Disclaimer: This is the normal disclaimer, all characters in this story belong to Alliance and I am in no part trying to take them away. I promise that I will replace them as soon as I am done. This story is extremely short and doesn't really make any sense but I hope you enjoy it.

By Meredith Myers

The Riv pulled up to the consulate in the pouring rain, windshield wipers going full blast. It was clear to Ray that, like the postal workers, Mounties are on duty in all weather including hard rain, which is what this was. He wondered, as he sat, what Fraser had done to make Thatcher so mad that she would force him to stand out in the rain all day. He sighed and leaned back in his seat. Why did Fraser always have to be so honest, if it were up to him he would have left long ago. Finally the clock across the street chimed and Benton moved. It was as if someone where putting life back into a dead thing.

"So what did you do this time?" Vecchio asked as the soaked Mountie got into the car.

"I haven't a clue." He exclaimed setting his hat on his lap and shutting the door. Ray started up the engine again and pulled the car away from the sidewalk.

"Well, I'll tell you this, this rain is making my house crazy." Ray remarked as they stopped at a stoplight. This surprised Fraser, normally Ray would have sped on by it, but today Fraser got the impression that he wasn't in the biggest rush to get home.

"I can't get one moments peace, there are kids running all over the place, yelling, and screaming, my ma is constantly at my back. I don't know if you want to come over tonight Benny." He said looking in his rear-view mirror.

"I'm sure I'll be fine Ray, you know the Inuit..."

" Fraser... I have to deal with all of the commotion at my house, the last thing I want to hear right now is some kind of stupid Inuit method for something, so just spare me, all right?" Ray exclaimed with a sigh.

"As you wish Ray." Fraser said and there was no more talk until the Riv pulled up to the Vecchio household. The minute they reached the door there was the sound of hollering from the other side of the wood.

"Here we go." Ray muttered as he pushed open the door and went inside. Fraser entered behind him and as he shut the door, Francesca came running up.

"Why hello Benton, how nice you were able to come." She said beaming over the Mountie and slipping her arm in his. He looked confused down at her arm and, as Ray rolled his eyes, they walked into the dining room where everyone was.

Two of Marie's children were chasing each other around the table yelling, while two other children were fighting over a hair brush. Mrs. Vecchio came out of the kitchen carrying a huge plate of lasagna and singing some song in Italian. Marie and Tony were in the middle of another one of their many squabbles and over all the noise, Arieona, Marie's youngest was crying at the top of her lungs.

"I'm sure that the Inuit never had a family like the Vecchio family when they were coming up with all of their clever methods for solving problems." Ray exclaimed under his breath before he entered the dining room.