notes/disclaimers
Ray stepped a little harder on the gas pedal of the
Riv, eager to leave the scrap yard behind them. He
pulled onto the paved road and glanced over at Ben.
"So, Benny, are you hungry?"
Ben looked over at him. "I suppose we should eat."
Ray frowned slightly. "Yeah, we should. I don't feel
like doing the restaurant thing, though. I'll take
you back to the house and make some dinner. With the
whole family gone we'll have all the privacy we want."
"That sounds good, Ray, but I don't want you to go to
any trouble."
"What trouble?" Ray grinned. "There's so many
foil-wrapped packages of food in the freezer we could
eat for a month. I'll just heat one of them up."
"All right then," Ben smiled.
The car came to a stop at a red light and Ben covered
one of Ray's hands with his own; giving it a firm
squeeze. Ray looked over at Benny and gave him a
small smile, then turned his attention back to driving
as the traffic signal turned green.
They drove the rest of the way to the Vecchio home in
silence, each man occupied with his own thoughts.
When they reached the house, Diefenbaker trotted up
onto the porch and lay down to take a nap. His two
packmates were acting oddly, even for humans, and he
wanted to leave them alone for a little while.
Ben and Ray went into the house and hung up their
jackets and Ray turned to Benny and started to say
something, then stopped and scowled.
"Give me that goddamned thing," Ray said. He untied
the cloth that had been used as a gag from around
Ben's neck and wadded it up in his fists.
Taking it into the kitchen, Ray stuffed it into the
trash can under the sink. He then turned the taps on
and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, preparing to
wash his hands.
Suddenly Ben gasped and stepped up to Ray, taking his
arm in a gentle grasp. "Ray, your arm!"
Ray looked down and noticed the cut on his arm,
crusted over with dried blood. "It's just a little
cut, Benny. Don't worry about it."
"What happened?"
"I cut it on a wire in the car, when-"
"When you were trying to help me," Ben said quietly.
"Benny, it's not your fault."
Ben didn't answer. He removed the first-aid kit from
the cupboard above the sink and a small dishtowel from
the drawer.
Soaking the towel in warm water, Ben gently washed the
blood from the cut, then applied disinfectant.
Finally he wrapped a gauze bandage around the wound
and taped it into place.
"See Benny," Ray smiled, flexing his arm. "Good as
new."
Ben just turned away and started putting items back in
the first-aid kit. His hands were shaking, though,
and he dropped the roll of tape; which rolled across
the counter and onto the floor.
"Hey Benny," Ray said, stepping closer and resting a
hand on Ben's shoulder, "it's all right. Everything
is all right."
Ben turned to look at him, his face full of anguish.
"Ray..." He said in a choked whisper.
He was shaking visibly now, and Ray tightened his grip
on Ben's shoulder. "Why don't we go sit down?"
Ben continued to look at him helplessly.
"Come on," Ray said softly.
Ben took one step and then his knees buckled. Ray
grabbed him and eased them both to the floor, pulling
his lover into a tight embrace. "It's all right
Benny," Ray repeated.
"Ray..." Ben whispered again in that weak, shaky
voice.
Ray was scared. He didn't know what to do in this
situation. It had been easier before, when Benny had
been in physical danger. Ray knew what to do in those
situations. He knew how to handle things, how to
handle himself. But he wasn't at all sure that he
knew how to help a Benny who was suddenly overwhelmed
by and lost in his own emotions.
He just held onto Benny, rocking him gently and
talking to him quietly, as he did to his nieces and
nephews when they were hurt or upset.
Ben's shaking gradually slowed and stopped, and he sat
quietly in Ray's arms. "I'm sorry Ray," he whispered
after a few minutes.
"For God's sake Benny! A psychopath drugged you,
kidnapped you, and tried to squash you like a bug.
You're allowed to get upset, all right?"
Ben gave a small, shaky laugh. He placed his hand
gently on the side of Ray's face. "Oh Ray, I was so
afraid," he said. His voice was still quiet, but it
was much stronger than it had been a little while
before.
"It's all right, Benny. You're entitled."
"No Ray," Ben answered, shaking his head. "I wasn't
afraid for myself. Well, not mainly. I was more
afraid for you."
"Me?" Ray asked in surprise.
"Yes. I knew you were going to come after me; that
whatever Carver had done, you were going to figure it
out. But I almost hoped that you wouldn't."
"Why on earth would you think that?!"
"Because, Ray. I knew that Carver really wanted to
get to you. And I couldn't stand the thought that you
would be hurt- or worse- because of me."
Ray was looking at him incredulously. "Because of
you? My God, Benny! The only reason you were tied up
in that car in the first place is because Carver
wanted me.
"Besides, don't you know? Nothing could hurt me more
than having something happen to you. Losing you would
be the worst thing that could ever happen to me."
"Oh, Ray."
"God, Benny. I was so afraid that I wouldn't find
you, that I wouldn't get to you in time."
"Ray, you need to stop being so rough on yourself.
You were smart enough to figure out Carver's game, you
were able to figure out all his clues. Even he knew
that."
"Do you know what he sent me?" Ray squeezed his eyes
shut and drew a shaky breath at the memory.
Ben shook his head.
"He sent me a hearse. A little toy hearse with a
Mountie figure inside."
"Oh God, Ray..."
Ray tightened his arms around Benny, resting his cheek
against the top of Benny's head. "And I just froze.
Every other threat he made he carried out. And I was
so afraid that he... I kept trying to think calmly,
to figure things out, but all I could think was that
he had you.
"That sick fuck had you, Benny. And..."
"Sssh," Ben said, running a hand lightly over Ray's
back. "You did figure it out. And you saved my life.
Yet again."
"Benny..."
"Sssh," Ben repeated. The two men sat on the floor of
the kitchen for awhile, holding each other and trying
to let go of the feelings of fear and helplessness
that were still lingering from the afternoon.
Finally Ray gave Benny a quick hug and a kiss on the
cheek and stood up. "Come on Benny," he said, pulling
Ben to his feet as well. "I'll make dinner."
Ben shook his head. "No."
Ray looked at him in surprise. "No? Benny, we need
to eat. You need-"
"I need you, Ray," Ben interrupted. He wrapped his
arms around Ray's waist and kissed him. "I need you."
He kissed Ray again, and this time Ray was kissing him
back, and there was something desperate and urgent and
needy about the kiss.
Ray broke the kiss and took both of Benny's hands into
his. "Come on, love," he whispered hoarsely; and led
Ben up the stairs and into his bedroom.
They were no sooner through the door then Ben was
pulling Ray into another hungry, passionate kiss, his
hands fumbling with Ray's clothing.
Ray was just as eager to get Fraser out of his
clothes, and in record time the men were standing
naked in front of each other, surrounded by crumpled
discarded clothing.
Ray pulled away, and Benny moaned. "Ray?"
"It's all right," Ray smiled. He led Ben over to the
bed and ripped back the covers with one hand.
Ben dropped onto the bed, pulling Ray down on top of
him and into another kiss.
Ray broke the kiss and pulled away slightly. "Benny,"
he gasped. "Benny..."
"Ray," Ben said desperately. "No, Ray." He reached
up and cupped Ray's face in his hand, trying to draw
him into another kiss.
"Benny, Benny." Ray pulled Ben's hand away from his
face and placed a kiss in the palm. "Sssh, it's all
right, baby. I'm here. It's okay love. We're okay."
He smiled down at Ben and stroked his face. "Just
slow down, baby. We've got time. We've got all the
time in the world."
Ben blinked a couple of times, then swallowed and
nodded, smiling up at Ray. He reached over and
fumbled open the drawer of the nightstand and pulled
out the tube of lubrication. He held it out to Ray
with a wordless plea.
Ray gave Benny a trembling smile, then quickly twisted
the cap off the tube and applied a generous amount of
the lube to his already-hard cock.
Benny smiled up at him, but Ray could see that his
lover was shaking again. "Benny..."
"Please, Ray. Please." Ben whispered.
"All right, sweetheart." He knelt over Benny and Ben
lifted his legs up and wrapped them around Ray's
waist.
Ray moved into place and entered his lover, and it
seemed to calm Benny. His shaking stopped and he drew
a deep breath. "Ray," he whispered, a small smile on
his face.
Ray began thrusting into Benny again and again,
building in pace and force. His small gasps and moans
mingled with the sounds of Ben's harsh, uneven
breathing.
Suddenly Ben cried out, the sound very loud in the
quiet bedroom in the quiet house; and Ray felt the
warmth of Ben's seed against his skin. With a final
cry of his own, Ray came.
He tried to keep himself braced above Benny, but his
arms were trembling almost unbearably. Ben reached up
and gently pulled him down on top of him. "That's
better," Benny whispered with a small smile.
They lay quietly together for a while, their arms and
legs still wrapped around each other; until Ray
finally, reluctantly, pulled out of Benny and moved to
lie next to him with his head on Ben's shoulder.
Benny began running his fingertips in slow circles
over the back of Ray's neck, and Ray shivered. "I
love when you do that, Benny."
"I know," Ben said with a smile.
Ray smiled back at him. "Feeling better now?"
"Oh yes," Ben nodded and gave Ray a soft kiss on the
lips.
They lay in quiet thought for a few minutes, until Ben
broke the silence. "Ray, do you think Carver knew
about us? I mean, about our relationship?"
"I don't know, Benny. Maybe. He knew everything
else." A sudden large grin split Ray's face. "I
guess it all depends on how long he had that bug in
the Riv."
Ben's eyes widened and he blushed vividly, and Ray
laughed. "Who cares if he knew?"
"But he wouldn't hesitate to tell anyone. He'd tell
everyone, Ray."
"So?" Ray shrugged. "Almost everyone knows already
anyway, Benny. It's pretty much an open secret."
"I suppose so."
"I wonder if he has pictures," Ray said thoughtfully.
"Ray!"
"Maybe I could get him to send me copies if he does.
You know, for a scrapbook."
"You're a very sick man, Ray Vecchio."
Ray laughed, then grabbed Benny and rolled over so
that Benny was lying against his chest. "You know
Benny, Carver never should have messed with the two of
us. That's where he made his fatal mistake.
"The two of us together are unbeatable, he should have
realized that."
"We do make an excellent team," Ben agreed.
Ray smiled at Benny, the soft, loving smile he saved
for their moments alone. "The best team, Benny."
He drew Benny into another kiss, and a calm silence
fell over the house.
THE END
Rated NC17
Alliance legally owns these characters. I am just
borrowing them for a little while, and I intend no
harm or offense by writing this story; and no profit
will be made.
This story takes place immediately following "The
Duel".