Ray cleared his desk of paperwork and turned his cellphone to vibrate. It was much easier to ignore the commissioner that way. He had dinner plans with Maggie and wasn't about to let anything interrupt. Having the kid and Fraser there wasn't the most ideal of situations but it would simply have to do.
Closing and locking the office door, Ray hurriedly made his way to the waiting GTO, sitting in his special spot in the parking structure. A twinkle began to shine in his pale blue eyes as he looked at the black, highly polished work of art waiting for him. Turning the key in the ignition, the police lieutenant sat and listened to the smoothly idling engine. A few minutes later the American classic pulled up to Fraser's apartment building. Cars raced by as he stepped out of the vehicle, the last of the spring sun slipping behind a highrise building. A smile spread over Ray's face as he climbed to the stairs to his old friend's small apartment and knocked.
"Just a moment." Ray's smile spread even wider when he heard Maggie's voice. Seeing her, he had to restrain himself from grabbing her up and planting kisses all over her face.
"You're just in time for dinner, Ray, come on in." The petite, blonde beckoned him into the small living space.
"I brought dessert, hope everyone likes cheesecake." Aurora and Diefenbaker both perked up at the smell of sweets.
"Welcome, Ray, glad to have you to dinner." Fraser smiled, the laugh lines around his crystalline green eyes momentarily crinkling. Ben sat on the sofa, a pair of ear buds plunged deep into his ears as he sat bored stiff, waiting to eat. Ray waved as he headed into the eat-in kitchen. He smelled wonderfully prepared stir-fry simmering on the stove. Green peppers, red peppers, banana peppers, steak strips, and an array of spices made Ray's mouth water as he stepped closer.
"Glad to be here, how was your trip down?" Ray made small talk about her flight south as he watched Maggie finish preparing their meal.
"Ray, would you and Ben mind moving the table into the living room for this evening, there's more space for all of us in there." The mountie set plates and cups onto the Formica counter top out of the cabinet above the stove.
"Sure, no problem." Ray began by pulling four, mismatched chairs into the living room.
"Why don't you clear the table, Ben." The lieutenant spoke to the teen, who slowly pulled the ear buds from his ears and rose to his feet. "Don't get in any hurry there, kid, wouldn't want you to trip er anything." Ray shook his head, wondering if this really was Fraser's son. Together they moved the sturdy, chrome and Formica table into the living room. A few minutes later Maggie brought the plates and flatware while Fraser carried in the stir fry, still sizzling from the stove top. Wafts of spicy peppers and frying meat assaulted everyone's nostrils as they made themselves comfortable around the table. Diefenbaker came and stood beside Fraser until the mountie took notice of him.
"You aren't going to like it, you know peppers give you gas." The senior mountie waved the serving spoon as he spoke. The amber eyed wolf looked up at him, insisting on having some. Aurora stood beside him, her head on Fraser's knee.
"Oh, alright, but I warn you, you're sleeping on the fire escape it it gets too extreme." Fraser took two, Styrofoam plates from the kitchen cabinet and dished out a serving for each canine.
"What is it with the two of you and those mutts, you all act like you've got some kind of psychic connection or something." Ben wondered aloud, looking from Fraser to Maggie, who looked at each other.
"You kinda get used to it the more you're around them, kid." Ray shrugged, having had a conversation or two with Dief himself, not that he'd actually admit it to anyone.
"I suppose I understand Diefenbaker because we have built a relationship of mutual trust. He knows I'll take care of him and I know he will, in turn, take care of me." A satisfied grin pulled at his face. Ben just looked at him unconvinced.
"Ben did you wash up for dinner?" Maggie asked, changing the subject.
"No, did you?" He responded smartly. It didn't seem to phase any of the adults.
"Go wash them please." The lady cop frowned, her light eyes as hard as diamonds. Reluctantly, Ben rose from the table and proceeded to the restroom.
"The kid's a real charmer there, Frase." Maggie gave Ray a reproachful glare for his humor. Dinner was a quiet, rather awkward affair. Most of the time the adults carried the conversation, talking about their jobs. All of it sounded boring to the listening teen. No one mentioned Victoria or anything that might be upsetting. Deep within, Ben felt the anger rising. What was so wrong that no one would talk about it? Was it something wrong with him? Questions such as those had plagued the boy since he could remember.
Eventually, Ray and Maggie decided to go out for coffee, leaving Fraser and Ben alone in the apartment. Aurora stayed with Dief, both of them dozing in the kitchen. Without a television, the only sounds were police sirens, neighbors arguing and a baby crying. Ben sat with his headphones plugged in and a bland expression.
"Ben, tell me about your schooling, what are your grades like?" It was the only thing Fraser could think of to talk about. After repeating himself three times, Fraser reached over and pulled one of the ear buds out.
"Hey, that didn't feel so good." Ben groused, his anger rising again as he stood up..
"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, I asked about school." An authoritative tone in the mountie's voice checked the boy's temper. Ben sat back down on the worn loveseat. He knew his mother would have yanked the ear buds out too.
"I go to school with the rest of them from the home, I do alright." With a shrug, he began looking out the window to the right of the front door.
"Did Victoria, um, did your mother see that you attended school regularly?" Fraser felt wholly unprepared to take on a child, especially a teenager. He'd arrested serial killers, thieves, criminals of all kinds, but he'd never been responsible for anyone other than himself and Diefenbaker.
"Yeah, Mom made me go, everyday, like it or not." Ben replied, rolling his eyes.
"Do you get along well with your mother, Ben?" Fraser leaned forward, studying the boy's reaction.
"I love Mom, ok, she may be a bad person, robbing banks and whatever, but she takes care of me, so you can back off now." Ben crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window again, he'd shut down. Fraser let him recede into his own world.
Scene Break
"Fraser, we're back, we got you a doughnut." Ray called out as he and Maggie walked in around eleven. He felt ten years younger than when he'd woken up. An evening out with the lady mountie had that effect on him.
"Ray, Ben is asleep." She shushed him quickly, pointing to a curled form lying on the loveseat. Fraser lay on a roll away bed he'd borrowed, still awake and dressed in his red long johns.
"Oh, hello." Fraser stood up quickly, his flannel blanket clutched in one hand.
"Hey, there Frase, sorry I kept your sister out past curfew." The lieutenant grinned like a mischievous teenager. Maggie elbowed him and continued on her way inside.
"She doesn't have a curfew that I'm aware of." Fraser looked around bewildered.
"What's going on?" Ben asked sleepily, raising up on one elbow to see all the adults standing in the living room. "Dude, full moon rising." Fraser felt the draft as the boy spoke. Turning around like a dog chasing his tail, the mountie checked the back flap of his long johns.
"Oh dear, this won't do at all." Blanket still in hand, Fraser pulled it around him like a towel.
"Ray, I'll see you tomorrow." With a quick, self-conscious kiss to the cheek, Maggie sent the lieutenant packing.
"Sorry I woke everyone up." Ray grinned and left the apartment, whistling as he strode down the hall.
"You were out very late this evening, I trust you had a good time with Ray." Fraser sat down on the roll away, his blanket wrapped securely around him. Maggie eyed her half brother, partially amazed at his over protection and partially annoyed. Her pale eyes caught the faint glimmer of the streetlight outside.
"Yes, Ray and I enjoyed ourselves." She responded vaguely, her gaze narrowing.
"Very well, good night." Fraser sank into the hard framed roll away.
"Good night, Aunt Maggie." Ben mumbled as he tried to roll over on the love seat. A few minutes later the boy was asleep.
"Good night, Son." Fraser whispered sadly.
Scene Break