2003

Benny loves stories, can't get enough of them, has heard every fairy tale or myth available in the library three times over, soaked up all the Inuit stories that Fraser has been gifted until he knows them almost better than Fraser does.

But the stories that Benny loves best are real ones so it isn't much of a surprise when he sidles up to Ray during what Fraser calls their 'Family Quiet Time' where the entire family just sits in the living room together after everyone has brushed their teeth and put their pajamas on. No one really knows how this tradition started, but it's stuck around because everyone seems to enjoy it.

"Daddy how did we become a family?" Benny asks with the look on his face that he gets when he's fishing for a story. The girls' perk up as well at Benny's question.

"Moose dropped you off on the front porch and told us we needed some hoodlums in our life, but the stork didn't want to brave the weather," Ray says without looking up from his paper. The kids all groan laughingly before they turn to Fraser as soon as he enters the living room.

"Dad," the four kids chorus in sync with each other and Fraser looks at them wide eyed, like he's terrified he's going to get ganged up on.

"Yes?"

"How did we become a family?" Benny repeats and Ray finally looks up from his paper.

"I just told you a moose brought you on behalf of the stork," Ray says with faux hurt in his voice.

"But that is silly Daddy. I want the real answer," Benny says firmly before planting himself in Fraser's lap.

"Well I suppose we should start with how Lizzie and Benny got here since they got here first," Fraser says as Benny properly settles himself, Lizzie and Chelsea each curl around one of Fraser's knees and Cass sets down her book while reaching down to pet Diefenbaker idly while wiggling her toes underneath Fraser's thigh.

XXXX

2000

"I cold," Benny Kocot said to Elizabeth.

"I know Benny. Go put your coat on," Elizabeth said as she looked at the empty wood pile. Her Mommy was supposed to be back by now, and she wasn't allowed to use the axe or log splitter until she was bigger. Benny toddled back over to her.

"Help Peas," he said and held out the zipper to her. She did it up carefully before she walked over to the phone. Mommy had said that if there was trouble while she was gone that Elizabeth should call Constable Fraser. But Mommy hadn't said what to do if the phone didn't work and Elizabeth knew that cold was bad. Benny would freeze soon so she decided to be brave.

"Benny do you wanna go for a walk?" She asked as she started filling up hot water bottles. Benny thought about it for a few seconds before he nodded.

"Where?"

"We're gonna get help," she said, and Benny nodded solemnly. Elizabeth dressed them both in their warmest winter gear and put Benny in the calf sled with a layer of hot water bottles and blankets over him.

"Where help?" Benny asked.

"Constable Fraser's. His house isn't too far in the summer and he's very nice." And with that she started walking to Constable Fraser's

XXXX

2000

"Dief you absolutely do not need supervision to pee," Ray said as Dief nudged the backs of his knees towards the door while whined at him. "Yeah I know it's cold that's why I don't want to go out."

"Maybe he just wants quality time with you," Fraser said with a teasing glitter in his eyes. Ray shot him a glare.

"He can spend quality time where it's warm," Ray said even as he slipped on his coat and pulled on his boots and hat. He threw the door open and Dief shot out between his legs and Ray tossed Fraser a faux imbittered look as he walks out. He took a long deep breath of painful cold before he finally dragged his gaze up to where Dief should be.

Dief was wrapped around a child who was down on their hands and knees and immediately behind them was a calf sled with a wiggling bundle on it.

"Fraser!" Ray shouted as he bolted for the sled because both the kids need to get inside, but he couldn't carry both. He shifted some of the blankets and uncovered little Benjamin Kocot, blinking blearily like he's just woken up from a nap. Fraser appeared at the door, white faced with worry, took in the scene in half an instant and met Ray and Benjamin next to Dief. Elizabeth Kocot looked up at them panting, looking frozen and half dead from exhaustion.

"Hello Constable. We need help," she said, and Fraser scooped her up in his arms without a word, moving towards the cabin with great haste. Ray spared a moment to look at Dief.

"You're forgiven." Dief huffed at him and Ray ran after Fraser into the cabin and shut the door behind him.

"There was no more wood, and I'm not allowed to use the axe and the log splitter. Mommy said to call you for help if we needed, but the phone didn't work." As soon as the door shut Ray could hear Elizabeth's explanation to Fraser as he started peeling her out of her layers and he had that worried crease between his eyebrows, though mostly he was just nodding along to her story. "And then I was worried that Benny would freeze so I thought we could come get help. It's not far in the summer."

"You were very brave," Fraser said and looked up at Ray who nodded and laid once again sleeping Benjamin on the couch, proceeding to peel him out of his clothes. "I need to go, so Ray is going to take care of you alright Elizabeth?"

"Okay Constable." She nodded tiredly and Ray picked her up to settle her in his lap in the rocking chair that's close to the fire. Ray looked up at Fraser.

"You be careful Frase." Fraser nodded at him as he properly bundled up and headed out the door.

Hours later Fraser returned to a pair of sleeping children, bearing the terrible news that Claire Kocot had hit a patch of black ice on her way home from a quick round trip to and from work to pick up her T4 and died in the resulting wreck with the local social worker on his heels.

"Well they're going to stay here," Ray said matter of factly to Taylor Blackdie. The kids are asleep in the bedroom, and Fraser is making up the pull-out couch.

"I'm sorry?" Taylor said with a great deal of shock in her tone. Fraser didn't say anything, but his expression echoed her statement. Ray shrugged casually.

"We all know that Claire Kocot didn't have any other family. We also all know that means that those kids are going to end up in the system and probably get split up and never see each other again," Ray said as he leaned on the table and jerked his thumb to the bedroom door. "And since six-year-old Elizabeth just pulled her three-year-old brother almost a kilometer on a sled to make sure he didn't freeze I'm positive that would kill them both."

"Mr. Kowalski that's all well and good, but that isn't really a reason to have these children stay full time here," Taylor tried next and Ray laughed humourlessly.

"You really think that you're going to find a better place to put these kids than here?" Ray asked and waved his arms around.

"After all, it would keep them in the community they have been previously raised in, the same school for Elizabeth, the same friends. And it's clear they already trust us," Fraser said as he steps up beside Ray. Taylor Blackdie looked between the two of them and sighed deeply.

"I hope you know what you're getting into," she said.

"We do," they both said in unison. After they showed Taylor out Fraser turned to look at Ray.

"Do we know what we're doing?" Ray walked up to Fraser at his question and held his hands between his.

"We know the good sense in having them stay here, we both know that we've been talking about kids." Ray paused and took a deep breath. "Lizzie trusted us enough to walk all the way here to get help. Thank God we were here."

"I agree, but don't you think this seems a little rushed?" Fraser asked before frowning at him. "Lizzie?"

"Apparently she doesn't like Elizabeth even though that's what her mom called her," Ray said and Fraser 'Ah'ed.

"We'll have to expand the house," Fraser said a few moments later and Ray grinned at him.

"I'm sure we can manage something."

XXXX

2003

"Wow Lizzie! You must be super strong," Benny says and flexes his arms pointedly to test his own muscles. Ray laughs as he picks up Benny from Fraser's laugh and gives him a small toss. Lizzie has her face pressed into Fraser's thigh, though Ray can't tell if it's from embarrassment or something else.

"What squirt you hoping those genetics kick in for you?" Ray teases and Benny nods which makes Cass and Chelsea laugh. "Yeah well bedtime will help with that."

"Aw Daddy," Benny protests. "I want to hear the rest of the story! What about Cass and Chelsea?"

"Tomorrow," Fraser promises as he skates a hand over Lizzie's head and gives Cass and Chelsea a pointed look. Cass smiles knowingly and drags her sister out of the room with a wink.

"I don't really remember it," Lizzie says, and Fraser reaches down to pull her into his lap.

"My brave, beautiful, wonderful girl. I am glad to hear that," he says and drops uncountable kisses to the top of her head. Lizzie sits back from his hug slightly.

"You are?" Lizzie asks and Fraser nods as he reaches up to thumb away a few tears.

"In a perfect world I would want you to remember how brave you were, but not the fear that must have driven you to make that decision," he says. Lizzie smiles and leans into him again. He rocks her in his arms gently, simply savouring the moment. It had been three years since the day that the Kocot's had come into their lives, and Lizzie seemed to grow faster and quicker every day now that her age had crossed the double digits.

"Dad?" He hums in response to her question. "Is ten too old to get tucked in?"

"No, I don't think so," he said with a smile and stood up with her cradled in his arms and carried her up the stairs to the loft that is shared by all the girls and places her in her bed. He holds the blankets back while Lizzie wiggles under them and then smooths her black hair off of her forehead before leaning over to kiss her temple.

"I love you Dad," Lizzie says and Fraser's heart swells again even though he's heard the sentiment many times.

"I love you too. My brave, beautiful, wonderful girl." Ray darts up beside him quickly and plants a kiss next to Fraser's hand.

"I double whatever your Dad just said," Ray says which makes Lizzie giggle as he flops down on top of the covers next to her. "My turn for some snuggles."

"Ten isn't too old for snuggles?" Lizzie asks even as she wiggles herself closer to Ray with her eyes closed.

"Never too old," Ray says, and Fraser smiles softly at them both before heading downstairs to give Benny some snuggles of his own.

After all, it wasn't just Lizzie who grew up more every day.

XXXXX

Thanks for the read! This is all complete so this will be updated weekly! Keep your eyes open for it!