Late Night Visitor
By Tanya Reed
Notes: Okay, so this is the first Due South story I've written since 2003, I think. About two months ago, I got very sick and I had about two weeks after I got out of the hospital that I wasn't supposed to do much but sleep, so I started thinking. To my surprise, I started thinking about Due South. After I got better, I got out all my old notebooks and remembered how much I loved to write in this universe. I especially remembered how much I loved writing Meg Thatcher. So, here I am again. This story is about Meg and Ray K, but it's only shippy if you squint. I just wanted to write something with the two of them together. Thanks so much to my beta, primroseburrows, who encouraged me in my crazy endeavor. (And is willing to beta my next story, which is actually a Ray K/Meg story. Whoohoo.) I also have some Ben/Meg ideas that are bubbling away, which I can't wait to get going on.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Due South. If I did, Meg would have gotten a much better deal out of it all.
XXX
Ray lay on his couch dozing with the TV on in the background. Outside, the rain pounded on his window panes, and the wind howled.
He was startled out of his light sleep by a sharp knock on his door. He was so comfortable that he was tempted to ignore it. Then, his eyes went to the windows. The rain lashed them violently, and the night was cold and dark. Anyone who had braved it to see him was either crazy or desperate. With his luck, it was probably Fraser, ready as ever to help someone even with the sky falling down around his ears. Who else would be out on a night like this?
With a sigh, he hauled himself to his feet. He was still yawning when he reached the door.
The last person he expected to see was the Ice Queen.
His eyes quickly flicked over her, and he decided she was definitely living up to her nickname. She looked frozen.
The rain had not treated her kindly. Most of her short hair was plastered to her head and, where it wasn't, the wind had it sticking out at all angles. Rivulets of water dripped down a face pale with cold. Her long jacket was soaked through, and he could tell the soaking went right down to her skin. Her suit underneath the jacket clung to her, doing some interesting things to the curves of her body. Not that Ray had noticed.
She was shivering and hugging herself as Ray opened the door.
Ray stared at her, dumbfounded, until she broke the spell by speaking. Her voice was firm, though the rest of her shook, "Hello, Detective. May I come in?"
"Sure." Ray shrugged, moving out of the doorway. "What can I do for you, Inspector?"
She came inside, rubbing her hands. "I'm sorry to intrude."
"It's fine," he told her, watching her carefully. Her voice had been Ice Queen tough, but her face and posture seemed somewhat gentler. He supposed it was hard to maintain decorum with water dripping from your hair and fingertips.
"It's just that my car broke down about a block away from here, and you're the only one I know in this neighborhood. I...Well, I remembered your address from the multitude of forms I get from your adventures with Fraser. I hope you don't mind. I didn't want to wander the city alone in the dark, and I forgot my cell phone at the Consulate." Her voice cracked a little at the end of her speech, and he was surprised to discover that she had probably been terrified. It was not an emotion he would normally connect with the calm, unruffled Inspector.
"Here, let me take your coat," he offered, deciding he wasn't going to let her freeze to death standing right there in front of him.
She looked surprised, so he said gruffly, "You're dripping on my carpet."
"Oh! I apologize," she replied and hastily started stripping the garment off of her skin.
He could see goose pimples on her arms as they were exposed, and her white blouse did nothing to hide the lacy bra beneath. Ray pretended not to notice as he took her coat from cold, clammy fingers and hung it near his own damp jacket. She still dripped, but not as much, as she rubbed her hands over her arms. As cold as they were, Ray couldn't see how they could make her any warmer.
"I suppose," he drawled slowly, "that you want me to drive you home."
Her eyes went to his face, and she said evenly, "That would be nice."
"Well, I'm not doing it."
Something went over that stoic face of hers. A ripple of something, gone too fast for him to figure out what it was. "Very well."
"You're not sitting in my car like that," he added. "You're drenched."
She sighed. "What do you suggest, Detective?"
"I'll get you some dry clothes."
He saw surprise tinge her features again, and he was tickled that he could surprise her. He gave her a lopsided grin before going into his bedroom. She hadn't agreed to the clothing change, but she hadn't refused it either. In fact, she hadn't said anything at all.
Ray felt almost cheerful as he grabbed a gray Chicago PD t-shirt and a matching pair of sweatpants out of his dresser. He hesitated, then shrugged and grabbed a plastic bag with boxers inside, adding it to the pile.
The Ice Queen was staring down at Ray's turtle when he came back into the main room. Her finger tapped the glass gently and there was a slight smile on her face. It was a nice smile, he thought, very non-Inspector Thatcher like.
"Here are the clothes, Inspector."
She jumped slightly and looked at him, the smile gone from her face. He held up the shirt, pants, and boxers.
When her eyes narrowed, he explained, "There's nothing worse than putting on dry clothes over wet underwear. I've worked with Fraser long enough to know that. Don't worry. They're new."
With a shake of her head, she wordlessly took the clothes, and he pointed her to the bathroom.
"There are some towels on a shelf in there," he told her as she disappeared.
Feeling amused and not knowing why, he sat on his couch to wait. He wondered if this were something he could tease her with later. It boggled his mind to know that the Ice Queen was naked in his bathroom. He couldn't remember the last time he had a naked woman in his apartment and for her, of all people, to be undressing here was crazy.
It didn't take her long to change. Only a few minutes had gone by when the bathroom door clicked and he heard her asking, "What should I do with the towel, Detective?"
"Just throw it in the hamper by the door."
There was a slight sighing sound as she did that.
Ray stood and turned to see her coming into the main room. He was all ready to give her the teasing she deserved, even though Fraser wouldn't like it. As his eyes fell on her, they widened. He took in the way she looked in his t-shirt and sweatpants, and his jabs died on his lips. She looked like an entirely different person. With her severe clothing gone and her hair all poofed up from drying it with the towel, she stood there like a softer and sweeter sister to the Inspector. Vulnerable, he thought in shock. The Inspector looked vulnerable.
"Do you have something I could put my wet things in?" she asked.
Ray realized he was staring and turned away. "I've got a bag around here somewhere."
Once her clothes were safely in a bag and he had loaned her a dry jacket, he led her out to the GTO. His building was lucky enough to have underground parking, so they didn't even get wet.
An uncomfortable silence settled around them as they got in and closed the doors. Ray snuck a look at the Inspector and saw that she was huddled on her side of the car.
"Are you still cold?" he asked, concern overcoming awkwardness.
"A little," she admitted, running a slim hand through her mussed hair.
Ray caught himself following the motion with his eyes. It had been almost as long since he'd had an attractive woman in his car as it had been since he'd had a naked one in his bathroom.
"I'll turn on some heat."
She just nodded, not looking at him. Instead, she stared out the windshield at the interior of the parking garage, her expression cool and distant.
After a moment, she asked, "Will my car be okay here overnight?" I locked it, but I'm not familiar with the neighborhood."
Ray shrugged, though she still wasn't looking at him. "It'll be as safe here as anywhere."
"That's reassuring." A hint of sarcasm had found its way into her voice.
"Hey, I'm not gonna lie to you, Inspector."
Her eyes flicked to him then, a coldness not from the rain in their depths. Then, they softened slightly, and she replied, "No, I guess you wouldn't."
Except for her brief directions, the rest of the ride was spent in silence. Even though the heat had kicked in, Inspector Thatcher remained hunched in her seat, her eyes staring at the darkness and rain.
Ray pulled up outside of a small yellow house with white trim. It looked the opposite of what he would normally associate with his passenger—warm, welcoming, safe.
At first, the Inspector didn't seem to notice they had stopped. She was still staring out into the rain.
Ray was concerned enough to ask, "You okay?"
She visibly shook herself from her thoughts and threw him a dark look. "Of course I am, Detective. It's been a long day."
It was almost midnight, so accepting this was not difficult. He reached in the back and fished out her bag. She took it without comment.
"Do you want me to walk you?" he asked her, Fraser's voice in his head prodding him.
"I'm perfectly able to walk to my door alone."
Ray put up his arms placatingly. "Okay."
She snorted and turned to open the door. He was surprised when she suddenly hesitated and turned back.
Her voice was different when she said, "I'm sorry, Ray...and thank you."
Startled by the use of his name, his eyes met hers. He saw that she really meant it.
"No problem, Inspector. I'm always here for a lady in distress."
Her eyes on his warmed, and she smiled. "Good night."
She got out and threw the hood of his second-best jacket up against the rain. In the dark storm of the night, she looked small and fragile as she made her way up to her door. Ray watched until she was safe inside.
The End