Families

Chapter 10

October 1994

"You are kidding me" Ray said as he picked Ben up at the apartment "A woman Inspector. What did you do to deserve that?"

"Nothing and besides I need her to approve my week off in the end of this month" Ben said "So you understand I need you to be on your best behavior" Ben turned to the backseat "You too" he told Diefenbaker.

Ray was laughing "I promise, but I do need to get to meet her"

They stopped outside the Canadian consulate and as many times before Ben asked Ray if his lanyard was straight.

"There never is anything out of place, not even your hair" Ray said.

Ben lent forward to the mirror "Are you sure. I did have some problems this morning" he had hoped he'd be early so he could go over it one last time but the Inspector's parking spot was occupied by a new car with Canadian plates.

Ray rolled his eyes and got out of the car. Ben walked up the stairs and with his keys unlocked the front door. It wasn't unlocked for the day until the Consulate opened at nine.

"Constable Fraser?" he heard a female voice call.

"Doesn't sound promising" Ray said "You've not yet met and she's already calling you"

"I'm the only one expected at this time of course she's calling me" Ben said and locked the door from the inside.

Ben walked over and knocked on the slightly ajar door when he heard come in he entered. The change of Inspectors had been a quick affair and all Ben knew was that this was a female Inspector with the name Thatcher.

Meg was nervous. She had read her personnel's files and now she was to be faced with her childhood friend. The guy that had taught her to trap rabbits and other small animals. Did he know it was her, would he recognize her. There was a photo of him in the file and he had turned into a really handsome man.

Since Ben hadn't had time to go to his office he placed his stetson firmly under his left arm and walked inside. With his right hand ready to greet the new inspector he met her half way into the room "Inspector Thatcher" he started "Welcome to a part of Canada in Ch..." that was then he saw it. This was Meg Thatcher. Inspector Thatcher's daughter from when he grew up.

Meg extended her hand "Thank you Constable Fraser. Or can I call you Benton?" she wasn't sure if she could be this private.

"Benton will be fine, as well as Fraser or Constable. Although that can be confusing as Turnbull's a constable too, Sir..Inspector Thatcher" Ben rambled.

Ray stood in the door watching the scene.

Meg couldn't help but started laughing "It's been nearly 30 years but I don't think we have to act like strangers. Please Benton call me Meg" she held out her arms as you do when you expect a hug from a long lost friend.

"Then call me Ben, it's almost only mum that calls me Benton" he said and returned the hug. She smelled nice.

Ray cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry Ray" Ben said and waved for him to come inside "This is detective Ray Vecchio my partner" he said.

Meg looked from Ben to Ray and back again with a questioningly look.

Ben blushed "My liaison partner over at the 27th precinct" he said.

Meg shrugged her shoulders "OK, I'm not judgmental if it had been the other way"

Ray held out his hand "Nice to meet you Inspector and I promise we're only partners at work"

"Nice too meet you too detective" Meg said.

"I guess I will see you this afternoon. Shall I pick you up?" Ray asked and got ready to leave.

"No we'll walk. It will be good for Dief" Ben answered.

"It really was nice to meet you" Ray said again before he said goodbye to Meg.

Since Ben had been the longest at the consulate, Turnbull had just arrived a month ago, it was him Meg turned to when she had questions and there were a lot. The previous Inspector had gotten very ill and been taken off duty quickly. Turnbull had as many times before made lunch in the consulate kitchen and it wasn't until closer to 2 pm that Meg began to feel really hungry.

"Shall we break for lunch Ben?" she asked as Ben was sitting opposite her in her office helping her sort things out.

Ben looked at his wrist watch "Oh dear" he said "I think we better. Turnbull had it ready already an hour ago"

Meg lent forward and spoke in a low voice "He's a piece of work isn't it? Have you ever wondered how he made it thru Depot?" she asked.

"Many time, but I've seen his record and it's almost spotless, not very good in the practical bits, but good enough" Ben answered.

"Well we can't all have a record as Benton Fraser" Meg teased him "I bet you had to work hard, being compared all the time with your father"

"Yes, and Buck Frobisher too" he said and stood up.

"Do they still work together?" Meg asked.

"All the time, they're a bit older now, but they still go out on their long patrols. Neither my mother nor aunt Lillian likes it" Ben said.

"I hope they're all well" Meg remembered both older ladies.

"They were last time I spoke to them. My mother called last week before she was to leave on her first long journey for the season, the snow's come so it's time to visit them that lives far away" Ben held the door for Meg.

"You have a sister too?" Meg remembered vaguely.

"Yes" Ben said with pride in his voice "Becky, she actually married Stuart Frobisher"

"Little Stu?" Meg laughed.

Ben nodded "Their second daughter was born in July and that's why I've requested a week off, they'll have her Christened in the end of the month" he got busy in the kitchen taking out plates and glasses from a cupboard.

Meg looked for something to drink and took out a bottle of water.

"Is there any milk left?" Ben knew it had been low and he didn't know if Meg had put some in her coffee during the day.

"Do you drink milk?" Meg asked.

"As often as I can" Ben confessed to his only real vise.

"I thought it was only kids who drank milk, well besides grown ups having it in their coffee" Meg said and sat down at the table. "So what happened, how did you end up here of all places?"

"I guess you've read my file, but to make it short" it wasn't always Ben's stories were short, but this one wasn't fun to tell. He told about how he had went on the trail of the shooters of his father and Buck Frobisher's, ending up in Chicago. When he returned home he had no choice but to hand in his evidence and it ended up in a nasty trial with Gerard finally behind bars. "So you can understand, they weren't that happy with me and there were an opening here so I got to go back here instead" Ben finished off.

"Wow, what a story" Meg had gotten so many more details that now made the puzzle of it all whole.

"So, what about you?" Ben said "Inspector Thatcher, I bet your father's proud"

"He is now, of course he wanted my brothers to join the RCMP, but Peter's a doctor and Michael's a lawyer" Meg sighed "It wasn't easy, first of all I didn't get into the Depot until after I had turned 20, you know regulations and stuff. I loved the field work the first few years, but then I settled for a desk job after blowing my knee out in a friendly soccer game. And from that on I've climbed" Meg tried to keep her story short.

"How did you end up here, I mean besides Mr Adler becoming ill, there must have been something that made them chose you" Ben asked.

"There is, but I don't want to talk about it right now" Meg said and put her dishes in the dishwasher.

"I need to take Diefenbaker out for a walk, I'll be back in half an hour and then we can finish up" Ben suggested as he dried his hands on the kitchen towel.

"OK, I want to hear the story behind him too one of these days" Meg ruffled the half dog on the head.

Ben and Meg spent quite a lot of time together the next couple of days. Sometimes Turnbull joined them for lunch or coffee and he had his own stories from the Depot to tell.

Home for a visit

It was a long trip but the second Ben heard the sound of snow beneath his feet he was home. It had been a few intense weeks with Meg Thatcher starting out at the consulate and then his liaison work with Ray.

Ben decided to stop by his sister's place before going to his own cabin. He knew his mother would have kept it clean for him and that the fridge would be well stocked, but he had to meet his little niece. He knocked on the door and listened as he heard small feet run to the door.

"Who is it" it was a little girl's voice.

It had been a long time since last so he didn't dare to kid with the child "It's your uncle Ben" he said.

"Uncle Ben is rice" the girl said.

"This is your Mountie uncle Ben" Ben tried then.

"Mommy it's a Mountie saying he's uncle Ben" the girl called.

Becky who had just sat down to nurse her baby told her big girl to open the door.

"Hello Sarah Caroline Frobisher" Ben said using her whole name. He took out a plush toy that looked like a husky. He had picked it up in a store before he left Chicago, in fact Meg had been with him to help out with suitable presents. She had a few nieces and nephews ranking from two years to ten years old. Meg thought they looked like Diefenbaker. A slightly bigger for Sarah and a smaller for her sister.

Ben unlaced his boots and walked into the living room where he found his sister nursing her baby "Hi Becky" he smiled at her.

"Hi Benny, I'm sorry I don't get up, this one's fussy. Sarah her I could carry around but no, not you" she cooed with the baby.

"That's OK" Ben said "I did go thru a full interrogation before I was let in.

"Is Diefenbaker with you?" Becky asked.

"No, I didn't want to put him thru all the travel just for a week, he's with detective Vecchio" Ben had trusted his best friend with his best company. "You look great" Ben was proud of his sister.

"I feel great, Stu's helping out a lot, he's even taking the night feeds with a bottle" Becky said with pride.

"Stu's always been a good person" Ben said "I'm happy you two ended up together" he was sitting in the sofa now with a cup of coffee Becky had told him to go get in the kitchen. "Do you know if mum and dad are at home?" he asked.

Becky shook her head "Dad and Buck are due back on Thursday and I hope mum will be back then too. I don't want them to miss the Christening" she said.

"Of course not, I'm happy I got a chance to take this week off" Ben said.

"Me too" Becky looked her brother "But you do look tired, how is life in Chicago?"

"It's OK, I miss this place though" Ben looked out the window "You can never guess who's my new superior"

"Who?" Becky asked.

"Do you remember the Thatcher's, they left the post when you were only three" Ben said.

"Vaguely, wasn't there a girl that was the same age as you?" Becky asked.

"Yes, Meg. That's her, Inspector Meg Thatcher" Ben said.

"And you're still a constable" Becky teased him.

"Wouldn't have been if Gerard hadn't been behind shooting dad and uncle Buck" Ben sighed. Becky was the only one he showed his feelings to about not raising in grades.

The week passed all too quickly for Ben's liking. He had taken long walks. Even found a gang of dogs to take out for a trip with his niece Sarah. She had loved the day out, with hot chocolate on a thermos and then Ben had made a small fire and they had grilled some hot dogs.

Saturday afternoon little Sophia Lillian was Christened in the Frobisher's gown since Sarah had been in the Fraser's. Julie had come with her children but Mark was stuck back in Toronto for a match.

It was with a heavy heart Ben boarded the plane that was going to take him back to Chicago. At least he would get to see Diefenbaker again and Meg too. Everyone had been surprised that little Meg Thatcher was the inspector at the Canadian Consulate in Chicago.

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.