Authors note: Another labor of love chapter... Thank you BG for helping make this so much better. I hope all of you are enjoying this story. Please feel free to leave me your feedback and comments. Once again... enjoy!
Fraser's blue eye's locked onto Victoria's hardened face as she pointed her gun at his lover. Ice water chilled his veins and his heartbeat quickened. This wasn't just about him and Victoria any more. His friends were all in danger now. He scanned the room as he felt both of his Rays flanking him on either side. Francesca was still passed out in the cozy chair, covered with Ma Vecchio's afghan. Her duct tape bound hands protruding slightly from under the blanket. He could see the steady rise and fall of her sleeping form under the blanket. 'She was still alive, thank God,' thought Fraser.
Stella was bound to the hard wood chair at the end of the couch. She was frozen, half fear, half fury. It appeared she and Victoria had had an altercation. Both women had fresh bruises forming quickly on their exposed skin. There were tears forming in Stella's eyes, as she begged her husband and friends through silent pleas to save her and Frannie. And yet despite her obvious fear, Ray looked at his ex-wife, and his heart filled with pride. 'Good girl, Stella- you kicked that bitch in the head.' And the minute she's free , she'd start kicking again... 'Atta girl. Vecchio was a lucky man.'
Fraser felt his muscles tense as Victoria moved from the door. He kept his eyes tightly focused, tracking her as she sidestepped, taking up her position behind Stella. 'Oh God- she was using Stella as a human shield.'
With a narrow gaze, Victoria held her gun, still raised in a horizontal line. Neither Ray would risk hitting Stella. Fraser knew it, Victoria knew it- Stella knew it too. She raised her head defiantly. Fraser smiled to reassure her, Stella smiled bravely back.
She tilted her head at an angle, observing Vecchio, still keeping her aim on Kowalski. "I'm a pretty decent shot, which is more than I can say for you. I actually hit what I'm aiming for. And I don't shoot my friends in the back."
Fraser's heart flinched for his friend. Vecchio recoiled... Victoria had struck a nerve. 'Ray,' he thought, 'Lord, I'm so sorry.' Vecchio's hand was trembling and Victoria smiled triumphantly.
"That's because you don't have any friends… bitch," Kowalski sneered as he took a protective step closer to Fraser.
'Oh God, be careful,' Fraser thought. He knew what Ray was doing- trying to defend his first Ray with the sarcastic comment, trying to protect him with his body- he flinched, moving toward Ray, but Victoria's eyes hardened, and he heard the gun click as she cocked the trigger. He froze.
"I'd watch who you're calling a 'bitch', Blondie," Victoria snapped at Ray. "Would you like me to tell Ben what you and I were up to while he was away?"
"There's nothing to tell him." Ray sounded genuinely astonished at the accusation- though Fraser wasn't entirely sure what she was accusing him of. For the briefest second he almost imagined it- but no. He knew Ray. Whatever she was going to tell him, he knew already it was a lie.
"So, having a drink with me was… nothing?" She asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.
"I have drinks with lots of people, doesn't mean anything."
"And dancing with me was again… nothing?"
"Listen, lady… nothing happened between us. I care too much about Ben to screw it up with some floozy that comes on to me in a bar."
"Ray," Fraser said, reaching out and taking hold of his partner's elbow. He realized how upset his lover had become. "Ray, Ray, Ray- I know that. Believe me, I know that."
Victoria's eyes darkened. "What about that kiss?" She shifted her eyes to Fraser. "Bet you didn't hear about that when you got back home, did you, Ben?"
"You're full of shit! I never kissed you." Ray exclaimed angrily. He turned to Fraser who was staring hard at Victoria.
It was difficult for Fraser to remember now, why he ever loved this woman. How far was she prepared to go, how many lies was she prepared to tell?
Ray didn't know what he was thinking though. "I didn't, Ben," he said in pleading tones. "Ben, you gotta believe me. I wouldn't do that to you."
"Your lips were so soft and smooth and tasted incredibly sweet, like the nectar from a peach." Victoria spun her words, trying to gauge Fraser's reaction.
Fraser let out an uncontrolled giggle, shocking the room's occupants, including himself. 'Oh dear,' he thought. Kowalski looked at him like he had lost his mind and Victoria shot daggers from her eyes in his direction. Only Vecchio stood, as though in a trance, not reacting at all.
"I've kissed Ray many times, and I know from experience that his kisses are never sweet like peaches. They taste like bitter coffee laced with chocolate, both of which I know you despise. If you would have really kissed him, you would know this." Fraser took a step forward around Ray. "Why are you doing this, Victoria? These people have done nothing to you. Stella was nothing but a friend. Leave all of them out of this." Fraser took another step forward. "It's between you and me. What do you want from me?"
"Come with me, Ben," Victoria repeated.
Fraser stood still, staring at the beautiful lady before him. He knew she expected him to melt, so he gave her what she wanted. He allowed his expression to melt. "I was going with you…" On either side of Fraser, both Ray's flinched at the truth, but Ben had Victoria's attention. "Don't you realize that? I was getting on that train to start a life with you." Another step forward and Fraser ignored the "Ben…" that came from behind him. Oh God, he hated himself for doing this, but he had to get her attention onto him, away from his friends. "You never came back…" he said- and it was true as far as it went. "What was I to think? I laid in that hospital for weeks, hallucinating up images of you because… I wanted to be with you." Fraser reached up and ran his bent finger across the bridge of his nose.
Kowalski breathed and inward sigh of relief… Ben knew what he was doing. 'Step back, l know what I'm doing… trust me,' he read Fraser's mind.
Beside him, Vecchio was starting to panic. 'What the hell is Benny doing?' This couldn't be happening again...
"I was there, Ben," she said. "I did come back. Don't you remember? I came to your room at night… but then… you changed."
"Yes… I had people who really cared about me. I realize now how lucky I was that I never knew you came back, because you ruin everything you touch. You ruined poor Greta. You nearly ruined me, and I was willing to let you, because I felt it would have made us even." Fraser confessed. He had told the two most important people in his life, what Victoria had done to him. It was time he told the woman herself. "I'm lucky I was shot."
"You'd sooner be shot than go with me?" She asked incredulously.
"I'd sooner die." Fraser declared bluntly. "Why was revenge so important to you? We could have been happy, Victoria. You had served your time, you were free to do as you pleased. We could have started a fresh life together. I would have gone anywhere with you, done anything for you... but you ruined that dream by deceiving me. All I wanted was for you to let me love you."
Victoria whispered, "How could you love me if you didn't understand me?"
"You never gave me a chance." Ben replied quietly.
"The only way to make you understand was to make you suffer." Victoria's voice hardened.
"Well, Victoria, I've suffered. And now I understand… you never loved me."
Victoria's lips tightened into a thin red line at Fraser's admission. She shook her gun in Kowalski's direction a few steps behind Ben. "What about him?"
Fraser turned to look at Ray. "What about him?" he asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.
"What would you be willing to do for him? How much do you love him?" Victoria moved the gun quickly to the side of Stella's head and pressed it into her temple. Stella took a sharp breath, and closed her eyes tightly, whispering a silent prayer. "What would you be willing to do... to keep me from killing your best friend's wife?"
Vecchio finally spoke up, his voice firm. "You better not hurt a hair on her head. I told you once I would kill you if you hurt Benny… that goes double for Stella."
"You actually think you can hit me? Your aim isn't too good if my memory serves me correctly. Who shoots their friend in the back?" Victoria taunted Vecchio.
"I was aiming for you, Bitchtoria!" Vecchio spat back. His arm was getting tired from the standoff and began to quiver, or maybe it was nerves, he didn't know. What he did know was he'd never… ever let this bitch hurt anyone he loved again. He heard Kowalski mutter 'Good one, Vecchio.'
Victoria untied the gag around Stella's mouth with one hand and dropped it to the floor. "I think Stella has some news for you Ray. You want to try and shoot me and risk hitting your pregnant wife?"
Stella's frightened eyes locked on to her husband's. She began to tremble against her restraints. She was cramping- she knew she shouldn't be feeling like this but...
"Leave her alone…" Kowalski's voice was shaky. Stella closed her eyes. 'This was not how I wanted him to hear I was pregnant and now... now...' Oh God, those pains were scaring her. What if she lost the baby?
"I won't hit her…" Vecchio was sure of himself.
"How can you be so sure? You're not the cop you used to be and your aim… well, it could use a little work." She looked to Ben and studied his face. "But I think you already know that."
"Stella, baby, I know it's going to be alright, because I've seen us. All three of us… as a family. And that woman can't take that away from me. From us."
"Victoria…" Ben's solid voice cut through the tension in the room. "It's over."
"Really?" Victoria laughed in his direction. "Look at your boyfriend behind you Ben… look at the way he's looking at his ex-wife. Are you trying to tell me that he doesn't have feelings left for her? After all, you can't give him the child he's always wanted, can you?"
"Shut the fuck up, lady!" Ray screamed, anger filling his voice. "That's not what I told you. Quit twisting everything around and fucking with people's heads."
She fired a shot in Fraser's direction. It buzzed between Fraser and Kowalski and struck the living room wall behind them. Both men jumped, startled.
Vecchio fired off a shot and clipped Victoria in the arm. She staggered back and hid behind Stella.
"I told you your aim was pathetic." She threw the insult over his wife's head as she clutched her arm.
'Yeah,' Vecchio thought, 'Completely pathetic. Shit, the one time I'm justified to kill someone, I can't bring myself to do it.'
He'd killed too many people in Vegas- he'd never wanted to kill anyone again. Even Victoria- he had been aiming at her arm, hoping she'd drop the gun.
He would never admit that to anyone. "Yeah well, yours isn't much better." Vecchio retorted.
She grasped the gun with both hands. Despite her injury, she gritted her teeth and raised her arms in Fraser and Kowalski's direction. She paused giving Vecchio a wicked smile. Never taking her eyes off him, she fired again.
Kowalski grabbed at his chest and fell backwards onto the floor. Fraser twisted and was by his side immediately, pressing his hand onto Ray's wound. The blood was flowing quickly through his fingers. Ray was gasping for air and bleeding profusely.
"Check the back!" Vecchio yelled. "Is there an exit wound?"
Frantically, Fraser rolled his lover onto his side.
"Yes..."
"Okay, clamp your hands hard on either side. Is it making a sucking sound?"
"Yes..." Fraser shook his head hard. "Oh God."
Stella was screaming and crying and Francesca was still dead to the world sound asleep in the chair. The events unfolding around her, not phasing her one bit. 'Thank God, she doesn't have to witness this.' Vecchio thought. His head was full of Stella's screaming. 'Help him… somebody please, help him. Ray… the baby... something's wrong.'
"It's an easy choice, Ben…" Fraser was shaking with shock, his hands covered in Ray's blood, still clutching his lover's chest. Victoria's voice broke through his daze. He looked up and choked on his words. "He needs an ambulance or he's going to die."
"Come with me, Ben." She repeated the haunted words. "And I will let him live."
'As if she really was a witch, or a little goddess of the ice. Like she really does have life and death at her command.' Fraser shivered, with more than cold.
Ray was motionless, his eyes screwed shut tightly against the pain. His color was... not good, but not bad either. 'Oh God,' Fraser thought, 'five... ten minutes. I can't believe I'm doing this, counting Ray's life down in minutes. Please, God... let this work.' He reluctantly let go of Ray's chest, kissed him and brushed a finger across his nose. He stood up and took a step towards Victoria, toeing Ray's gun toward his lover's blood soaked hand.
"I'll do it... I'll go with you." Fraser's voice quivered. He was silently praying his plan worked. He couldn't afford for it not to, Ray's life depended on it.
Vecchio couldn't believe what he was seeing. 'No way was Benny doing this to him, again. No way was he running away with her. No way was he going to leave Kowalski to die.' He dared to take his eyes off of Victoria and stared hard at Fraser's profile. It was unreadable. Vecchio glanced to Kowalski on the floor. He had his gun in his hand... 'When did that happen?' Vecchio looked back at Fraser as he neared Victoria. 'Oh thank God. His friend was clenching his fist out in some kind of code. Benny had a plan.'
Victoria stepped away from Stella. She pointed her gun once again at Kowalski, daring Fraser to back out. She placed her hand over her injured arm and winced as she tried to stop the bleeding. "It's a small price to pay for getting what you want, isn't it Ben." She unlocked the door and pulled it open with bloody fingers.
Fraser met her at the entrance to his friend's home. He took one last look at his friend and then his lover and gave three successive blinks before being pushed out into the dark, rainy night. Victoria pulled Stella's phone out of her pocket and with an evil laugh, dropped it to the floor and smashed it with the heel of her boot.
Vecchio looked to Stella as Victoria turned to follow Ben out of his home. He was torn, his wife was cramping and possibly losing their baby, but not in immediate danger of dying herself.
"Help him, Ray," Stella's clear voice rang out. "I'm okay... save him, please."
Vecchio rushed to Kowalski's side, sliding on his knees in the blood pooled on the floor. He clamped a hand to Kowalski's chest and pressed hard. "Hold on, we're gonna get you help." 'What was Benny's plan? He still hadn't figured it out.'
Kowalski grunted under the pressure. He opened his eyes, his gun still in his hand and watched helplessly as Victoria led Ben away. Fraser was already out the door when Victoria spun back around and raised her gun at Stella.
Kowalski mustered the last of his remaining strength and yelled at Vecchio.
"Now!"
Simultaneously, both Rays fired, striking Victoria in the chest. She fell back against Fraser, her gun clattering to the hardwood floor. The impact sent her flying into Fraser's body, knocking him to the rain soaked ground. Victoria landed with a solid thump on top of him.
The wind momentarily knocked out of him, Fraser caught his breath and shoved Victoria's body to the side. He pulled himself to his feet and leapt the three steps back into the house, his feet barely touching the ground. 'Ray... I have to get to Ray.'
Victoria lay dying in the rain, two bullets piercing her heart. "I should be with him," she heard herself speak for the last time. She opened her eyes one last time. Ben was jumping the steps, leaving her to die and saving Kowalski instead. With a final breath, she knew she had failed.
Fraser ran to Ray's side and placed his hands atop Vecchio's. He was wet from the rain, Victoria's blood was splattered on his face and covered his shirt. He looked into his friend's eyes. "I've got him, go help Stella." He felt his friend's hands slide out from under his and he made contact with his lover again. "Open your eyes, Ray." Fraser demanded.
Vecchio darted to his wife's side. He fumbled in his pocket for his knife to cut the ropes binding her wrists and ankles. "Hold on baby…"
"Ray…" she yelled, pulling his attention away from finding the knife. "I'm not the only one with a phone. Call an ambulance… he needs help, please hurry!" Stella watched helplessly as Ben pressed two shaking hands over Ray's wound. He was covered in blood and trembling. Her heart ached for him.
Vecchio dialed 911. He yelled the appropriate codes into the phone at the operator for 'officer down' and 'multiple ambulances required', as he found his knife and cut through his wife's bonds. He hugged her fiercely once she was free and rubbed her wrists to help get the circulation going again.
Stella went to the couch to check on Francesca. She was still out cold. Stella held her abdomen, the cramping had subsided considerably. Vecchio pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She let go of her toughness and broke down and cried. He avoided runny his bloody hands through her hair as he tried to comfort her.
"Shhh… he's going to be okay… we're going to be okay." Vecchio turned towards his friends on the floor. Kowalski's color was getting paler and Fraser looked like he was going into shock. He quickly led Stella back to Frannie on the couch. "Sit with her… I need to help Benny." The urgency was clear in his voice."
The paramedics and police arrived as Vecchio knelt down next to his two friends. Kowalski still hadn't responded by opening his eyes or making any movements. He had to tear Fraser away from Kowalski's side in order to let the paramedics work on him. "Benny, let them help him," he pleaded with a voice of reason.
The paramedics handed Kowalski's glasses to Fraser when they put an oxygen mask over his face. He heard one of the paramedics yell "We need to get rolling… now!" And Vecchio was shoving him into the back of the ambulance. He clutched Ray's cold limp hand tightly. 'Don't give up… hold on,' he begged him through sobs. The EMTs were working frantically to keep Ray stable and Fraser could only watch as he slipped away.
When Vecchio arrived at the hospital, following Stella and Francesca in their own ambulance, he quickly found Benny in the ER waiting room. The paramedics told him Stella and the baby were going to be fine. Francesca had finally come too in the ambulance and would most likely just have a massive headache from the drug she ingested. Both were going to be admitted and checked out officially, before given the all clear to go home.
'Home,' Vecchio thought disgusted, 'my home's a bloody mess.' He slid into a hard plastic chair next to Benny and pulled him into a hug. "Have you heard anything?"
Unable to speak, Fraser shook his head. He was toying with Kowalski's glasses in his bloody fingers.
Vecchio looked at his friend, worried. "Benny, let's get you cleaned up, okay? Wash your hands, get you a fresh shirt. You don't want to freak Kowalski out looking like that do you?" He held up a small bag with a change of clothing. "I grabbed it from the car on the way to the hospital."
Fraser gave him a small sad smile.
"Just don't tell him I broke into his car to get it." Vecchio squeezed his friend's shoulder and led him towards the private room the on- call doctor told him he could use. "You get cleaned up. I'm going to check on the girls." Vecchio placed both of his hands on either side of Fraser's face, forcing Benny to look at him. "He's going to be okay… you hear me?"
"Thank you…" Fraser whispered.
Vecchio patted his cheek. "I'll be back in ten minutes... tops."
Fraser had fallen asleep in the chair next to Ray's hospital bed. The steady beeping of the monitors and the exhaustion from being awake all day and night had lulled him to sleep. His head was settled next to their clasped hands. He was Ray's life line and he wasn't letting go.
The doctors had finally told him after four hours of waiting impatiently, that Ray would recover fully. He had let out a slow breath and sank to the floor. He buried his head in his hands and broke down. His Ray was going to be okay. He had a feeling his other Ray was going to be just fine as well.
He felt something tickle his cheek and swatted it away with his free hand. His eyes flew open when he realized it was Ray's fingers caressing his face. He pushed out of his chair and ran his own shaking hand down his lover's face. Tears fell freely from his eyes.
"Hey…" Ray croaked out. "Stop that." He paused and caught his breath. Breathing was difficult. Victoria's bullet had nicked a lung. Another centimeter and he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did.
"God, Ray… I was so worried about you." Another tear slid down Ben's cheek as he settled himself on the edge of Ray's bed.
"Hey… no crying. You know I'm tougher than that. Not gonna let some bullet keep me down." He reassured Ben with a warm smile and a firm squeeze of his hand. "How are the girls?"
"They are both fine. Ray took them home a few hours ago to his mothers. Stella wanted to wait and see you, but he promised to bring her back this afternoon." Fraser laughed lightly. "You think I'm stubborn? I didn't think he would ever convince her it was okay to leave."
Ray's brows drew together and Fraser could tell he was thinking about something difficult. The silence was deafening. "What..." He paused and tried again, coughing hurt and he screwed his eyes shut. Fraser placed a comforting hand on his thigh. He wasn't used to seeing Ray hurt and suffering. It was usually the other way around.
"What about Victoria?" Ray opened his tired eyes and stared at Fraser's face. It was void of emotions.
Fraser lifted Ray's hand, touched it with his lips. "She's dead," he said, in matter of fact tones- as though it didn't matter at all.
Maybe it didn't anymore.
Ray closed his eyes and squeezed Ben's hand. "Good," he whispered, falling back asleep.
Fraser rubbed his thumb across Ray's hand in soothing motions. He was glad this nightmare was finally over. He settled back into the chair and let sleep overtake his tired and exhausted body.
In his dream, it was snowing. Snow had always been a bad sign in his dreams, but now- no, it was alright. Dief and Ray were playing in the snow.
A little figure ran toward them, laughing. Fraser couldn't see her face, obscured as it was by the falling flakes and the blonde curls. She was chattering away, he couldn't hear her voice clearly, but Ray was laughing. She and Ray were trying to build a snowman, but Dief kept knocking it over.
She turned to him then and smiled- he could clearly see her face. "Daddy, can you help us?"
'Daddy.'
Fraser smiled in his sleep. He and his Ray were going to have a family, too.
There was a soft knock on the door. Ben looked up from his book and smiled when he saw Vecchio and Stella in the doorway. He glanced to the bed. Ray was beginning to stir awake.
"Is it okay if we visit?" Stella asked quietly.
"Of course." Fraser stood up and offered Stella his chair.
"How are you doing, Ben?" She asked as she took him into her arms and hugged him tightly.
"I'm okay... now that I know he's going to be fine." He assured her with a warm smile.
"You mind if I sit with him a while?" she asked tentatively.
Fraser looked uncertain. He wasn't ready to leave Ray's side.
"Come on Benny, let's get some food into you." Vecchio ushered Fraser to the door. "He's in good hands. We won't be gone long."
The door fell shut behind the two men and Stella took Ben's place next to the bed.
"Hey..." Ray whispered.
"Hey yourself," she replied as she slipped her hand into his. She covered it with her other one. Ray's hands were chilled and she tried to pass some warmth into them. "Ben tells me you're going to be okay. I was so scared."
"You did good, Stell. I'm..." Ray coughed and his breath caught in his throat. "I'm proud of you."
"Just doing what you always taught me... 'Don't take crap from no one and kick 'em in the head'."
"That's my girl." Ray closed his eyes. 'How can I still be so tired?' he asked himself.
"Ray," Stella began, keeping her voice gentle, when he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry you had to find out about the baby this way. I wanted to take you to lunch and tell you myself, just the two of us."
"It's okay, Stell. I'm happy for you," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. He opened his eyes and gave her a warm smile. "You and I weren't meant to be parents together." His voice held a touch of sadness. "Don't worry about me." He squeezed her hand when she teared up. "Vecchio's gonna make a great dad."
"Thank you, Ray," she whispered, her voice catching. "That means a lot to me. It will to Ray as well." The room fell silent. Ray had closed his eyes again. Stella squeezed his hand. "I still love you, you know."
Ray opened his eyes a fraction and crinkled them at her. "I'm taken," he whispered with a smile. "Some Mountie has the hots for me." His voice was slurring and Stella could tell he was losing the battle to stay awake.
"As a friend, Ray." She swatted his hand, playfully.
"I know... me too," he mumbled.
"Would you and Ben be willing to be the baby's Godparents?"
Ray raised his hand to her face. "We'd be honored, Stell, long as you don't call it Ray... too many Rays 'round here," his voice trailed off as he fell asleep. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. She settled into Ben's seat and picked up his discarded book.
Vecchio and Fraser picked out sandwiches in the hospital cafeteria and found a quiet table in the corner. Fraser's eyes were dark and Ray could tell he was exhausted.
"Benny, why don't you let Stella and I sit with Kowalski and you go home and sleep for a few hours."
"Thank you, kindly, Ray… but I can't leave." Fraser picked at his sandwich, hunger the last thing on his mind.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that." Ray took a bite of his own sandwich and wiped his face with his napkin.
"The doctors said that he was going to be okay, Benny." Ray grabbed Fraser's hand that wasn't playing with his sandwich. Fraser looked up startled. "He made it, alright? No more blaming yourself or taking on the weight of the world in guilt." Ray softened his voice. "She's gone, Benny… she can't hurt any of us anymore."
"Thank God," Fraser muttered.
Ray took another bite of his sandwich, chewed and chased it with a gulp of tea. Fraser looked up and gave him a genuine smile, as if it finally dawned on him there was something to smile about. A silver lining to the dark clouds surrounding them.
"You're going to be a father, Ray," he beamed at his friend. "How does that feel?"
"Well, honestly…" Ray's voice trailed off as he remembered his dream in the back seat of the car. "For the first time…" he paused and a lopsided smile appeared on his face. "For the first time in a long time, Benny, I think I'm going to be okay."
Fraser pushed his sandwich to the side and took a drink of his tea instead. "And the baby? Everything checked out okay?" Fraser asked concerned.
"Yeah... everything is fine. Apparently the cramping was just stress related. Eight weeks along the doctor said." Vecchio sat back in his seat, relief evident in his gestures. He smiled broadly across the table at his friend. "Can you believe it? Me… a father?"
Fraser returned his easy smile. "I'm very happy for you. You will make a great father."
"I learned what kind of dad not to be, from my old man." Vecchio sat forward in his seat. "My child will come first, Benny."
Fraser nodded his head. He understood the influence father's had on their children. His own father and Ray's were as different as night and day, but that didn't mean he wanted to be the same kind of father his own was to him.
"So, you and Kowalski... you think you will ever look into adoption?" Ray asked curiously. Both Kowalski and Fraser loved his nieces and nephews and were great with kids in general. It made sense to Ray that they would eventually want a child of their own.
Fraser looked uncertain. "We haven't talked much about it lately. We both have dangerous jobs." Benny shrugged his shoulders. "Now..." his voice faded and he looked away from his friend.
"Benny... what is it?" Ray could see sadness creep back into his friend's face. "Kowalski's going to be fine. Every doctor in this place has told you that." Ray squeezed Fraser's hand reassuring him. "You would make a great father, Benny."
The silence between them grew longer. The cafeteria was almost empty and Ray swore he would be able to hear a pin drop if someone was inclined to do so. Realization suddenly dawned on him.
"You don't think the surgery's going to be successful, do you?"
Benny's smile was forced. "I have no way of knowing." He looked away in the direction of Ray's room. "And now..."
"You're going to do it, right? Have the surgery?" Vecchio ran his hand over his head. "Shit..."
"It will need to be rescheduled now, anyway. I'm going to need someone to help me and Ray can't do that right now."
"Look, Benny, you know there's me and Stella to look after you guys? As well as Frannie, and Ma, and every Vecchio for a thousand miles around?"
"I couldn't ask that of you, Ray."
"Who said anything about asking? We're just gonna do it." Vecchio gave his friend another reassuring smile. "Let me do this for you, Benny."
