"Hello Francesca," Fraser politely greeted in an effort not to lead her on or encourage her anymore than she seemed to already be.

"So, what are your plans for the evening?" Francesca asked nonchalantly.

"Well, Ray . . . "

Francesca cut off Fraser's words. She wasn't remotely interested in anything her brother had planned with the Mountie - her Mountie. "Cause if you are free, I thought maybe you and I could go see a movie . . ." Francesca let her own words trail off hoping Fraser would pick up the suggestion and ask her out.

"Ah, well . . . actually . . . " Fraser stammered praying this encounter would end before he agreed to do something he really didn't want to do. ". . . as I was saying . . ."

"Come on - you, me, a dark movie theatre . . . anything could happen."

As the two of them entered the squad room, Ray looked up from his desk and saw the flustered Mountie in the clutches of his over amorous sister. Ray swooped in for the save.

"Ah . . . Francesca, I do appreciate your thoughtfulness in asking me to a movie but . . ."

"Frannie - give the guy some space and leave him alone for a change why don't ya?" Ray said as he extricated his friend from his sister's grip. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Francesca gave her brother an evil look then turned the charm back on for Fraser's benefit. "I just stopped to remind you not to forget about picking Anthony up on you way home."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remembered," Ray said over his shoulder as he pulled Fraser over to his desk. Turning back to face Francesca, he asked, "Anything else?"

"No . . . " Francesca looked at Fraser expectantly which caused him to clear his throat.

"Ah, well, yes . . ." Fraser stammered, averting any eye contact with Francesca and walked away without further explanation.

Ray watched Fraser turn down the back hallway that led to the interrogation rooms then looked back at his sister. "You're a real piece of work, ya know that?"

"What?"

"Never mind," Ray was fed up with her antics but there seemed to be nothing he could do to stop her.

Francesca huffed, frustrated that her Mountie was still yet illusive, and stormed out of the precinct dissatisfied.

Once Ray was certain his sister had left the premises, he went in search of his easily skittish friend. At least he was skittish when it came to women. Heading down the hallway he had seen Fraser cower through, Ray stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his name being called out.

"Ray?"

Turning back, Ray entered the canteen. "There you are."

"Ray, I need your help."

"Does it involve eggs, a train full of sleeping Mounties or plastic explosives?"

Cocking his head to one side in confusion, Fraser responded, "No - not that I'm aware of."

"Then I'm your man. What's up?"

Looking around the canteen at the other officers, Fraser gestured with his head towards the hallway. "Ah - in private?"

Ray rolled his eyes. "Come on." Leading the way, Ray left the canteen and headed to the only place Fraser felt comfortable enough to discuss anything of a personal nature. It was the only place in the entire precinct Fraser considered "private." Once the closet door was shut, Ray turned on the light. "What?"

Clearing his throat, Fraser began, "Ray, I am very fond of your sister . . ."

"What?!?"

"Ray - let me finish." Fraser waited for Ray's permission to continue and when he received Ray's nod, he continued. "As I said, I am very fond of your sister. I am very fond of your entire family but . . ."

"But?"

". . . but I am uncomfortable with Francesca's . . . affections towards me." Fraser finally admitted it. After months and months of the woman flaunting herself in front of him and all the advances made towards him, he was finally admitting he didn't like it.

"You mean her throwing herself at your feet," Ray said, suggesting a more proper definition as to his sister's activities.

"Now Ray . . ."

"Admit it Benny, you are uncomfortable with her sexual advances towards you."

Fraser went silent, staring at Ray and refused to confirm that statement.

Ray stared right back at Fraser, refusing to let him off the hook that easy.

"Ray . . ."

"Come one Benny, just admit it."

"Alright! I am uncomfortable with your sister's . . . 'advances' towards me."

Ray smiled at the admission. "Okay, now how can I help you?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Fraser continued, "Ah, I was hoping you might . . . that you might . . . that you might have an idea as to how I can let Francesca know that I am not interested in her, in that way . . . politely."

Ray laughed. "Benny, there is no polite way about turning a woman down."

"I'm not turning her down, Ray."

"Yeah, yeah, I know but she will see it that way. Trust me, she my sister and I know her better than anyone."

"Oh - oh dear."

"Listen Benny, let me think about this and I'll get back to you when I figure something out. I'm sure we can come up with something that won't break her heart or at least that you won't be to blame."

"But I am to blame."

"Benny, just shut up and thank me."

"Thank you, Ray."

"No problem, that's what friend's are for."

Ray had thought the whole night through about how he could help Fraser and there was only one thing he came up with and it was a risky solution at that. It was risky and the only way it would work is if Fraser was kept in the dark about its details.

"Hey Benny!" Ray called out at the first sight of his friend when he entered the squad room.

Fraser turned and immediately headed towards Ray's desk. "Good morning, Ray."

"Mornin' Benny. Hey, I've been thinking about your 'situation' and I think I've come up with a solution."

"Really, Ray? What is it?"

"Ah-ah, the only way this is gonna work is with the element of surprise."

"Surprise?"

"Yeah, you trust me don't you?"

"Implicitly."

"Okay, so I'm meeting Frannie for lunch today . . . in about ten minutes to be exact . . ."

"But I thought we were having lunch together," Fraser questioned with a little hurt in his voice.

"Don't worry you pretty little head there. Once my 'plan' has been put into motion, she won't want anything to do with me."

"Ray, I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Benny, you don't even know what the plan is."

"No, but I know you well enough to know I'm not gonna like this plan."

"Benny, you may not like this plan but I'm your only hope in this matter. You're not gonna like it but you're gonna let me do it because you have no other choice." And that was the truth. Fraser had no other option but to give in and trust Ray.

"Elaine, have you seen my brother? I was suppose to meet him for lunch?" Francesca asked after panning the room and not finding Ray anywhere.

"Ah, you might want to check the closet," the Civilian Aide suggested pointing in the direction of the supply closet.

"The closet?"

"Yeah, they go there to 'think.'"

"They?"

"Ray and Fraser; it's a thing that they do. Don't ask," Elaine said, picking up the stack of reports that needed filing and heading towards the cabinets.

Shaking her head, Francesca muttered to herself, "My brother is so weird."

From across the room, Elaine chimed in her own response. "Don't I know it."

"Ray, I don't understand why we are in here," Fraser stated in the darkened confines of the supply closet.

"We are in her because you asked me to help you, remember?"

"Yes Ray, I remember asking for your help but what I don't understand is why we are in the supply closet."

Ray snickered. "Don't worry Benny, we won't be in here much longer."

A moment of silence passed between the two friends.

"Ray?"

"Yeah Benny?"

"Thank you for helping me."

Startled by the thanks, Ray responded, "Don't thank me yet, Benny."

After a few more minutes of silence, Fraser could hear the "click-click" of Francesca's heals as she made her way down the hallway. "Ah, I think she's coming."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ray said, "Good, are you ready?"

"I believe so . . ." Fraser's words trailed off as he felt Ray place his hands on either side of his jaws and pressed his thumbs at the corners of his mouth.

"Are you sure?" Ray asked in a whisper. He knew Fraser didn't have a clue as to what was about to happen and even though it was Ray's plan, Ray himself didn't know how it was all going to turn out.

"Ye - yes," Fraser replied in a stutter.

Everything was in slow motion as the light began to filter into the closet when Francesca opened the door. That was when Ray's "plan" was put into action. What was Ray's plan?

Fraser found his body being pushed back against the wall by the full weight of Ray and then the most wonderful thing happened. He felt Ray's lips press against his own and at first there was a panicked feeling in the pit of his stomach that eased into a knowing ache - a yearning. This is what he had wanted all along. Ray, not Francesca.

When he felt his friend's tongue slide against his sealed lips, it was only natural for him to open them and allow that crafty tongue entrance. Fraser's arms were no longer soldier straight at his sides but wrapped around Ray, pulling him closer, holding onto him for dear life. This change in position didn't even register in the Mountie's brain. When the gasp from the corridor was released and the speedy "click-click" of heals could be heard rushing back down the hallway, neither man broke from their embrace.

Elaine saw the streak of Francesca run through the squad room and she knew then that Ray's plan had worked. She couldn't help but feel sorry for his sister but she was a bull headed woman and even the mildest of hints she never would have seen. This was the way it had to be done and Elaine respected Ray's decision in the matter. He was Francesca's brother after all and knew her better than any of them.

Closing the cabinet drawer, Elaine headed in the direction she had seen Francesca come from and when she hit the hallway, she saw the closet door was still standing wide open. Elaine approached the open door that she had expected to be empty - except for the supplies for which the closet was for but she was surprised to see her favorite Chicago detective and her favorite Mountie still in there, oblivious to the world around them.

To be truthful, Elaine and never seen anything so sweet and beautiful and arousing all in one scene but these two never ceased to amaze her. Clearing her throat to get their attention not one but twice, they finally pulled away from each other.

Smiling at them, Elaine said in a teasing manner, "Get a room," and she closed the door.

Reality setting in, Fraser cleared his throat and Ray balanced back and forth on his feet. Neither one of them knew what to say. "Benny?"

"Yes, Ray?"

"I just wanted to say that . . . "

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say I have wanted to do that for a long time now."

"You've wanted to upset your sister for a long time?"

"No, not that . . . I've wanted to kiss you for a long time."

"Oh."

There was another silence that drew out between the partners that was longer than necessary. "Listen Benny, I didn't mean it . . . I mean this was just a plan and it worked . . . boy did it work . . . "

"Ray?" Fraser said, interrupting Ray's thoughts.

Focusing on Fraser, Ray asked, "Yeah Benny?"

"What if she comes back?"

"What?"

"What if Francesca comes back? What do we do then?"

"I don't know, I never thought the plan through that far."

"Ah," Fraser contemplated his own plan and then said, "You know Ray, your plan was such a good plan that I think it would be a shame to not use it again."

"Again?" Before anything else could be said, Ray was pulled back into the warm embrace of his partner and best friend. All coherent thought was lost in a deep, passionate kiss that knew no end.

On the outside of the closet door a sign, written in a certain Civilian Aide's handwriting, was taped up. The sign simply read, "Do Not Disturb."

The End