Disclaimer: The boys belong to Alliance.

Author's Notes: I want to apologise for any mistakes there might be.

Story Notes: Very slight spoilers for Eclipse.

This story is a sequel to: Irom Men

Series - No ship like partnership: 4 - A stormy day.

Fraser sat staring wistfully up at Ray's apartment block. He couldn't help but think that Ray should be living in the Vecchio house, after all it was Ray's house but he somehow knew that the new Ray wouldn't feel comfortable there. Closing his eyes he recalled Ray's words during that first meal they had shared.

"I'm still me y'know. Well I guess you don't." A pause. "Undercover's cool. I'm good at it but it's lonely." There was a wistful look on the blonde detective's face and Fraser had to restrain himself from putting his arms around the man.

Lonely. Fraser knew what that felt like. Without his friend Chicago felt so much bigger and yet at the same time so much smaller. But Fraser didn't feel he was lonely when he was with Ray, the new Ray. The man had the power to light up a room just by being in it and when they were together Fraser couldn't take his eyes off him. In his mind's eye the mountie conjured up a picture of Ray and then frowned. It was blatantly obvious that Foster, Ray's ex-lieutenant and on-off lover, was still using Ray as a punch bag. Only a few days before the cop had been sporting new bruises and was walking more stiffly than usual. Fraser clenched his fists and tried to drive the feeling of hatred for Foster from his mind. This wasn't helping. He had a job to do, he had to find Ray, Vecchio's reputation and that of the whole 27th rested on his tracking down his erstwhile partner.

What a day. Fraser had learnt so much about his new partner and he was still reeling from it all. The information that Ray had been married had surprised him less than he thought it would. Ray, or Stanley Kowalski as he now knew him to be, was after all the faithful type. It was obvious that Ray still loved Stella and look at his relationship with Foster. There was a man who needed to be married.

A rueful smile crossed Fraser's face - marriage would never be an option for him and although he hid it well he was lonely. Ray. He had felt a flicker of something when he had met his new partner but Ray was hurting. Fraser knew it and therefore would not allow himself to declare his feelings for the man. He would be Ray's friend that was all.

"Earth to Fraser. Hey come on Benton buddy. We're home." Fraser turned to look at Ray whose blue eyes betrayed his amusement. "Almost lost you there for a moment."

They were outside the consulate Fraser realised and his heart sank. So this was home now. Officially he was looking for an apartment, unofficially he knew he would remain at the consulate. It was fitting after all, his whole life had been thrown into disarray by Vecchio's departure, this was just one more thing.

"Goodnight Ray," Fraser swung the car door open. "I will no doubt see you tomorrow."

"Thanks for the party Frase. I... I know it wasn't really for me but.."

"No," Fraser interjected, "it was for you Ray Kowalski."

Ray's smile lit up his face and Fraser felt his heart flip over. "Thanks for the dreamcatcher too."

"I hope it helps." Fraser let his hand rest briefly on Ray's shoulder before climbing out of the car and holding the door for Dief. Than man and wolf stood and watched in silence as Ray drove away.

"Why the hell did I ask if he found me attractive?" Ray mused as he pulled up outside his apartment block. "I as good as threw myself at him." Shaking his head Ray climbed the stairs only to have all thoughts of Fraser driven out of his head when he saw Foster leaning up against his front door.

"Hello Ray," Foster moved aside to let the younger man open the door and despite himself Ray felt his insides go weak as he breathed in Foster's scent. The lieutenant followed Ray inside and the younger man turned to face him, tossing his precious dreamcatcher onto a chair nearby.

The first blow caught him by surprise and Ray dropped to his knees. Was it always the same when Foster came to see him? Did it always start the same way?

The second blow was expected but it still drove the air from Ray's lungs. At least now he could deal with the pain, detach his mind from what Foster was doing to his body. Fraser. He concentrated on the man's face, the broad shoulders, the.... and now Ray was crying. He would never be worthy of Fraser.

"Ray?" Foster was asking for his attention. "Can you feel this? Tell me why I'm doing this."

Another blow and Ray cried out. "Because I deserve it." Ray croaked out the answer he knew Foster wanted, "because I want it."

"I don't believe you." Foster bent down to peer into Ray's eyes and then he saw the dreamcatcher. "What's this?"

"A birthday present," Ray was struggling to get to his feet. He didn't want Foster laying his hands on such a precious gift.

"It's not your birthday." Foster was studying the dreamcatcher and Ray's face alternately. Then something clicked." Did he make it? The mountie?"

Ray didn't answer but his eyes gave him away and Foster tore the dreamcatcher apart.

Ray cried out and snatched at Foster's hands but a vicious blow to the side of his head knocked him back. The last thing Ray saw before he lost consciousness was Foster unzipping his trousers.

He'd been sitting at his desk staring at the papers spread out before him but he couldn't concentrate, his mind still assimilating all the information he had learnt today. The phone rang and automatically Fraser reached out a hand to answer it.

"Canadian Consulate... I see... thank you kindly." Fraser's eyes were steely as he reached out for his hat. The phonecall from a hospital told him that a man with extensive injuries had been admitted and that Fraser's number had been given as a contact.

As the taxi cab travelled through the night Fraser found himself having to fight back tears. What had that man done to Ray now? Fraser knew then that he would destroy Foster no matter how long it took.

"Hi Frase," Ray's voice was barely audible and he looked so vulnerable lying in a hospital bed.

"What happened." The voice was clipped, unemotional.

"I fell.." Ray's voice faltered, why lie? Fraser knew what had happened.

"Why?"

Ray closed his eyes and one bandaged hand reached out imploringly. How could he explain to Fraser, to the perfect mountie, that he needed Foster, needed to know that Foster wanted him, that Ray would rather die than face a life alone.

Shaking his head Fraser went to talk to the nurse who was hovering in the doorway, obviously anxious to know how a mountie was involved.

"Who brought him here?"

If the nurse was surprised by the abruptness of the question she didn't show it. "I don't know. We found him sitting in the ER. We don't get many cases like this," the woman's face twisted with both pity and disgust, "male rape. I think it was the brutality of the attack that shocked us most and he won't say who did it."

Fraser turned his head away, fighting the nausea rising up inside him. The calm exterior he always worked so hard to maintain was deserting him and he when he went back to Ray's bedside there was murder in his eyes.

"The dreamcatcher Frase," Ray was slurring his words and at first Fraser didn't hear him. "The dreamcatcher," tears were falling down Ray's battered cheeks, "he destroyed it. I deserved it."

"Nobody deserves to be beaten," Fraser said quietly and he reached out to touch the man's face. "Get some sleep. I'll come back in the morning."

Fraser knew exactly where he was going when he left the hospital. He had to finish this. The taxi-cab dropped him off close to Foster's apartment.

"Could you wait?"

The cabbie nodded, "ain't got nothing better to do."

"Thank you kindly."

The walk to the apartment and the journey in the lift, these things did not register in Frase's mind. The first thing he saw was Foster's face sneering at him.

"I want you to leave Ray alone."

"Don't you think that's up to Ray." Foster suggested quietly.

"Nevertheless I want you to leave Ray alone." Fraser was seething but he would not alone Foster to see that.

"And if I don't?"

Fraser replied by driving his fist into Foster's face and the man staggered backwards clutching his jaw. "Leave Ray alone." He repeated this litany over and over and each time he repeated it he planted a blow somewhere on Foster's body.

With a shudder Fraser came back to himself and he saw with horror that the lieutenant was lying unconscious on the floor. Somehow Fraser now felt himself to be no better than Foster. After all hadn't he told Ray that nobody deserves to be beaten. From now on, Fraser swore to himself, he would always be in control. He must never let himself to succumb to anger like that again. But at the same time he knew that if ever Foster did come near Ray again Fraser would be waiting for him and would do whatever necessary to safeguard his friend.

The end.

End No ship like partnership: A stormy day by Lucy Britt: ltb25@yahoo.com

Author and story notes above.