Shock spread over Fraser's face as he took a step back away from Ray. He ran a finger over his lips at the ghost of a memory from the night before. "What do you mean you weren't here?" he was lost in thought.
Ray took a sip from his coffee cup and placed it on the counter. He leaned heavily against it, crossing his arms in front of him. "Welsh called before the butt- crack of dawn and told me that the guy with the gun at the hair salon wanted to cut a deal. He would only talk to you or me and in thirty minutes or no deal. You were in no shape to get up. Besides, you were sound asleep. So, I let you sleep and I went… got him to spill everything."
Confusion spread across Fraser's features once again. "But… if you weren't... then... who... I don't understand." Fraser couldn't get out a complete thought.
Ray pushed off the counter and stood in front of Fraser and took his hands in his own. "Hey, you okay? What's all this about smoking and kisses? What happened?"
Fraser looked like he was a thousand miles away as he remembered the previous night. "Your kiss... it must have been a dream, but it seemed so real."
Ray leaned forward and captured Fraser's lips in a kiss. "A kiss like this?" Ray traced Fraser's wet lips with his long fingers.
Fraser melted into Ray's touch. "Yes, but..."
Ray kissed Fraser again, deeper this time. "Or like that?" Ray purred in Fraser's ear.
"But it was mixed with tobacco and smoke. I could taste it. And your hands..." Fraser took hold of one of Rays hands and studied it. "They were different."
Ray looked at Fraser and wondered if he hadn't taken a harder hit to the noggin than they originally thought. "My hands were involved too? Ben, I think your head got scrambled and you just had a very intense dream."
Fraser still looked confused. "It seemed so real, Ray. I suppose you're right though. Everything is so jumbled up in my head right now that nothing makes much sense. Besides..." Fraser shrugged, "if someone were here last night, Diefenbaker wouldn't have let them get far." Fraser replied.
"Ben, Dief was with me." Ray told him. "You really think someone was actually kissing you?"
"I don't know what I think." Fraser turned around and moved to the other side of the counter in the kitchen. He turned around and faced Ray, anger and hurt mixing on his face. " I thought it was you kissing me. And I thought the whole reason you came and got me was so you could keep an eye on me, make sure I was okay. Not leave in the middle of the night again." Hurt came out in Fraser's voice.
"Are you unhinged, Fraser?" Ray tried to keep his rising anger out of his voice. "Of course I wanted to make sure you were okay. I care about you, you freak." Ray closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This conversation had taken a downward spiral and was getting out of control. Ray opened his eyes and looked at Fraser. He could see the pain and hurt in Fraser's eyes.
"You think I'm crazy and I don't know what a real kiss feels like?" Fraser asked him, no longer trying to conceal the hurt he felt.
"No, Ben, I don't think you're crazy." Ray met Fraser at the counter. He leaned forward and took Fraser's hands in his own and rubbed soothing circles over them with his thumbs. "I think you took a nasty blow to your head yesterday and your marbles got jumbled. Listen, I'm sorry I had to leave last night, but it was only for a few hours and you were sound asleep. I was running behind and Dief needed to go out, so I just took him with me. That gun guy is the whole reason you got hurt and if he wanted to talk, I was going to listen."
"Maybe the doctor was wrong and I do have a concussion." Fraser admitted somewhat defeated. "That would certainly explain my confusion."
"How is your head this morning?" Ray asked sympathetically.
"It hurts." Fraser admitted to Ray as he settled himself onto a barstool.
Ray took his hand and lifted Fraser's chin until their eyes met. "Ben…"
"Okay… it hurts... a lot." Fraser confessed.
"Well, you do have nine stitches back there."
"Well, it certainly feels like there is a herd of caribou migrating through my brain." Fraser said as he rubbed his forehead.
Ray chuckled. Leave it to Fraser to weave Canada into a head wound. "Why don't I make something to eat and you take a couple of pain pills. You going to be good enough to manage moving today?"
"I should be okay after the pills kick in. It isn't like I have a lot of heavy things anyway. It shouldn't take too long."
Ray moved to the opposite side of the counter and stood behind Fraser, then rested his head on Fraser's shoulder. "You know, we can wait a few days to move you. You already have your keys. Just rest for a couple of days and let your head heal. This is all my fault. I should have just told Welsh no deal, the bastard gets what he gets and stayed home to look after you. Then, when your mystery kisser showed up, I would have been here to fend them off." Ray settled his hands on Fraser's shoulders and began to rub the tension away.
Fraser sighed contently. "If I would have just listened to you, none of this would have happened in the first place."
"Well, I keep trying to convince you listening to me is a good idea, but you're so damn stubborn." Ray could feel Fraser tense up again underneath his hands. "I'm kidding, Ben. It's one of the many things I love about you." He felt Fraser relax, if just a little. Ray could tell the head injury was taking a toll on Fraser.
Ray made a quick breakfast. By the time they made their way to the Consulate to collect Fraser's belongings, Fraser's headache was almost non-existent. They packed quickly in order to beat the furniture company to the apartment.
Constable Turnbull had a steady stream of packing tape ready to close off each newly packed box. He couldn't believe that Fraser was actually moving out of the Consulate. He had grown accustomed to seeing him first thing in the morning.
Ray was suprised at the few belongings Fraser did have. Hell, you couldn't fit his bathroom in the boxes that contained all of Fraser's things. 'This won't take long at all,' Ray thought to himself.
"Well, that's the last of your boxes, Fraser. Are you sure that's all you have? Doesn't seem like a whole lot. We did get everything from your office, right?" Ray asked while staring at the meager possessions.
"Yes, I am quite certain that is all of them." Fraser looked around and appeared to take inventory in his head of the items in the boxes. "I lost most of my belongings when my first apartment was burned while I was home on vacation."
"I'm sorry, Frase. I forgot." Ray put his hand on Fraser's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze and then a gentle pat. "Is there anything you need yet?"
"No, I don't believe there is anything else. I don't need much, Ray. It's just Diefenbaker and I."
"You could have just moved in with me, you know." Ray slid up next to Fraser and placed an arm around his waist and pulled him close. "I have plenty of room. Besides, I kind of like having the fur- face around."
"That is a very kind offer, but I couldn't impose." Fraser explained.
"Fraser, it's not imposing."
"This will suit us just fine. It is located halfway between the Consulate and the police station. And from what I have gathered from the other tenants, it's a very nice place to live."
"Meeting the neighbors already, are we? Hey, how's the head doing? You need another dose of pills yet?" Ray asked him concerned.
"I'm beginning to develop a slight headache and the stitches are starting to itch somewhat."
"Yeah, that's all part of the healing process, I'm afraid. Listen, are you okay? You were really quiet yesterday after we left the hospital, and that's not like you. I usually can't get you to shut up."
"I really talk that much?" Fraser asked bewildered.
"Yes, well, sometimes you do. But yesterday, you were unusually quiet."
"I'm fine, Ray. Just, doing some thinking."
"Yeah, 'bout what?" Ray asked.
"Well, you said some things yesterday that I thought, perhaps, I should think about." Fraser explained
"Like, unnecessary risks, wait for back- up…that kind of thing?" Ray questioned.
"Yes, something along those lines." What Fraser really wanted to tell Ray was that it was his sentence, 'I care far too much about you…' that held him unusually quiet. He cared for Ray a great deal and their new relationship wasn't something he was willing to sacrifice by being stubborn. But did that mean he would have to sacrifice how he did his job? Fraser was rather torn between the two.
"Frase, you okay?" Ray studied his friends face and could tell that Fraser had drifted off a few miles thinking. "Ben…" Ray tried again.
Startled back to the present, Fraser quickly tried to focus. "I'm sorry, Ray. I seem to have gotten lost in my own thoughts again."
"I asked if you were ok," Ray repeated.
"Yes, I'm okay. I'm just… I'm not very good at relationships, Ray. I worry that I'm going to screw up what we have together by being what you refer to as 'stubborn'." Fraser took a few steps away from Ray and turned around to face him. "I don't want to lose what we have, but at the same time… I don't know how to not perform my duties as I always have. I worry I won't be able to find a happy medium."
"Ben, I'm not asking you to choose between me and doing your job to the best of your ability. Everyone knows you're a damn good cop. Hell, you're one of the best. I don't expect you to change how you do your job. I'm just asking you to stop and wait for your partner to catch up to your speed of thinking." Ray stepped towards Fraser and placed both hands on his shoulders. He looked him square in the eyes. "I'm not as quick on my toes as you and it takes me a few more steps to get in sync with you. But, when we are in sync… we are the strongest duet, and I'm not talking about just work here, Ben."
Ray inched closer and Fraser met him for a kiss. Their lips came alive and they were soon devouring each other.
Fraser grabbed Ray's t-shirt and pulled him flush against his chest. He worked a hand under Ray's snug cotton shirt, caressing his way towards Ray's back to pull him even closer. In return, Ray snaked one hand around Fraser's neck and started to work the other hand around the opposite side to pull their faces closer together. He didn't get far with the second hand. The moment his slender fingers touched Fraser's wound, Fraser let out a hiss.
Ray dropped his hands to his sides quickly then took two steps back. "Shit, I'm sorry, Ben… I forgot."
Fraser tenderly touched the back of his head where the stitches were located. "It's okay, Ray. I didn't realize how tender it still was." Fraser looked at Ray and saw apprehension on his face. Fraser softened his voice and reached out for Ray. "I'm okay, really. He pulled Ray in and kissed him lightly. He began to deepen the kiss when they were interrupted with a knock at the door.
"Damn…" Fraser cursed. "That would be the furniture company." He gave Ray another quick kiss before releasing him and heading towards the door.
The men from the furniture company moved everything into the apartment as Ray and Fraser shoved boxes out of the way to make room. The delivery men left and Fraser and Ray spent the next few hours arranging the furnishings and assembling the bedframe. Fraser began to open up a few boxes to unpack and stopped suddenly. He looked at Ray and sighed.
Ray looked at him worried. "What's wrong, Ben?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to say thank- you for all of your help today." Fraser appeared exhausted. "Do you mind if we stop for today?"
"Hey, that's what buddies are for, helping each other out. And no, we can stop. You look tired anyway. You want to order in?" Ray asked.
"That would be lovely." Fraser answered, exhaustion written on his face.
"Oh, and before I forget… Frannie and I both got you something." Ray tossed Fraser his cell phone. "Here, you order a pizza, extra pineapple, and I will run out to the car and get your gifts. It's kind of like a house warming thing. I'll also take Dief out."
Ray calls for Diefenbaker. The half- wolf had been hiding in the bedroom away from all the moving activity taking place in the apartment. The two head out to the car and Ray retrieves the gifts for Fraser, while Diefenbaker visits the nearby bushes. When they return, Fraser had already ordered the pizza and was relaxing on his new couch. Ray sits down next to him as Dief settles at his Feet.
"It's not much." He confesses to Fraser.
Ray hands Fraser the first gift bag from Francesca. "Careful, she probably gift wrapped herself in there." Ray chuckled, this had to be good. Fraser carefully opened the bag and unwrapped two ceramic coffee mugs. The first was a shimmery olive green with specks of midnight blue, deep crimson red and golden yellow scattered across its smooth surface. 'It would hold a generous cup of coffee', Ray thought, secretly claiming it for himself. He knew he would be at the apartment a lot now that he and Fraser were in a relationship and it would be a great way to start off his morning, drinking coffee out of that mug. The second mug, a dark silvery blue that almost matched Fraser's blue eyes, would be perfect for Fraser's tea. "Wow, those are beautiful, Fraser. What does her card say?"
"It says, 'Welcome home, Fraser. Here are two mugs, one for your tea and one for Ray's coffee. You two spend way too much time together.' What a lovely gesture. I will have to thank her when I go to the station tomorrow."
"Ok, this ones from me, but I didn't get you a sappy card or anything." Ray hands Fraser his gift bag and Fraser opens it slowly.
"This is all very thoughtful of you Ray, but you really didn't have to get me anything." Fraser looked at Ray before opening the gift bag. He stole a quick kiss before continuing.
Fraser opened the package and revealed a stainless steel blue tea pot. Before he could respond and thank Ray, he heard Ray's quick talking break the silence.
"I noticed every time you made tea at the consulate it was out of something that looked like my grandmother would have used and I thought, 'Surely that's not his' and I asked Turnbull one day and he told me that you had never replaced the one you had lost to the fire and you just used the Consulate's and that you had been meaning to get a new one you just hadn't don't it yet. I hope you like it."
"Ray, it's beautiful. Thank you very much."
"Well, I couldn't have you going without your tea. Do you think Francesca is on to us, yet? I know we haven't exactly had a chance to tell anyone."
"I believe Francesca is a smart woman and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if she thought something was going on between the two of us. Why else would she give me two mugs and say one was for you?" Fraser looked at Ray and cocked his head. "Let's tell her tomorrow, see how well she really knows us." He winked at Ray and got him laughing. Fraser pulled Ray close and their mouths met for a soft and sensual kiss. Fraser broke the kiss and looked into Ray's blue green eyes. He was about to say something when he was startled by a knock on the door.
"Damn…" Ray swore. "Pizza guy's here."
Fraser made his way to the door and opened it for the delivery man. He stood there shocked as he locked eyes with Ray's friend Jimmy. Jimmy looked just as shocked as Fraser.
"Well, that's the nicest surprise I've had all evening." Jimmy said smugly. His face held a sly grin as he leaned against the doorframe. "Looks like I've got a pizza here for you, Benton." Jimmy continued with a wink at Fraser.
"What are you doing here?" Fraser asked. He was still in shock at the arrival of Jimmy.
Ray was still sitting on the couch when he heard the familiar voice. He turned around, saw Jimmy in the doorway and was on his feet in an instant heading towards the door.
Ray was instantly angry and Fraser braced himself for a fight.
