Title: The Mysterious Affair of the Missing Socks
Author: lucy_roman
Rating: Teen and up
Summary: Ray and Fraser are on holiday but Ray's socks are disappearing
Pairing: Fraser/RayK
Word Count: 1,266


"We need to start an investigation," Ray said as he walked out of the hotel bathroom.

"Into what exactly?" Fraser looked up from the book he had been reading. "We're on holiday, Ray, remember?"

It had initially been Ray's idea that they should come on holiday. There had been too many cases where Ray had been unable to find the evidence necessary for a conviction.

"I need a break, Ben," he'd said and Fraser had had no difficulty in agreeing. Ray was sleeping badly, tossing and turning and muttering in his sleep. Perhaps some time away would enable the detective to relax. But somehow it hadn't worked out quite as Fraser had expected. Ray doesn't seem calmer and the least said about Diefenbaker and his sulking the better.

Fraser refocused on Ray. The man was glaring at him.

"We might be on holiday, Ben, but bad guys don't take holidays."

Fraser sighed and closed his book. He obviously wasn't going to get any more reading done. "Are we talking about bad guys in general or a particular group of bad guys?" Fraser asked, trying not to smile. "Just to be clear."

"A particular group, nasty, underhanded. You know the sort."

"And what has this particular group of nasty underhanded bad guys done, Ray?" He would really rather be reading. It was one of the things he had been hoping to do. But Ray seemed to be upset and Fraser couldn't deny his partner his help and attention. Perhaps if he helped Ray with his 'investigation' they might afterwards be able to find another way to occupy themselves. Fraser had been hoping for that as well.

"Look at me," Ray said and he flapped his hands up and down. "What do you see?"

He saw Ray of course. A somewhat upset Ray granted. Fresh from the shower, his hair not completely dried. Ray's shirt was undone and there were a few drops of water glistening on Ray's chest... Fraser swallowed and did his best to focus. Given the mood Ray was in he didn't imagine that he would appreciate being leered at.

Alright, Ben. Focus.

Ray was wearing jeans with a button fly that morning. But the top button was undone. Fraser licked his lips. His gaze travelled further down... Oh.

"Why are you only wearing one sock?"

"I'm glad you asked. The other sock has gone missing."

"Ah," Fraser said. "Have you looked for it?"

Ray huffed in exasperation. "Of course I've looked for it, Ben. It's gone."

"Perhaps you should wear a different pair of socks."

"I don't have any."

"Yes, you do, Ray. I saw you pack them. Eight pairs of socks. One for each day of our vacation."

"What I have," Ray said, his voice getting louder and more stressed. "Is eight single socks, none of which match and two of them are dirty. Someone." Here Ray paused probably, Fraser decided for dramatic effect. "Has been stealing my socks."

"You're sure?"

"Would you like to see the evidence?" Ray picked up the bag lying by his feet and tossed it to Fraser.

Dutifully Fraser peered into the bag. "You're keeping your clean socks in with your dirty socks?" Fraser looked up at Ray.

With a growl Ray snatched back the bag. "That's not the point. The point is that someone is stealing my socks."

"What possible reason could they have for doing that?" Fraser asked in as patient a voice as he could muster. "It's nonsensical, Ray."

"Perhaps they have a one-legged friend." Ray gestured wildly with his hands. "Perhaps they're intending to put on the world's largest sock puppet show. How should I know?"

Fraser took a deep breath. When Ray was in this type of mood it was always best to go along with it. "So we're unclear on motive, but that's not necessarily important. Suspects?"

"The housekeeper," Ray suggested. "She was in here just a half hour ago."

"And before that you had all your socks?"

Ray frowned. "I don't know. It's got to be her." There was a determined look on Ray's face. "She must be on the floor above us by now. Let's go and search her cart."

Perhaps, Fraser thought, taking Ray away from Chicago hadn't been such a good idea after all. Was it possible that Ray was suffering some kind of delusion?

Nevertheless Ray was his partner and as such it behooved him to do his utmost to support Ray no matter what.

Fraser put down his book and stood up. "Alright, Ray, let's go."

They took the elevator up. Ray had shoved his feet, one besocked one not, into his boots. Fraser had not mentioned that leaving them untied would doubtless make a speedy retreat all but impossible if a speedy retreat were needed. Diefenbaker had looked up from his bed as they passed but Fraser had decided that bringing the wolf with them might attract too much attention.

"There's the cart," Ray said as they stepped out onto the blue carpet.

Piled high with folded sheets, towels, and assorted toiletries Fraser struggled to see where the housekeeper, if indeed it were her that had taken Ray's socks, would be keeping the contraband.

"They're probably hidden at the bottom," Ray hissed. "C'mon."

It was hard to look natural, Fraser thought as he followed Ray along the corridor. They made it as far as the cart without being accosted and Ray crouched down and began to rifle through the detritus on the lower shelf.

"They're not there," Fraser said after a minute of Ray's determined searching. "Ray!"

This last exclamation was necessary as the housekeeper chose that moment to emerge from the adjacent room.

"Can I help you with something?"

Fraser had one hand on Ray, pulling him up and away. His cheeks felt hot. "Shampoo," he said. "Please."

Silently the woman handed Fraser not one but two small bottles of shampoo.

"Thank you kindly," Fraser said as he began to tug Ray back down towards the elevator.

"Well that was a waste of time." Ray frowned. "She might have hidden her stash somewhere else."

Fraser put a hand on Ray's forehead. "You don't feel feverish."

Ray pulled away. "That's because I'm not. I just wanna know who's been taking my socks."

"Listen," Fraser said as they got closer to the door to their room."

"What?" Ray froze. "Is it the thief? They're in our room right now? Why doesn't Dief do something?"

Fraser pushed open the door and then he laughed. "Diefenbaker isn't stopping the thief because Diefenbaker is the thief."

And there the wolf was, his head inside Ray's bag. When he emerged there was a sock dangling from his jaws. Diefenbaker turned and trotted back to his bed where he pushed the sock underneath the blanket. He then settled down on top, laid his head on his paws, and looked up at Fraser and Ray with a small woof.

"Why is he taking my socks?" Ray crouched down so he could ruffle Diefenbaker's fur.

Fraser couldn't help but smile. "Looks like you're not the only one who misses home. Maybe he thinks if you run out of socks we'll have to leave."

Ray grinned. "I'm all for going back to Chicago, Ben. But I think first we should find out just how strong this bed is. So we can leave an honest review."

Fraser was more than happy to be pulled into Ray's embrace. The holiday might not have worked out quite as he had hoped but he had Ray in his arms and that was more important than anything else.