Disclaimer: I don't own em, and I'm not making any money from them, sigh, so please don't sue. I don't mean to infringe on any copyrights.

Author's Notes:

Story Notes:

The truck pulled up at a gas station in central Chicago. Opening the passenger door, a girl in her mid teens jumped out, with her most prized worldly belongings in her blue backpack. "Thanks for the ride!" She spoke in a Canadian accent.

"No problem. Now you take care, this can be a rough city for a young girl. Are you sure you're going to be all right? I don't like leaving you on your own," the middle aged truck driver's brow creased in concern. He'd seen the girl hitchhiking in Ontario and feeling both concern and sorry for her, he had stopped and picked her up before some pervert had. He had two daughters of his own and hoping that somebody would take care of them if they needed it, he did the same for this girl.

"Yes, I'll be fine, thanks." She sounded confident and stuck her chin out defiantly.

He really didn't want to leave her here on her own, but he had a cargo to get to Iowa and if he didn't get it there on time, his job was on the line. "Here, at least take this!" He handed her a couple of dollars. "So you can get something to eat."

"Thanks, but I can't take it. You've been kind enough to me as it is. I've got some money, I'll be all right, honestly." She handed him the money back with a smile.

Saying, "Take care!" he watched her walk into the distance, while he put some more gas in his truck.

In her first floor office at the Canadian consulate, Inspector 'Meg' Thatcher received a personal phone-call on her mobile. "Hello, this is Meg Thatcher speaking!"

"Erm, Ms. Thatcher, this is the principle of St. Mary's all girls catholic school, 'Sister Ann-Marie.' I'm afraid I have some troubling news to break to you, Caitlin has ran away."

Meg briefly closed her eyes. "When? Did she leave a note?"

"She must have left during last night. This morning when her roommate woke up, Caitlin had packed some of her belongings and had gone. Caitlin has---erm---she's left a sort of note." The sister was reluctant to disclose what Caitlin had written in the note because it was something obscene about her mother.

Meg could hear in the sister's voice that the note wasn't going to be polite. "What's the note say?" Meg clenched the phone.

"Erm, well, I wouldn't take it too much to heart dear. You know what teenagers are like, they say things in the heat of the moment that they really don't mean!"

"What does it say?" Meg asked again.

"She says 'not to bother about her, that she's been on her own all her life and that she can look after herself.' She goes on to say that 'nobody cares about her, she has no real family and so she's going to make a home for herself somewhere else.'"

"Is that all the note says?"

"Erm...well...no but that's basically the gist of it. Ms. Thatcher, the police questioned her roommate and it seems Caitlin talked about going to find her father. I thought you should know!"

Meg was silent on the other end of the phone. Like that scumbag of a father would care? How many times do I have to try to explain to Caitlin that her father isn't worth thinking about? That I have no idea where he is, or where to start looking! And if Caitlin did find him, which is highly unlikely seeing as I'm a police officer and have exhausted all avenues of finding him, but even if she did find him, he'd only break her heart like he did mine!

"Ms. Thatcher, it's not my position to say but when we do find her, my advice would be not to be too hard on her, give her a hug instead. I think that's what she needs."

"You're right, it isn't any of your business. Thank you for informing me that Caitlin is missing. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Not that I can think of. I'll keep you posted as to developments here."

"Right, thank you." Meg cut the connection. Pressing her intercom button, Meg spoke to Ovitz, "Get me Superintendent Adams in Ottawa!"

"Right, you all know what to do tonight then!" Lt. Welsh looked around at his officers. There were nods, "Got it" and "Yeah," all round. "Okay, be here by midnight tonight, we hit them at one on the dot, just as the party starts to get in full swing. I want those drug dealers, got it. Nobody gets away. I'm sick of these drug dealers pumping our kids with drugs and killing them. They're murderers in my opinion."

Walking back to his desk, Ray Vecchio spoke to his friend, Constable Benton Fraser of the RCMP, "So, Benny, are ya coming on the bust with us?"

"Yes, I think I will Ray. I only have a late shift at the consulate tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the American police handle a drug raid!"

After having spoken with Superintendent Adams in Ottawa about updated information on the search for Caitlin, Meg had plucked up her courage and phoned her father. "Dad, it's me, Meg. Have you heard about Caitlin?" Meg braced herself for her father's angry reaction.

"Yes. And you know who I think is to blame for it!"

"Dad, not now, please!"

"Yes, now Meg, you need to hear it. You don't spend enough time with her. And it's no good saying I live nearer to her than you, because you know it's not me she wants, it's you. She needs you. You're just like your mother Meg, no idea about responsibilities!"

"Don't bring mom into it. And If I am like mom, I'm glad. And you know what you've just said isn't true! She did know her responsibilities and she handled them well. She not only provided for us and loved us, she was one of the first women in the RCMP and she took her responsibility of protecting the public very seriously. It wasn't her fault she was shot in action, when trying to stop a kidnapping!"

"That's always been my point Meg, if she had realised her family responsibilities she would have left the RCMP and none of this would have happened!"

"You can't blame mom for what happened afterwards!"

"You're right Meg. I blame myself for not bringing you up properly."

There was silence on the phone. Meg was the one to end it, "Dad, I spoke to Superintendent Adams. He said he had all available officers looking for her and that he'd phone me as soon as he had any news. He just phoned me back to tell me that a truck driver dropped a girl off in Chicago today. The man was worried about her and so he phoned Ottawa to see if any young girls had gone missing recently. Dad, it was Caitlin who he dropped off here. Caitlin's in Chicago. Don't worry, I'm going to find her."

"You better had Meg, before she gets into trouble! She's just like you. It's always been one problem after another with you Meg."

"Well, it's better her being like me than like her father!" Meg shouted and cut the connection.

Taking deep breaths to calm her down, Meg phoned Lt. Welsh. Meg faxed over a picture of Caitlin to him and without telling him exactly who Caitlin was; Meg asked him to be on the lookout for a Canadian runaway who was known to be in Chicago. Lt. Welsh promised to give the girls description out to his Officers.

Caitlin walked aimlessly around the streets of Chicago. She had no idea where to start looking for her father. She supposed she needed to somehow make enough money to fly to Europe and look for him there, but how? She was an intelligent girl and knew that it was unlikely anyone would employ her, she was only fifteen and had no qualifications.

It was getting dark; she needed to find a place to stay for the night. But where? She supposed the sensible thing to do would be to go to the Canadian consulate and ask to see Inspector Thatcher! Only that would defeat the whole point of running away! And if she turned up at the consulate she'd be in big trouble. Not just because she'd run away, but because she doubted anyone there would know whom she really was! That is, anybody other than Inspector Thatcher and she would be mad at her turning up and ruining her 'I'm so perfect' image! The thought made Caitlin burn with hurt and rage inside. Why does nobody love me? What have I done to make them all not want me and leave me? Am I really such a horrible person? I must be! What other explanation is there?

Caitlin sat down on a step leading up to a rundown apartment block. She guessed she was in the 'bad neighbourhood!' Instead of kids playing ball, they were playing let's rob the store. "Hey!" A soft male voice spoke to her. She looked up, surprised that someone was giving her the time of day. Or where they about to give her hassle, or maybe mug her!

"Ya not from around here are ya?" The African American guy sat on the step next to her. He smiled, showing cute dimples. He was trying to look cool, but he just looked cute to Caitlin.

"Good at observation aren't you!"

"Ooh! Witty and gutsy too. What's yer name?"

"What's yours?"

"Jordan. Are ya gonna tell me yer name or not?" He gave her a sideways smile.

"Stacy," Caitlin lied. She wasn't about to give him her real name.

"Well Stacy, ya really shouldn't be in this neighbourhood. See those guys over there, on the street corner!" She nodded. "They've been weighing ya up. They're not nice guys, if ya get what I mean! I came over before they did. Yer better get out of here while ya still can!"

"Do you know of a cheap hotel or something?"

"Ya don't have anywhere to stay! I kinda thought as much. Why don't ya come with me!" She looked at him warily. He noticed. "Hey, don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I would have done it by now if I were, wouldn't I!" Caitlin didn't seem too convinced. "Look, there's a rave at the old warehouse down that street over there, tonight. It starts at eleven, but I'm one of the guys setting it up. Wanna come and help? There'll be others there too. It'll be warm unlike out here!"

At a loss about where else she could go, Caitlin nodded and stood up with him.

The Chicago PD rolled up at the warehouse at ten to one in the morning. The rave was fully underway. The police made a circle around the building. At one o'clock on the dot, Commander Sherry O'Neil gave the order, "All sections GO!"

On either side of the warehouse the front line of Officers kicked the doors in. One of the Officers went to where the DJ was. Above the dance music, he shouted into the mike, "Police! This is a bust! Stay where you are!"

The teenagers did the exact opposite. As they ran for the exists it was like a stampede of wild animals. Realising these were covered by the Police, some of the more aggressive or guilty teenagers started to try to fight their way past the Police.

Jordan grabbed Caitlin's arm. "Come with me, I know a way out!" He dragged her after him up the stairs to the second floor. There, he went into an abandoned room, picked up a ladder, lent out of the window and balanced it from that window ledge to the window ledge of a nearby building. "Come on, this is the only way out. It's something I prepared earlier, just incase." He climbed out of the window onto the ladder and crawled along it. Caitlin followed.

Half way across Caitlin looked down. Heck! It was a long way off the ground. One slip and she'd be splat on the pavement! Pulling her gaze from the ground, she focused on the window ledge in front of her.

When she reached the ledge, Jordan pulled her through the window and into the building. Caitlin looked around the room. There was a round green table in the centre of the room. Ten chairs surrounded the table and a large light hung from the ceiling in the middle of the table. "What is this place?" Caitlin asked.

"Shhh! Someone'll hear us."

Caitlin followed Jordan quietly out of the room, along a narrow corridor and down some stairs. At the bottom of the stairs they walked along a hallway towards a back room. Entering the room at the back, Caitlin stopped in the doorway. She was standing in someone's kitchen. "This is someone's house!"

"Shhh! Yeah it is, so shut up unless you wanna get done for breaking and entering! Don't be too bothered about being in someone's house, this guy is no saint. That room we were in upstairs is where he holds his illegal gambling sessions. He has a gun though, so let's get outta here as fast as we can!"

Outside, they found themselves in a back alley. Turning towards the right, they ran along the alley. At the end of the alley they came to a halt in front of a classic green Riv.

Dief was the only occupant of the Riv. Caitlin and Jordan tried to squeeze past the Riv, but Dief snarled at them. Backing off, they both decided to climb over the hood of the car. Landing on their feet at the other side, they got a shock when Dief jumped out of the open window and ran towards them.

Jordan took off like lightening down the street, closely followed by Caitlin. However, they weren't matches for Dief. Dief quickly caught up with Caitlin and took hold of the back of her blue coat in his teeth. Caitlin heard her coat tear. A chunk of blue material was hanging out of Dief's mouth. Next, Dief jumped at her, knocking her to the floor.

Caitlin lay on the ground, terrified that the wolf was going to eat her. She couldn't quite believe it when, instead of biting her, the wolf licked her face. Instead of death by being eaten, she was being licked to death!

While Dief pinned Caitlin down, Jordan stopped running, came back and picked her bag up where it had fallen. Tipping the contents out onto the street, he picked up a plastic bag that fell out. Caitlin hadn't packed anything in a plastic bag. While Dief was licking the other side of her face, Caitlin got a quick glimpse of its contents before he tucked it into his pocket and ran off. It dawned on Caitlin what the contents were---drugs. He'd offered her some at the rave but she'd refused. He hadn't been helping her escape the police out of the kindness of his heart; he'd been using her! He must have slipped the drugs into her bag when the police appeared, so that if he were caught, he'd be clean.

Caitlin voiced her thoughts at the top of her lungs, "You BASTARD!"

After what seemed like hours of lying on the cold pavement floor being pinned down by Dief, footsteps approached her. "Dief, get off the young lady!" Fraser scolded. Helping her up he said, "I'm terribly sorry. Are you all right?"

"Yes, no thanks to your dog, er wolf. What is it anyway?"

Caitlin and Fraser looked properly at each other for the first time. Both stared. Caitlin took in the red uniform and thought, shit! He's a Mountie. Does he know about me or not? I'm sprung if he asks questions!

Fraser looked at Caitlin and took in her long dark brown hair with red tints in, her milky white complexion and her big chocolate brown eyes. She looked so much like someone he knew! "Erm, he's half wolf," Fraser explained. "Let me help you pick your belongings up!"

"No. Thank you. I'm fine."

"Not another Canadian!" Ray Vecchio said. "What ya doing here?" Caitlin didn't answer, she just continued putting her things in her bag. "Ya know, ya look familiar! Do I know ya?" Caitlin shook her head. Ray tried to rack his brains as to where he'd seen her before.

Fraser turned to Dief. "Why did you jump on this young lady?" Fraser listened to Dief's answer. He raised his eyebrows. "She was running out of the alley from the direction of the warehouse. Ah! I see." Fraser turned to Caitlin. "Miss, were you at the party in the warehouse?"

"No."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

Fraser looked at her and said, "Hmm. I think you'd better come along with us!"

"I'm not going anywhere with you. I haven't done anything wrong. Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I'm Deputy Liaison Officer at the Canadian Consulate in Chicago. This is Detective Raymond Vecchio of the Chicago Police Department. And nobody has suggested you've done anything wrong. We just want to ask you a few questions."

"Yeah, starting with what's yer name and why ya here in Chicago?" Ray asked.

"No comment."

"Right, be like that then. Come on," Ray took hold of her arm. "Yer coming for a nice sightseeing tour of the Police Station. That'll be a nice thing to put on yer post cards home, won't it!"

Caitlin tried to resist. "Behave, or do ya want me to handcuff yer!" Caitlin stopped squirming and kicking, but wouldn't walk towards the car; Ray ended up dragging her to his Riv.

At the Riv Ray let out a cry and let go of Caitlin. "The fucking bastards! Which little shit has done this to my beauty!" He pointed to the scuffed marks in the paintwork on the Riv's hood. "I'll kill em when I get my hands on em. I told ya it wasn't safe to leave it here, but what did ya say Benny!"

Fraser bowed his head and whispered. "It will be perfectly safe. Dief's staying with the car."

"And was it safe Benny?" Fraser shook his head. "That's right, noooooo, it wasn't, was it!"

Caitlin started to sneak off and make a run for it. Dief growled, and before she could get five paces Fraser had caught up with her. "I don't think that's such a good idea, do you? It isn't safe at night in this neighbourhood to be on your own."

"Yeah, now ya say it! Is the big clue my damaged Riv! Or would ya like to lick the hood to make sure! Actually forget that; don't even think about it. I don't want yer tongue any where near my Riv, ya don't know where it's been!"

Caitlin sat on a chair beside Francesca's desk at the station. She hadn't spoken a word since Fraser caught her trying to escape. "Won't you tell us yer name?" Frannie asked. Caitlin didn't answer; she just stared intently at her hands on her lap. "Yer parents must be real worried about ya! Won't ya tell us who they are then we can call em and tell em yer alright!"

Caitlin let out a bitter laugh. "Worried about me! That's a good one. My parents don't care if I live or die."

Frannie looked at her sympathetically. "That bad, huh!" Caitlin nodded. "Why don't ya tell me about it?" Frannie suggested. Caitlin clamped up again.

Fraser knelt beside Caitlin. "You know, I ran away from home when I was young too."

"What makes you think I've ran away!"

"Haven't you?" She didn't answer. "Running away never solves anything though. We have to face our problems."

"Don't lecture me. You don't know anything about me. Maybe by running away I am facing my problems! Had you thought of that!"

"So you have run away. It must be rather bad at home for you to run away!" Fraser left the statement open; hoping the girl would be drawn out that way.

"Home! I don't have a home." Worrying she was saying too much, Caitlin clamped up again. Ray was at his desk, busy trying to get names out of some kids. Pushing aside some papers on his desk, his gaze fell on a picture of a missing girl. Damn! That's it! That's where I've seen the girl before! "Yo! Fraser! Fraser, come over here!"

"I won't be a moment," Fraser said to Caitlin. "Francesca, would you mind keeping this young lady company for me!"

"Sure, Fraser."

Fraser went over to Ray's desk. "What is it Ray?"

Ray pointed to the picture. "Look! It's her! Caitlin. That's who she is. The Dragon Lady faxed it through to Welsh today and asked us to be on the lookout for her coz she'd run away."

Fraser studied the picture and looked over at the girl sat with Frannie. "Yes, it's her. Why didn't you tell me about this fax of a missing Canadian girl Ray?"

He shrugged. "Soz, I guess I forgot with the bust and everything!"

Pointing to the phone, Fraser asked Ray, "May I?" Ray nodded. Fraser was about to dial the Canadian Consulate, realised Inspector Thatcher wouldn't be there at three in the morning, and dialled her mobile phone number instead. He knew she wouldn't be best pleased with him phoning at this early hour, but she was his Superior Officer and needed to know he'd found the missing girl!

Meg had tossed and turned for hours, unable to get to sleep. It seemed like she had just finally dozed off when she was jolted away by a ringing beside her pillow. She groggily groped for her mobile phone. She managed to say, "Hmm?" into the phone.

"Sir?"

"Fraser?" She sat bolt upright in bed.

"Yes, ma'am."

"So? What do you want Fraser? It's," she peered at her luminous clock, "three in the morning for God's sake!"

"I have some information to report to you."

She sighed. "Get to the point Fraser, before I fall asleep!"

"Erm, right Sir. I'm sorry to wake you but I thought you'd be interested to know that I have located Caitlin, the missing Canadian girl."

"What! You have? I mean, well done. Where is she?"

"With Detective Vecchio and myself, at the police station."

"The police station! Is she is trouble?"

"Erm, no. We did however find her at a drug bust, but..."

Thatcher cut him off, "A drug bust! Oh God! She hasn't, erm, taken anything has she?"

"No, I don't believe so ma'am."

"I'm coming right over. Whatever you do, don't lose her before I get there."

Fraser walked back over to Francesca and the girl. "We'll soon have you out of here Caitlin and into a warm bed at the consulate."

Caitlin looked at him sharply. "What did you call me?"

"Caitlin. That is your name, isn't it?" He held up the 'missing' poster in front of her.

Caitlin grimaced at the poster of herself. "Does Inspector Thatcher know I'm here?"

Fraser looked a little surprised. "Yes, she's on her way. How do you know Inspector Thatcher?"

"She hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

Caitlin looked upset. She shook her head. "Nothing. It doesn't matter."

"So, how do ya know Thatcher?" Ray asked.

Caitlin wouldn't answer. She looked like she was going to cry.

Meg rushed into the police station, and into the bullpen. Seeing Caitlin sat beside Francesca's desk, Meg breathed a sigh of relief and ran over to her. "Caitlin!" Caitlin looked up at her. Meg pulled the girl into her arms and kissed her head. At the show of Meg's affections Caitlin buried her head against Meg, closed her eyes and cried. "Thank God you're all right! Don't ever do that to me again. I was worried sick."

A muffled, "I'm sorry mom," came from Caitlin. Mom! Fraser, Frannie, Ray and Lt. Welsh stared at Meg and Caitlin in shared shock.

"Do you know how much trouble you've caused?" Meg scolded.

Caitlin pulled away from Meg. "You know, for one second I thought you actually cared about me. But you don't! All you care about is what people think of you! That's why you sent me away to that horrible boarding school so that no one would know about me!"

Meg reached out for her. "Katie, that's not true."

"Don't call me Katie. I hate it. I hate you. All as I ever wanted was for you to love me. For you to be a proper mother. But you don't. You've never loved me. Why didn't you just get rid of me!"

"Caitlin, don't be silly! I do love you. This isn't the place to have this discussion! Come on, let's go to my apartment!" Meg took hold of Caitlin's arm and Caitlin pulled away.

"See you're doing it again! What is it, don't you want your work colleagues to know you're nothing but a slut!" She saw Meg cringe, look at Fraser and look away humiliated. Caitlin pointed to Fraser. "Is he you're latest guy? Does he know you sleep around and that you had me when you were just 18?"

Meg's eyes were a mixture of deep hurt, despair and anger. "Caitlin, how dare you speak to me like that! No matter what you think of me, I'm still your mother!"

"Then act like it!" Meg stood looking at the floor. She looked emotionally slapped. "I want to go live with my father!" Caitlin said.

Meg looked up and shook her head. "Caitlin, that's not the answer. Besides, you know I don't know where he is!"

"That's what you say, but is it true? You're a good liar. You've lied to these people about me, how do I not know you've not lied to me about my father!"

"I don't lie Caitlin. I haven't lied to you and I haven't lied to Fraser and the others. I just hadn't told them about you. There's a difference."

"Yeah! You hadn't told them because you wish you'd never had me! Well, I can make your wish come true!" Before Meg could stop her, Caitlin ran past her and out of the building. Meg, Fraser and Ray ran out of the station after her.

"Caitlin, stop! Come back!" Meg called.

Caitlin didn't look as she continued to run off the pavement and into the road. She didn't see the police car that was passing the station. Meg, Fraser and Ray did. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Meg screamed, as the police car hit Caitlin and sent her flying over a corner of the hood of the car and crashing down onto the concrete road.

White-faced, the police Officer was already radioing for an ambulance as Meg ran to her daughter's side. "Caitlin! Katie, can you hear me?" Meg checked her pulse and screamed at Fraser, "She's not breathing!"

Fraser and Meg worked together to resuscitate Caitlin, while Ray and some other Police Officers stopped the traffic so there wouldn't be a further accident. Meg was starting to get hysterical. "She can't die now. No! Oh God please no! Especially not when she thinks I don't love her! I don't want the last things I said to my daughter to be an argument! Come on Katie breathe!"

Realising that getting hysterical wasn't going to help her daughter, Meg forced herself to calm down as best she could. They carried on doing resuscitation for what seemed to them likes ages, but was actually only a matter of seconds.

To Meg and Fraser's relief their combined efforts paid off as Caitlin started to breathe again. Meg let out a deep sigh. "Caitlin, can you hear me honey?" Tears of joy ran down Meg's face as Caitlin opened her eyes and looked at her.

"Mom!"

"Oh thank God! Yes, that's right sweetheart, mommy's here." She stroked her daughter's hair. "Everything's going to be all right. I promise."

Caitlin looked at Fraser. Smiling down at her he squeezed her hand. "Dad?"

Fraser shook his head. "I'm sorry Caitlin, I don't have the honour. I'm Benton Fraser, don't you remember?"

Caitlin seemed to think about it for a moment. "Yes. You have the wolf, right?"

"That's right." The sound of the ambulance could be heard nearby.

"Ow! My arm hurts like crazy!"

Fraser carefully examined it. "It appears you've broken it Caitlin."

"That can mend! The main thing is, at least you're alive," Meg's smile matched the obvious relief in her voice.

Caitlin sat propped up in the spare bedroom in Meg's apartment, stroking Dief. Meg and Fraser were sat on the edge of the bed. They had all just got back from the hospital where Caitlin had been given a thorough checking over and told she was a very lucky girl to have only a broken arm! "Honey, why did you chose Chicago to run away too?" Meg asked.

"I'm not really sure. I just came here. I think I wanted to really see you."

Meg hugged her daughter tightly. "I do love you Caitlin. I want you to know that. I don't want you to ever again think, for even a second, that I don't love you. I know I've not been the best mother in the world, but I've always tried to do the best for you. And I've always loved you, that's why I sent you to boarding school. I thought it was the best thing to do for you. Obviously it wasn't and I was wrong! I didn't really want to send you there Caitlin. I miss you so much. The only reason I did send you to boarding school was because I knew that I would be working all the hours God sends and moving around a lot, and I wanted you to have a stable life."

"But it's horrible there, mom. And it's not stable because I miss you," Caitlin's bottom lip quivered a little.

Meg stroked Caitlin's long dark hair. "Oh, I miss you too, believe me Katie. I'm sorry you dislike it so much there sweetheart. I thought it was for the best! You see, I didn't have a stable life at all. My mom was in the RCPM, we moved around a lot. I was always the odd one out at school because I was always the new student and I never stayed in one place long enough to make proper friends. Then my mom was killed when I was about your age, and my father couldn't cope. He was angry with my mom for leaving us. Leaving him to bring me up alone. He was hurt by her death and instead of being there when I needed him, he pushed me away for fear of getting hurt again. I suppose it was his way of protecting himself! I needed him though. I loved my mother so much and it tore me apart when she was killed, and then even more when my father started to distance himself from my emotionally and acted like a stranger. It was as though I'd lost the only two people who I loved and who had loved me. I was alone. I went slowly off the rails."

Meg felt Fraser looking at her, but she couldn't look at him. What she was about to say was one of the most closely guarded and deepest secrets of her life. She continued to concentrate her gaze on her daughter, hoping Caitlin would see from her eyes that what she was saying was the truth! "When I was in my freshman year of college I spent the summer at the Sorbonne in Paris. There I met this guy, Luke Blanc, your father. He was a French artist and older than me. You've got to understand that I was vulnerable, I needed someone to love me. He made me believe that he did love me. I admit it; I was young and more than a trifle nave. I slept with him and I got pregnant with you. When I told him, he didn't want to know. I realised he'd never loved me. He'd just used me. I didn't want you to make the same mistakes I did and so that's why I sent you to a Catholic boarding school. It wasn't because I didn't want you and don't love you. It was totally the opposite. It was because I love you so much and knew that I wouldn't be able to give you the stability that you needed, and I wouldn't be a good role model for you. I thought the nuns might be!"

"I don't have to go back there do I?" Caitlin's big brown eyes pleaded with her mother.

"No, sweetie you don't. You're going to stay right here with me." Caitlin smiled at Meg, and Meg and Fraser smiled back.

"Mom, I'm sorry about what I said earlier and about saying it in front of everyone."

"Never mind. All that matters now is that you're all right. Come on, you get some sleep now!" Meg kissed her daughter on the forehead.

Saying "Goodnight," Fraser gave Caitlin a kiss on the cheek.

"Can Dief stay with me tonight? Please!" Caitlin begged and Dief joined in by looking pitifully at them.

"That's all right with me, Caitlin," Fraser said. "But it's up to your mom!" He looked at Meg.

Meg smiled. "It seems I'm outnumbered! All right. Dief can stay tonight. But he sleeps on the floor, not on the bed, okay!" Caitlin nodded and smiled.

"Mom? Fraser?" They both turned around at the bedroom door.

"Yes honey?"

"I'd like you to be my dad, Fraser! Will you?"

Fraser was deeply touched. Meg was taken completely by surprise at Caitlin's request. "Caitlin, honey, I think that's a little too much to ask of somebody! It's not fair to put Fraser on the spot like that."

"Fraser?" Caitlin asked in a little girl voice.

"I erm...that's the best offer I've ever had, Caitlin. I couldn't think of anything nicer than to be your dad. But erm, it all depends on your mom, I mean, I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes! But of course I'm here for you if you ever need me!"

Meg smiled at Fraser's warm response. "Mom doesn't mind, do you? In fact, she'd like it wouldn't you mom?"

Meg felt a little awkward. "I erm, that's erm, fine by me."

"Great! Then you'll move in with us!" Caitlin smiled satisfied.

Meg and Fraser looked stunned. "I erm..." they both said together and then stopped, at a loss for words.

"Caitlin, when Fraser and I said it's all right him being like a father to you, we didn't mean he was going to move in. Fraser has a home of his own, a life of his own, it's a little much to expect him to up sticks!"

Caitlin looked very disappointed. "I thought we could be a family! Do you not want to move in with us Fraser? Is that really true?" The look she gave him clearly said, 'please don't say it is!'

Fraser looked from Caitlin to Meg. The truth was there was nothing he'd like more than to move in with them and be a family. But he didn't know how Meg felt about it! "I um, I wouldn't say I don't want too." He looked at Meg, letting her take the lead from there. Caitlin looked expectantly at Meg too.

"I don't think that moving in together on the grounds of Fraser being your father is a good idea. A relationship needs more than that! Now, lights out Caitlin. Get some sleep!"

"Why don't you admit it? Why don't you admit you're in love! It's so obvious to everyone. Isn't love a good ground for moving in together on?" Meg and Fraser blushed and exchanged embarrassed glances.

"I erm..." Fraser was at a loss for words.

"Caitlin, sleep," Meg said and pulled Fraser out of the bedroom.

"I'm sorry about that," Meg said to Fraser.

"That's quite all right." They stood in the hallway in awkward silence, unsure of what to say next.

To break the silence, Meg lifted Caitlin's coat off a hall chair and shook her head. "You know, you owe my daughter a new coat after Dief took a chunk out of it!" She raised her eyebrows at Fraser.

"Yes, I'm terribly sorry about that. I've had a word with Dief and he sends you both an apology. With your permission I'll take Caitlin shopping and let her pick another one!"

Meg laughed, "You really are something quite original Fraser! I was only joking."

"Oh!" He smiled.

They stood in awkward silence again. Fraser supposed he should take his leave! He was surprised how much the thought of leaving made him feel sad. He glanced around the hallway and saw a picture of Caitlin on a nearby round table. He smiled. "You have a wonderful daughter."

"Thank you." Meg smiled back at him.

"She's very much like her mother." He tilted his head to the side. "And that was meant as a compliment."

"She's really bonded with you. Thank you, for what you said to Caitlin when she asked you to be her father. It meant a lot to her...and to me. It's nice to finally find someone she's taken to who cares about her," she paused and bit her lip, "And who I care about too."

"I care about you too." He smiled and they looked into each other's eyes.

"Fraser I..."

"Shhh!" Fraser put his finger gently to her lips. "You don't have to say anything. I know."

"You do?"

"Yes. But Meg, you don't have to worry, I would never use you like he did. I really do love you. You don't have to keep me at a distance for fear of being hurt again. I won't hurt you. I promise, and I never break a promise."

"H-how do you know that I feel like that?"

"Because I feel the same. After Victoria, I've been afraid to let myself love you for fear of getting hurt. But love is stronger than fear and it's taken over."

Meg smiled at him. "Yes, it has." Slowly they moved towards each other and kissed.

Caitlin opened her bedroom door a crack and smiled. Yes, everything was going to be all right after all. She had her mother back and now she had a father, one that really cared for her. She had what she'd always wanted---a family to love and who loved her.

Fraser didn't leave Meg's apartment that night. Walking hand in hand with Meg, Fraser entered Meg's bedroom with her.

The End

End Aa Trifle Naive by RedDragon: RedDragon@manutd.com

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