Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, just the story itself.

A/N:Feedback is greatly appreciated - thank you to those who haveread and reviewed so far. More chapters coming soon.

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Fraser walked into the station, heading straight towards his friend's desk. He could see Ray talking to one of the uniformed officers, and was about to take his customary seat on the other side of the desk when his attention was suddenly caught by the presence of his superior officer. She was walking away from Welsh's office. Fraser's brow creased slightly; he hadn't realised she had a meeting with the Leftenant today. He began to move towards her, intent on intercepting her before she reached the exit, but he was beaten to it by a blonde-haired lady he did not recognise.

Fraser became further puzzled when it became obvious from her body-language that the other woman was not there for a friendly chat. She was talking low and fast, her hands gesturing in obvious anger. But what puzzled him most was the fact that the Inspector was making no attempt to interrupt the tirade, in fact, from what he could gather, she was simply taking everything that was said. The entire time he had know her, Fraser could not recall one single occasion in which Inspector Thatcher had allowed someone to talk angrily to her for that length of time without cutting them off.

"Hey, Benny," Ray's voice suddenly cut into his thoughts.

"Hello, Ray, how are you today?"

"Oh, I'm great Fraser," he said. Ray followed his friend's line of sight and smiled. "I see you've discovered our guest."

"Excuse me?"

"The woman talking to – or should that be yelling at – Thatcher is Lauren Baxter. She's the art museum expert from Toronto."

"Oh, I see."

"Yep, and apparently she and the Dragon Lady have some history. Somehow, I don't think they are the best of friends." Ray grinned, enjoying watching someone take a piece out of his friend's boss. It was about time someone put her in her place.

By that time, the conversation had become somewhat louder.

"Did you think I was stupid or something? That I couldn't see what was happening?"

"No," Thatcher's voice was much quieter than the other woman's. "We didn't mean…"

"We? There is no we. He is my husband and you would do well to remember that."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Do you have any idea what you did to my family? Do you?" she snapped.

Fraser's flinched as the second question was delivered with such venom. There was now quite a crowd of people watching the exchange. It wasn't often that such an argument would arise between two such beautiful ladies in the middle of the station.

"No." Meg's voice was now so soft as to be almost inaudible, even to Fraser's sharp ears.

"No," Baxter repeated scornfully. "Did you even think about it? When you were lying in bed with my husband, did you even think about what you were doing? Or was it all just one big joke to you?"

"No, I…"

"You what? Come on, tell me, because this I would love to hear. What reason could you possibly have to excuse what you did?"

Ray's grin was increasing in size with every comment made. "Oh, this is too good," he whispered gleefully.

Fraser cast his friend a reproachful look, before turning his attention back to his superior. He found himself wondering if he should go over there, tell her there was an emergency or something, anything to get her away from there. He knew how much she hated to discuss her personal life in public, and he was pretty sure that this was not a conversation she would want to be having in the middle of a Chicago police station.

Just as he was about to move, something happened that caused his entire body to freeze in shock. He watched in disbelief as Mrs Baxter's hand lashed out, smacking Meg hard across the face.

"You don't know the meaning of the word," she spat, before turning and storming out of the precinct.

Meg stood silently for a moment, fully aware of the complete silence of the room behind her, knowing that the silence would soon be broken with excited voices discussing what had just happened. Resisting the urge to touch her throbbing cheek, she pulled her gaze away from the floor and walked towards the exit, her every move controlled. She pushed open the door and then she was gone, out of the room, out of the station and back to the Consulate, where she had been sitting ever since.

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Fraser stood in shock, his reflexes simply refusing to react. He had just watched as his superior was physically struck, and yet he had made no attempt to stop it. Why hadn't he seen what was about to happen? Why hadn't he stopped it?

"Jesus, Benny." Ray had stopped smiling.

Fraser suddenly found he could move again. "I have to go, Ray," he said, moving away from his friend.

"Fraser," Ray called after him. "Fraser! Do you really think she's gonna want to see you after that?" But Fraser wasn't listening. He was out of the door and walking through the corridors towards the main exit of the building, the only thought in his mind was that of finding his boss. He had to make sure she was all right, if only to silence the voice inside telling him that she was not.