Ray slowly opened his eyes and took in the sight of Fraser sound asleep next to him. From the dim light coming in the window, Ray guessed it was still fairly early in the morning. 'Probably not even 5 am.' He thought to himself. He took his hand from under the covers and traced along Fraser's forehead and down his tanned right cheek stopping at the small scar along his jawline. He rubbed a thumb gently across it, wondering what it was from. Ray trailed his finger across to Fraser's lips and lightly brushed his finger over them. He leaned forward slowly and kissed Fraser softly. He pulled back to gauge Fraser's reaction. He loved this man.

Fraser moaned in his sleep. He shifted slightly and draped his right arm over Ray's naked hips. He breathed in deeply and settled further into his pillow.

Ray smiled contently. He cupped Fraser's cheek in his hand and kissed him again, longer and with more passion. He worked his hand to the back of Fraser's head, mindful of his injury and pulled him closer. Fraser parted his lips and gave Ray access. Ray deepened the kiss. He worked his tongue into Fraser's mouth and Fraser's tongue met his and welcomed it in.

Ray pressed his hand into Fraser's shoulder and rolled him to his back. He slid his lean frame over Fraser's body and slipped his left leg over Fraser's thighs running his foot down his leg until he was lying on top of Fraser. Ray cupped Fraser's face with both hands and resumed his kiss.

Fraser shifted underneath him and Ray knew the Mountie was aroused. Fraser's growing erection came into contact with his and Ray let out a gasp. "Ben… oh, god."

Fraser opened his eyes a fraction and Ray could see thin slits of steel blue. "Good morning, Ray," he whispered.

"Technically, it's not morning yet, Frase." Ray whispered into his ear then placed kisses along his collarbone. He ran his hands down Fraser's smooth muscular chest and back up again. Ray slid his legs to either side of Fraser's hips and settled himself more firmly on top of Fraser. "How do I compare to your mystery kisser?"

Fraser let out another moan and shifted to get more friction between them. He tipped his head further back into his pillow, allowing Ray easier access to his neck. Ray was busy placing butterfly kisses along his collarbone, up his neck and towards the sensitive spot behind each ear, earning himself a moan with each new kiss. "Much… much better," Fraser breathed out.

Fraser kneaded the muscles in Ray's back. He wrapped his feet around Ray's ankles, resting them on the backs of Ray's heels. He arched his hips into Ray's and Ray let out his own moan of pleasure.

"Ben..." Ray gasped into Fraser's ear. "Did you mean it?"

Puzzled, Fraser squinted his eyes and looked at Ray. "Mean what, Ray?"

Ray hesitated and locked eyes with Fraser. He shifted again and received another moan from Fraser. He kissed Fraser hard before replying.

"You told Jimmy you loved me..." Ray hesitantly replied. "Did you mean it?" His eyes were begging Fraser for an answer just as his own growing erection was begging for release.

"Yes... I love you, Ray, very much so."

"Make love to me, Ben?" Ray asked.

"Yes." Fraser answered him and flipped their positions.

The morning sunlight cast shadows of the two men against the far the wall. The two became one with the rising sun.


Ray woke up to the wonderful scent of coffee. He found his clothes scattered across the floor of Fraser's bedroom. Slipping on his t-shirt and jeans, he made his way towards the aroma that smelled heavenly... 'Thank you Lord for creating the coffee bean,' he thought to himself. He found Fraser in the kitchen unwrapping packed boxes of dishes and placing them in a sink of soapy water to be washed before being put away.

Ray slid up behind him and wrapped his long arms around his waist. He placed soft kisses on the back of Fraser's neck before releasing him. "Good morning, Ben."

"Good morning, Ray. I took the liberty of making you some coffee." Fraser poured Ray a steaming cup and handed it to him. He leaned against the counter.

Ray accepted the mug then took a seat at the kitchen table. He grinned when he realized Fraser had used the green mug with the colored flecks from Frannie for his coffee. He also noticed Fraser rubbing his forehead. "You okay there, Ben?" he asked as he scanned the table for something sweet to add to his coffee.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just have a touch of a headache." He answered as he handed Ray a small package of M&M's.

Ray smiled and accepted the candy. "Why don't you take a pill?" He asked as he dumped the colored candies into his coffee. He bagan scanning the table again.

"I don't like the way they make me feel." Fraser answered as he handed Ray a spoon.

"You like the way you feel when you don't take them? Which is worse? Take the pills, trust me you will feel better."

"I do trust you." Fraser admitted, a touch hurt.

"Then take a pill. You don't have to go to work today and I can help you unpack all these boxes so we can spend the rest of the day relaxing. It shouldn't take us too long working together." Ray tried to encourage Fraser that a pill would help his headache.

"I'll be fine, Ray. But I will accept your help with the boxes." Fraser smiled at Ray and tried to keep from rubbing his throbbing temple.

"God, you're stubborn, Fraser. Well, I can be stubborn too. If you don't take a pill to help get rid of your headache… no sex for you." Ray tipped his head as a final statement.

"You can't be serious, Ray." Fraser laughed lightly.

"You really want to test out that theory? You're not the only one who can be stubborn." Ray said with a determined look on his face.

"Very well, Ray. One stubborn person around here is enough."

Fraser relented and took a pill. Within the hour his headache was gone.


Fraser and Ray spend the next four hours unpacking boxes and finding the right spot for each of his belongings. Ray was watching the Mountie closely for signs of fatigue and after the fifth stifled yawn from Fraser, he broke the silence.

"Ok, Fraser, enough for today. You're falling asleep on your feet and my back is beginning to hurt. How about we go and grab a bite to eat. We need a change of scenery and maybe a walk with do both of us some good… wake you up and straighten out my back." Ray stood up from his box, holding a book that still needed to be put on a shelf. He stared at Fraser and silently begged him to agree to be done.

Fraser looked at Ray and smiled. "Of course we can stop. I am getting hungry and Dief would love to go out for a walk as well."

"Greatness!" Ray exclaimed. "Thought I was going to have to drag you away kicking and screaming."

"I'm not a child, Ray. I can be reasonable." Fraser stated both hurt and suddenly irritated at Ray.

Ray dropped the book back into the box and walked over to Fraser. He took the blankets Fraser was holding and tossed them onto the couch and pulled him in for a long kiss. Fraser let his shoulders drop and the kiss seemed to take away his built up tension. Ray finally released his lips when he ran out of air.

"I was only teasing, Ben. I know you're not a child. I'm sorry." Ray apologized. He hadn't meant to hurt Fraser's feelings.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I can't seem to take a simple joke. Let's go and get something to eat." Fraser tugged on Rays arm as he grabbed his keys off the counter to lock the door on the way out.

Fraser worked the locked as Ray watched a parade of furniture pass by Fraser's door.

"Looks like you're getting a new neighbor, Frase." Ray stated.

Fraser followed Ray's gaze towards the people moving the furnishings down the hall. "Ah yes… it would appear so. I will have to stop and introduce myself when they get settled. Shall we?" Fraser nodded towards the exit and the two were off to lunch.


They had lunch at a small deli a few blocks from the park where Fraser and Dief took their morning runs. Ray surprised Fraser by ordering something healthy. Fraser looked at him and smiled.

"What?" Ray asked as he shoved his last bit into his mouth and washed it down with his bottled water.

"Nothing… it's just that you rarely eat anything that remotely resembles healthy food." Fraser replied, still stunned at Rays food choice.

"Well, see… I figured if I wanted to live long enough to have a future with you, I had better start eating better. It's not that I don't like healthy food, I just like unhealthy food more." Ray shrugged. "I'll try to more compar... compas..comprimising if you try to be less stubborn."

Fraser just stared at Ray. He looked like something had suddenly distracted him. Ray wasn't sure what was going on with the Mountie, so he quickly continued.

"Unlesss of course, you dont want me as part of your future. And if that's the case, then I think we need to talk about what we're doing here because I thought we were both in this together." Ray stood in front of Fraser, feeling completely vulnerable.

Fraser's attention was suddenly brought back to the present.

"Ah good, you're back with me." Ray said dryly and frustrated. "What is with you the last few days? It's like you're somewhere else all of a sudden."

"Forgive me, Ray. I believe between the almost concussion, which I believe was a concussion and the arrival of Jimmy, I am a bit out of sorts." Fraser tried to explain. "I appreciate your efforts to try and eat healthier to prolong your future with me and I will work on my being stubborn."

"So, no backing out? We're still in this together?" Ray asked unsure.

Fraser took Ray's hands and laced their fingers and pulled him close so they were chest to chest. He brought their combined hands up and covered his heart with them. Being almost the same height, he could stare directly into Ray's blue- green eyes. He took a deep breath, held it, then slowly let it out. "You mean everything to me and I plan on sticking with you for a very long time. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, than with you." Fraser angled his head and kissed Ray slowly.

Ray pulled back an inch and whispered. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Fraser whispered back and this time Ray captured his lips in a kiss.

"Let's go back to my place." Ray suggested with a tug of his hand in the direction of his apartment.

"But your car is at my place, Ray. Wouldn't it make more sense to go back and retrieve it now, while we are close?" Fraser asked.

"There you go with that over-thinking thing again. If we go get the car now, then I can't walk to work with you tomorrow. Besides, it will give me an excuse to follow you home tomorrow afternoon." Ray exclaimed with a gleam in his eye.

"But…" Fraser began but was cut off quickly.

"No buts… Frase. You're overanalyzing. Just go with it." Ray was now talking with his hands and he had added a bounce to his step and a smile to his face.

"Ah, understood, Ray." Fraser smiled in return, took Ray's hand in his own and the two began the long walk to Ray's apartment. Fraser looked around for Diefenbaker who had run off chasing the squirrels and called for him. Dief came almost immediately.

"Are you sure he's really deaf?" Ray asked, giving Dief pat to the head when he came bounding over.

"Well, I believe he plays me on occasion." Fraser looked at Dief who sat down and stared back at him and then yipped loudly. "And he expects a doughnut from you for thinking such a thing." Fraser replied to Ray.

"I'll see what I can come up with when we get back." Ray rubbed Dief's scruff and the three made their way to Ray's apartment.


When they arrived at Ray's apartment building Ray slowed his steps. He saw Jimmy leaning against the framed entrance to the lobby. If Ray saw Jimmy, he was sure Fraser saw him. It wasn't two steps later that Fraser had noticed him as well. He stopped walking and pulled Ray to a stop.

"What's he doing here?" Fraser asked Ray.

"I don't know." Ray replied, irritated at Jimmy's arrival. "Only one way to find out… come one." He motioned for Fraser who was reluctant to follow.

Seeing Ray and Fraser walking towards the apartment building, Jimmy straightened himself. He took one last puff off his cigarette and dropped it to the ground putting it out with the toe of his shoe. He opened his mouth to speak and Ray quickly cut him off.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought we made it perfectly clear that you were to leave us alone and be on your way." Ray raised his voice and yelled at Jimmy. His calm demeanor gone at the sight of his old friend.

Jimmy put his hands up defensively. "Back off, Ray. I only stopped by to pick up a few things I had left here before Benton took your key from me. I came back to get them last night but you weren't home. I'm not here to cause problems."

"Alright, fine. Come on… one wayward eye and we let the wolf eat you." Ray warned Jimmy.

"Where's your car?" Jimmy asked Ray.

"I left it at Fraser's place. What's it to you?" Ray asked.

"Just curious is all." Jimmy replied.

Fraser and Diefenbaker followed the two men from a distance up the stairs and into Ray's apartment. Ray ordered Jimmy to get his belongings together quickly.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry that things didn't work out, Ray." Jimmy began to apologize to Ray.

"Yeah well… if you would have just left things alone that don't belong to you, we could've still been friends." Ray told him.

"You have yourself quite the catch. Better hold on to him tight. Rest assured, I'm not the only one looking at him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ray questioned.

"Nothing, except Benton's a good looking guy with amazing blue eyes that just make your knees go weak. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed." Jimmy walked over to Fraser and stretched out his hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Benton."

Fraser reluctantly accepted his handshake but didn't have anything to say in return. Diefenbaker let out a low growl until Fraser released Jimmy's hand.

"I see the cat still has your tongue." Jimmy winked at Fraser then turned to Ray. "I checked out that mechanic job you told me about and I start next week. Thanks"

"What about the ..." Ray began to question.

Jimmy cut him off. "The pizza gig was just to make some quick cash. I've got an apartment lined up and I should be moved in by this afternoon."

"That's good. Keep yourself out of trouble Jimmy. I am a cop, remember." Ray shook Jimmy's hand and showed him the door. When Ray closed the door and turned around, Fraser had a pack of cigarettes in his hand.

"What's that?" Ray questioned.

"I thought you said you weren't smoking." Fraser held up the pack of cigarettes to show Ray.

"I'm not. Those must be Jimmy's. I told you, I haven't smoked in years." Ray replied and made his way over to Fraser.

Fraser opened the pack of cigarettes and smelled them before pulling one out.

"Ewww… what are you doing?" Ray cringed.

Fraser stopped sniffing the cigarette long enough to answer. "All too often, Ray we fail to use all of our senses. For example, I can tell if you've been drinking, simply by licking your skin." Fraser went back to smelling the cigarette.

"That's… gross." Ray replied then watched as Fraser licked the cigarette. "Now what are you doing? Why do you have to lick it?"

Fraser paled, took another look at the cigarette box and placed it back on the end table.

"What's wrong? Taste something your Mountie taste buds were expecting?" Ray laughed lightly.

"No… it's uh… well, I don't think my dream was actually a dream." Fraser stared blankly at Ray.

"What are you talking about? Your mystery kisser was real? And you know this by licking a cigarette?" Ray asked not totally convinced.

"I believe it was Jimmy." Fraser replied slowly.

"What? How's that?" Ray wondered.

"Well, I remembered the tobacco taste from that night and then when he kissed me at my apartment, I think I was too stunned to put two and two together. And from the taste of these cigarettes, it is the same. His hands too, they felt the same when he shook my hand."

Ray was agitated. "That fucking bastard! I'm gonna kill him!" Ray screamed as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Ray… language, please. It's over and done with and he's gone now. Nothing else to worry about." Fraser tried to assure Ray.

"Sorry… I just can't stand people like him. How about we get a movie, pop some popcorn and spend the rest of the night on the couch?" Ray picked up the cigarettes and tossed them in the trash. "And put Jimmy behind us." Ray wrapped his arms around Fraser and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Will there be kissing involved on said couch?" Fraser asked teasingly.

"Absolutely… definitely kissing. Ray purred into Fraser's ear and kissed him again.

"What are we waiting for then? Shall we…?" Fraser motioned towards the couch. "Oh… and I almost forgot." Fraser slipped his hand into his front jeans pocket and pulled out a key. He looked at Ray and his eyes softened. "This is for you."

"You're giving me back my key from Jimmy? I thought maybe you would keep it." Ray admitted.

Fraser grinned. "No, I kept that key. This is my apartment key. I thought now that you had all that extra room on your key ring, you would have room for it." Fraser handed the key to Ray. "Perhaps you will hold on to me as well for a long time. It's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon." Fraser kissed Ray deeply.

"Oh, I'm holding on to you for a very long time… Freak." Ray laughed and kissed Fraser again.

"Understood, Ray." Fraser replied as he dragged him to the couch.

The two spent the remainder of the evening locked in each other's embrace on the couch. The movie played silently in the background as they memorized each other's features in more intimate detail. When Ray had nodded off for the third time in ten minutes, Fraser woke him and the two moved to Ray's bed and fell asleep tangled together.


When morning came, Ray and Fraser showered together. 'To conserve water.' Ray had said with a sly wink. It was back to work for the both of them. Fraser had his morning duties at the consulate and Ray had a stack of paperwork that had his name written all over it. They shared a quick breakfast over tea and coffee and made their way to their respective jobs.

Ray gave Fraser a quick kiss on the steps of the Consulate before making his way to the 2-7.

"I will meet you later at the precinct." Fraser kissed Ray and made his way into the Consulate, while Ray turned and made his way to his own desk at the police station.

Fraser had arrived at the Consulate early to get a start on his daily reports so he could perhaps meet Ray in the early afternoon. He prepared himself a cup of tea and was making his way towards his office located in the rear of the Consulate, when he passed Inspector Thatcher's office and noticed that the light was already glowing underneath the closed door. 'Well, that's quite odd. Inspector Thatcher isn't normally in for a few hours yet.' Fraser was pondering whether to continue on to his own office or check to see if his superior was indeed already at work, when he heard her call his name.

"Constable Fraser, is that you? I need a moment of your time, please." Fraser knocked on the door and announced his presence.

"Yes, Sir. Good, morning. Is there something I can be of assistance with this morning?" Fraser asked her.

"Good, it is you. I have some news for you." Inspector Thatcher replied.

"News, Sir? What kind of news?" Fraser's interest was piqued. What kind of news could she have this early in the morning already?

"Yes, Fraser…good news, even. I have been given permission to finally tell you that you have been given your own posting back in Canada. You will be in charge of a depot. I believe it is close to where your cabin is located. They want you there within the next two weeks to get settled in and get things more or less in order."

Fraser stood in front of Inspector Thatcher's desk too stunned to speak.

"Well, isn't this what you have been waiting for, Constable? I mean, how long have you been here in Chicago now, four years?"

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm just, well…I'm shocked."

"Yes, but this is a good thing for you, Fraser. Think of the advancement in rank, which comes with a pay raise and think of the police work you will be able to do again."

"Sir, it's not about the money and I do real police work here, working alongside Detective Vecchio."

"Is there a problem Constable? I assumed you would be delighted to get out of Chicago and go back home."

"No, Sir, there is no problem, however, are you not aware that I moved into an apartment this past weekend, for which I had to sign a one year lease?"

"I'm well aware of that Fraser and no need to worry, the RCMP will handle the lease for you. Now, I'm giving you the rest of the week off to get your affairs in order here in Chicago and then I want you to pack your bags and get on the first flight back to Canada next week."

"What about my duties, here at the Consulate?"

"Don't worry about any of that, I will find a suitable replacement." Inspector Thatcher had an answer for everything.

"And if I don't want to take the posting?" Fraser asked with a little hope.

"Constable, this is your new assignment. There is no choice but to go back."

"Understood, Sir." Fraser replied stiffly.

"Dismissed, Constable." Inspector Thatcher nodded.

Fraser left Inspector Thatcher's office still in shock. After all of these years in Chicago, now they wanted him back in Canada. 'What terrible timing,' he thought to himself. And what about Ray?