Author's Notes: I had read a story where Meg hides under Ben's desk from Henri but I could not find it again so I wrote my own. I hope you like if comments welcome. This was one of my first fics that I ever wrote. It has been redited and reposted for you all to enjoy.

Inspector Margaret Thatcher listened for the consulate's front to door close behind Turnbull and counted to two hundred. When she was sure he hadn't forgotten anything and wasn't coming back, Meg left her office. She had something important to do and a limited time to do it.

Moving quickly down the hall she opened Fraser's office door and looked inside. No Fraser, he had left a few minutes before Turnbull to go to lunch with Ray Vecchio. That meant she had a few minutes to find the pictures Turnbull had given him. Neither had offered her any and she was too proud to ask.

With a quick glance at the front door, Meg entered the office and closed the door behind her. Pausing, she sniffed the air, the whole room smelled of neat foot oil, shaving soap, Fraser. This happened every time she was near him and each time she fought it, just like she fought her feelings for the man. He had been hurt too many times before and she wasn't sure she could trust Benton Fraser with her heart, but she couldn't help herself.

Standing in the middle of the room with his scent all around her, she could almost feel his arms holding her close as though she was precious, the wind rushing through her hair, her heart pounding in time with the clanking of the train. There had been something in his eyes, she'd known what was coming, her eyes closing, feeling the touch of his lips against hers. Nothing had mattered, they were together and everything was possible, but then reality had come crashing in like it always did.

Pulling herself from her daydreams, Meg dug through the desk, finding the package of pictures she had been looking for. Not wanting to sit at the desk, she dropped down on his cot to look through them.

Last month they had had a function at the consulate and Turnbull had been the unofficial photographer. Most of the pictures were random shots of people and the decorations that Turnbull and Fraser had worked tirelessly on.

Meg's hand stilled at one shot, it was of the two of them. He was handing her a glass of punch, their fingers touching and she had looked up to meet his gaze. Turnbull had caught them at just the right moment. It was there for anyone who wanted to look; her feelings and his had been visible for only a millisecond but it was enough to be caught on film.

What did she want to do about it? Sighing she laid down with her head on his pillow still looking at the same picture. Her finger's brushed the Fraser in the photograph and she asked herself the same question and still no answer came.

Angry voices and the consulate door slamming woke Meg. Outside the office door, Ben and Ray were arguing about something. She sat up in horror as she watched the handle turn and the door creak open and stop.

Through the open door, she heard Ben's voice say, 'Ray, I'm sorry that I ruined lunch, but that mother needed help. She was having trouble holding on to her two children and unlocking her car door. All I did was offer to hold onto them, how was I to know that they both had the flu and they would throw up on us?'

'I'm not arguing that…' . Meg shut out Ray's voice as she looked around. If Fraser needed to change she couldn't hide in the closet. That left two other places to hide, neither of them appealing. One was under the bed and the other under his desk, but being found sleeping on Fraser's bed was not an option either.

Dropping the packet of pictures on the desk Meg crawled underneath it and tried to get comfortable, hoping Fraser would change quickly and return to his lunch. Meg's other worry was that Turnbull would notice that she was gone and call for search and rescue to find her.

The door opened and Ray and Fraser walked in still arguing about lunch. Then Ray said something that made Meg gasp.

"Fraser, I have to go home and change so we don't have time for lunch. See ya later."

"Bye Ray, See you after work," Ben's voice responded and then she heard him sigh as he stood in the doorway watching his friend leave.

Ben walked over and closed his office door as he pulled open his tunic and moved toward the closet. He was tired so very tired. Since the baby and flower incident he had not been sleeping well, compounded by the fact he found out he now had a sister, made it even worse.

Walking past the desk, he stopped catching Meg's scent. She hadn't come into his office this morning yet it was there and very strong. Ben's brows creased, there had been no reason for her to come into his office, yet she had been in here. Confused he walked around the room trying to determine why she had been in his office. She had been in the hall when he left and she had known he wasn't in here.

As he walked, he scanned the room to look for anything out of place. Rubbing his eyebrow he stopped, his bed wasn't as neat as when he'd left it, the pillow indented as if someone had slept on it.

Next he glanced at his desk, the pictures that Turnbull had given him just before he left were not where he left them either. They now sat on top of the desk when he had put them inside a drawer.

Had the Inspector come in to look at the pictures? Why would she do that? If she wanted copies all she had to do was ask.
Ben stopped, it was the asking that prevented her. Her pride has stopped her from being seen as weak. Sighing again, Ben resolved to make sure from now on that she has copies of the many pictures Turnbull took at the Consulate.

Having solved the mystery, he took off his soiled coat and dropped it in his laundry basket. Moving back to the desk, he sat down to remove his boots to change his pants.

In her hiding spot, Meg stared at his legs as he removed his boots. The minute he sat down at his desk and turned his chair to do some work, he would know that she was there. Should she try to sneak out when he moved over to the closet again?

Meg shook her head, either way she was in trouble. It was better to wait and he might leave to get himself some lunch before he sat down, if that happened it would give her a chance to escape without being detected.

It was then she heard his boot hit the floor and then the other. He had moved from the desk while she was thinking. Meg closed her eyes but found that was worse and let out the breath she had been holding. She heard his footsteps and saw his bare legs stop in front of the desk. Meg stared at them knowing he was dressed only in his boxers and Henley.

What would happen if she reached out and let him know she was there? Could they find some common ground to build a life on. Meg closer her eyes again but this time to hold back the tears. He had put himself forward and she had smacked his hand away time and again telling him to forget, that they couldn't feel what they felt. She watched him walk way and another chance went with him. Meg couldn't help but think that a day would come when she would run out of chances, then she would be alone with no one to blame but herself.

Ben walked back to his desk again and began to pull on his uniform pants. When he stood by his desk, he had smelled her scent again. It was still strong as though she was still in the room, but Ben knew that was silly. Where would she hide? Under his desk? He finished dressing and sat down at his desk only to spring up again when something touched his leg.

At first, he thought it was Dief, but the wolf was across the room sleeping on his cot. Cautiously Ben knelt down to look under his desk. His nose was assaulted with Meg's scent and he knew she was there. Their eyes met but he did not ask all the questions rolling around in his mind. Instead, he said one word.

"Sir?"

Meg swallowed again unsure how to answer his questions both in his eyes and verbal, "Yes Constable?"

Before Ben could ask why she was hiding under his desk, Turnbull came running in.

"Constable Fraser, I think the Inspector has been kidnapped."

Ben stood up, hitting his head on the underside of his desk when he tried to stand too quickly. Meg flinched at the sound. What would Fraser do? Would he tell Turnbull where she was? No he wouldn't do that but how was she going to get out of this mess? Meg stared at Fraser's legs for the third time today and came up with a plan.

Rubbing his head Ben listened to Turnbull babble about how someone must have broken in while they were at lunch and taken the Inspector for some nefarious reason. When Turnbull stopped for a breath Ben held up his hand.

"What makes you think that?"

Meg was tugging on his pants trying to get his attention but the last thing he could do right now was bend down to talk with her.

"Well, Sir, her coat and purse are still here but she is not. I went in to deliver her after lunch tea and she was gone. Should I call the police?"

The tugging on his leg became more insistent and it was distracting as he tried to talk to Turnbull.
"No that will not be necessary. Have you checked the ballroom and the conference room yet?"

Hoping to distract the other, Mountie long enough to get Meg out from under his desk and into her office.

The younger man nodded, "And the Queen's Bedroom as well as all the other rooms in the consulate."

Ben pulled at his ear, how on earth was he going to get her out with a panicked Turnbull hovering over him and the desk.

In Turnbull's mind, he was creating some elaborate plot to overthrow Canada and the first step was kidnapping the Inspector. It was then that Ben realized that the tugging on his pant leg had a pattern. Meg was trying to tell him something in Morse code. He tuned out Turnbull and listen to the tugs -- Send to deli. Ten minutes time enough.--

Ben quickly interrupted Turnbull, "Go and check the Deli on Third Street. She may have gone out for lunch and forgotten her purse. The Inspector might need your assistance."

Turnbull's face lit up, "I will do my best, Sir. I will leave now." He turned, running out of the office and outside without looking back.
"He's gone Inspector, you may come out now." Meg crawled out and Ben offered his hand to help her up. They stood close together, "Ah Fraser I was-."

Ben put his finger to her lips, "You were in my office because you couldn't allow yourself to be close to me. You let your fear of being hurt keep you locked away in your own prison, but you can't help it sometimes you need to breathe, to know that you are a real person." He lifted his hand to touch her cheek. "You come in here and you stand there with your eyes closed remembering the rush of the wind, the feeling of being in my arms and the touch of our lips."

Surprised, Meg stepped back from his touch, shocked at how accurate he was about her.

She started to speak but he cut her off, "Let me finish, please. I've wanted to say these things for such a long time." Ben sighed and pulled his thoughts together. This might be his only chance and he had to get it right.

They had been rushing toward this moment since he walked into her office for the first time. In that first look, something pulled them together and in turn ripped them apart. Both of them fought it but some how it happened, they'd fell in love.

Now it was time to face the music and hopefully dance.

"I know because I do it too. I stand in your office after you leave and I remember everything you have ever told me to forget. I remember being close to you and how it felt to be close to you. To see the woman you hide beneath the Inspector. I'm tired of pretending that I don't remember. I remember it all Meg and I won't ever forget. If you want, you can keep pretending there's nothing between us, but I can't not anymore, it hurts too much. I have had so much pain in my life and this one piece I can end with our help. It's up to you, we can be together or we can be alone. I may not always be here."

Ben turned on his heel and left the room.

Meg stared after him amazed at what he had just done. She rubbed her arms to try and warm herself, his last words had chilled her. Could it work out between them just that easily? She needed time to think, this was a big step for both of them.

Meg left Ben's office and was back in her own by the time, Turnbull arrived back from the deli. She made up an excuse about taking a walk to clear her head and she was sorry to have worried him. After a lot of prattling, he left her alone with her thoughts.

For a long time, sat at her desk staring at nothing, trying to imagine life without Benton Fraser just down the hall. A friend in Ottawa mentioned that he was coming up for a promotion and this time Ben wouldn't turn it down. It wasn't up north, but it would be something that he would love.

Laying her head down on her desk she saw the truth, Ben was leaving, and that meant she would no longer see him each day or hear his voice. Meg realized that she would be well and truly alone. Is that what she wanted, was Inspector Thatcher worth losing the man she loved? This might be her last chance for happiness and it was in her hands.

Just as she reached that thought, Turnbull came into her office again with some papers for her to sign. He was still grateful that she was alive and tended to begin blithering if he was given the chance. Meg told him to drop the papers on her desk and asked where Fraser was.

Turnbull stuttered that he was in his office. Following Turnbull out, she sent him off to pick up some coffee for the kitchen. Once he was gone, Meg stood before Fraser's doors and knocked.

Usually she would not have hesitated and barged into the room, but she knew what was riding on the next few minutes and she tried to prepare herself to face him once more.

The door opened and Ben jumped to attention. Striding into the room Meg motioned for him to sit.

"Ben, I,-" Meg took a breath, suddenly paralysed, what if she said it wrong? She closed her eyes, she could do this.

Fraser sat and didn't react to the sound of his first name. He stared at her waiting. Had hi speech actually gotten through to her, was she here to do what he hoped she was? He fought to keep his face impassive as he waited for her to speak.

Did he know how hard this was? Meg shook her head. Yes, because he had done the same thing earlier today. "Ben, I love you and I don't want to be alone anymore. I want you at my side day and night."

Ben came out from behind his desk as soon as she started to speak, "Meg, I love you too," He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"I have news for you. A fax came today. It is a transfer offer and promotion. They want me in Bowden Alberta at the dog training facilities. Would you consider coming with me? I know it is not Toronto, but we would be together. I am sure you could get a post at one of the detachments nearby."

Meg smiled at him, "Where ever you go I'll follow."

Meg and Ben married before they left Chicago in the consulate Ballroom with all their friends in attendance. They were both dressed in their red serge and Buck Frobisher walked her down the isle. Turnbull was in tears the whole ceremony.
The Red Deer detachment had an opening for Meg and Ben went to Bowden twenty minutes away. They made their home on an acreage halfway in between. It was not the north but for them and their children it was home.