Families

Chapter 05

Teenagers

When Julie had been 9, Mark and Benton 8, little Stuart Frobisher 4 and Rebecca Fraser 3, Inspector Thatcher got a new job in Ottawa, it meant that the school lost three bright children and also friends to both the Frobisher and the Fraser families moved away. The two older boys was thrilled with coming away from the outback that they thought this post was. Meg, Margaret had stated clearly at the age of 6 that she only answered to Meg, was not so happy. She liked doing girly things with Julie and hang out with Mark and Benny tracking rabbits and other small animals in the woods around the Fraser's house.

In the winters they had played a lot of hockey and Mark had his mind set on being a hockey player. Buck was a bit disappointed though he had thought Mark would join the Depot with Benton and just like him and Bob come back here to look after the nature. But he supported him and told him that it was equally important to study as it was for Benton who wanted to be a Mountie.

1974

Benton had turned 15 the last of April and he had the last year or so had a big crush on Julie Frobisher. She was his best friend's sister and a great friend to him but she was also the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. The community sometimes arranged a get together for the young people, of course supervised by adults, but you could sneak out.

Julie Frobisher had been away visiting her grandparents for two weeks. It had been a treat for her 16th birthday, although it meant she had missed Ben's birthday. She had a secret she hadn't share with anyone but her trusted diary. Ben was a year younger and usually the younger boys were so silly, but not Ben. She had promised herself on his birthday when she was in Toronto that when she came back she would kiss him.

No one bothered when they saw the two of them go outside for some fresh air. Everyone knew that Julie and Benton were friends and that they both could be trusted. It wasn't the same with the other children from around the area. Some used to sneak out and smoke among things, but never Julie and Benton.

Julie tried to be brave, she took Ben's hand and dragged him to come along. She had looked for the perfect spot where they couldn't be seen.

"Jules, we can't go there" Ben protested.

"Yes we can Ben" she said. It was she that first had started to call him Ben, and it was almost only she that did. Others called him Benny or Benton.

"They will miss us" Ben said.

"They saw us go out, they trust us, you know that" Julie said and she finally had him under the tree she had looked for. It was a big oak. No one could see anyone standing on the other side that's how big it was.

Although Ben was a head longer than her and had much more muscles she managed to push him up against the tree.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked.

"I'm about to give you your birthday present" Julie answered and stood on her toes. She took a grip on his head and pulled in against her and kissed him.

She had kissed another boy before, but it hadn't been that nice, he had wanted more and quickly stuck his tongue inside her mouth.

Ben stood still with his hands pushed against the bark of the tree.

Julie took her lips away from his and he missed it. She took a hold of his wrists and put his arms around herself. She then put her hands on his cheeks again and this time when she kissed him she parted his lips with her tongue and Ben opened up for her.

Ben felt it natural to move his hands up to cup her face. He tilted his head a bit and mimicked her movements with his tongue.

It wasn't until the were breathless they parted. Ben rested his forehead against hers.

"Happy belated birthday Ben" Julie said and saw Ben's blue eyes sparkle.

"Thank you" he hugged her close. "This was the best present ever" he said.

"I'm happy you liked it" Julie looked up at him and Ben bent his head and kissed her again.

Hand in hand they walked back to the town hall. Ben wondered if everyone could see what they had been doing but no one said anything about them having been outside.

Julie was to leave for two weeks in the middle of the summer. She had always liked acting and she had found a camp that she was going to. The night before she was leaving she took her bike and rode out to the Fraser's place. She knew where she would find Ben. Usually around this time of day he exercised the dogs before putting them away for the night. She helped him and then safely inside the shed she pushed him against the wall and kissed him. Together they had practiced kissing a lot since that spring evening in May.

"I will miss you Ben" she said with her hands under his t-shirt.

"I will miss you too Jules" Ben said softly and pulled her in for another kiss. She had on a top that glided up and his hands met the bare skin of her waist. Tentative he let his hands wander up her back but stopped when his fingertips came to her bra. Like he had burnt them he pulled his hands away from under her shirt.

"It's OK" Julie said when she felt Ben turning nervous. "I don't mind it"

"Benny" it was Rebecca calling for his brother "Mommy wants to speak to you" she opened the door to the shed "Hi Julie" she smiled like only a ten years old girl does when she sees a friend.

"Tell mom I'm coming inside in a minute, I just need to finish feeding the dogs" Ben told his sister.

"What are you doing here?" Rebecca asked Julie.

"I just wanted to help out with the dogs" Julie hoped her white lie wouldn't hurt the little girl.

Rebecca walked over and hugged one of the female dogs "This is my favorite, she's called Maggie and she's a leader dog" she said to Julie.

Julie joined her "I like her too, I think she's got a nice color" she said.

While the girls fuzzed over the dogs Ben went inside to see what his mother wanted.

"There you are Benton" his mother sat at the table "Why don't you sit down, I want to talk to you a bit"

"OK" he pulled a chair out and sat down opposite her.

Caroline had talked a lot to the young boys around the area, but she still felt nervous about talking to her own son. They had always had a open communication. It was at times like this she cursed the RCMP for taking Bob away for a long time. She reached for his hands. The were so much like Bob's, strong but soft at the same time.

Caroline decided to get right to it "I know you and Julie Frobisher are seeing each other" she looked at her son and saw him blushing "I'm happy you are" she went on "I just wanted to talk to you about..." she saw Ben turn red as a boiled lobster.

She got up from her chair and busied herself with making them some coffee. She didn't want to sound like a text book, then she could just have left it out for him to read instead. "You know it's only natural to be curious. I just want you two to be careful about one another"

Ben had crossed his arms on the table and was now hiding his face in them. Caroline walked over and put her hands on his broad shoulders and bent down to kiss his head. "Promise me you come talk to me if you feel you need to" she said and felt him move his head in a nodding way.

Ben got up and walked over to his room where he closed the door and threw himself on his bed. He cursed his sister who was outside with Julie, a place he had wanted to be at, she was to go away for two weeks.

He heard the girls come inside and Julie speaking to his mother. Even if it would be with his mother and sister in the room he still wanted to say good bye to Julie and tell her to have fun at the camp so he got out of bed and walked into the living area.

"Come on Rebecca" Caroline said "You can help me fold the laundry" she looked fondly at her son.

"But mommy, I want to talk to Julie" Rebecca protested.

"You can talk to her when she gets back, I bet she will have a lot to tell then" Caroline ushered her daughter to the bedroom "You have a nice time at that camp Julie" she smiled at her best friend's daughter.

"Thank you aunt Caroline, I know I will" Julie said with a smile.

Ben took Julie's hand and they walked outside. After closing the door he just looked at her. How could his mother had found out. He felt Julies warm breath against his neck and bent his head for a kiss.

"I really will miss you Ben" Julie said and took a step back "Promise me you will wait for me"

"Of course I'll wait for you, where should I go in two weeks" Ben said.

Disclaimer/Copyright 2014 and forward: I don't own the characters from Due South, but I've written the story and therefore feel I own that. I also want to say I don't know about how the Academy for RCMP or something alike works so I've made it up a nice way to fit my story. I'm also not familiar with names for different kind of people in a village such as the Inuits live in.