To Life Immortal: 6 - The Other Half of My Soul

By Claudia Aranda.

Crossover: Due South/War of the Worlds/Highlander: The Series

Rating: PG

Warnings/Categories: AU

Main characters: Ray Vecchio and Paul Ironhorse.

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me and I don't intend to make any money with them. There are no intentions to infringe the rights of the legal owners.

As always, this story hadn't been possible without Birgitt and Connie. Gracias Ladies of The Sith.

By Claudia Aranda.

Note: Giovanni Castagnoli is a character of my own. BTW, Castagnoli is a real Italian last name, it's from my mom's friend, Mrs. Aldina Castagnoli.

Fraser got ready for work and went down the stairs to wait for Ray. When he didn't appear Fraser thought that Ray was still upset. Fraser arranged his hat and started his hike.

It was incredible the bad effect that Ray had had on him, in fact he missed the chat and the comfort. Those things hadn't been necessities to him before. Fraser was upset with himself; he even missed Ray's complaints or his imprudent (and premeditated) maneuvers at the wheel.

Fraser knew that he had to give Ray some time to think about his confession of love the night before. Ray was an Italian Catholic cop and damn straight! But Fraser knew also, that when Ray would be immortal he was going to need help, and Fraser would be right there to give it. In time, he hoped that Ray would become more open about love and sex with another man.

Fraser stopped dead in his tracks. Not with other men, of course, just with him. Fraser relaxed again; some people were meant to be together and he hoped, Ray would be his mate in the near future.

The day promised to be wonderful. Fraser took a deep breathe and continued his hike happily. While every women along his path turned to give him a longer look, as usual he didn't notice anything. His handsome features were even more gorgeous this morning because he was thinking on Ray while he walked. He and Ray, together, foverer. Fraser knew he would be the happiest man in the world some day.

*-----*

Fraser had been working for a few hours when Inspector Thatcher entered his office. She looked even more angry than usual.

"Constable?"

Fraser stood at atention. "Sir."

"Constable, please come to my office."

Fraser was confused. What had he done now? When he was on the corridor, Ovitz, Turnbull and Jasmine were staring at him. Fraser looked back.

"Constable!"

"Yes Sir, I'm sorry."

When Fraser entered the office, he found that Lieutenant Welsh was there. "Constable?"

"Nice to see you again, sir."

"Take a seat, Fraser," Inspector Thatcher signaled.

Fraser sat down and Lieutenant Welsh and Inspector Thatcher stood in front of him. Welsh cleared his throat. "I have news to give you, Constable, and due to its nature, I wanted to give it to you personally."

"Yes sir," answered Fraser politely, a little worried.

"Constable. This early morning an incident occurred in the park, an incident that involved Detective Vecchio..." Welsh tried to use a formal tone, "Detective Vecchio was... murdered this early morning. It's seems to be a mob hit."

Fraser wasn't sure if he had undestood. "Excuse me, Lieutenant...?"

Welsh's voice was barely a whisper. "Ray is dead, Benton."

*-----*

Fraser left the consulate in a hurry. He had convinced all of them that he needed time to think. When finally Inspector Thatcher let him go he ran to his apartment and then to the county hospital where Ray had been taken. He knew what must be done. It was horrible, but there wasn't any other way. After all he had been preparing himself for this moment since he had arrived in Chicago for the first time, and had laid eyes on Ray Vecchio.

He had studied all the possible variants and he was ready to act.

Unfortunately, there was one variant that Fraser hadn't taken into account.

*-----*

As soon his men informed him that the job was done and Vecchio was dead, Giovanni Castagnoli put himself into action. There was a lot to do yet. He had come to Chicago completely prepared, but he had to be careful. The order to kill Vecchio was aceptable, but stealing the body wasn't. That would put him in a difficult position in front of his business associates in the powerful Iguana Family.

*-----*

Fraser slid through the hospital's corridors like a shadow. He was dressed very casually with jeans and his leather jacket. He had had the good sense not to wear his stetson and he had left Dief with Willie. Fraser carried a bag with a change of clothes, as anonymous as his own.

Fraser reached the morgue without problems, he knew that the cold would help his plan. Everything was going to be perfect.

*-----*

Giovanni advanced carefully to the morgue. He had prepared all of this a couple of months ago, after meeting Armando in Las Vegas. Since their first meeting he had known that the guy wasn't the real Armando "The Bookman" Langoustini, but Giovanni hadn't said anything.

Armando and Giovanni had become friends from the very beginning, and Giovanni had decided that Armando would be his partner. Unlike Fraser, Giovanni wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

*-----*

Fraser opened the freezer door and lifted the sheet. There was Ray. Pale, with his lips and eyelids livid and bruised by the cold, but the Ray that he knew. Fraser was surprised that there were no signs of an autopsy, but after all, just 13% of the deceased got one. And in Ray's case, the cause of death had been very evident. Fraser took out Ray's body and laid him down on the coroner's table. He had just opened the bag when he felt an immortal's buzz. Fraser stood up, frightened. There was another immortal near.

The morgue's door opened and Giovanni entered with his sword in his hand. When he saw Fraser, Giovanni realized that the two of them were here after the same thing. "I'm Giovanni Castagnoli. Who are you?"

"Benton Fraser." Fraser took out his own sword and prepared himself to protect Ray. While they were looking at each other, Fraser saw the little bag. Had this man come for Ray, too? Was there something that Fraser didn't know?

Giovanni and Fraser danced with their swords ready, assessing each other's strengths. Giovanni was taller than Fraser, 6'2" probably and more muscular. Fraser thought that this guy could be about 35, but of course that was debatable. This man could easily be more than 500 years old, judging by the confident way he moved. Fraser noted too, that the guy was incredibly handsome, maybe even more than himself. That made him feel uncertain and jealous. Was it possible that Ray had fallen in love with this guy? Could Ray have learned about gay sex while he was in Las Vegas?

Giovanni was having almost the same thoughts, that guy was very handsome. But he had decided that Ray was for himself. Giovanni felt jealous and angry.

A dry cough and a question, brought them out of their reverie.

"Benny?... Benny... What's happening?..."

*-----*

Debi was happy. For a long time that emotion was so fragile that she felt scared of it. But this time her happiness was complete.

The night before, after her fainting, she had returned home but she was restless. She had to know the truth. So after just an hour in her apartment, she had returned to the musem, where a lot of people were preparing the next day show. She had searched every corner of the place until she saw him.

It was him!

But that wasn't possible, or was it? At that moment she didn't care, she let herself be carried by her feelings and went to him. It had been wonderful, to touching him and talking to him again. That had been very early this morning but Debi still didn't believe it. Paul had escorted her home and they had talked about what had happened. Not much of a chat really, because although Debi could see Ironhorse's face, could see his lips moving, she was so amazed to have him with her that she had stopped listening. Paul had realized that and had sat next to her on the carpet. Both of them had watched the moon until they fell asleep. At 07:00 am the alarm clock rang and Debi discovered that Paul had left, but not without a note: 'Sorry, I have to go. But I'll see you at the museum, if it's OK with you. Paul.'

Debi had to be on the noon show so she had showered and left her apartment with her heart happy and her stomach full of butterflies.

While the make up girl was doing her eyes, she had started to think about Paul again. They had met briefly when she had arrived, and had decided to have lunch together to talk, really talk about all of this. Debi was so busy with her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that almost all the people around her had started to whisper and look at her.

Her friend Kathy ran to her, very excited, "Suzie, why didn't you say something?"

Debi just smiled, Kathy made a fuss about everything. "About what? You know everything about the new contract and..."

"No! No that! Please Suzie, give me the details. All the dirty details!"

"What are you talking about?"

"About the mysterious man, of course!" Kathy gave the newspaper to Debi. "Where did you meet him? How long have you know him? And WHO IS HE, of course! Oh Suzie, I'm so happy for you!"

Debi wasn't hearing her friend anymore. She was seeing the front page of the paper. There was a full-page photo of her meeting with the Colonel, with the title 'Who is the mysterious man who stole Debora Paul's heart?'

"Oh Suzie, tell me... please? Who is this handsome guy? He looks familiar, but... I can't place him... Wait a minute! He looks a lot like the Security Chief! How funny! As if you dated men like him!"

"Why not?"

"Because you are a great star, Suzie. You date famous and rich men. This guy is handsome; he could be your lover, but your boyfriend? I don't think so."

Lover? Debi felt her cheeks burning.

To be continued...