Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

by Tanya Reed

Well, here it is, the ending. I hope you've enjoyed the ride.

Disclaimer: Due South isn't mine.

P.S. When I wrote this chapter, it was three years in the future, but now it's three years in the past. :)

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Epilogue

June 26, 2003

Meg Fraser was sitting very cozily in her own livingroom. It was early morning and she was wearing her largest bathrobe and her fuzzy slippers. She yawned sleepily, as she did every morning, sipping her coffee and gently petting the aged white head in her lap.

On the floor in front of her sat three people, two of which were giggling hysterically. The other, her husband Ben, was making his puffin face while saying, "Come on now, Bobby, you've got to make the puffin face. How's Grace supposed to learn if you don't show her?"

He tried to look serious, but his blue eyes twinkled with amusement. The children knew the routine--the puffin face was as much a part of Daddy as his gentle voice and his warm bear hugs.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," Grace babbled, getting up on her unsteady feet.

Benton fluidly moved to his hands and knees as the two year old came over and put her hands in his mouth. Ben pretended to eat them, causing the baby to shriek in mock terror.

"Don't worry, Gracie. I'll save you!" Bobby exclaimed, getting into the game.

Meg watched her son leap onto his father's back, yelling like a banshee. Ben let out a great roar and somehow managed to take both children into his arms to roll around the floor. Meg sighed contentedly--another average morning in the Fraser household. The wolf in her lap echoed her happy sound.

It never ceased to amaze and delight her. The joy Ben took in his children was so much more than she had ever seen. He had been at ease with them right from the beginning, knowing what to do almost instinctively. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn he had hordes of children hidden away. He had had to teach her many things, and what once she would have resented she then loved him enough to take great pleasure in. For some reason, it had always seemed important to Benton that his children know how much he cared for them. She had even seen him--a man who held duty as his most sacred law--at times give cases to other people so that he could spend time with Bobby and Grace. It made a profound impact on Meg, who took her lead from him. She had to admit that it seemed to be the right choice. Grace and Bobby seemed to be much happier than she had been as a child--and something told her happier than Benton as well.

As she watched Benton, it seemed ironic to her that a vision of his broken heart was what had brought them together. Somehow, that glimpse of whatever it was--Frannie still swore it was a soul memory--had made Meg open her heart. She thanked God every day for it, and she promised herself on their wedding day that she would never be the cause of his tears--unless, of course, they were happy ones.

The phone rang then, and Meg reached to the one on the end table. The other three Frasers never even ceased their play.

"Hello?"

"My God, Meg, you sound half asleep. Aren't you up yet?"

"Just barely. Good morning, Frannie."

"What's that noise in the background? It sounds like Fraser's hunting a bear."

"Two. They're little, but they're ferocious. Couldn't this wait?"

"Renny said you two would be late. I should have known he was right. He knows you even better than Ray or Stan...No, honey. They aren't at the airport yet...Listen, if you don't mosey, you're going to miss your plane."

"We couldn't have that, could we?" Meg asked in mock horror.

"Hey, we arrived in Chicago yesterday--It's such a relief to get out of that tiny place in Nova Scotia they call a town. I'm so glad we got transferred back--all that we need now to be a complete family is the four of you."

"Don't worry. We'll be there."

"If I know you--and I believe I do, Meg Fraser--you're sitting there on the couch sipping coffee with that huge wolf in your lap, taking your good old time about waking up."

Meg had to laugh. Despite their different personalities, it was scary how well Frannie Turnbull knew her. Laughing came easy to her now. It made her feel good--and free. Ben had confessed to her once that what had first drawn him to her was the sadness in her eyes. He said that it had been like her constant companion, and he was perpetually tempted to love it away. Meg liked that. She also liked the fact that he had managed to do it.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Oh, Frannie, you know me too well. I'm going to get ready right now. See you in a couple of hours."

"All right. I'll tell Ma to have dinner ready."

Meg was still smiling as she got up, causing a groan from Diefenbaker. She made her way across the room, around three writhing bodies--it seemed Ben was tickling them now--and to the hallway. At the door she turned back and felt tears come to her eyes. The picture in front of her overwhelmed her for a moment as she realized, not for the first time, how very rich she was. Once more, she said a silent prayer, knowing she owed everything to blue eyes crying in the rain.