Families

Chapter 11

Christmas in Chicago

There were a lot of functions that needed to be attended. Sometime it was all three of the Meg, Ben and Turnbull but more often it was Meg and Ben that had to go. This was such an evening. Well Turnbull was to drive them in the consulate car but he didn't have to attend. Meg was frustrated, many of these functions was attended by the same people and she was running out of dresses. As it was close to Christmas, only two days away, she chose a deep red one. In secret she hated Ben as he could out the red serge on and be done.

Turnbull picked her up first and then they stopped by the consulate where Ben had finished up before Christmas. The consulate was to be closed until it was time to host a New year's dance. Turnbull was flying home to Ottawa in the morning so he was happy to not having to pick his superiors up at whatever time it all finished.

Ben wasn't very used to ride in the back but he knew it would look ridiculous if he didn't. Diefenbaker had gone with Ray on a stake out. Ray hated stake outs and even the half wolf was great company. Dief loved it he knew Ray had dough nuts.

Ben kept to Meg's side standing half a step behind her most of the evening. It was always a lot of liaison work when the consulates got together. It was around one in the morning when Meg asked him to get them a cab. Had it been summer and she hadn't had on the nice heels she would have loved to walk the few blocks back to her place.

As the cab pulled up in front of her apartment building she asked Ben to come up for a cup of coffee.

Ben tried to protest but Meg said she had a Christmas gift for him.

Meg was slightly tipsy from champagne and wine and what she really hand in mind was neither coffee nor Christmas gift, actually she hadn't had much time to go shopping and since she was staying in Chicago she had sent gifts to everyone at home already a week ago.

She showed Ben inside and asked him to make some coffee while she changed.

"Much better" Meg said as she stood in the doorway dressed in RCMP sweatpants and t-shirt.

"Now I'm jealous" Ben said referring to what Meg had said before about him having it easy just to out the uniform on.

"I can't offer you any sweatpants but why don't you take the tunic off" Meg suggested.

"Oh yeah that's possible" Ben suddenly felt nervous, did Meg want more. Last time they had been out she had wanted to see his place and although it wasn't modern it was nice and clean. Ben had even fixed the cupboards and painted a bit. She had still been surprised that he wanted to live like that, at least living in the city.

Meg took their cups over to the sofa and sat down. They talked a little about families and the post that now had turned into a full town where they both had lived once. Meg looked a bit tired so Ben got ready to leave.

"No, don't leave" Meg said and laid down with her head in his lap "Tell me about Diefenbaker, how did you find him" she said.

"Well" Ben started "I had accidentally fallen into an unmarked bear trap and hit my head, when I came to when I felt some snow in my face, I looked up and Dief was standing there. He followed me home and have been around since that" Ben couldn't help put toyed with her hair "Then about a year and half ago he fell into some ice cold water and there's where he got the ear problem, I don't think he's fully death though"

Meg had fallen asleep. Carefully Ben carried her into her bedroom and laid her down on the bed. He found a quilt on the chest at the end of her bed and put it on her. Ben was just to leave when Meg looked up with half closed eyes.

"Please stay" she said and Ben gave in and said he could sleep on the sofa "No, here" Meg patted on the bed behind her.

Fully dressed Ben laid down and when Meg scooted closer to him he put an arm around her waist and fell asleep.

Ben woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee. He found Meg sitting at the little breakfast table in the kitchen.

"Good morning" Ben lent against the door frame.

"Good morning" Meg said "There's coffee and toast, I'm afraid I don't have much more for breakfast"

"That's OK" Ben said "Although breakfast is the most important meal of the day"

"So have you made any plans for Christmas, now that you're stuck down here?" Meg asked him.

"Not really, I'm joining the Vecchio's for church and dinner today" Ben said "You could too"

"No, I can't impose like that" Meg said.

"You won't impose. Ma always says the more the merrier" Ben said.

"Ma?" Meg asked.

"Mrs. Vecchio, she's insisting on me calling her Ma like the others" Ben explained.

"Oh, OK" Meg said.

They decided on Ben going back home to change and Meg was to pick him up in the car.

Ben gathered his things and went to the bathroom he shared with his neighbors to have a shower. When he was done he dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist.

When he got back into his apartment he was surprised. Meg was sitting on his bed.

"Sorry I'm early and your door was unlocked" she said.

"Oh, that's OK" he said. But being naked under the towel made a minor problem. He decided to get into his closet but it wasn't big enough to change fully in so when he had his boxers on he came back out.

Ben quickly got dressed in a burgundy shirt and black trousers. Meg had only seen him in his uniform so far. Well a couple of occasions he had dressed in sweats to go for a run with Dief. He quickly with efficient moves tied a tie around his neck and Meg could just sit there and admire him. When he was done he put his brown leather jacket on, grabbed a bag with some gifts for the children.

"I'm ready" he said and took his stetson in his free hand.

"You're incredible" Meg said. All things had only taken him ten minutes. "We'll be early" Meg said.

"I don't think there's such a thing as being early for church" Ben put his stetson under his left arm and held the door for her. On the last step down he put the stetson on his head "But maybe we could make a stop on the way. I want to bring something for Ma" he suggested.

"Only if you let me pay half, I don't have anything and you got a bag big enough to make Santa jealous" Meg said.

"That's not really true. Besides it's for the kids..and a little something I've made for Ray" Ben said.

"Let's go. I bet the car's still nice and warm" Meg shivered in the cold, maybe it would snow after all. She hadn't been that long at Ben's, so the possibility for a warm car was good.

Church was typical. Ben had introduced Meg as the new inspector and just as he had said in the morning Ma had more or less told Meg that of course she should join them, no one should spend Christmas alone. Frannie had squeezed herself into the pew next to Ben who protectively sat beside Meg, not that he doubted she would do great on her own.

"Have you told Miss Vecchio that you're not interested in her" Meg whispered when she saw Frannie's hand on Ben's thigh.

Ben shook his hand "Not in words but I've never encouraged her" he whispered back just before the priest asked everyone to stand up for a blessing and then the last hymn was sang.

The church was big and full but still the priest took time for a little chat with as many as wanted. Meg had never been one for church but now she was spending Christmas eve with Italians and she went with what they did. Ben had been here a few times and of course everyone knew the polite Mountie. Ben introduced Meg to the priest.

"Very nice to meet you Inspector" the priest said "By any chance you're not a choir singer?" he took every chance to get new members in.

Meg laughed "I'm sorry Father, I'm not" she felt honored being asked though "Besides I'm not Catholic"

"Oh dear, you don't have to be. We welcome everyone" the priest said.

"Well I'm not much of a singer anyway" Meg smiled at him.

Ben offered his arm as they walked out the church. Outside it had started to snow. "Feels a little more like Christmas now don't you think" Ben said as he put his stetson on.

"Yes it does" Meg agreed.

"Benton, you can ride in my car" Frannie called from the parking lot.

"Thank you kindly Francesca, but I better ride with Meg so she'll find the way" Ben said.

Frannie rambled the directions "It's easy to find" she said to Meg but saw how Ben already was getting into Meg's car. She said a few chosen words in Italian.

"Don't you see Ben" Meg said as she started the car "It's all that politeness that makes women like Frannie throw themselves before your feet" she wasn't unaffected herself.

Ben didn't know what to say so he kept quiet and fingered on the brim of his hat.

Dinner with the Vecchio's was typical loud. Ben glanced over at Meg from time to time but she was deep in discussion with Maria and her husband Tony.

"Come on Benny, let's go talk" Ray said when they had eaten.

Ben followed Ray upstairs.

"Peace and quiet for a bit. I love them, but sometimes they're too much" Ray said.

"Well I miss having the family around so it's not that bad" Ben said.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow, gonna spend it with Meg?" Ray asked. He hadn't seen Ben with any woman, not in a private way since he'd gotten to know him almost a year ago.

"No, I think it will only be me and Dief, nice and calm" Ben said.

"I don't think so, if you would have seen how she looks at you when you're not looking at her" Ray grinned "Besides she's had a little to much to drink tonight so I guess you have to drive back"

"Well that's true, I don't want her driving under the influence" Ben.

"So, shall we go back downstairs, I think it's time for coffee, cake and other goodies" Ray said.

"And the kids probably want their presents" Ben added. It was a bit unusual to celebrate Christmas already on Christmas Eve for Ben.

Around ten Ben and Meg left the Vecchio house, of course with a few leftovers that Ma had insisted on.

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.