Ray Kowalski slid the tickets back into the envelope and pushed it across the wooden table towards his partner. He looked up and met the bewildered blue eyes staring back at him.
"What?" Kowalski raised his eyebrows. "Maybe I don't want to go. Maybe I think he's trying too hard to be nice."
"Ray…" Fraser's smooth voice broke the tension that was building between the two men seated at the table. "He thinks very highly of you. You took care of his family and protected them like they were your own. If this is how he wants to thank you, let him."
"You'll come with me right?" Ray reached for the envelope again and pulled out the tickets and stared hard at them.
"Come to Chicago? Of course, I wouldn't let you go alone. But there are only two tickets in that envelope and I believe one of them is for Ray Vecchio and the other is for you." Fraser explained as he took his lover's hand into his own. "He doesn't bite, Ray."
"I know that you nit-wit… but why didn't he get a ticket for you too? I mean you had to put up with me as well. You know… you did him a favor too, by making nice with the new guy."
"Oh, I think I made more than nice with the new guy," Fraser winked at Ray and tugged on his hand. "Come on, let's get packing."
A smile tugged on the corner of Ray Vecchio's mouth when he spotted his friend and his partner step through the arrival gate at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Benny still looked the same, complete with the brown Stetson adorning the top of his head. Vecchio let out a small chuckle at the man matching strides with his former partner. What his friend saw in the slender blonde man with unruly hair was beyond him. But, it was obvious there was an attraction that pulled the two men together as they bumped shoulders and hips and stole secret glances.
His heartbeat sped up in an instant when thoughts of what Kowalski had done to protect his identity rose to the surface. He owed this man a lot, even if he had trouble saying it to his face. He was more of a show them how much you appreciate them through gifts of appreciation rather than actual handshakes and hugs. He thought back to the case files he had read through while he was recovering from Vegas and learned Kowalski loved baseball, was even good enough to play for a minor league team in order to help with an investigation. He got the idea of taking him to a Chicago Cubs game in order to show him how much he appreciated what he had done for him and to give him a taste of home he figured he was missing.
Benny had told him how well Ray was adapting to life in Canada when he visited several months back when he took home one of Dief's puppies. Vecchio thought that maybe Ray would like a trip back to Chicago to visit and what a better way to go about it than to invite him to a ball game. Benny had promised him Ray would come and true to his word, there he was, shoulder to shoulder with his friend.
At first, Ray's first impression of Kowalski was he wasn't overly impressed. But that quickly changed when he saw the amount of trust his Mountie partner had placed in the feisty detective. If Benny trusted him, he had to be a stand-up guy and he learned through others that Kowalski was just that. He had to give the man credit, he was good at his job.
He was anxious to see how the pup was fairing under Kowalski's care. Another smile broke out across his lips when he thought back to when he came across the Puppy Training book in a local bookstore. He told himself he just had to buy it and send it to Kowalski. At first it was to poke fun at the spiky haired blond, to keep their rivalry alive and well, but the longer it sat on his kitchen table and the more he got lecture after lecture from Stella about hurting Kowalski's feelings, he decided against sending it to mock the man. Then, Kowalski had started calling him with updates about the puppy and their friendship started to take off.
The first time Vecchio stepped on a puppy tooth, he cursed and hollered at Jefferson, like it was the pup's fault his tooth fell out. The second time, he yelled at Jefferson because he had eaten his slippers and Ray didn't have anything left to protect his feet, except socks and everyone knows how much protection they provide against sharp objects. The third time… well, he pulled the damn puppy training book off the table and started reading it himself.
Vecchio waved his hand in the air when he noticed Fraser scanning the crowd for a familiar face. He walked towards his friend and pulled him into a warm embrace.
"It's good to see you again, Benny." Ray held his hand out to Kowalski. "You too, Kowalski."
"What? I don't get a hug too?" Kowalski asked with a mock hurt expression plastered on his face.
Vecchio's face paled momentarily, unsure how to respond to the jab.
"I'm just messin', Vecchio. It's good to see you too." Ray shook Vecchio's hand and gave him a warm smile.
"So, do we need to pick up the mutts or do they have to spend the night in quarantine?" Vecchio questioned his two friends. "Gotta admit, I'm a little anxious to see how the little guy is doing."
"Little? He's not so little anymore, Ray." Fraser led the way to baggage claim and then to where the animals were held. "Liaison is growing quickly. He should be about the same size as Jefferson."
"I suppose that does make sense. Listen, Benny, when Kowalski and I are at the ball game tomorrow, promise me that you won't let the dogs tear my house apart. It's bad enough that Stella feeds Jefferson doughnuts…"
"She doesn't?" Kowalski asked in disbelief.
"Oh, yes she does… even lets the thing sleep in bed with us. She has a soft spot that lady. Who knew?"
"I will do my best to not let your home fall into disrepair while you are away." Fraser draped an arm over his friend's shoulder. "It will be wonderful to stay with you and your family this week, Ray. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Fraser. I don't recall agreeing to stay with Vecchio." Kowalski tugged hard on Fraser's elbow pulling him to a stop outside the revolving doors of the animal claim. "I thought we were staying at a hotel. What if we want to…" Ray wound his hand around the air, hoping Fraser would catch his drift. "You know…?"
"Don't worry, Kowalski. You and Benny will have all the privacy you can shake a stick at in the guest house out back." Vecchio assured his two friends. "I hired a contractor several months ago to have it fixed up for when you two come to visit."
"That was very kind of you, Ray." Fraser looked at his partner and smiled. "I'm sure we will be quite comfortable."
"Come on, Stella is ordering a deep dish pizza for you guys."
Fraser and Ray claimed Liaison and Diefenbaker and after wiping the wolf slobber off their faces, followed Vecchio to his waiting Riviera.
Kowalski slowed his steps as he approached the car and took in the city around him. Somehow, Chicago has lost some of its hominess. Fraser stepped close and placed a gentle hand on Ray's arm.
"Are you okay?" Fraser asked his partner, concern for his lover filling his voice.
Kowalski shrugged and stole a quick kiss from Fraser. "I'm okay. Just thought I would have missed it a bit more." He followed Dief and Liaison into the back seat of the Riv and pulled the seat back for Fraser. "You coming?"
"Of course." Fraser slid into the front seat and closed the door, silently wondering what was going through his Ray's head.