A/N - It's been a while since I updated but I have to thank everyone who has stuck by me. I've been feeling a little uninspired but I've just started seeing the trailers for the new series and my Rayspirit has returned to me. Huzzah! So enjoy, and I promise I'll update more frequently. S x

"Where are we going?"

Lexi could feel her heartbeat quickening as they sped away from the house along towards the PCH. She hated when Ray didn't talk to her, it never meant anything good. It had taken a long time for the two of them to find a place where they could just speak, so feeling him retreating and becoming secretive again, quite honestly, scared her.

"I just need you to duck away for a little while," he said softly, keeping his eyes focused on the road. If he looked at her, he would melt and he knew it. He could see her trembling a little, her hand resting on her knee was twitching anxiously. Reaching across, he held her securely. "There's some trouble brewing."

"Ray." She shifted in her seat, twisting towards him and leaning the side of her head on the rest. Her eyes swam over him, his usually cool outer shell was rankled and she could tell. "What trouble?"

He wondered if he should tell her. Ray was silent for a moment, flexing his fingers against the wheel, and he took a breath. His whole life with Abby had been built on lies and it hadn't worked, why would he continue with that mistake? He glanced over to see her amber eyes staring at him patiently and he gritted his teeth.

"Tyler Matthews. They found his body." He could see her withdrawing, curling into a ball in panic and he shook his head. "Don't. I'm already pissed about it."

She closed her eyes, trying to control her fear with regular, paced breathing. "You said that you'd take care of it."

"And I did." Avi would get the brunt of his frustrations about that, that was for sure. "He's got some sort of, I don't know, tracking chip. Satellite bullshit. They found him." He could hear her breath getting faster.

"I killed him, Ray." She ran her palm over her face, trying to catch herself. "I'll be all over him, they'll trace him back to me without a doubt. And you-"

"I'm covered. Don't worry about me." Ray's voice was cold as he said it, it felt so heartless to admit that he had covered his own tracks perfectly but may have left even the smallest clue to connect her back to him. "But you, I just need you to stay with a friend of mine tonight, okay?"

She didn't answer. She had drawn her knees up beneath her chin, squeezing herself into a tight pretzel shape, and Ray could see he was losing her faith. He hesitated for a moment and pulled the car over into the layby.

"Lex." She didn't answer and he sighed. Getting out of the car, he walked around it and tugged open her door before crouching down to look at her. It was inelegant and unlike him, but he didn't care. She needed him. "Lexi, please."

"I should have called the police," she said softly. "I should have done it properly. He attacked me. It was self-defence."

Ray shook his head. "And his lawyers would have found every way to make you guilty. Matthews is worth a lot of money, his wife's family are worth even more. They'd have made it much worse." He took her hand firmly. "I'm not letting anyone get between us again, Lex, it's you and me and there's no doubt in the world about that."

He could see she wasn't convinced and he glanced around them for a moment. Looking out at the beach, he smiled a little and tugged on her hand.

"Come with me."

It took a little convincing but eventually she got up and followed him. Ray picked the easiest path down from the coast road to the sand and he led her carefully down. The sun was warm, even though it was beginning to set, and he walked with her onto the beach. He felt relaxed, even though he knew that he wasn't exactly off duty – maybe it was the sand, maybe it was being in just jeans and a shirt, maybe it was feeling her holding his hand, he wasn't sure, but he felt good.

"You know we've never done this?" He looked at her for a moment, putting his arm around her. "Never just stood. Out in public. Us. Not afraid to be caught, or recognized." She smiled a little at that and leaned against him, burying her head against his chest, and Ray pulled her closer to him, kissing the top of her head. "All this shit about Matthews will blow over. It'll be done by tomorrow morning, I swear." She was sure he meant it and she nodded slowly.

"Okay." She would trust him, she always had, and she squeezed him affectionately. Ray smiled.

"Okay?"

She giggled. "Okay."

Their brief moment of reflection reenergised both of them and Ray tugged her back towards the car. Settling her into the passenger seat again, he watched for a moment as she tipped the sand out of her shoes onto the side of the road before returning the driver's seat.

"So I have a friend with a place just up here," he said. "She's away right now, so you're just going to stay here overnight."

Lexi smiled a little, raising an eyebrow. "A 'friend', huh?" She laughed. "I bet you've got a lot of 'friends' in your life, Mr Donovan."

He grinned and patted her leg. "I used to," he teased, glancing at her. "Before I met you. Before I got you," he added. God, he wished he wasn't driving. All he wanted to do was stare at her, drink her in constantly. He wet his lips as he glimpsed her again, he could see her jeans riding low on her waist, her hip bone just peeking out, teasing him. "When you were still a shrink."

"And you were still a client?" She laughed at that. "That lasted all of, I don't know, ten minutes."

He chuckled. "After that first time I tasted you, I knew it was never going to stop." The thought tickled him. "Fuck knows how I lasted one appointment a goddamn month for four years."

"I like to think I'm satisfying," she joked, trying to keep the mood light between them. Ray laughed at that.

"Yeah. I'd say so."

He gestured towards the beach house as he pulled the car to a stop. The blinds were down and the place looked quiet, it was the perfect hiding spot for her overnight. He daren't risk squirrelling her at the apartment or the office, just in case someone came looking for him. Ashley's place was disconnected enough that she would never be a port of call.

"So you have keys? To your friend's place?" Lexi mused as he dropped open the glove compartment and fished out a keyring. Ray smiled a little as he dangled them in front of her.

"Don't be jealous. Green doesn't suit you." He paced around the car quickly and opened it, giving her a hand to help her out. "It's my place in all but legal paperwork. Sometimes you need somewhere off the grid."

He slipped the key in and turned it, bumping the door with his shoulder to wedge it open. His heart fell, however, as he heard Ashley say his name. He stared at her in surprise as she sat on the couch, a cup of coffee in one hand, tangled up in a little silk robe with her hair piled on her head in a messy up-do.

"Ray?"

Oh Jesus. He glanced at Lexi quickly as Ashley bounded to her feet and bounced over like a little deer. She threw her arms around him with excitement, expecting him to be a little more enthusiastic in return, and she growled as she looked at Lexi contemptuously.

"What are you doing here?" The question was to Ray, but it may as well have been to his guest. Ashley couldn't take her eyes off the other woman he had brought to her place.

"I should be asking you the same thing. You're meant to be in Cabo."

Ashley hung off his neck, her slender body draped around him hopelessly as she pressed up against him. "I cut it short. I missed you too much," she added, tugging at his ear. She started to lean up to kiss him and Ray prised her off quickly, pushing her back a few steps. Hurt, Ashley sneered in annoyance. "What is this, Ray?"

Ray gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected this, Ashley was meant to be gone for at least another two weeks. Not only was she here, invading the space he had intended to use, but she was deliberately being clingier than ever, and it was clearly getting under Lex's skin.

"You know what? It's fine. We'll go somewhere else," he said, looking to Lexi in instruction. "Get in the car."

He could tell she was put out, but Lexi pursed her lips and nodded. "Look, I'll just get a cab, go and see some friends for a few days."

"No." No way. There was no chance he'd let her go anywhere without knowing where she was, who she was with and that she was safe. In all honesty, the thought of leaving her alone made him feel sick in his stomach.

"Ray, it's fine." She smiled politely at Ashley. "Why don't you just catch up with your 'friend', hm?"

Ashley crossed her arms, tipping her head to one side as she looked at Lexi with envy in her eyes. Ray hadn't been by in way too long, and she could tell from his protective body language that this woman was the reason. She reached for Ray's hand, trying to pull him into the house, but he planted his feet firmly and turned to Lexi.

"Don't, Lex," he said, shaking his head, trying to assure her without giving too much away to Ashley. "Let's just get going." He glanced at the young blonde girl and smiled tightly. "Sorry we interrupted you. Tell me, next time you come home early."

He put an arm around Lexi and ushered back towards the car. He waited for her to sit down and slammed the door quickly, bolting it shut before Ashley decided to interfere in that slightly crazy way she liked to. He could see Lex was hesitant and he grimaced apologetically.

"I didn't know she was there." Lexi shrugged it off, trying to be cool.

"It's always strange when lovers meet," she murmured quietly. "There's a whole school of philosophy from the ancient Greeks that says-"

"I've been finished with her for a long time," Ray muttered abruptly, not wanting to hear any of her psychological explanations. He reversed out of the drive quickly, eager to get back on the road. He'd have to put her in a hotel, pay cash, hope that nobody too 'helpful' was working on reception. "Since before you and me, you know, stopped being so…" He looked at her, not sure how to word it. "Formal."

He couldn't tell if she believed him and he groaned, pulling over again on the side of the road. She looked at him expectantly and Ray took her hands into his, holding them both tightly as he gaged her eyeline and stared at her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked quietly. She started to look away but he reached up, resting his hand on her cheek and turning her face to keep her to him. "Lex, I'm serious. I know that shit is going really fast right now, with Abby and the kids. This Tyler stuff, I didn't know it was going to happen, but you've got to believe me. I'm trying to take care of you."

"I get that, Ray," she said quietly. "I just, I've never had to integrate into your life before." She laughed a little, it sounded so selfish when she said it out loud. "You forget, all I know about you is about your family and about your problems. I'm a therapist, it's all you've ever talked to me about. I know that you suck at scheduling, that you take what you want. But I barely know what you do," she added, glancing up at him guiltily. "We don't talk about that shit, we never have. You always kept the distance."

It had always been to protect her, he knew that, and Ray sighed. "I guess I liked it that way. Because it was different. Because you didn't need to know." He tapped his finger against his temple for a moment and then nodded slowly. "Let's go somewhere. I want you to ask me anything. Everything," he corrected himself, looking at her with certainty. "I've got no secrets from you now, Lex." He took her hand and led it to his heart, pressing her palm to him. "You will never, ever have a reason not to trust me, I swear."