Fraser and Diefenbaker hurried into the precinct where they were met by Ray Vecchio. Ray hugged Benny tightly. For once, the Italian detective didn't care who saw them. Today wasn't a day when he was going to worry about appearances. He didn't care if people knew he and Benny were a couple. There were more important things to worry about. "How are things going?" Fraser asked in concern. "Well, the Sears tower has been evacuated, and all the government buildings have been closed. We were able to stop a mob from storming a mosque. I'm worried enough about the terrorists; I didn't need to worry about our own citizens too," Ray ended with a sigh. A TV in the squad room was tuned to coverage of the day's events: hijacked planes crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre and into the Pentagon, another crashing to the ground in rural Pennsylvania. "What about you, Benny? What's the Canadian view on all this?" Ray wanted to know. "The Canadian Consulate in New York is safe, as is the Canadian Embassy in Washington. We don't know how many Canadians may have been in the World Trade Centre or on any of the planes. I've been answering telephone calls all day from people concerned about Canadian relatives and friends in the disaster area. The Canadian government has pledged its support to the American people; the American planes that were in the air at the time of the disaster landed safely in Canada." "What a day, huh, Benny?" "Yes indeed, Ray. What a day." Finally, Lt. Welsh came out of his office and into the bullpen. "All right, everyone, it's time to let the next shift take over. Go home and hug your families." As Ray, Fraser and the wolf headed to the Vecchio home, Ray turned to his partner. "Benny, maybe you should go back to Canada." "Whatever for?" Fraser asked. "You might be safer there. I've never heard of anyone making terrorist attacks in Canada." "You've never heard of the FLQ, then," Fraser answered, as he told Ray of the French-Canadian terrorist group that had been active in the 1970s. "Are they still around?" Ray wanted to know. "Well, not as far as anyone knows, no." "Anyone ever crashed hijacked planes into your financial district or military headquarters?" Ray asked. "No." "Then it's safer." "Ray, Canada is the ally of the United States. What affects you, affects us. America is my home, if only temporarily. I'm not going to leave my adopted country in the middle of a crisis." Then he asked, "Or do you want me to leave?" "God, no, Benny!" Ray answered. "I hate the idea of you ever leaving to go back to Canada. I just want you to be safe. I want everyone I love to be safe." "I don't know if there is anywhere that is completely safe, Ray," Fraser answered. "I don't want to leave you." Then he smiled. "And I love you, too." Ray returned the smile - one of the few times he'd smiled all day - reached over, and squeezed Benny's hand. They kept holding hands until they arrived at the Vecchio home. Ray's mother and sisters met them both with big hugs. "Was it awful at work today?" Francesca wanted to know. "It wasn't pleasant," answered the detective. "I heard that some people tried to storm a mosque," Maria noted. "Why would anyone do such an awful thing?" "They blame Moslems for what happened," Fraser told her. "They needed somewhere to direct their anger, and the mosque was the place they chose. Fortunately, the police were able to stop them." "Don't these people know that it's hatred that caused these awful events in the first place?" Mrs. Vecchio lamented. "Returning hatred for hatred only makes things worse." She turned to her son-in-law. "Tony, turn off the television. I don't need to see any more of those terrible pictures. Let us have a peaceful family dinner." Not even a national crisis could stop Mama Vecchio from cooking, and soon dinner was on the table. The family, Fraser included, joined hands and prayed for the victims of the day's tragedy. Over the evening meal, they discussed what could be done for the victims. Francesca, Maria, Tony and Mrs. Vecchio decided to go to the Red Cross and donate blood the next day. "They might also need volunteers to help with paperwork and stuff," Francesca added. "So I'll volunteer for that." "Why don't you guys go and donate blood before work?" Maria asked Ray and Fraser. Ray coloured slightly and focussed on his dinner plate. It was Fraser who spoke up. "Men who are in same-sex relationships are not allowed to donate blood," he told her. Maria frowned. "So don't tell them," she said. "I mean, you and Ray are both perfectly healthy, so what does it matter?" "That would be lying," Fraser protested. "Mounties don't lie," Francesca put in. Mrs. Vecchio told them that a prayer vigil had been scheduled for the next evening at St. Michael's. The family decided they would all attend. After dinner was over and the dishes had been done, Ray and Fraser tucked the children into bed. "Uncle Ray, Uncle Benny," one of them, Tommy, asked, "Will the bad guys blow up any more buildings or air planes?" "I don't know," Ray answered truthfully. "What if they do?" the child asked fearfully. "Tommy," Fraser said gently, "your government is doing all they can to catch the people who did these terrible things and to keep everyone safe." "Is there anything I can do?" Tommy wanted to know. "Pray, Tommy," Ray told him. "Pray for peace. Pray that we'll all be safe." "And if you know anyone at school who is from the Middle East, anyone who might be a Moslem, don't let anyone try to hurt them," Fraser added. The two men listened to the children's prayers and hugged and kissed them good night. Then, when they were asleep, they went back to join the rest of the family. Diefenbaker chose to stay in the children's room. Eventually, Fraser rose and stretched. "It's late. Diefenbaker and I should be going home." Ray followed him to the door, then suddenly grabbed his arm. "I want you to stay." "Is something wrong?" Fraser asked. "I would feel better knowing where you are. I like having all of my loved ones in the same place," was Ray's reply. "Then I'll stay." That night as Ray lay in bed next to the man he loved, he thought over the events of the day. It had been a terrible, tragic day, but he knew that his family, at least, was safe. He had his family, and he had his Benny, and together they would move on, and overcome this terrible tragedy. The healing had already begun.