A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for the feedback, sorry I can't get back to you personally when you're leaving it as "guest" / Tina
Families
Chapter 15
When Meg woke up Sunday morning Ben was already up. She heard him fix in the kitchen. She stretched out like a satisfied cat, and she was satisfied. She had a great lover and since sometime after midnight he also was her fiancée. She looked at the ring on her left hand, it wasn't like one of those you saw royalties or celebrities wearing. It was a smaller stone set in a ring that would suit her in her work as a Mountie, sure if she would be called back to the field she would put it in a chain around her neck.
She got out of bed and put on a t-shirt that was laying on the bed. It wasn't her own she realized when she kind of drowned in it.
"Good morning" she said when she came out of the bedroom.
"Good morning" Ben couldn't help but showed a very satisfied grin "Are you OK this morning?" he asked. A pair of handcuffs would always have this weekend in mind.
"Yes I am" Meg's smile was beaming as she came close for a kiss. "I love you"
Ben lent his head slightly back to look at her "I love you too" he said.
"And I love the ring. It's perfect " Meg held out her hand.
"Do you want to call your family and tell them?" Ben asked.
Meg shook her head "It can wait until we're back in Chicago" she said "I guess we'll tell yours at lunch"
"I think it's the best, I can't really hide how happy I am that you accepted my proposal and then there is the ring" Ben said.
"I'm happy you asked and I never want to take the ring off" Meg said and lent in for another kiss.
Ben swept her up in his arms and carried her back to bed.
It was just before eleven when they both hurried into the bathroom, Meg showering while Ben shaved and then he hit the shower. Five to twelve they entered Becky's house for lunch.
Caroline had always had a sixth sense when it came to her children and knew that something had happened as soon as they stepped inside the door, but of course she wanted Ben to tell it himself.
Just before dessert Ben stood up by the table "I would like to say a few words" Lillian and Buck were there too "I'd like to start with saying thanks for my birthday party last night. It was extra special this year firstly since I didn't get to celebrate it with you last year and secondly because Meg's here with me" he looked at his parents "I know you both have worried about me, especially you mom, if I'd ever settled down and now I can say for sure I will. I asked and Meg agreed last night to marry me" he put his hands on her shoulders and Meg put hers on top.
Everyone wanted to congratulate them. Sarah asked her mother if it was a birthday again. Becky explained quickly about a wedding and then said that maybe if she asked nicely she could be a flower girl.
The girl quickly ran to her uncle and stood by his side "Mommy said to ask nicely" she started "May I be a flower girl, please?" she looked at him with big eyes.
Ben glanced at Meg who nodded "Yes you may, but maybe Meg have a niece that want to be a flower girl too so you will have to share" Ben explained.
"I'm good at sharing. I'm sharing mommy and daddy with Sophia" Sarah explained.
Ben laughed as the child ran away.
"Did you say thank you?" Becky asked her daughter.
Sarah turned in the door to her room "Thank you kindly" she had heard her uncle say so.
"Do I really say it like that?" Ben asked and everyone agreed he did.
Back in Chicago
The last flight of the trip was delayed so Ben and Meg went straight to the consulate from the airport Tuesday morning. They were met by the sight of Turnbull sleeping at the front desk. Ben gently shook him by his shoulder
"I'm not sleeping" Turnbull sat straight up "Oh, good morning Sirs" he said.
"Good morning Turnbull, have it been that busy that you have been sleeping here?" Ben asked worried.
"No Sir, but last night a strange man came in saying he was detective Vecchio" Turnbull looked stressed.
"And isn't he?" Ben asked.
"No, he doesn't look at all like detective Vecchio" Turnbull said "I did the only thing I could and arrested him for fraud and impersonating another person, he's handcuffed in the conference room.
"You didn't?" Meg rushed over to the closed door.
She had Ben behind her in half a second. What they saw when they opened the door was a man with blond spiky hair sitting rather comfortable in an office chair resting his legs on the desk, securely handcuffed.
"There you are Fraser buddy" the man said and tried to get up.
Ben looked at him, this wasn't Ray Vecchio "Who are you?" he introduced himself.
"I'm Ray Vecchio, Detective first grade at the Chicago Police 27th precinct" the man introduced him.
"No you're not" both Ben and Meg said, Meg with a stern look in her eyes.
"Yes I am, you are Meg Thatcher Inspector at the Canadian consulate here in Chicago and you are Constable Benton Fraser RCMP" he looked from one to the other.
"If you really are Ray, where is Dief?" Ben asked.
"Dief, Diefenbaker your half wolf was here earlier, I guess he's somewhere looking for food. Boy that dog can eat" Ray said.
Ben called for Dief.
"There is no use calling him, he's death after all" Ray added.
Ben looked at Meg.
"My office" Meg said and left.
"You crazy kids don't get up to anything now, these handcuffs starts to be uncomfortable" Ray called after them.
"What is this about? He seems to know an awful lot about us" Meg said and sat down in her chair.
"I don't know" Ben said and lifted the phone of her desk "May I?"
"Of course" Meg said.
"Lieutenant Welsh please" Ben asked to be connected "Constable Benton Fraser RCMP" he answered next.
Back at the precinct Frannie motioned to Lt. Welsh that he had a phone call and he walked into his office.
"Welsh" he said.
"Good morning Lieutenant, Benton Fraser RCMP here" Ben said "We have a man here at the consulate saying he is Detective Vecchio but we are very sure he is not"
"So that's why he's not gotten in this morning" Welsh said.
"With all due respect lieutenant maybe you should come here as this clearly isn't Vecchio and I can't bring him to you as Turnbull's arrested him on Canadian soil" Ben said.
Welsh shuffled some papers so it would sound like he was busy but thought it would be best after all if he got down there "Tell Vecchio I'll be there in about twenty minutes to help sorting this out"
"Thank you kindly" Ben said.
When he hung up Ben looked at Meg "Lt. Welsh says it's Vecchio but he'll be here himself in twenty minutes" he said.
"Turnbull" Meg called.
"Yes, Sir" Turnbull stood in the door.
"Have you fed the prisoner this morning?" Meg asked.
"No, he didn't want anything but coffee when I asked. And Smarties, but we don't have any. I tried to offer him a biscuit since that's something sweet too" Turnbull said a bit offended that the guy in the conference room didn't want his cookies.
"Could you maybe make some sandwiches and fresh coffee, Lt. Welsh is on his way and we haven't have breakfast since the flight was delayed" Meg asked him.
"Of course, Sir, right away, Sir" Turnbull hurried away towards the kitchen but came back as quickly "How was your trip, Sir... and Sir" he looked from one to the other.
"It was nice and relaxing" Ben answered the younger officer and glanced over at Meg "If there's nothing more until Lt. Welsh gets here I'll go change into my uniform, I believe I've got sentry duty this afternoon" he stood at attention in front of her.
"You're dismissed constable" Meg said and sat down. How could everything get back to normal so fast. Her desk lamp made the stone in her ring shimmer and she smiled. She made a mental note that she should call her parents as soon as the debacle with this man saying he's Vecchio was over.
Clearing up
"Good morning Lt. Welsh, welcome to Canada" Turnbull said as the lieutenant came through the doors.
"Good morning constable Turnbull" Welsh said "So, where is Vecchio?" he asked.
"I don't know where Detective Vecchio is" Turnbull said.
"But you did arrest him last night, didn't you?" Welsh asked and lent on the desk to get a close up with Turnbull.
"I arrested the man saying he's Detective Vecchio, but he is not Detective Vecchio, I've got a a good memory for people, for example..." he started.
"I don't need any examples, where is the man?" Welsh asked again.
"He's in the conference room with Inspector Thatcher and Constable Fraser" Turnbull got up "Let me announce you" with quick steps he walked over, knocked on the door and opened it "Lieutenant Welsh is here" he stepped aside to let the man in.
"Great, hold all calls please" Meg told him.
"Certainly, Sir" Turnbull closed the door and lent on it to see if he could hear anything.
"So, what is this mess you've gotten yourself into Vecchio?" Welsh asked.
"I don't know, I just came here last night to see if my buddy Benton was back early from his trip, and then Turnbull arrested me" Ray said.
Ben looked questioningly at the Lieutenant "So you too say this is Ray Vecchio, how come he was dark and Italian when I left and now he's blond and doesn't look at all like an Italian, some more Nordic European species maybe" Ben made an analyze.
Welsh looked around "Is this room secure?" he directed the question to Meg.
"All rooms here are secure, we got people coming once a month at least to search the place and they should have been here yesterday, I can get the report from constable Turnbull" she offered.
"With such a frequency I believe you" Welsh sat down "Could you maybe take those handcuffs off my Detective?"
Ben took out a key "But we want to know what's happened here"
Welsh told them how the real Ray Vecchio had been scouted by the FBI for looking exactly like one of the big Mafia guys in Las Vegas. He himself had just gotten to know about it last week, but they had been on Ray for a while. To protect Ray's relay identity he had been replace at the 27th precinct.
"What happens when someone comes in and doesn't recognize Detective...?" Ben didn't know what to call him.
"I'm Vecchio, Ray Vecchio" the guy said.
"We'll deal with that when or if it comes up" Welsh sighed tiredly "In the meantime, this is Ray Vecchio, he's the brother of Frannie Vecchio and that's all we need to keep saying to everyone"
"May we get to know your real name?" Meg asked and looked at Ray who looked at Welsh who nodded.
"Ray Kowalski, Raymond Stanley Kowalski" Ray said.
"His father had a thing for Brando" Welsh added.
"But now I'm Ray Vecchio" Ray said.
Ben took a step ahead "Well nice to meet you Ray" he said "I'm Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I first came to Chicago.."
"That's alright Ben" Meg said and put her hand on his arm.
"Is that an engagement ring?" Welsh asked and stood up.
Meg looked at Ben who was the one knowing Welsh the best "Yes, Sir it is" he said "I asked Meg to marry me and she accepted" Ben was proud.
"Congratulations" Welsh shook Ben's hand and placed a kiss on Meg's cheek.
"Yeah, congrats to you both" Ray added as they heard some noises from outside. He walked over and hugged first Meg and then Ben who both were surprised by this man.
"Where is my brother, what did you do to him Turnbull?" Frannie asked as she ran through the doors.
"I'm here" Ray stood in the door leaning against the frame "It was just a misunderstanding, it's all OK now" he said.
"Oh, good" she threw herself at him "I was so worried when I heard they had arrested you" Frannie really went all in in this. That's when she saw Ben and Meg and the Lieutenant that held Meg's hand to look at the ring. "What is going on here?" she demanded.
"I'm just admiring Miss Thatcher's engagement ring" Welsh said.
"Her engage..." Frannie stopped in her tracks and got all quiet 'But her and Benton, he was always so nice and polite, sure he had had a fling with the Inspector' she thought to herself.
Turnbull had also heard what Welsh said "Engagement ring, are you two engaged Sirs?" he put his hands to his face like it was something incredible happening.
"Yes we are Turnbull" Ben said and saw how Turnbull couldn't restrain himself but first hugged Meg then him.
"This is just so great" Turnbull said "I love weddings, don't you miss Vecchio" he looked down at her with big happy eyes.
Frannie was still quiet from the chock.
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.