Ben laid on the arm of the couch asleep. They'd settled down to watch an old movie after dinner. Ten minutes before the end, and the boy was out for the count.

"I should get him up, we need to go back to the cabin." Fraser sighed, hating leaving Meg alone her first night out of the hospital.

"In a minute, okay." Meg stood up, taking Benton by the hand. He looked up at he puzzled but Meg put a silencing finger to her lips. She lead him onto the stairs where they sat down.

"I wanted to talk to you about us." Meg began after taking a deep breath.

"Yes, I've been wondering when we would talk." Fraser answered, looking at the step between his knees.

"I want there to be and us, Benton, but it's not possible if we're in separate countries." Meg wiped her hands on her pants. She was so nervous her palms were sweating.

"I agree, Meg," Fraser took her hand in both of his, looking into her dark eyes. He dreaded telling her that he didn't want her to go back to the post.

"I'm moving back to Chicago," Meg blurted out quickly, butterflies flapping like dragons in her stomach. When Benton looked up at her there was a relieved, happy expression on his face.

"Back to Chicago, what about the post, what about your position?" Fraser asked, wondering how long she'd been thinking about this.

"My position and the post don't make me smile, they don't eat dinner with me, they don't kiss me." She squeezed his fingers and smiled coyly. "Over the years I've made some contacts in the civilian sector, I called a therapist friend in Chicago and she has a position for me working with veterans, helping them with their PTSD. I'll be taking classes for a while when I first get started but I think I can do this, and I'll be closer to you and Ben." That made both of them smile.

"That's wonderful, Meg." Fraser leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Benton?" The lady Mountie asked as she laced her fingers with his. She noted the way his eyes took on that wide eyed innocent expression she'd seen so many times when he had to explain himself.

"I was going to ask you not to go back to the post." His voice was grave as he smoothed his brow with his thumbnail. Fraser prayed he wasn't opening a can of worms with her about taking care of herself.

"Oh," Meg looked at him confused. "Why would you do that?" She reminded herself to stop and listen to what he had to say before she let her mouth ruin things.

"I know it's unfair of me to ask you to move away from your home here in Spencer Falls, but I want us to be closer together as well. I almost lost you, Meg, I can't stand the thoughts of you being in danger, it's not that you're incapable or incompetent, I love you too much to lose you like that." Fraser waited for her reaction, searching Meg's face for the first sign of her anger or hurt. Meg swallowed, frowning as she let it sink in for a bit. She could see things from his perspective, she'd spent time worrying and wondering if he were okay, if he were hurt or needed someone's help. This was the first selfish thing he'd ever asked of her.

"I know you want to protect me, Fraser, that's what you do, that's what you're good at. I've been protecting myself for so long, I'm tired. I'll admit, worrying about you won't be easy for me, but I can do this if you promise me you'll always come back to me." Meg leaned against Benton's shoulder. He felt her hair tickling his cheek as he leaned against her, their fingers laced.

"I promise, Meg Thatcher, I will never leave you without coming back for you." Benton had never intended not to come back to her when he'd left all those years ago.

"Good, because I will hold you to that." Meg sat up and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"Ben will be pleased you're moving to Chicago." Fraser put his arm around Meg's shoulders, pulling her closer to him. His body heat felt good in the drafty stairwell.

"It will take some time for me to get all the paperwork and red tape dealt with, so I'll be in Spencer Falls for a few months yet." Meg sighed, wishing she could pick up and fly south like a migratory bird on one last flight.

"I'll be waiting for you." Fraser leaned back. He'd been waiting a very long time for her, a few months wouldn't feel like anything.

"I'll hurry, I don't want to waste a day." Meg smiled. Everything was going to be alright.

The End

Author's Note: Hope the readers enjoyed this story. Read and review with kindness as I try to do the same. TYK