"--to the male of the species, who then--"

Click.

"--away, weve got some big money coming up on the Wheel!  Well be--"

Click.

"--my higher power.  This is how we communicate.  She lets me call collect--"

Click.

"--until golden brown.  Then we add about half a teaspoon--"

Click.

"--Miguel, eres el amor de mi vida! Te quiero--"

Click.  The screen went dark, and Ray tossed the remote onto the coffee table.  Ben, who had just taken his bookmark out of 'Galileo's Commandment' after putting Abby to bed, glanced up with a question in his eyes.

With exaggerated casualness, Ray picked up the envelope that lay beside the remote and fingered the letter within.  Finally he spoke.  "Benny?"

"Hmm?"

"How would you feel about me going back to work at the station?"

Ben slipped the bookmark back into place and laid his book down carefully before answering.  "As a detective?"

"No."  He riffled the edge of the envelope with his thumb.  "Welsh is retiring in a month, and he wrote to say he'd recommend me if I wanted to take over as lieutenant.  It's not a formal job offer, of course, but with his backing and my record--well, our record, but they dont need to know that-- I could probably get it if I applied.  With Abby in first grade now, I don't really need to be here during the day so much anymore, and the extra money would come in handy when we have to pay for college, or if we decide to get a house like we've been talking about.  Abby could stay at Ma's house after school.  What do you think?"

"I think you'd make a fine lieutenant."

"Lieutenant."

"What?"

"You've been in America for sixteen years.  It's pronounced lieutenant."

"Technically, I'm still a Canadian citizen, Ray.  And in Canada it's pronounced 'lieutenant.'"

"You do this just to aggravate me, don't you?"

"Of course, Lieutenant Vecchio."

"Aha!  See, the word CAN come out of your mouth."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Hmph.  If I get the job, we're taking a vacation and going to one of those states that allows gay marriage so you can't use that 'I'm not a U.S. Citizen' excuse.  No way am I going to be a 'lieutenant' until Illinois finally gets its act together."

"I suppose I can make an exception."

"I'd appreciate that."

Ben glanced at him quickly, checking for the telltale twitch at the corner of Ray's mouth that meant he wasn't really bothered.  It always managed to creep through the most ironclad expression, and today was no exception.  He continued.  "I'm glad this has come up.  Truthfully, I've been a bit concerned about your being home alone all day."

"You've been worried about me?"

"Not worried, exactly.  But you're a very social person, Ray.  I just find it ironic that I, who was raised on solitude, go out and spend the day working with people while you telecommute from an empty apartment."

"I don't mind, Benny."

"I know.  But I"m glad that you, well, that you have the option."

"I've always had the option.  I've never regretted my decision to stay home with Abby."  He paused, half-expecting Ben to bring up one of the dozens of times he'd griped about having the phone in one ear and a crying baby in the other, or loving to go to the grocery store just for the chance to get out of the house alone. Or humming the theme song to Loony Tunes until he'd wanted to shove an ice pick into his ear to get it out of his head.  Or wearing his pajamas for two days straight because he hadn't had time to get dressed in the morning, and by the time Ben got home, he hadn't had the energy.  Ben said nothing, however.  He knew what Ray meant.  "It has been different this past year, though," he amended, when no argument was forthcoming.  "So, you really think I should take the job?"

"I think you should apply."

"And if I don't get it?"

"Well, in that case I see that we have two options.  The first is that you could look for another job, perhaps at a different precinct."

"And the other?"

Ben looked at him innocently.  "We could get a dog."

Ray glared.  "Thanks, Benny."

"You're quite welcome."

With a shake of his head and a muttered comment about Canadian humor, Ray got up and headed for the computer to compose a reply to Lieutenant Welsh.

~~~Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 1:22 pm~~~

"Vecchio?  What are you doing back here?"

Ray turned, surprised to hear his name spoken from the bullpen.  It had been nearly seven years since he'd worked there, and most of his old colleagues had moved on to other precincts, other jobs.  As far as he knew, only Welsh was left, and he would be gone in three weeks.  But the dark-haired detective did look familiar, and after a second's pause, Ray remembered him.  "Hey, Dewey, right?"

"Good memory.  Yeah, I transferred back to Violent Crimes not long after you left.  Narcotics wasn't really my thing.  So what's your excuse?  Nostalgia kicking in?"

"Actually, I'm here for an interview."

"Ah, the lieutenant spot, huh?"  Ray nodded, and Dewey continued.  "Well, good luck.  You wouldn't catch me taking on that much paperwork, but hey, if it works for you.  Hey, what was it Jack was telling me a couple of years back, about you and Fraser adopting a kid?  How's that working out?"

Ray smiled.  "It's going great.  Sometimes I even forget she's adopted."  He glanced at the clock on the precinct wall, then at his watch.  "That thing still running fast?"

"Some things never change.  Look, you'd better get going.  And good luck with the job; you and I never really got to work together much, but from what I've heard, we'd be lucky to have you."

"Thanks."  Feeling a bit more confident, Ray headed off down the hall.

The Ray that stumbled through the Chief Liaison Officer's door at the Canadian Consulate two hours later looked as though he'd been marched there at gunpoint by way of Taiwan, with a water break in Buenos Aires.  He collapsed in the guest chair with a groan and closed his eyes.

"I take it the interview didn't go well?"

Ray moved his head slowly from side to side, eyes still closed.  "They ate me alive.  First they brought up the fact that I've been telecommuting for the last six and a half years, so I'm not really used to the day to day, on-location schedule."

"But you'd been living on that schedule as an officer and a detective for almost eighteen years prior to your decision to telecommute."

Ray opened his eyes, sitting up a bit.  "That's what I told them.  And I brought up Detective Healey, the one who I was working with on the DeLurka case?  She was doing basically the same job I am, and after that case the Ninth brought her back and promoted her to captain."

"To which they said...?"

"They just kind of waffled around and said they were sure circumstances had been different in that case.  And then they said that I'd had some official reprimands in my file in reference to incidents of uncooperative behavior, indicating a temperament unsuited to leadership, which was basically their way of saying I had an attitude problem.  So I said yeah, I'd done some things that maybe I shouldn't have earlier in my career, but who hasn't?"

"And you were later appointed head of the American task force at the North American trade summit, and sent undercover as the head of a large mob family."

Ray was leaning forward a little in his chair by now, his hands moving with his words as animation returned to his body.  "Both of which I mentioned, along with the fact that I was up for promotion when I got shot and had to go on desk duty in the first place.  So of course they had to try and argue that I was technically listed as disabled and therefore wasn't qualified for the job.  So I pointed out that what had happened was that I was supposed to be temporarily listed as disabled, but that the consultant position opened up and I was transferred before I was scheduled to return to active duty, so my listing never got changed.  And I offered to get them a copy of the results from my last physical, but they just said no, that wasn't necessary.  So I'm thinking, OK, I finally have 'em, there can't be any other objections to my just applying for the job."

"And there was something else?"

"You could say that.  They finally brought up what was really bothering them, and you'll never guess what that was."

Ben looked down at his desk, brushing an eyebrow with a wry smile.  "Our relationship?"

"Bingo.  Of course, they danced around it, with the usual 'I'm not homophobic, but a lot of other cops are' routine.  Basically, they said they were afraid I wouldn't get support from the detectives in my division if they knew I was gay.  Actually the guy's words were "some officers might object to working under a homosexual," and you should have seen the look on his face when he realized what he'd said.  The fact that you and I have been out for over ten years and I haven't had a problem yet with anybody that I actually worked with, of course, means nothing."

"I see.  And then?"

Ray sank back into his chair, the look of exhaustion returning.  "That was about it.  Thanks for applying, don't call us, we'll call you."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah."  Ray took his partner's hand, held out in sympathy, and interlaced their fingers.  "Wanna stop by the pound on the way home?"

~~~Friday, September 17, 2010, 3:38 pm~~~

The phone rang, and Ray laid down his knife just long enough to slip it between his ear and shoulder before returning to the apple he was slicing.  "Hello?... Yes, this is Ray Vecchio."

Abby came running into the kitchen.  "Is it for me?"  Ray shook his head silently, handing her one of the slices he'd already cut.

"You would?... No, sir, just... yes, sir.  Monday at ten would be fine.  Thank you, sir."  He hung up the phone and finished preparing Abby's snack, trying very hard to keep a goofy grin from spreading over his face.

"Who was that, Daddy?"

"That was one of the men I went to talk to last week while you were at school."  He picked up the plate of apple and carried it to the living room couch, where she climbed into his lap.  "You remember how we talked about you going to Grandma's house after school while I go away to work like your Dad does?"  She nodded, chewing slowly as she watched his face.  "Well, there are some other people who want to do the same job that I want to do, and only one of us can do it.  That man who just called said that they want to talk to me some more, and if they like what I say, they might pick me."

"Is that good?"

"That's very good.  I want them to pick me very much."

"Oh."  There was a look on Abby's face that meant she was trying to figure out how to ask a question, and Ray braced himself.  "Did I do something bad?"

"What?  No, honey, you didn't do anything bad.  Why'd you ask that?"

"If I didn't do anything bad, then why do you want to go away?"

Damn.  Okay, this one would take some careful phrasing.  "I don't want to go away from you, sweetie, and I want you to know that there's nothing you could ever do that would make me want to go away from you.  But you're in school now.  Me going to work is kind of like you going to school; this way you and I and your dad all have someplace to go during the daytime.  But you get home first and you can't stay here by yourself, so you're going to stay with your Grandma until your dad or I can come and get you.  You like visiting your Grandma and your Aunt Maria."

"But I want to stay here with you."  She gave him what he privately termed "The Big-Eyed Abby Look," and he wondered how the hell anybody had managed to resist Benny as a child.

"And I like staying here with you, but this is something I have to do.  We'll still be together in the evenings."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

~~~Monday, September 20, 2010, 8:50 pm~~~

"Where do you get those books, anyway?" Ray whispered as they closed Abby's bedroom door.  They'd both tucked her in tonight, but Ben had chosen the bedtime story: 'The Reason for a Flower.'  "I don't think there was that much information in my high school biology book."

Ben glanced down at the book in his hand, surprised.  "The children's book section at the library.  They have an excellent selection."

"Yeah, I know.  So how come when I go, we get The Berenstein Bears and Dr. Seuss, and when you go, we get How to Win the Nobel Prize at Age Seven?"

"Now, really, Ray, that's just silly.  They're just books-- educational, perhaps, but she seems to enjoy them."

"Can't argue with that."  They wandered into the kitchen, and Ben put a pot of water on to boil.  Ray rinsed out both of their mugs, dropping a teabag into each rather than using his instant coffee.  Real coffee was too much trouble, and the instant was more of a quick fix than a beverage.  He didn't need the caffeine that badly.  He leaned against the sink and Ben against the counter, facing him.  "So."

"Yes, Lieutenant Vecchio?"

"Don't start.  You have a dependent child who is an American citizen, that makes you American, at least as far as pronunciation goes."

"Ah.  How was the meeting?  Other than the fact that you got the job, I mean."

"Not bad.  Chief Big Homophobe wasn't there, and the other two were pretty nice about it.  Apparently my record and my recommendations outweighed their worries about my being gay, plus Welsh apparently talked to the detectives and said the response wasn't too bad, so they were willing to take the chance.  And what they didn't say, but I suspect they were thinking anyway, is that it would look good on their Equal Opportunity listings.  So I get the job, they get their PC image, and everybody's happy."

"So it would appear."  Ben smiled and pushed himself away from the counter, crossing the kitchen and slipping his arms around his partner.  "Congratulations, Lieutenant," he murmured as he kissed Ray's cheek and began working his way down his jaw and throat.

"Much better," Ray answered, leaning his head back to expose more of his throat to Ben's attentions.  They were distracted by the whistle of the teakettle, and Ben turned off the stove and poured the water into their mugs.  Taking their tea and turning out the lights, they headed into the bedroom to celebrate.

~~~End~~~