Another Chance Like That   

I thought something ought to happen between "I'll try anything," and "I'm
Starsky, he's Hutch." Thus, this PWP-ish thing, set later that night after
"Strange Bedfellows". Big, smarmy TYK to Surfgirl for the beta-read. In
case anyone's keeping track, the title is from "I Had My Chance" by
Morphine.  

Rating: NC-17
 Pairing(s): Fraser/Kowalski; Fraser/Vecchio (sort of)
 Spoilers: BDTH, Strange Bedfellows, Letting Go, VS 

Disclaimer: If Alliance decides to Fox us, I'd probably be relatively low
on their hit list, but just in case... Neither Fraser nor His Spiky-Haired
Love Toy are mine. If I were making money off this, I'd have a
mint-condition '71 Riv, instead of a really dusty CRX with 130,000 miles
on the clock.  

Additional disclaimer: This story contains graphic sex between two
consenting law enforcement officers, who happen to both be men. If that
offends you, cover your virgin eyes and grope for the "BACK" button, or I
won't be responsible for the consequences. 

Comments, otters, cases of "Sun-In" may be directed to arkane@iname.com 

Another Chance Like That 

by Dara  **** 

 Beige walls and hospital smells fade from his perception. For one
stretching second, reality is defined by a fall of raven hair and a
trembling hand pulling a pistol trigger. An explosion, an impact, and hard
linoleum comes up to meet him, but he does not fall alone. A strong arm
wraps around him, holds him close all the way down. He raises his head and
sees crimson soaking through his protector's Armani. Agonized green eyes
implore: Now do you believe I love you? He leans down and meets warm,
yielding lips with his own. The universe shifts around him, under him, and
when he looks up, blue eyes are smiling at him, reflecting the sky like
the lake that laps at the pier below. The stranger grins and says-- 

"You ever get the feeling like you missed your chance?" 

"Hm?" Benton Fraser opened his eyes and squinted into the darkness until
he found his partner slouching in the doorway. "Oh, hello, Ray. What are
you doing here?" 

"I dunno. I guess I just felt like talkin' to somebody besides a
bartender. You really oughta put deadbolts on these doors, Benton-buddy." 

"I'll make a note of it." Fraser sat up and reached for the lamp. "What
time is it?"  

"Two thirty. The night is young." Ray Kowalski blinked as warm
incandescent light filled the room.  

"You were saying?" 

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Kowalski crossed the room and took a seat at the end of
the cot. "You ever feel like you had one chance to be happy, and you blew
it?" 

Twice now, Fraser thought, but said "I assume you're referring to your
breakup with Stella?" 

"Yeah."  

"You know, Ray, there's a popular, and indeed, cruel, misconception, that
so-called 'true love' comes along exactly once in a lifetime." 

"Yeah, I'm the poster-boy for that one." Ray closed his eyes. "I just
can't shake this idea like the universe meant for me and her to be
together, I screwed up, and if I can't be with her, I'll never be with
anybody." He ran a hand through his blond spikes. "Ever again." 

"I can't tell you what the future holds, but I can tell you that second
chances are few and far between."  

"Thanks, Fraser, you really know how to cheer a guy up." 

"My point, Ray, is that while we rarely get second chances, we do
occasionally get new ones." Fraser scooted down the cot to sit next to his
partner. "I spent ten years of my life regretting a mistake I made, a
mistake that cost me the only woman I've ever loved. I thought I could
start over with her, but it was too late. Whatever we once had was long
gone, and I could do nothing to change that." 

Ray opened his eyes. "Victoria Metcalf." 

"Yes." 

"I read the file." Ray turned to stare intently at his partner. "You still
had the hots for her, even after she shot your dog and tried to ruin your
life?" 

"I wouldn't put it in quite those terms, but yes, for quite some time
afterward I thought I would never love, never live again. And if it meant
being vulnerable to that pain, I didn't really want to."  

"So what happened?" 

"There was someone else... someone I didn't have to be afraid to care
for." All I was afraid to do was tell him, Fraser finished silently. 

"Vecchio." Kowalski smiled as the Mountie's eyes widened. "They didn't
give me this badge just for bein' adorable, Frase."  

"That knowledge doesn't bother you?" 

"Nah. I'm an open-minded kinda guy." Ray eyed his partner. "You, uh, ever
think about bein' with me?" 

"Ray, just because a person is attracted to one man, doesn't mean he's
attracted to every man." 

"I know that. I didn't ask you about every man. I asked you about me. So
have you?" 

Fraser looked down, blushing furiously. "I don't see how that could
possibly be relevant at this point in time-" 

"It's relevant 'cause I wanna know." Kowalski reached out and cupped
Fraser's jaw, raising the other man's head to face him. "C'mon, you know
you wanna tell me." 

Fraser cleared his throat, struggled to make his vocal cords work. "You
tell me, Mr. Ace Detective." 

"Thought so," Kowalski smiled. He leaned in, drawing his partner to him,
feeling Fraser's hand cover his own as their mouths met.  

Fraser's fingers entwined with Ray's. Ray's tongue slipped between
Fraser's lips. Fraser's free arm encircled Ray's back. Ray's other hand
moved to rest on Fraser's thigh, stroking the solid muscle through the
soft cotton.  

Fraser pulled away from the kiss, far enough to see Kowalski devouring him
with his eyes. "Ray," he began, losing his train of thought as the hand on
his thigh crept due north. "Ray." He forced himself to focus. "Ray." 

"What, Frase?" Kowalski whispered, halting his hand in its tracks. 

Fraser fought the urge to reach up and ruffle Ray's blond spikes. "I'm
afraid you're in a somewhat precarious emotional state right now. I
wouldn't want to-" 

"Fraser, are you gonna babble, or are you gonna kiss me until I can't
breathe? Make up your mind quick." 

"I can't take advantage of your-" 

Kowalski shut him up with a kiss, nibbling softly at the Mountie's lips,
teasing them into submission. Finally he pulled away, just enough to
murmur, "Ever think maybe I wanna get taken advantage of?"  

Fraser gave in and ran his fingers through Kowalski's hair, marvelling at
the way the stiff spikes yielded under his hand. "No, Ray, I don't think
you do." 

Kowalski leaned into the caress, closing his eyes as Fraser traced gentle
patterns over his scalp and down the back of his neck. "You want me,
Frase?"  

"I won't use you." 

Ray opened his eyes again, meeting his partner's gaze. "I know." He closed
the short distance between them and pressed his mouth to Fraser's.  

Fraser surrendered. He parted his lips to welcome Kowalski's tongue and
wrapped his arm around Ray's waist, pulling the other man tight against
him. They fell back to land sprawled across the cot.  

"Oof," Kowalski exhaled, as his shoulder hit the metal frame. 

"Oh dear. Sorry." Fraser slid his hand under Ray's jacket to massage the
injured area, kneading the detective's hard muscle through the thin fabric
of his t-shirt.  

"'S alright. I've had worse," Kowalski grinned, leaning in to kiss his
partner again. As his lips met Fraser's, he broke away in a burst of
giggles. "One time back in high school, me and Stella were fooling around,
and we fell off the bed. Fractured my wrist. The pain didn't bug me as
much as havin' to ask her dad for a ride to the ER." 

"I promise to be more careful." Fraser's hands moved up to Ray's lapels,
sliding the jacket off his shoulders.  

"Live dangerously, Frase." Ray let Fraser slip his jacket the rest of the
way off, then pushed the Mountie onto his back, covering and straddling
him. His mouth found Fraser's again, and their tongues entwined as their
hips ground together.  

"Mmm," Fraser grunted, reluctantly separating his mouth from Ray's, "Your
gun is poking me." 

Ray stifled a laugh against Fraser's neck. "What, you mean literally?" He
grinned, straightening up and sitting back on his partner's thighs. "If
you were anybody else, I'd think you were tryin' to be cute." Kowalski
shrugged out of his holster and laid it on the floor. He watched Fraser
watching him, then grabbed his t-shirt by the hem and pulled it over his
head, discarding it with his gun.  

Fraser memorized every ripple of Kowalski's lean, tight muscles. "You have
a beautiful body, Ray," he said, reaching up to run his hands over the
detective's torso.  

"Ya think?" Ray shivered as Fraser's fingers played over his hardening
nipples.  

"Very much so." Fraser sat up, still stroking Ray's chest as he kissed his
shoulder. "You're quite elegantly sculpted." He ran his tongue along
Kowalski's collarbone. "Nicely contoured..." He explored the hollow at the
base of Ray's throat. "No wasted space." He leaned his partner back to put
more of his skin within licking distance.  

"Fraser, you are- aah!" Ray gasped as the Mountie teased one nipple with
his thumb, the other with his mouth. 

"You were saying?" Fraser glanced up. 

"You're the only human being on the planet who can talk like a 'Road and
Track' reviewer when you're minutes away from scoring. Mmmm..." Kowalski
sighed as Fraser's tongue traced a path up his chest and along the side of
his neck. 

"How would you prefer I talked?" Fraser nipped at Ray's earlobe.  

"Let loose. Get down an' dirty." Ray's hands found the buttons on Fraser's
longjohns.  

"In what sense?" Fraser's tongue explored the folds and curves of Ray's
ear.  

"I dunno, how about in the sense of sayin', 'Ray, I wanna rip your jeans
off an' fuck you senseless'?" One by one, the buttons fell open, yielding
to Kowalski's agile fingers.  

"As you wish." Fraser's voice lowered to a whisper-growl. "Ray, I'd like
to..." He moved his hands down to Kowalski's thighs, rubbing the coarse
denim. "Tear your jeans off and..." He inhaled sharply. "Fuck you within
an inch of your life." He breathed hard against Kowalski's shoulder,
trembling as his partner's hands neared that achingly stiff part of him. 

"Did that hurt?" Kowalski grinned.  

"Not at all," Fraser murmured. "In fact, it was strangely liberating."	

"Knew there had to be a maniac lurking under that perfect Canadian
exterior," Ray teased, fingers hovering over the last button.  

"Ray, please." Whether the catch in his voice was reproach or desperation,
Fraser himself didn't know.  

Kowalski slipped the button open and dismounted from Fraser's lap,
half-kneeling on the edge of the cot as he peeled the longjohns down.
Fraser lifted his hips to let him slide them the rest of the way off.  

"Wow," Ray said, looking over six feet of naked Mountie, from top to
bottom. "Wow. This is really... wow." He bit his lip, grinned shakily.
"What do I do?" 

"What do you want to do, Ray?"	

"Umm... this?" Kowalski placed his palms on Fraser's chest and pushed him
back down onto the bed, then lay down beside him. Leaning on one elbow, he
slid his other hand behind Fraser's head and pulled his partner to him for
another kiss.  

Fraser opened his mouth to meet Ray's tongue. His breathing quickened as
Kowalski's hand moved downward, over his chest, headed inexorably south.
He moaned and tensed as the detective's fingers raked through the coarse
curls to brush against his aching hardness. Ray's touch was fire, burning
even hotter than the blood that surged through Fraser's engorged flesh.  

Kowalski's mouth left Fraser's to nip gently at the soft skin of his neck,
at the same time as his fingers wrapped around the Mountie's shaft.
Fraser's whole body shuddered, and he heard himself gasp, "Oh, Ray!" 

"You like that, Frase?" Ray's hand moved slowly up his partner's length. 

Fraser thought he could feel every ridge of Kowalski's fingerprints on the
sensitive skin of his cock. "Oh, yes," he breathed, making himself check
the impulse to thrust into the other man's hand, knowing that if he gave
in, it would be over much too soon.  

Kowalski's mouth found Fraser's again. He tightened his grip on the other
man's erection. His own hardness was insistent against his partner's hip.
Fraser groaned, a low, hungry sound that resonated through both of them.
Ray's hand quickened its pace, seeking more of that hard-won response from
the Mountie.  

Fraser's hands clenched in the blankets as he tried to subdue the waves of
pleasure that threatened to drag him under. He knew he had to hold back,
but was having an increasingly difficult time remembering why. It was only
when Ray's mouth left his that he regained some tenuous grip on his
senses.  

Kowalski's whisper was silk and sandpaper against Fraser's ear: "What was
that you were sayin'? Somethin' about rippin' my jeans off and fuckin' me
within an inch of my life?" The cop didn't halt his maddening caress. 

In a desperate attempt to hang on to his sanity, Fraser grabbed Ray's
wrist, flipping over to pin the detective beneath him. Their fingers
interlaced as he held Kowalski's hands over his head, trapping the other
man with his body. Fraser lay panting against Ray's shoulder, the
coarseness of the cop's denim pants a jolting change of sensation on the
Mountie's excited flesh. He savored the feel of Kowalski under him, the
wiry solidity of his lean body, the heat that radiated from his bare skin
and the stiffness that throbbed for release. Fraser slowed his breathing
and inhaled deeply, almost tasting the clean, masculine scent of his
partner.  

"You still with me, Frase?" Ray squeezed Fraser's hands.  

"Always, Ray." Fraser parted his lips and nuzzled the other man's
collarbone. Kowalski flexed his arms, writhing below him and arching his
head back to offer his throat. Fraser ran the tip of his tongue in a
teasing line up Ray's neck, then lowered his head to nip gently at the
junction of neck and shoulder.	

Kowalski gasped. "Whatever you're gonna do, Fraser, you better do it
soon." 

"Of course, Ray." He let go of Kowalski's hands and raised himself up on
his elbows, taking a moment to stare into the detective's desire-widened
eyes before leaning down and kissing him again.  

His partner's body was silky friction against him as the Mountie moved to
tongue his way down Kowalski's neck. Fraser's hands and mouth explored
Ray's chest. Kowalski's breathing quickened when Fraser sucked at the
smooth skin of his belly and licked at his navel. "Oh God, come on, come
on..." Ray begged, reaching down to grip Fraser's hand where it rested on
his hip. 

Fraser slid his tongue under the waistband of Ray's jeans, lapping at the
perspiration that collected there. He felt the detective shiver as he
pressed his face to the bulge at his groin, relishing the warmth against
his cheek. The musk of Kowalski's arousal was intoxicating. Fraser's
tongue flicked out to taste it through the fabric, tracing the outline of
the other man's swollen flesh.	

"Fraser, the idea is to get the pants off!" Kowalski gasped, his hand
tightening on his partner's.  

"Patience is a virtue, Ray." Fraser ran his free hand along the crease
between Kowalski's hip and thigh.  

"Fraser, if you don't--" Ray stopped in mid-threat as the Mountie's
teasing fingers deftly undid his belt, slipped the button open and found
the zipper pull. "Okay. Oh, yeah," he sighed as Fraser eased the zipper
down gingerly, mindful of Kowalski's bare skin beneath. "End of the
laundry month," Ray sheepishly offered in explanation.	

"Understood." Fraser extricated his other hand from his partner's grasp
and slid it into Ray's jeans, covering the other man's cock while he
yanked the zipper the rest of the way open.  

"Betcha thought I was a natural blond," Kowalski grinned, as Fraser pulled
the jeans down past his hips.  

"Not for a second, Ray." The Mountie dipped his head down to lick his
partner's erection with long, lapping strokes.	

Kowalski's body shuddered with Fraser's liquid rhythm. "Oh, man, that's
good," he breathed, lifting his hand to caress Fraser's hair. "I'll never
bitch about you licking weird stuff again."  

"Thank you, Ray." Fraser ran his tongue in slow circles over the head of
Kowalski's cock, tasting the salty sweetness of the other man's precum and
sweat and skin. The fingers in his hair gripped harder as their owner
moaned. Fraser lowered his mouth to the engorged organ, taking it between
his lips and sucking.  

"Oh, God, Fraser!" Ray pulled the Mountie's head up. 

"What, Ray? What's wrong?"  

Kowalski was panting for breath. "Nothin', you're great." He loosened his
hold on Fraser's hair, stroked it softly. "You're better than great.
You're in-freaking-credible." He took hold of Fraser's hand and tugged.
"But if you keep doin' what you're doin', I'm not gonna have the energy
left to get you off." 

"I don't think it'll take very much," Fraser muttered, blushing and
looking away. 

Ray laughed. "Just get up here." 

"Yes, Ray." He let Kowalski drag him back up to lie next to him. Ray,
apparently just noticing that he still had his pants half-on, kicked his
boots off. "Can I help you...?" 

"Nah, I got it." Kowalski wriggled out of his jeans and settled back down
beside his partner. "Okay then, where were we?" 

"I believe you wanted to--" 

"Right." Ray smiled, pulling Fraser to him and capturing his mouth with
his own. His hand wandered down the Mountie's body, and his tongue slipped
between Fraser's lips as his fingers wrapped around the hard shaft.
Kowalski's tongue stroked his partner's in sync with the motion of his
hand. Just as Fraser neared the edge, the detective slowed his hand and
whispered, "You ready?" 

"Yes, Ray," Fraser breathed. "Do you want me to--?" 

"Nah, I'll take it from here." Kowalski slid his knee between Fraser's
legs, nudging them apart as he arched over the other man and gently
lowered himself to fit his erection against his partner's. "This okay?" He
rocked his hips experimentally. 

"Oh, yes, Ray." Fraser's voice was ragged, and his hands clutched at
Kowalski's bare back.  

"Good," Ray smiled down at Fraser, who gazed, transfixed, into his
gold-flecked blue eyes. He brushed his fingers through the Mountie's
tousled hair before leaning down to claim his mouth again.  

Fraser ran his hand along the detective's spine, drawing a hungry growl
and an answering thrust from the other man. The slippery raw heat of
Kowalski's skin felt deliciously hedonistic against Fraser's aroused
flesh. It was a strange, thrilling, unique sensation. Not like the
clenching embrace of being inside Victoria; more of a warm, whole-body
caress. He found himself cupping Ray's firm buttocks, running his hands
over the tight spheres of muscle, clutching the other man to him. Kowalski
drove himself against Fraser, and plundered his mouth with his tongue. The
fevered rhythm between them deepened as Fraser thrust up against him.  

Fraser moved against Ray wantonly, desperately, losing control, losing
himself in this mind-shattering ecstasy. He could sense the blue-hot
electrical charge building in him, humming through all of his nerve
endings to concentrate at his center. He felt rather than heard the scream
that tore itself from his throat as he climaxed, crying his partner's name
as he shot his hot essence between their bodies.  

Kowalski gave a harsh yell and joined him, his fluid mingling with
Fraser's. The detective collapsed, panting and shaking, on top of him.
"Fraser... oh God... Fraser," Ray sighed, his smile audible. "You're so
good. You're the best. You're perfect. I love you." 

"Mmm... thank you kindly, Ray," Fraser murmured, reaching up to stroke
Kowalski's hair.  

"Nah, I mean it. You're amazing." Ray slid down to rest his head on the
Mountie's shoulder. "That was really great." 

"Yes." Fraser ran his other hand over his partner's back, feeling his
sweat-dampened skin starting to cool. He reached for the blanket and
pulled it over them. 

Kowalski snuggled into Fraser's embrace, nuzzling the other man's neck. "I
guess I should go." 

"Hm." Fraser held his partner close, randomly wondering if this was what
Ray Vecchio would have felt like in his arms. Probably not, he decided.
There was the hair, for one thing. He brushed his cheek against Kowalski's
now very disheveled blond spikes, catching a faint chemical tang of
styling gel intermingled with Ray's own rich, manly scent.  

"We're gonna get stuck together," Ray mumbled, his lips barely leaving
Fraser's skin.	

"I think that's highly unlikely, Ray." 

Kowalski's giggle tickled at Fraser's throat. It soon escalated into a
free, raucous laugh, and Fraser found himself joining in, the both of them
carrying on as if it were the funniest thing they'd ever heard. Ray lifted
his head to look down at his partner, and Fraser was dazzled into silence
by the radiance of Kowalski's smile. Ray's eyes met Fraser's, and the
detective's laughter quieted. Still grinning, he leaned down and kissed
the Mountie, gently now that his hunger was sated.  

Fraser parted his lips and let Kowalski taste him. When Ray's mouth
finally left his, Fraser reached up and caressed the other man's face,
Ray's razor-stubble rough against his fingers. "Stay." Tonight. Forever. 

Kowalski smiled. "What's Thatcher gonna say when she catches me sneakin'
outta here tomorrow morning?" 

"She'll think you were getting a head start on the day's caseload." 

Kowalski snorted. "Yeah, in Bizarro-World, maybe." He settled down next to
Fraser, one arm and leg still wrapped around the Mountie. "Call out sick
and let's sleep in." 

"I don't think I'd be very convincing calling from my own desk phone."
Fraser stroked the hand that lay on his chest, raised it to his mouth and
brushed his tongue over the fingertips. 

"Mmmm," Ray sighed. "Never can stop lickin' stuff, can ya?" The wicked
grin was audible.  

"You taste good, Ray." Fraser's tongue flicked over Kowalski's palm, and
he pressed his lips to the cop's slender wrist before lowering the hand
again.	

Ray laced his fingers together with Fraser's. "You always go around
tastin' your partners, or am I just lucky?"  

"You're just lucky, Ray."  

"Yeah, I guess I am." Kowalski kissed Fraser's shoulder. "G'night, Frase."


"Goodnight, Ray... oh, would you mind?"  

"Huh? Oh, sure." Kowalski reached out and switched the lamp off, not
letting go of Fraser's hand.  

The Mountie drew Ray back into his arms. "Thank you, Ray." He caught
Kowalski's mouth in a deep, lingering kiss. 

"All that for turnin' out the light?" Kowalski grinned when they parted. 

"Thank you for taking a chance on me." He reached up to run his fingers
through Ray's hair again. "For taking a chance with me."  

"Any time, Frase." He leaned down and brushed his lips over Fraser's.
"Partner." Still smiling, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the
other man's chest. "You comfy like this?" 

"Yes, Ray. And you?"  

"I'm groovy, Fraser. For the first time in forever." He squeezed Fraser's
hand. "Wake me up at six, okay?" 

"Don't worry. My alarm goes off at four-thirty."  

Kowalski groaned inarticulately.  

"Of course, I suppose I could do with an extra hour and a half of rest..."
Or even an extra hour and a half of lying awake listening to you breathe. 


"I'm a bad influence on you," Ray laughed drowsily.  

"No, Ray." Fraser kissed the top of Kowalski's head. "You're good for me."


"Maybe we're good for each other," Ray murmured. 

"Yes, I think we are."	

"G'night, Frase." 

"Good night, Ray." Benton Fraser closed his eyes, wondering what kink in
his psyche caused him to fall in love with every man who took a bullet for
him. As the steady, soothing rhythm of his partner's breathing lulled him
to sleep, he decided he didn't mind one bit.  

--End. 

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