Disclaimer – they are SO not mine!
Pairing – Ray K/Fraser slash (natch)
Warnings – this is more like an explanation than a story – it's an experiment in writing style!
Stanley Raymond Kowalski – Renaissance Man
Apparently, in order to find the Hand of Franklin, all you had to do was ask Stanley Raymond Kowalski, formerly known as Raymond Vecchio, where it was. Asking an archaeologist, geologist or historian of any kind was obviously pointless, because they didn't have a clue. Benton Fraser settled himself on a convenient stump and watched the scurrying scientists and their assistants as they swarmed over the site he and his partner had discovered only three days ago like an ants nest that had been stirred with a stick.
They'd had an incredible six months. They'd caught Gerard, stopped the sale of a nuclear sub and jumped out of a plane without a parachute. They'd blown Ray Vecchio's cover, seen him shot, and heard through an email that he was off to Florida to manage a bowling alley and marry Stella Kowalski – Ray Kowalski's ex-wife. They'd taken leave of their jobs (and some would say their senses) and gone off together on a quest to find the Hand of Franklin, that was forever reaching out to the Beaufort Sea.
Fraser had known from the start that his partner was an intelligent, adaptable man. He did not intend to simply drag the Yank, as his father had called Ray, along while he searched for Franklin. That would have been a complete disaster, on two fronts: firstly, Ray needed to know how to survive and operate safely in the artic environment; otherwise, they faced an accident of fatal proportions. Besides, Fraser knew that Ray would come to resent his helplessness, and eventually to resent Fraser. That was not an option, so from the very first day, Fraser had been a teacher and Ray had been his surprisingly quick student. Secondly, Ray would lose all enthusiasm for their quest if he didn't feel that he had some input into their eventual destination. Fraser had borrowed for his partner several books on the Northwest Passage and on Franklin, and Ray had read them at night by the fire, studying and asking questions.
It was only two months later that Ray had charge of his own sledding team, and had picked up several more texts on the area that they were searching, not all of them related to Franklin. Some had more general information on the history of the area they were travelling through and there was even a small geology treaty on the region tucked among them. Ray also had acquired several blank journals, and this was where his genius shone through.
Other scientists of course kept a field journal, but Ray from the start treated the quest as less of an academic pursuit and more like a missing person's case. Ray had joked that this was the 'mother of all cold cases' and given the length of time since the person in question had gone missing and the climate they were searching Fraser was liable to agree. Ray's approach to the quest had been simple. He'd read the gathered facts in the case file, in this case the history books, and then started asking around. Fraser was well known in these parts, either for his own patrols, or those of his fathers, and people liked to come around to see him as they progressed across the snow and ice. Ray would sit and listen to them as they reminisced and caught up, and when the visitor eventually turned to include him in the conversation, Ray would pounce.
Fraser had expected him to ask about Franklin to the exclusion of all else, but his partner had surprised him. He'd asked about the local myths and legends, about changes to the landscape, changes to the hunting/fishing/growing cycles, even changes in weather. After four months of the quest, Ray knew almost as much local history and geology as the locals, going back a goodly span of years. All of these things were recorded in his journals, which were soon bristling with slips of paper and receipts with notes scribbled on the back. Every time they stopped in a township Ray would buy another journal, and after four months he had ten, all labelled and carried in a waterproof and weatherproof bag. He had even acquired several maps, some of which were copies of maps from more than two hundred years ago. Their evening discussions were a mixture of quest lore and reminiscence about their past cases.
Just shy of the six month mark, Ray had made a request that they travel to this particular valley, had spent roughly a week surveying it from various heights and had then very confidently led Fraser to a small oxbow lake and told him to start digging. They'd found the first ships timbers after only three hours, and had then carefully reburied them and headed back to the nearest township to call Toronto and the University there.
"Hey, Benton Buddy, have a drink," Ray's voice intruded on his musings and he blinked and held his hand out for the steaming cup of tea. Ray held a cup of his own, but it would be chocolate-laced coffee he was drinking. Fraser had been unable to entice his partner to drink tea as he did.
"Thank you kindly, Ray," Fraser said automatically and took a sip. It was perfect, prepared just the way he liked it, and he turned his gaze sharply back to the team from the University. It would not do to upset his partner now.
"I'm kinda sorry I suggested we come here," Ray sighed, "After all this peace and quiet the poor mook is gonna be dug up and poked and prodded by all these guys."
"Indeed," Fraser nodded, surprised by the turn of conversation, but willing to go along with it. He'd talk about anything to delay the inevitable discussion about what they would do now. He did not want this time with Ray to end.
"And I'm sorry I ended the quest, cos I gotta be honest, Benton Buddy, I don't want to break up the duet. Think that the Canadian Government would take exception to my ass if I applied to immigrate? Or is it emigrate? Or migrate, I can never get them three right."
"I… don't believe they would take exception to you, Ray," Fraser felt as if his chest would implode, "We would have to consider your employment status."
"At the moment I'm employed by the Toronto University History Department," Ray laughed, "They won't let me get away until I write them the mother of all reports on how we managed to do this."
"It seems to me that you were the main finder of Franklin. In the end, I tagged along," Fraser smiled up at the wiry man beside him. Outdoor life suited Ray, despite his numerous complaints about all it lacked. His hair had grown too long to stand on end, so it was usually tied back with a bit of leather, his skin had gained a healthy tan from exposure to wind and sun, and though he was still what many would consider underweight for this climate he was lightly muscled and as restless as ever. He had retained the dancers grace that his movements in Chicago had demonstrated, and on the few occasions there had been dancing in the townships they'd visited he'd been a popular dance partner.
"You tagged along, huh?" Ray laughed, "In Chicago it was the other way around! And don't for a minute believe that this wasn't a mutual effort, Benton. Anyone who says otherwise will be kicked in the head."
"Understood," Fraser smiled and changed the subject, "The Toronto University History Department?"
"Yeah, aint that a turn up for the books?" Ray drained his cup of coffee and gestured wildly with the empty tin mug, "I mentioned that my Bachelor's was in history, and the lead Professor got that gleam in his eyes, ya know, just like that mad trapper that tried to skin us that time."
Fraser nodded and drained his own tea with a shudder. They had come across their share of malfeasants during the quest, and the mad trapper, as Ray insisted on calling the man, had been involved in an illegal fur trade ring. Ray had actually lost a thin strip of skin along his calf to the man before Diefenbaker had managed to escape his cage and savage him. The distraction had given Fraser time to escape his own bonds and wrestle the man to the floor. If there were a few more marks than the arrest had warranted on their captive, then that was between Fraser and his conscience.
"Best not to let the man down, then," Fraser stood and smiled at Ray, "I'm sure I can assist you with the forms."
"Is that what you'd like?" Ray asked, a small frown on his face, "I mean, if yer tired of having me around, yer need ta tell me, buddy. It can't be a lot of fun, dragging an iggerant Yank around behind ya."
'Iggerant Yank' was a direct quote from a roughneck from one of the many North Sea pipeline crews that they'd encountered. Given that the man couldn't even pronounce ignorant correctly, let alone spell it, Fraser had given the remark all the attention it deserved. For some reason it had struck a chord in Ray, and every now and then it was brought up once more. Fraser thought that it was because Ray was rather insecure in his place in Fraser's world, and needed the reassurance. This was a pity, because his partner was as proficient in the field as some of the people who'd lived here for years.
"Don't make me jump Bogart and Bacall all over you," Fraser replied, raising an eyebrow. Ray cackled at him and they fell in step, heading back for their small camp, which they had situated off to the side of the University's.
"I would be delighted to have you with me while you write your report. And when that is done, I would be very pleased to have you with me in the field again," Fraser said firmly, and Ray's smile was like the sun coming up. Something that was a lot rarer than people first thought out here.
0o0o0o0
The RCMP offered him a posting in Inuvik, which pleased Maggie and Ray. Ray because Inuvik was large enough to offer him some 'modern conveniences' and Maggie because she'd been dropping hints about having her brother posted closer to her. Fraser was also pleased with the posting, he was near to his fathers old cabin, which meant he would be able to rebuild it in his downtime, and it also meant that Ray and Maggie were happy. This was a rather circular chain of logic, but it worked and he wasn't going to question it too closely.
The Canadian government welcomed Ray's ass, and the rest of him, and his application was placed on the fast track, due to services rendered to the country. By the time his partner had written the first draft of his report he was a Canadian, and had solemnly bought himself a 'big hat'. The hat hung, unworn except for the day of its purchase, on a hook by the front door, and the sight of it never failed to bring a smile to Fraser's lips, no matter how tired he was.
They had decided to pool their resources and buy a small cabin on the outskirts of town. It had outbuildings large enough to house both their teams, was far enough out of town that they had privacy and peace, yet close enough for them to be on the town mains and gas supply. The cabin had not been in the best of conditions when they purchased it, and unfortunately Fraser found himself with little time to rectify that situation as he was required to go on several long patrols immediately after presenting himself to the detachment. They were apparently short three men after a freak accident with a caribou and a leaf blower and the detachment's long distance patrols had been neglected as a result.
Each return from patrol found yet another aspect of the cabin improved, repaired or replaced. Ray was apparently writing only at night, preferring to use the day to work on the cabin himself. Fraser knew that his partner was no slouch when it came to things automotive, but he had not expected that to extend to carpentry, joinery, tiling, plumbing and wiring. With the exception of a small tumble off the roof while reapplying mortar to the chimney, resulting in a sprained wrist and a bad mood, Ray was remarkably proficient. On the bookshelves that he'd built for himself under the front window lived a collection of DIY guides, as well as the books that Ray had accumulated for the quest. Ray's desk was in the corner by that window, and boasted an old fashioned typewriter, which Ray had found in one of the outbuildings and repaired. Ribbons for the machine were difficult to come by, and Ray had learned the fine art of re-inking the ones that he had.
The cabin had two bedrooms and a bathroom, and Ray had actually built furniture for them all. The beds were plain but well made, and the wardrobes and dressers had been purchased at auction, stripped down and refinished. They had also acquired their couch and two deep armchairs that way, but Ray had made the book cases, dining set and coffee tables. He'd also made his own desk, a curious affair with shelves and pigeon holes, stained a deep purple colour. All of the wood had been off cuts and odd ends, but Ray had apparently discovered a love for jigsaw puzzles, because he'd fitted each piece together uniquely. Fraser had helped refurbish the large fireplace in the main room, and Ray had taken his lessons from there to remove the boards across the ones in the bedrooms and refurbish them while Fraser was on patrol, which had led to him spraining his wrist falling off the roof.
Maggie had apparently helped with the remodelling of their kitchen, though she had confessed to Fraser that she'd felt more of a hindrance in the end. It seemed that Ray had his own 'style' of doing things and Maggie had confessed that she couldn't read his partner's intentions until the last possible minute. Fraser didn't have that difficulty, and his sister had stood back, shaking her head when he and Ray had rebuilt one of the outbuildings in an afternoon, refitting it to store their second hand all terrain vehicle and the block heater that would be required to keep the engine from seizing in the winter. Ray's tools and bits of wood were stored in the smaller shed, and the dogs were housed in the third.
Exactly a year since they'd set off to find the hand of Franklin, Fraser found himself coming home to a… well, home. Before he'd met Ray, he'd lived in various apartments, cabins and offices, but they had just been places to eat and sleep. In his most private thoughts, Fraser attributed his newly found home to the presence of Ray. Ray was his compass, his comfort, his friend and dearest companion. Fraser would have liked it to be more, but he had no intention of even hinting at that possibility. He didn't want to lose the best thing he'd ever had on the chance of a more intimate relationship. He loved Ray, and Ray loved Fraser in his own way. That was enough. It was more than he'd ever had.
Exactly a year since they'd set off to find the hand of Franklin, Ray was called to Toronto to discuss his third draft of the 'mother of all reports' with the head of the history department, and Fraser spent a week rattling around their home alone and getting underfoot at Maggie's apartment. She enquired several times of Ray's ability to 'put up with him', something that Fraser found vaguely annoying. Ray had never once mentioned putting up with any of Fraser's habits, and while Fraser could see that sharing a living space was a task that required both occupants to work towards a common understanding, there had never been any question of anyone 'putting up' with anyone else. If they were annoying each other then they said so at once, something they had learned to do well upon the quest. As Ray said, that was buddies.
Ray came back from his week long meeting wild eyed and bearing several more books, one of which was for Fraser and contained a very nice collection of Inuit legends. He made several incoherent references to over-educated freaks, and presented Diefenbaker with a gift in the form of a bow tie. Both Fraser and the half wolf thought it was a rather odd gift, but Ray had explained that Dief would be needing it in a couple of months, and then promptly dumped half a bottle of vodka into his coffee pot and proceeded to drink the lot. The resulting hangover had not been pleasant for either of them, and Fraser had been relieved to go out on patrol two days later. Ray was once again buried in his report, and Fraser wondered if it was his partners' rather unorthodox use of the English language that had caused the difficulty.
Fraser hoped not. Not even the Commissioner of the Chicago Police Department had been able to get Ray to correct his written language, and lord alone knew the man had tried. As an undercover officer, Ray's reports were often read at the highest level, and any suggestion that the prose style was lacking incited a rather volatile reaction. Even his ex-wife had known better than to request changes, other than those designed to make clear certain judicial and procedural points.
Exactly one year and two months after they'd started their quest, and Fraser wasn't sure why he continued to date everything before and after quest, Fraser returned from a week long symposium on field medicine to find a small bag packed for him by the front door. This struck him as terribly foreboding, and even Diefenbaker looked concerned when he realised that the dish Ray used to feed him was also packed.
"Frase! I thought you were gonna be late!" Ray greeted him with a smile, which banished the knots in his stomach, coming out of his own room with a bag of his own. He was wearing his usual attire of jeans and flannel shirts, and his hair was pulled back in its usual style.
"Pitter patter, Benton buddy! We're leaving in thirty minutes for the air strip. Get a shower and shave off the bristle, would ya? Dief, now is the time to go to the bathroom, buddy, cos they don't have one on the plane."
And Ray was ushering the wolf outside while shoving him in the direction of the bathroom, multi-tasking as only Ray could. Obviously it would be futile to ask questions while Ray was intent on getting them to wherever they were going, but Fraser knew that he had only to wait another thirty to forty minutes to get his answers. After all, Inuvik only had a small airstrip, and that meant a small plane with limited space for running away.
Fraser showered and shaved quickly, dressing in the comfortable clothes that Ray had obligingly laid out, and was quickly hustled to their vehicle by his partner. Ray all but buckled him in, and then took the wheel, heading down the road at a speed that would have made Fraser nervous if he hadn't been so confident in Ray's abilities.
"You know, Ray, you would make an excellent butler," Fraser couldn't resist the jibe and was rewarded with a truly indignant look and a narrow eyed glare. Given his moment of panic upon returning home, Fraser did not feel at all guilty for the comment.
"Just fer that, I aint telling ya what's goin' on," Ray muttered, "I was gonna fill ya in, but now yer'll just haveta figger it out fer yerself."
"I'm sure that won't be too difficult, Ray," Fraser replied smugly, knowing that it would just irritate his partner more. A little irritation never hurt anyone, unless Ray started threatening him with a punch to the head, which had happened before. Diefenbaker made a sound suggesting that he was opting out of the argument and Ray laughed under his breath.
"Wise wolf," he told the rear view mirror, and Dief's tail thumped against the blanket covered seat. Ray had insisted that the upholstery was on its last legs back there and too uncomfortable for the wolf, so he had recovered the seats with the help of several old Hudson blankets that had been reduced in a fire sale. It had been a literal fire sale, caused in the town's only department store by faulty wiring. The business had been in the family for generations, and the town had all offered time and supplies to help them rebuild. It was things like this that made Fraser so happy to be living back at home instead of Chicago; he was aware that Ray had been involved in building counters and shelves for the business at no charge. At this point Ray broke into his thoughts to announce that he had arranged for a leave of absence for Fraser with the detachment, though he refused to say how long that leave of absence was for, another clue to the mystery that his partner was deliberately prolonging.
Maggie was at the airstrip, and the small bag at her feet proved that she wasn't just there to see them off. Fraser thought this was an excellent opportunity to gather further intelligence but Ray beat him to the punch, complaining that he'd been called a butler, and informing Fraser's sister that her brother was in the dog house.
"Oh dear," Maggie laughed, and refused to answer any further questions, even when Fraser complained about sibling solidarity.
"I am showing solidarity, brother dear," Maggie informed him as they settled into the small aircraft, "I'm supporting you by not making your partner any angrier. A butler, really Benton, what were you thinking?"
"Evidently I wasn't," Fraser sighed and they took off. It didn't take him long to realise that they were headed in the direction of Toronto, simple navigation and deduction told him that, which meant that they were probably headed to the University for something to do with Ray's report.
Fraser delivered his deductions to his partner, and Ray grinned, dropping all pretence of anger or pique. Maggie looked surprised, which surprised Fraser, because surely she knew where they were going.
"Report? If that's a report, I'd hate to see a thesis!" Maggie spluttered and Ray laughed, mischief lighting up his face. Fraser fought the urge to let his jaw drop in surprise.
"Thesis?" he asked and Ray nodded, shrugging his shoulders in that self effacing way that Fraser found so endearing.
"Apparently I'm getting my masters degree," he shook his head, "Me, Stanley Kowalski, the skinny Polak from Chicago. Go figger."
"This is for your work on the Hand of Franklin?" Fraser pressed for more information and Ray nodded, relaxing into his seat. Evidently Fraser had deduced enough of the situation, because his partner proceeded to fill in the blanks.
"At first, the Uni took me on so that they could get the skinny on how the two of us managed to do what they couldn't. Something about the first report I sent in must have struck a chord with someone, because I was asked for revisions and some other stuff to be included in it. Then they sent me a bunch of forms and I had to get the night school in Chicago to forward a transcript over to the Uni, which I didn't mind, despite the hassle. Frannie helped out there, and Elaine tracked some stuff down for me and next thing I know I'm being asked up to the Uni to present the whole thing properly. Only it's not a report any more, it's more like a book. So I go down, we spend a week in a lecture hall going through it all from start to finish, and let me tell you, some of these guys should be running interrogations for the Mounties, because they were tenacious, ya know? I had to prove every little thing I'd said, and that took a while, let me tell you! And at the end, they tell me that my masters were approved by the committee, which I didn't know they were, and that I have to turn up for my graduation, which is tomorrow. Then they really blow my mind by saying that there's a publishing house that wants to put the whole thing into proper book format, so I spent the last two months going through all of that. And of course, you get called off for a long patrol followed by a symposium, and I wasn't even sure that you'd get back on time, ya mook!"
"Believe me Ray; had I known I would have insisted that someone else take my place," Fraser said faintly, his chest swelling with pride, "I would not miss this for all the snow in the Territories."
"That's a lotta snow," Ray grinned, then sobered swiftly. He reached over and put a hand on Fraser's knee, and the Mountie wondered what it was that his partner was so worried about.
"Frase, ya don't mind that I didn't ask yer about this, do ya? I mean, you were there too, and just as important. It's just that the Uni asked me, and by the time I got my head around what was going on it was practically over!"
"Ray," Fraser was shocked, "You don't honestly think I'd begrudge you this, do you? Despite your insistence, it was you who located Franklin, not I. As I've said before, I was just tagging along."
"Well, I made the publisher set up the deal so half of the profits go to you. An' before you get yer puffy pants in a bunch, there may not be any profits, so don't complain," Ray shook the knee he was still holding and then let go, leaning back in his seat and peering out of the small window beside him. Maggie snickered at Fraser's expression, and even Diefenbaker seemed amused.
The half wolf was less amused when they landed and the taxi driver kicked up a fuss about taking him as a passenger. Ray resolved this by renting a car and driving them himself, though he got lost twice and threatened to leave Fraser on the side of the road. The hotel had no concerns about having Dief staying as a guest, and it was a proud wolf that trotted along to the graduation ceremony in his bow tie. Ray had thought to pack the red serge for him, and Maggie was also wearing hers. Fraser was surprised to see Stella Vecchio at the ceremony, accompanied by the Kowalski's and Lieutenant Welsh.
"Benny!" Ray Vecchio's nickname for him was a pleasant surprise, and Ray Kowalski offered him a wicked little grin before slipping off to the gowning room. Fraser made a mental note to do something about that later, he couldn't decide if the situation warranted a hug or a scolding, and gave himself up to the pleasures of getting reacquainted with his old friend… and daughter?
0o0o0o0
Of course, no visit to a major city was complete without a bank heist, and Fraser began to wonder if it was the two Ray's that attracted the oddities that often crossed their paths instead of him. He'd never been locked in a bank vault before he'd met Ray Vecchio, and he'd never had to use a fire extinguisher as a method of propulsion before he'd met Ray Kowalski. Things worked out well enough in the end, with the malfeasants caught and locked up and the crime foiled.
The visits he spent with Ray Vecchio were quite satisfying. His former partner had time to explain the situation with the bowling alley, and the arrival of his red haired daughter. Apparently, while undercover in Vegas, Ray had made a promise to someone, about taking over and managing an obligation in Florida in their place. The person in question was now deceased, which made it all the more vital that his promise be kept. He'd had enough of police work in Vegas, watching the local PD turn out corrupt officers, men and women who were well versed in the art of kickbacks and bribes. The mob in Vegas had found it very difficult to avoid the consequences of their actions when federal authorities had come in and busted not only the mob but also most of the PD.
The opportunity to run the bowling alley was a welcome escape route, and Ray had taken it with alacrity. Stella had gone with him, perhaps taken in by the glamour and romance of the situation at first. They had a good marriage though, one that they'd worked at together. The baby wasn't Stella's. Part of the undercover gig had actually required Ray to be something of a womaniser, and though he'd taken precautions, he hadn't foreseen one of Langoustini's call girls deliberately sabotaging his precautions in an effort to earn a much more luxurious lifestyle. When she realised that the man who'd made her pregnant was not the mob boss she thought he was, it had been too late for her to terminate the pregnancy. Ray's daughter had been left on his doorstep three months after he'd married Stella, along with a sworn affidavit renouncing all maternal rights.
Stella had turned out to be a surprisingly good mother. There had been a few difficult moments over the child's conception, but even Stella couldn't expect that Ray had never slept with another person prior to her. They didn't even know the other existed when the baby had been conceived, so to fuss about that would have been unreasonable. Stella had taken a leave of absence from her work in Florida and helped the newest Vecchio to settle into their family. Ray was hoping that he'd be able to talk Stella into having one of their own as well.
Ray Kowalski had been very generous during their visit. He'd given Fraser as much time and space to visit who he wanted when he wanted, seeming content to spend time with his parents and Maggie. Lieutenant Welsh had only stayed for the graduation, informing them that 'someone had to keep an eye on things back home'. There was no mistaking his pride in Ray's achievements, and apart from teasing the blonde man about being Canadian after all, there were no rebukes that Fraser heard of. The Kowalski's and Vecchio's were staying for several days, and Ray spent most of that time not devoted to thwarting a bank robbery with his parents and Maggie. The four of them played cards, saw the sights and assisted Ray in the purchase and shipping of several tools, appliances and cooking utensils. Although he had already ripped out and replaced the cabinets and work surfaces in the kitchen, Ray apparently wanted a better stove, and was planning to remodel part of the bathroom as well. Maggie and Stella had both remarked on Ray's 'nesting impulses', which the blonde had nobly ignored. Fraser was glad to see it. Every investment of time and sweat that Ray put into the cabin was another tie keeping him at Fraser's side.
They returned to Inuvik in good order, having issued standing invitations to their guests for future visits, but Fraser could tell that Ray was pleased to be home once more. Truth be told, so was Fraser. With the mother of all reports now finished with, Ray would once again be able to accompany Fraser out in the field, something that Fraser was very much looking forward to. While he had enjoyed coming home to Ray, Fraser rather felt that he would prefer coming home with Ray.
Diefenbaker was happy that they were all together once more, and Ray's ability with his sledding team had not decreased since the end of the quest. His partner was well able to match him as they worked, and Fraser found it easier to cover the area required with his partner along.
They noticed several signs of environmental damage on their patrol, usually in tandem with a group of surveyors who were marking out a route for a new road. This would allow for the passage of freight through a series of plains and mountain passes, but both men noted that it would also interrupt the migratory patterns of several species. Ray's journal came into play once more, as he noted the cause and effect around them, and if they were joined by a visitor in the evening, or were spending time with a small outpost of people, Ray once more began asking his questions and noting answers. During the day he was as focussed as Fraser on the law and order side of their patrol, but when 'off duty' it was the road and its consequences that took his attention.
It soon became apparent that the road was not a popular decision, but more importantly, that it would do serious environmental damage to the wildlife and flora of the area, especially to the animals that migrated along the same route that the road would follow. Fraser wanted to see the road stopped, but had little positive experience in this field. Ray, on the other hand, was determined to see the project abandoned, and to that end Fraser extended their patrol by several months. His CO didn't mind how long he was out in the field as long as his reports were filed in a timely and proper fashion, and although part of Fraser was missing the comfort of their home in Inuvik, surely a sign that he was going soft, he knew that Ray needed as much time to gather his evidence as possible.
Where he and Quinn had approached the task of stopping the dam well aware of the power imbalance between them and the companies building it, Ray approached this task as if it was a crime in progress, which was not an inaccurate description. He gathered intelligence, physical evidence and witness statements; once they returned from their patrol he contacted a well known environmental agency and got to work. In very short order they had a court date, a trial and a 'conviction'. The road was found to be an unacceptable hazard to the environment, and all permissions for its construction were withdrawn. There were also several other investigations launched into the matter of inaccurate and misleading reports, bribes and shady dealings on the part of the companies involved.
Fraser was glad that Ray didn't wait around for all of them to be resolved. His partner was back on patrol with him when the last indictment was served, and revelling in their time in the field. It came as no surprise to the Mountie that their patrol area was expanded to several other areas of environmental concern. Ray's presence in the field with the RCMP was tenuous at best, but with the credentials he'd earned in the stopping of the road; his partner had a certain cachet of his own.
"Who knew that all those jokes about the environment police would ever apply to me?" Ray had joked over their fire one evening, and Fraser had toasted him with his tea. Fraser had no difficulty with the idea of protecting their environment; after all he'd once gone to considerable lengths to arrest and imprison a man for littering. The Mountie viewed Ray's new role as yet another tie that bound him to Fraser's side. In the almost two years since the quest, neither man had been involved in another relationship, and Fraser was beginning to wonder if Ray would be amenable to a more intimate relationship with him. He'd seen no indication that his partner was looking for a romantic interest one way or another.
Of course, being out in the field didn't make them completely untouchable. The people that Ray had exposed as corrupt were not without their resources, even when being threatened with gaol. It did not take long before Fraser noticed that they were being shadowed as they travelled their assigned patrol route, and Ray signalled that he had also noticed the surveillance they were now under. They were both armed, Ray had gone to the trouble of taking out a gun and hunting licences, and even wore his glasses during the day. He'd explained to Fraser that the conditions he was now living under needed perfect vision and that as long as Fraser didn't mind him looking like Poindexter then he'd wear the glasses in the field. Fraser had inquired as to Mr Poindexter's identity, but he couldn't say that the explanation that had followed had made any sense.
They got into the habit of securing their weapons within reach at all times, and Fraser made the decision to head back to Inuvik early, not wanting to risk a confrontation in such an isolated place. Ray suggested that they travel as hard as they could, and the partners made excellent time back towards the town. They even managed to leave their 'hunters' behind for awhile, though the malfeasants caught up with them a day out of Inuvik. In the gunfight that followed both men were wounded.
Fraser took a graze to his shoulder, the impact of which sent him spinning off balance and out of cover. Ray took a bullet to the lower abdomen when he broke cover and dragged Fraser to safety. The Mountie somehow managed to subdue their opponents, then set up the radio and called the detachment for help.
Three hours after his call a rescue chopper arrived and evacuated Ray and one of the malfeasants. It also dropped off Maggie, who was to pilot Ray's sled back to the town and help him take the remaining prisoners to the detachment for processing and trial. Fraser wasn't sure that without her presence he'd have trusted himself near the prisoners. Ray had been very fragile in his pain, though the blonde had done his best not to succumb to it. Fraser wasn't sure that his partner would survive, the delay in treatment, the position of the wound and Ray's own light physiology had all exacerbated the situation to the point that Ray had been unconscious for an hour by the time the helicopter arrived, and had not roused with all the noise and activity about him.
They were met by two men from the detachment on snow mobiles, which made things easier for Fraser. Once they reached his cabin, his colleagues took charge of the prisoners, taking them back into town while Maggie squared the dogs and gear away and Fraser changed out of his uniform, packed a small bag for Ray and himself and treated his own wound. Diefenbaker shadowed him anxiously, and by the time Fraser was ready Maggie had brought the car out of its shed and was sitting in it as it idled outside the front door.
"He's strong, Ben," Maggie said as he climbed into the passenger seat, too shattered to contemplate driving them safely, "He'll be waiting for you at the hospital I'm sure. I asked Penny to book you a flight, and I'll take you to the airport now."
Ray would not have come to the small clinic run in Inuvik. They would have taken him to the trauma centre in Yellowknife, which meant a flight of two hours. Fraser wasn't sure if he could wait that long and Diefenbaker seemed to be of a similar opinion. Maggie drove in silence, and Fraser had never loved his sister more than he did now, for her gift of peace and compassionate help.
0o0o0o0
Ray's recovery was slow. The bullet had done some considerable damage to him internally, and when they were finally released from the hospital, because there was no way that Fraser was going to leave Ray in a place he hated, in pain and weakened by his wounds, it was hard to tell who was happier.
Fraser had arrived at the hospital half dreading the news the doctors would tell him. He'd been overjoyed to learn that Ray had survived the journey and subsequent surgery, but apprehensive when informed that the damage from the bullet was severe and could very well mean that Ray would no longer be able to live the active lifestyle that they both loved. The bullet had tumbled, and caused nerve damage that would eventually marr Ray's movements with a permanent limp. His partner had been forced to learn to walk all over again, as well as relearn several other basic movements to accommodate the nerve damage. The limp got worse when Ray was tired, but his partner was determined all the way through therapy to overcome it, and Fraser had been honoured to lend whatever small assistance Ray would allow to reach that goal.
Mr and Mrs Kowalski had come to Yellowknife when they were first informed of Ray's injuries, and had rented an apartment for themselves and Fraser to live in while Ray was in the hospital. Mrs Kowalski took Fraser under her maternal wing, and the Mountie soon found himself following a mothers orders, something he hadn't done since he was very little. Mr Kowalski also took him on, dispensing fatherly advice or a firm talking to as needed, and Fraser had suffered through some nights of distress as he aclimatised to being part of a family once more. He and Ray had been equals in their little family of three, but the introduction of parents had been a bittersweet treat for the Mountie. His own father had not had as much interest or conversation with him when the man was alive, and that was something that Fraser would forever regret. He'd never really counted the disucssions he'd had with the Ghost as proper family talks. Being unable to touch, even in passing, had made those discussions more of an intellectual exercise. Barbara and Damian, or Mum and Dad as Barbara and Ray insisted and Damian didn't object to, were very hands on. Pats, hugs, cuffs, shoves, mock punches, they all occurred in the course of a family discussion, and Babara also insisted on kissing his cheek.
Ray's release to the family apartment did not in any way decrease the Kowalski's acceptance of his presence in their family. If anything, Ray's presence meant that he got even more physical affection than before. A very smug Diefenbaker remarked more than once that his scent had become a lot clearer since the Kowalski's had accepted him into their pack, and Fraser had been unable to rebut the assertion. Being part of a family was a wonderful luxury, and Maggie's arrival in Yellowknife the week before they were due to fly up to Inuvik was something akin to the icing on the cake.
As the cabin in Inuvik only had two rooms, Ray shared Fraser's bed, while his parents slept in his room. This was something of a fantasy for Fraser, though it was entirely innocent on Ray's part. Their return to their home didn't lesson his feeling of being 'pack' as Dief put it, instead most of the town turned up at one point or another with gifts of food or other useful items for himself and Ray. The Kowalski family, in which Benton was now included without second thought, were invited to several family dinners in town, and as Ray's strength increased and the summer progressed, the Kowalski parents began to take a few small trips into the territory that their sons loved and defended so gallantly, leaving Ray in Benton's care.
By the time Barbara and Damian were sure that Ray was as recovered as he ever would be, it was closing on the end of summer, six months since Ray had first been shot. His brother and sister-in-law had sent several worried messages about the return of their parents before winter set in, and Ray had backed them up, worried about his mother's arthritis. Fraser had been as sorry to see them go as Ray was, mainly because he would miss them and partly because it meant that Ray would once more return to his own bed. However on their first night alone, Ray had climbed in beside Benton as usual, and had drifted off to sleep without a care or worry in the world. What that meant for the future of their relationship, Fraser was entirely uncertain.
With the first decent fall of snow, Fraser was once again required to return to his patrol, and Ray had set out with him. The blonde had been adamant that he was not going to allow himself to be tied to the cabin for winter, and for the first three weeks of the patrol he matched Fraser day for day. That didn't stop the Mountie from watching him closely, something that Ray was well aware of but very kindly didn't call him on.
Once again Ray watched the environment around them while Benton watched the criminals, and it was almost possible for him to forget that his partner had been so greviously wounded months ago. The people they encountered on patrol had heard something of the incident, and Ray was very self effacing when he explained how his injuries had occurred, and why they had been pursued. His assailants were of course under lock and key, and would be so for most of their lives.
As Ray was still so thin, Benton insisted that his partner share his sleeping bag at night, to keep him warm and stave off any pain that the cold around them might bring. Ray didn't object to that either, and in the middle of the fourth week he turned in Benton's arms and kissed his partner steadily and sweetly.
"I love yer Benton Fraser," Ray whispered when they'd broken apart for air, "I always will."
Benton would always recall that event as being one of the most perfect in his life, eclipsing even Victoria.
0o0o0
End