kitchen. 

 Ray was finishing a bowl of oatmeal when Ben joined him in the kitchen.
Ray noticed the outfit Ben wore but didn't question it. He went back to
eating quietly. Ben scooped out a bowl of oatmeal for himself and settled
into the chair across from Ray. 

 "Aren't you running a little late today, Ray?" Ben questioned with a
little smile as he looked at the time on the clock. 

 Franny entered the room dressed in her best dress slacks and a nice
sweater to hear Ray say, "Naw, Welsh told me to come in around 10 today
cause he wants me to do some after hours work. I'm just gonna hang around
here until about 9:30." 

 Ben and Francesca ate their oatmeal in silence. Franny cleaned all the
bowls and the pan and then began cleaning little areas of the kitchen
counter. Ben remarked that he wanted to do some therapy and left the room.
Ray looked his sister over, sighed and then left to go sit in the living
room with the morning paper he had retrieved from the front porch earlier.


 At 9:25 Ray gathered up his coat and yelled out that he was leaving. Dief
and the puppy looked up at him questioningly. "Oh no you don't, you both
were out not along ago and I'm not cleaning up muddy paw prints. Not this
morning." He went out the front door laughing. 

 Within seconds of Ray's departure, Ben's head popped out his bedroom
door. He looked to the front doorway and smiled. Franny came out of the
kitchen and walked down he hall to stand by her door. 

 "Clear." She asked. 

 "Yep." 

 They both disappeared into their rooms and returned quickly with
raincoats in their hands. Franny carried a large umbrella of the kind
golfers use. They put their coats on and went out to the front porch. They
watched the rain, looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
Franny ran down to the car opened the doors and ran to the trunk. She
unlocked the trunk leaving it partially open then ran back to Ben. She
walked behind him as they went down the ramp. She kept him covered by the
umbrella as he handed her the crutches and then collapsed the wheelchair.
Together they lifted the chair into the trunk and slammed the lid down.
Francesca handed him the crutches and escorted him to the passenger seat.
Within minutes, they were on their way driving past an exasperated Huey
and Duey. 

 Francesca crisscrossed the town making a few stops here and there.
Finally she pulled up outside the Canadian Consulate around 10:45 a.m. She
motioned for Ben to stay seated and jumped out with her umbrella to open
the trunk and remove the wheelchair. She slammed the trunk shut and
trundled the chair up to the door of the Consulate. 

 Constable Turnbull answered the door with one of his genuinely huge
smiles. 

 "Ah, Miss Vecchio. Is Constable Fraser with you?" he said looking
vacantly down at the empty wheelchair. 

 "Yes, Turnbull, he is with me. However, I left him in the car, I was
wondering if you could..." 

 "Say no more," Turnbull said stepping out the door. He danced lightly
down the Consulate steps and approached Francesca's car. 

 Ben opened his car door and prepared to get out with his crutches in
hand. 

 "Allow me sir." Turnbull leaned over and literally scooped Ben out the
car and stood up holding him easily in his arms. Turnbull used one foot
and kicked the car door shut before proceeding up the Consulate steps. 

 Ben's mouth hung open in shock. He had not expected to be picked up by
Turnbull or carried like a child up the steps and into the Consulate.
Franny looked at him with mischief in eyes and Turnbull set Ben in the
wheelchair. 

 "Is there anything else I can do for you Sir?" Turnbull stood anxiously
by the Ben's chair. 

 "No thank you. Turnbull. You've done quite enough." Ben said with a
slightly amused smile on his face. 

 "Then I will inform Inspector Thatcher that you've arrived." 

 Francesca let out a giggle as Turnbull disappeared behind Thatcher's
closed door. "Ben, I always knew he was strong...but." 

 "Must be all the work he does around here." Ben said with a laugh. 

 As Franny cocked her head trying to understand Ben's comment, Inspector
Thatcher came out of her office. 

 "It's good to see you looking so well Constable. I talked to your doctors
yesterday regarding your medical leave. They think we might have you back
here sometime the first of the year. Er, that is if you want to come
back." She looked nervously over to Francesca and smiled one of her
functionary smiles, but her doe brown eyes were sad. 

 "I do want to come back, Sir." Ben shook his head wondering why she would
think he might want to stay away. 

 "Well," Thatcher cleared her throat, "Won't you both step into my office.
I've been having Turnbull fill out your daily reports Constable. Efficient
as he is, he is not up to your standards. There are those reports to look
at and then the paperwork you requested needs to be filled out." She
turned on her heels, military fashion and preceded them into her office. 

 Franny and Ben followed her, shutting the door behind them. 

 Thatcher offered Francesca a seat on the office sofa. She turned to Ben
and they began quickly going over the paper work Thatcher had out on her
desk next to an open briefcase. 

 "I thought perhaps you might like something to do now that you're feeling
more yourself. I took the liberty of compiling this paperwork together for
you that you can do at home." Her voice trailed off softly on the word
home. 

 "Thank you Inspector. I would enjoy getting back into the habit of
working." Ben looked at each stack as Meg handed them to him and then
carefully placed the items into the briefcase. 

 Francesca watched Ben's eyes shine as he looked at the work he could do
at home. She smiled at him and continued to watch the two officers'
discuss what Ben could do and how Turnbull could it bring it back and
forth to the Consulate. 

 Finally they got to the paper work that Ben had requested. 

 "And finally, Constable, here is the 1059B-A stroke 2-C you requested."
Thatcher glanced over at Francesca who smiled brightly back at her. "I
took the liberty of starting to fill it out, but you will need to complete
it and pay the filing fee." 

 "Yes, sir. I understand and have the required fee with me, in Canadian
money." 

 "Fine, then we can proceed." 

 Ben leaned over the desk and began writing. Thatcher was surprised that
he didn't ask any questions of Francesca. She watched him filling out the
paperwork and smiled. Umm...not so young after all, she smiled to herself.
Finally Ben signed the paper and held out the pen to Francesca. 

 Franny walked over to look at the paper and read it carefully. Smiling,
she took the pen from and signed her name. As she stood up, Turnbull
knocked and stuck his head in the door. 

 "Sirs, your other visitor is here." 

 "Send him Constable." Thatcher threw back her shoulders and watched as
both Ben and Francesca held themselves a little straighter. 

 Meg Thatcher put out her hand in a genuine welcome. "Welcome to Canada."
Shaking the visitor's hand, she turned to Ben and Francesca. "The paper
work is completed per Canadian law requirements. Are you registered with
our government sir?" She wondered if Ben had checked into that little
loophole. 

 "I believe you will find, he has brought the required credentials with
him Inspector." Ben said extending his hand to the visitor. "Thank you for
coming." 

 The visitor handed over his paperwork to the Inspector. "I only hope this
is the first of these occasions where I will be seeing you and Francesca,
Benton." 

 Franny smiled and stood happily next to Ben. 

 "Is our other signature witness here?" the visitor asked as Turnbull
entered the room. 

 "Yes, he's here." Thatcher indicated by hand motion for Turnbull stand
next to her. 

 "Fine, if you are satisfied that everything is in order Inspector, we may
proceed." The visitor said with a kindly smile. 

 Turnbull wiped his eye. This was so beautiful. He sighed. 

 Thatcher gave Turnbull a bullying look and turned back to Ben and Franny
who were looking at each other. She felt a catch in the back of her throat
as she noticed the loving looks they were exchanging. She wished she had
never given him that order to forget the train. Well, she was a Mountie,
she could do this. 

 Chapter 48 

 Thirty minutes later, Turnbull wheeled in a teacart laden with tea,
coffee and a small teacake. Meg played host and served the other four
people in the room. Ben and Franny sat next to each other on the sofa,
Ben's chair next to it. 

 Meg sat down with her cup and chose a small piece of the teacake. "I will
send the necessary paper work to your attorney as you requested Constable
along with Chase's new guardianship papers." She smiled at Francesca
thinking that the last half hour had been all for Chase's benefit. Meg
couldn't fault Francesca for that. 

 Ben sipped a little of his tea before looking Meg in the eye. "Thank you
Inspector, I appreciate your help in these matters." As Ben spoke he put
out his free hand to cover Francesca's hand that lay in her lap. She gave
him a quick loving smile in return. 

 Meg's heart cracked in that moment and she realized that perhaps she had
put her career too high above everything else. She sat straighter and
smiled deeper, the smile hardly touching her eyes. "I suppose you will be
settling somewhere of your own now." 

 "No, " Ben replied. "I am staying right where I am for the time being.
Chase needs the family atmosphere." He gripped Franny's hand harder. "So
do I." 

 They all ate their teacake quietly for several more minutes. Finally Ben
pulled his wheelchair back over to him and using it for balance
transferred back into it. "We really must be leaving Sir. I do appreciate
everything you have done for my family and me. I am not the most
demonstrative of persons, but I want, I need you to know that you are
appreciated." Ben's eyes asked her to understand even as he gripped
Franny's small hand again as if it were his only lifeline to the world. 

 Meg escorted all the visitors to the consulate's foyer and quickly said
her goodbyes. 

 "I will see you and Francesca soon I hope Benton." Their other visitor
said as he put his umbrella into his hand and went out the consulate door.


 "Such a nice man," Turnbull commented as he watched the trench coated
figure leave the Canadian grounds. He whipped back to military stance.
"May I help you back out to the car, Sir. It would be an honor." The
hopeful look in his eyes was almost tearful. 

 "Yes, Turnbull. You can help me back to the car." Ben nodded at Franny
who was smiling proudly at him. 

 Francesca took out her car key and opening her umbrella as she ran down
the steps went to the car to open it. She then went around to the rear of
the vehicle to open the trunk. She hardly had time to turn around before
she heard Turnbull making the trip to the car carrying Fraser. She hid a
smirk as Ben was settled into the car. She accompanied Turnbull back into
the consulate where he took charge of the wheelchair as she picked up
Ben's briefcase. 

 "I just want to say thank you Turnbull." She smiled warmly at him.
"You've been a big help. I was worried about him trying to walk up and
down those steps. I know he felt ridiculous." Francesca reached up on her
tiptoes and planted a tiny kiss on Turnbull's cheek. Turnbull's got all
misty again as he reached over on to the reception desk and picked up a
small batch of flowers that lay there. "These are for you." He hesitated.
"I meant you to have them early, but I forgot." 

 "They're lovely. Thank you." Francesca said and gave him another peck on
the check. Turnbull turned as red as his dress serge. 

 The two of them went back to the car. Francesca handed Ben the briefcase
while Turnbull put the chair in the trunk. Turnbull made sure Ben's door
was shut and then saluted the car. Ben saluted him back and Franny drove
off. 

 Turnbull stood watching the disappearing car until he could no longer see
it. He was about to turn around and head into the consulate when he heard,
"Turnbull, are you crazy. Get back in here." He also heard the slamming of
consulate door. "OH Dear," he thought. 

 Huey and Duey had watched the outside of the consulate for an hour
speculating as to what Fraser was up to today. Neither of them paid that
much attention to the Consulate's third visitor. The man was someone they
knew and had no reason to distrust. They reported in that they were
staking out the Canadian Consulate and let it go at that. 

 Francesca and Ben went a nice restaurant for lunch where they ordered
light meals and a small bottle of wine. Their meal passed slowly as they
enjoyed each other's conversation. Ben couldn't take his eyes off of
Francesca. Her face was alive and bright as was her conversation. 

 Ben put his hand over hers and held it softly. "Today I am happy." He
remarked softly so that only her ears could hear. "I am beginning to feel
like I'm waking up to my life for the first time and most of that good
feeling is due to you." 

 "No Ben. I might have helped. But all the hard work has been and will be
yours." She said in all seriousness. "I like the new you." She leaned down
to their clasped hands. "I love the new you." 

 Ben sucked in his breath at the feelings Franny was giving him. He raised
his eyes to hers and motioned for the waiter to bring them the bill. 

 Franny opened the front door of the Vecchio home as Ben rolled up behind
her. She turned around to look at him waiting for her to move through the
door. She put her hand opened the door. The puppy jumped at her in
greeting knocking her over into Ben's lap. Ben threw his head back with a
happy laugh and rolled into the house while Franny sat speechless. Dief
sat near the door with a wolf grin on his face. 

 "Dief take puppy to the kitchen." Ben ordered trying to return to a
calmer self. Dief sat there grinning and then woofed to the littler
animal. They disappeared down the hall. 

 Francesca began to pull herself out of Ben's chair only to find that his
arms held her pinned to him. She gave in with a giggle and sat on his lap
as he rolled to the door and shut and locked it. With a huge grin on his
face he rolled them into the kitchen and opened the door for the animals
to go out. Admonishing Dief to stay in the yard with the puppy, he closed
the door. 

 Ben pulled Franny to him and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Thank you
kind sir." She laughed and put her head down on his shoulder. "These
chairs can be quite comfortable she said in a husky whisper. 

 Turning his chair quickly, Ben rolled them down the hall to Grandmere's
room. He entered the room and shut the door behind them. Franny turned to
face him and began kissing him all over his face. Ben had his eye on the
bed and slowly inched the chair over to it. He put his hands on either
side of Franny's face and kissed her hard, before turning her to look at
the bed. 

 Franny rose quickly from Ben's lap and went to the window where she
closed the draperies sending the room into almost total darkness. She
pulled down the comforter with shaking hands so that the bed was
accessible from either side. Ben locked the wheels on his chair and began
divesting himself of his clothing. He listened and heard Franny undressing
in the dark. 

 The bed creaked as they both climbed into it at the same time. Francesca
pulled the covers over them and gently tucked them in around Ben. 

 Ben leaned over to her and kissed her softly. "I, I can't promise that
this time..." he was cut off by Francesca's fingers on his lips. 

 "No one can Ben. I promise to love you, no matter what. Always give me
what you can; Ben and that will be enough. We'll build together to repair
all the damage Ok." 

 He felt her body shaking nervously next to his. His heart began to pound
in his chest as he drew her closer to him. He ran a shaking hand through
her hair. He suddenly realized that for the time being, every time for
them would be like the first time. His need for her drove him to pull her
even closer as he smelled her hair and skin. Need for her drove him to
kiss her neck and ear and hair as his hands explored her breasts. 

 Francesca could feel the heat rolling off of Ben as he pulled her tightly
in again. She sighed as felt the strength of his arms yet felt their
nervous shaking. Francesca knew he had chosen this room to avoid all the
trappings of his current infirmity. She thought how transparent he is when
you know him. Letting out a sigh she sought out his mouth and claimed it
for her own. She ran her fingers through his hair and held his head close
to hers. She smelled his skin as it heated up, felt the moistness of his
lips as she nibbled at them. 

 He moved his arm down along her back until he could feel the roundness of
her tight bottom muscles. He stroked her softly before raking his hand
shakily along her back. Then he brought his hand around to her stomach and
gently pressed against her skin as he inched down towards her lower body.
She wrapped her leg over him and used her foot to caress his backside. He
gently pushed her back and rolled slightly over her making it easier for
him to touch every inch of skin that tempted him. 

 Franny slid down a little and licked his throat at chest before moving to
capture one of his nipples in her mouth. He jerked once and was still
against her. She stopped moving, afraid that she would feel him go slack
in her arms. "Please Franny, more." He whispered, his head dropping to
kiss her hair. With a cheerful giggle she nuzzled his breast again and
continued to suckle and bit and tease him. She felt his breathing quicken
as she changed over to his other nipple before dropping down and thrusting
her tongue into his navel. "Oh God Franny." Ben gasped as he became bolder
and touched her hips and thighs with slightly rough grabbing motions. She
ran her tongue back up his chest until she plundered his mouth again. Ben
became bolder and ran his hand up the inside of her thigh and began
rubbing her moistening opening. Franny could feel him body changing shape
quickly as he explored her. She pulled away a little and then pushed back
towards him to gather him closer to her. 

 He used his thumb against her as he let his fingers play along the
shivering skin towards the rear of her. Very slowly he worked his thumb
closer and closer to her before sliding in and rubbing her gently. 

 Franny arched her back towards him and rolled into his hand. "Ben," she
whispered as he let his thumb stray in and out of her. He rolled over her
again and laid atop her gently his elbows and forearms holding him
slightly off her body. She moved against him seeking him and felt him
holding back. She opened her eyes and saw him starring at her as seeing
for the first time. 

 "Franny, I love you." He said and with one quick thrust took her. They
lay locked together for a moment as she smiled at him her hips thrusting
up to meet his. Their body heat pulled them together and soon they were
seeking and searching each other through the movement of their hips. Their
eyes watched each other as each took what the other had to offer. "Ben"
she whispered as if it were the word love. They held each other tightly as
their world intensified and joined. 

 They woke several hours later lying on their sides still wrapped in each
other's arms. He pushed the hair back from her brow and kissed he forehead
gently then surveyed all that was his of her face and neck. Her eyes
opened groggily. She grinned sheepishly at him. "Didn't mean to fall
asleep." 

 "That makes two of us." 

 "What time is it?" 

 Ben looked at Grandmere's nightstand alarm. "5:45" he said. "I guess we
better get up and get cleaned up." 

 "I know Ray will be home in a couple of hours." 

 They hugged and kissed before separating to dress. 

 An hour later, they were freshly bathed and dressed and eating dinner
when Ray called to say he would be late. Franny giggled, "Want to go to
bed early," she asked. 

 "Nice idea." He said with a blush. "I'll join you as soon as I get my
robe and things from my room." 

 "I'll clean up and meet you in my room." Francesca said as she rose and
dropped a kiss on his hair. 

 Ben called to Dief who trotted in with Puppy behind him. "Last call
before bedtime Dief." He opened the door and they ran out into the damp
evening. It wasn't many minutes more before he was letting them back into
the house. The animals settled on their kitchen rug mat and settled in for
a sleep. Both of them yawning and drifting off quickly. Ben gave them a
funny look, but dismissed his thoughts in favor of getting ready for bed. 

 Chapter 49 

 "Vecchio, get in here." Welsh bellowed from his office door. Ray looked
up from the paperwork on his desk to see the back of Welsh returning to
his desk. Rising slowly, Ray heaved a sigh and went into stand by Welsh's
desk. 

 "You wanted me, sir." Ray said in an uneasy manner. 

 "Yes, I do, sit down detective," Welsh seemed angry and Ray ran over a
list of his current assignments in his mind trying to remember if he had
screwed anything up of late. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but
the perp that attacked Big Red is out on the streets." 

 "What do you mean he's out!" Ray yelled and slammed his fist down on the
desk. 

 "Seems our wonderful Chicago style of record keeping fouled up. Somehow
he was released because of a computer foul up. He was allowed to just walk
out the door." Welsh slammed a case file down on his desk next to Ray's
clenched fist. 

 "When did this happen?" 

 "Two days ago. I already let my displeasure be known in the DA's office."


 Lt. Welsh looked across his desk at Ray Vecchio. "The worst part is I am
going to have to pull the police protection unit off your house soon.
Sorry Ray. Tell Big Red I did what I could. I know it's not right, and if
I could do anything about it, I would. 

 Ray slouched in his chair, "I understand sir." He stood up, "Fraser'll
understand, sir." Ray's voice was however, filled with anger as he rose
from his chair and ran from the room. "Can you call my house sir? I want
to get on this guy's tail quickly." Ray yelled over his shoulder. 

 "Wish to hell I understood." Lt. Welsh vented equal anger into his
statement as he picked up the phone. 

 Outside the Vecchio home, a dark figure slunk against the wall of the
house until it reached the phone lines. With one quick movement, the phone
line hung limp and useless. 

 Chapter 50 

 The dark figure hung in the shadows of the hallway, stiffly leaning
against the wall. The figures slowly inched its way along the wall
listening after each step then proceeding again. When the figure
approached the first bedroom door where Francesca Vecchio lay sleeping, it
inched its way past the door and headed towards the door where Benton
Fraser slept. The shadow extended one gloved hand towards the knob of
Benton's room and carefully grabbed it and started turning the knob. 

 Behind the shadow, Francesca Vecchio cautiously pried open her bedroom
door, she held a baseball bat in her hand. She stood and listened in the
darkness and inched her head around her doorframe. When she saw the figure
leaning towards Ben's door, she slipped out her door on bare feet and
sidled along the hall wall as silently as the shadow had before her. She
raised the bat with care and prepared to slug the shadow if Ben's doorknob
continued to turn in silence. Just as she was about to swing the bat
forward the would be assailant at Ben's door turned quickly towards
Francesca and with military efficiency removing the bat from her hands
took her captive while choking off her voice with large hand around her
neck. 

 "Ah the pretty little woman," the shadow whispered hoarsely into her ear.
"You'll do quite nicely for a beginning. Sleeping Beauty can wait a bit."
The shadowed figure began picked up Francesca's small frame and moved
quietly towards her bedroom door. Francesca was able to swing her feet out
and connected with the wall the sound resounding throughout the lower
level of the Vecchio home. 

 Ben was just preparing for bed and had his shirt off about to remove his
jogging pants when he heard the thud made by Francesca's feet against the
hall wall. Ben moved quickly to the door of his room using the walker he
now kept by his bed and opened the door throwing the light from his room
into the hallway. Francesca's eyes sought out Ben's and were large and
frightened, but she kept her feet moving wildly making it hard for the
figure in dark clothing to hold her easily. Ben began moving forward
slowly. 

 "Let her go," Ben kept moving towards the large man who was held a
squirming Francesca. "Don't hurt her." Taking another step Ben stopped a
few feet from the struggle Francesca. 

 Without saying a thing, the large man holding Francesca threw her against
the wall hard enough to knock her out and turned back to face Benton.
Benton's shocked eyes followed Francesca's body to the floor and didn't
notice the that the large man advanced on him quickly until he felt the
man's large hand on his throat forcing him off balance against the wall.
The walker clattered to the floor with a crash. 

 "Hi sweetness, long time no see." The large man whispered into Ben's ear
with glee in his voice. Keeping his hand tightly against Ben's throat he
grabbed a pre-made loop of roped off his belt and slipped it over Ben's
head pulling it taught. 

 Ben's first reaction on hearing the man's voice was to freeze closing his
eyes tightly at the memories the voice invoked. By the time he could react
the nose was around his neck and choking him. 

 "Come on sweetness lets retire to your room." He pulled down tightly on
the rope further choking Ben. Grabbing the waistband of Ben's jogging
pants, he began forcing Ben into the well-lit room behind him half
carrying Ben as they went. Ben's hands were grasping the rope around his
neck trying desperately to free himself knowing that if he failed
Francesca would be at his attacker's mercy. 

 The curtains were drawn in Ben's room, as was his usual custom when
retiring for the night. Ben's attacker forced him closer and closer to the
bed. As they neared the bed Ben knew he was loosing his battle to keep
conscious, he determined to keep fighting as long as he could. Without
warning the attacker kicked Ben's legs out from under him so that Ben fell
across his bed. In seconds the attacker took the end of the rope that was
around Ben's neck and tied it off to the head of the bed. As soon as that
was done brought out a small roll of duct tape and bound Ben's hands
together and looped another rope between the bound hands and tied them to
the bed from above Ben's head. 

 "Remember this beautiful," the man said as he forced a piece of cloth
into Ben's mouth and sealed it shut with duct tape. "I remember you. Those
games we played were fun. I want more precious." 

 Ben was getting some air back in his lungs as he heard the man's voice.
His skin became sweaty and he wanted to throw up, but he anxiously looked
at his attacker trying to figure out if there was a way he could gain an
advantage. Ben realized that this was the first time he could actually see
his attacker's face. Seeing the man's face took some of Ben's fear away
and he realized that much of his fear had been caused by his inability to
see his attacker. Thoughts of what this man could do to Franny
strengthened his resolve to break free at the first possible minute. 

 The attacker gazed hungrily at Ben's body as he stood over the bed and
remembered how easily Ben had been controlled before. He listened to Ben's
ragged breathing knowing that all he do was put pressure on Ben's throat
and render him semi-conscious and he would be able to take what he wanted
so badly. Greedily he moved in over Ben and put his hands out to take
control of Ben's neck. Ben saw his chance and was able to grab and pin the
man inside the curve of his legs and lock his ankles behind the man. Ben
held on as tightly as he could. 

 Francesca came to and rubbed the back of her head judiciously before
trying to rise. She was dizzy and sick to her stomach but she could hear
noises in Ben's room. She crawled on hands and knees to Ben's door and
listened as their attacker said awful things to Ben. Anger removed
Franny's dizziness and she quickly turned and made her way back to
Grandmere's room. She rushed to the cell phone Ray had insisted be hidden
away there and dialed the 911 number. Without hesitation she gave 911 the
information about the attacker then turned off the phone and headed for
Grandmere's secret drawer. Just before Grandmere had left with the family,
she had let Francesca in on the secret of her gun. She had shown Franny
where it was and how to get to it. Franny thanked God that Ray had taught
her how to shoot and for the hours Welsh had given her on the shooting
range. 

 She checked the gun, made sure it was loaded and headed back to Ben's
room. When she rounded the doorway, she saw Ben trying to hold the
attacker still within the circle of his legs. The man was trying to
contain Ben by grabbing and holding one of Ben's leg muscles. It scared
Francesca silly to see that and hear Ben's rasped breathing knowing he was
holding on with everything he had to protect the both of them. 

 "Hey, gumball," Francesca yelled as she raised the gun to sight it on
their attacker. "Back off and undo those ropes, now." 

 "Oh the pretty little girl has a gun," the man snickered. 

 "Yea, well this pretty little girl knows how to use it too. My brother's
a cop." "You better believe me, I means what I say," Franny spit out. 

 Their attacker raised his hands as he drooped his shoulders. Ben eased up
and released him, knowing Franny would shoot if she had to do so. Ben's
ropes were released and the duct tape pulled of his wrists. Just as Ben
was about to sit up the man punched Ben in the stomach and turned and
leapt for Francesca. She fired but the man kept coming. As he grabbed
Francesca, Ben recovered from the punch and began to leap from his bed.
Too late, he saw the knife in the man's hand as he grabbed him from
behind. Franny fell back to the floor as the two men grappled on the
floor. Ben's hours with the weight lifting equipment finally paid off, as
he was quickly able to grab the man and turn him so that they were face to
face. The attacker saw the pure hatred settling in Ben's eyes and tried to
pull away and control the knife. His movement caught Ben off balance as
Ben fought him on shaky legs and the two of them dropped back to the
floor. 

 Suddenly Ben sensed it was all over. The man didn't move, his eyes
starred unbelievably up at the ceiling as blood poured from his chest
where his own hand and thrust the knife when the two men fell. 

 Ben turned quickly to Francesca as he ripped the duct tape off of his
mouth and pulled the rag from it. He gathered her up into his arms and
looked at her pale face before glancing down to her side. Blood welled up
from a wound along her side. Benton screamed, "NO!", the sound
reverberating through the silent house. He reached over to the chair where
his discarded shirt lay. Grabbing the shirt, he began packing it tightly
against Francesca's side. Tears coursed down his face as he held her
tightly and dropped his head down next to hers mumbling the word no over
and over again. 

 Ray slammed on his brakes as several patrol cars raced up to his house.
Officers began encircling the home and watching windows and doorways. They
listened but heard only silence. Ray ran around to the back of the house
and entered through the barely closed kitchen door. Two patrol officers
closed in behind him. Ray motioned for one of them to stay by the door and
began inching his way down the hallway. It was too quiet in that house;
Ray began to feel his palm's sweat and his stomach turn over. He reached
Franny's room and seeing nothing; he came out of it and began to quietly
go to Ben's room. He heard crying and knew it was Ben. 

 Stepping around Ben's door, he saw the perp who had raped Ben so many
weeks ago dead on the floor, a knife sticking out of his chest. He turned
back to the officer behind him and said, "Get 911 and an ambulance here
now!" Slowly he approached Ben who sat on the floor holding a limp
Francesca to his chest. 

 Ben looked up at Ray as tears rolled down his eyes, "Help, help us Ray." 

 Ray quickly knelt down and felt for Francesca's pulse. "She's got a
strong pulse Ben, I think she'll be ok." 

 "She has to be. She saved us both. Without her..." Ben kept up the
pressure on the stab wound but wouldn't let Ray help. Ray could see that
Ben's fingernails were turning blue from the pressure he used to hold
Francesca 

 Franny moaned and looked up to see Ben and Ray both crying as they looked
at her. "Hey, you two. I'm not going anywhere." She put her arm up and
dragged her hand along Ben's chin. "I love you. I'm not leaving you." She
whispered before fainting again. 

 "Ray, this can't be happening. Ray." Ben said as his crying threatened to
choke him. 

 Suddenly there were paramedics all over the room. Two checked the dead
man first, two went to Franny, but Ben would not release her. 

 "If I let her go, she'll die." He cried. "Ray, everyone I let go, dies.
Not Franny too. I couldn't take it Ray." 

 "Benny, it's ok." 

 "No, I told you if I let go, I'll loose her!" 

 "Let them help her, I'll be right here with you. We'll go to the hospital
with her." Ray literally clawed Ben's fingers loose and helped the EMT's
by pulling Ben gently back. Ray took off his dress jacket and laid it
around Ben's naked shoulders. 

 When Ray looked up at the newest officers arriving in Ben's room he
noticed Welsh. Without a word between them they picked Ben up from the
floor and settled him into the wheelchair that had been sitting disused in
the corner of the room. Ray went to Ben's closet and grabbed one of Ben's
sweatshirts and put in Ben's lap as a ghostly pale Ben with tears all over
his face continued to stare at Francesca. The three of them watched the
EMT's prepare Francesca for transport without hearing a word of her
status. 

 As Francesca was wheeled from the room, Ray turned to Welsh, "I don't
want to see anything here when I get back, Lieutenant, You know." 

 "Go take care of you family Detective. I'll take care of this." 

 Ben and Ray sat in the waiting room; Ray was shaken to think that his
little sister Franny was here because she had been knifed. Ben was so out
of it, he just sat there in the wheelchair Ray insisted he use, numbly
staring at the door. 

 An hour later, a nurse showed up at the door to tell them that Franny was
fine and they could see her soon and that the doctor would be down in a
few minutes. 

 "Which of you is the husband?" she asked, "She's been asking to see her
husband and the doctor says that would be ok." 

 Ray's eyes got huge as he turned to see Ben comprehending the nurse's
questions with joy on his face. 

 "Boy is Ma going to kill you two." Ray said to Ben's back as Benton
hurried down the hall next to the nurse to see Francesca. 

 Continued in Chrysalis