Standard Disclaimer: due South and it's characters belong to Alliance. I just use them for fun. Hopefully they will return to their world unharmed and ready for other people to play with them.

WARNINGS: AU Romance Believe it or not: G!

PAIRING: Benton Fraser/Francesca Vecchio

Originally posted to RedSuitsYou@onelist.com

This is a prequel of sorts. The dance is mentioned in 'Caught in the Act'. This is in response to Frasrgrl and zzzaney...I have to do a G rated fic that has Benton and Francesca before their relationship begins. Lol! ;-)

TEASER: Francesca and Benton dance together.

Dance With Me

Francesca nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. This is stupid. Just walk over and ask him to dance. There are other people dancing. It's not like you're going to try and do anything. Ray can't get mad if you only dance with him. Looking around the yard, she watched her relatives. The only one present who wasn't a Vecchio, was Fraser, and the only thing that stopped him from being a true member of the family was his blood.

Their cousin Mario was visiting from Italy and they had planned a big picnic style family reunion while he was here. The back yard and the house was flooded with Vecchios. Fraser with his blue eyes and pale skin stood out like a neon sign next to the olive toned group of people. She smiled as she spied Fraser. He was standing by himself beneath the shade of a tree. She could tell that the hot summer sun was taking it's toll on him.

He held a cup in his hand and he was constantly taking sips from it. She watched him as he brought the cup up to his brow and closed his eyes at the contact of it's coldness. If he would take his shirt off he would be alot cooler. Glancing around the yard again, she noted that most of the men had their shirts off because of the heat. But she also noticed that all of the elder Vecchio men had their shirts on, with the collars buttoned all the way up. They also had on long slacks and polished dress shoes. She had heard their murmured approvals about Fraser's good manners.

Looking back at him once more she grinned. No wonder all of the older family members like Fraser. Yes he did have impeccable manners that was for sure. She snickered as she looked him over. He wore a pair of jeans, his hiking boots and a crisp white button up shirt. And it was buttoned all the way up to the collar. He had to be roasting. Fraser's manners and attitude were that of an old man. Happily the package that they came in wasn't.

She ran her eyes down his body. The closely cropped dark brown hair gleamed in the sun. His skin was smooth and clear. I'll have to go and get him some sunblock. He's gonna' burn. She loved looking at his wide shoulders. Looking further down, she watched his chest taper down to a thin, narrow waist. And the legs that were attached to the butt that she drooled over, were lean and tight. To her delight, Fraser's shirt was short sleeved. She stared at the play of muscles under that smooth skin as he moved the cup back to his lips. The lips that she longed to kiss.

With a sigh, Francesca tried to push away a feeling of depression. As long as she had known Fraser, he had never asked her out. It seemed like he was terrified to be near her. Looking over at her brother Ray, she narrowed her eyes. She believed that he was a big part of that fear. There had been times when she thought she would see a look of interest in Fraser's eyes. He had started to say something to her on several occasions, but Ray always managed to show up or interrupt him.

She knew that if Fraser would just give her a chance, he would be hers. Clenching her fists, Francesca took a deep breath. She watched as her Aunt Yolanda placed a record on the old turntable. It was a slow song. Perfect for dancing up close. Watching several older couples get up and begin to dance, she made up her mind. Striding purposefully over to Fraser she startled him.

"Would you care to dance Fraser?" He jerked slightly at the sound of her voice, a small look of panic crossed his face. He quickly looked around to see where Ray was. She watched as his gaze settled on Ray, who was on the other side of the yard talking with Uncle Vito and Mario. Fraser hesitated as he almost put his cup down. Then he looked back at Ray and he thought better of it. "Oh come on Fraser. One small dance with me won't kill you would it?" She looked into his eyes, trying to see if he would give her this small moment with him.

Fraser looked down at Francesca's petite figure. Her tiny waist showed between her halter top and the shorts she wore. She was smiling up at him, but he noticed the look of sadness in her eyes. Her tone of voice had an almost pleading quality to it that cut through to his heart. Looking over at Ray, he knew that if he danced with her, he would more than likely be in trouble. Ray wouldn't approve of it. But as his eyes settled once more on hers and her voice reached his ears again, he made up his mind.

"Please Fraser. Just one dance. I know you're hot...I mean not hot, but overheated...oh you know what I mean! Just one dance and I won't bother you the rest of the night. Please?" Her heart skipped a beat as Fraser leaned down and set his cup on the ground by the tree that they were standing under. "O.K." He said O.K.? Yes! She held her hand out to him and when he took it, she felt something like an electric tingle run through her.

His hand covered hers. His callused palm wrapped itself around her small smooth one. Her face must have looked upset as she realized that the song was ending. He looked down and watched as her disappointment showed itself. Smiling slightly, he led the startled Francesca across the yard, still holding her hand. When they reach the table with the record player, he asked her aunt to play another song. His eyes scanned briefly over some of the albums and he smiled as he handed her one of them. Looking at his choice, her aunt smiled knowingly as she placed the record on the turntable.

As the music began to play, Fraser moved them out into the yard where the other dancers had begun swaying to the music. It was a slow, old song. Francesca couldn't remember ever hearing it before, but apparently Fraser knew it. At first he held her stiffly away, avoiding any contact with his body, but as the music played softly in the background, he began to relax. She couldn't remember how it happened, but she found herself wrapped around him. Her cheek was pressed against his chest. Her one hand was in his and her other hand rested on the small of his back.

She felt his chin, lightly touching the top of her head. His free hand was wrapped around her waist as he held her tightly to him. The heat from his body washed over her and she could feel the warmth rising in herself. The sound of his heartbeat was steady and soothing. It was so nice, the both of them dancing slowly as one.

She bit back a feeling of disappointment as the song ended. When Fraser didn't release her, Francesca's heart began to race. Moving slowly back from him, she kept her hand in his. And he didn't try and pull it away from her. He was looking intently at her. Almost like he was staring through her. Francesca felt the unknown heat of a blush slowly make itself know on her face. She watched Fraser as he took a shaky breath and just as it looked like he was going to say something to her...Ray interrupted them...again. She wanted to scream!

Ray walked in between them, breaking the hold of their hands. He gave Fraser a cold look. "Hey Benny, Uncle Vito wants to meet you." Fraser looked past Ray to stare at Francesca once more, a look of sadness passed over his features. "Yes Ray. Thank you kindly for the dance Francesca." "You're welcome...Benton. Anytime." Ray shot her a dirty look and began to push Fraser away from her. Fraser looked back and gave her a sad smile as Ray lead him away.

She stood for a moment in the middle of the yard, feeling another wave of depression wash over her. She smiled slightly when she saw Fraser look back at her, but he quickly looked away when Ray stared at him disapprovingly. With a sigh, she walked over and sat down in a chair beside her mother. She kept looking wistfully over at Fraser. "Francesca." "Yes Ma." A light touch on her arm caused her to turn and look at her mother who smiled at her. "Sometimes things can be worth the wait." Francesca gave her mother a confused look, but she understood what her mother was talking about when she looked back across the yard at Fraser. "Yeah Ma. But it sure isn't nice having to wait."