It was inevitable. Their bodies were meant to entwine. Even if as an expression of farewell...

Disclaimer: Alliance/dueSouth brought us these characters. This is the part of the story they couldn't get past the censors. (Transcribed straight from the howling wolves' mouths.)

Romance/Episode-Related; NC-17; Fraser/Thatcher; Spoilers for "Call of the Wild"

MARCH THE 11TH : SEQUEL TO A KISS

By Mary

"So, then, this could be our..." she realized with regret.

"Possibly," he answered. He was not ready, either, to face the fact that their working relationship seemed about to come to a close.

It hadn't been easy for either of them, but they had learned to work together quite effectively. And, in the process, had formed an emotional attachment that had remained, but for one moment of unbridled passion on top of a speeding train, unspoken. Unspoken, but not unexpressed. They had found ways, on occasion over the last couple of years, to reveal their innermost, hidden feelings to each other. And now, here they were on possibly one of their last assignments together, somewhere near Franklin Bay in the Northwest Territories.

"Then, maybe we should..." she said as she began to lean in closer to him.

He tentatively followed suit, almost afraid to allow himself to get too close to her.

"Maybe we..." he mumbled. No more words were necessary.

Their lips met gently, as they stood in the cold night air. And almost instantly, with uncontrollable urgency, all their passion, the passion that had flowed so freely atop that runaway train, came flooding back. It was almost as if they had never parted, as if that one kiss had been sustained through time on some parallel reality, and it was only now that their conscious selves and their bodies were again fused with that reality.

Despite the cold surrounding them, they were both on fire, heat pouring from every pore of their bodies and being trapped against them by the heavy clothing they wore. If they didn't shed some of their coverings soon, they would surely be consumed by their own flames!

Ben pulled away with a feeling of disorientation and held Meg in his arms, trying to steady them in the midst of this world that seemed to be spinning out of control. She had, in effect, just said good-bye to him. A life here in the north was not for her. So, shouldn't they turn and go their separate ways before...

"Ma'am, you said that this could..." he started, as he looked longingly in her eyes. "...that this could never..."

"...repeat itself," she finished his sentence, looking at him with equal longing. "I know." Yes, she had said that after the train incident. But now, faced with the prospect of never seeing him again, her restraint was losing its battle.

It was impossible to tell how much time passed as they stood there perspiring in the bitter Arctic night. Meg could feel his soft, warm breath against her face as he continued to hold her close to him. The world was indeed spinning, and she suddenly felt herself go limp.

"Sir!" Ben exclaimed in concern, as he supported her on her feet. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Fraser." She tried to hide what she was really feeling. "Just a little tired. It's almost midnight. I'd better go back to my tent."

She gently removed his arms from around her and held his hands in hers, looking as if she wanted to speak. She forced herself to take a step away from him. Again, everything went black for a second and, before she knew it, Ben was propping her up as she sat in the snow.

"Put your arms around my neck, Ma'am, and I'll take you to your tent."

The tent was warmed by the lantern that had been left burning. Ben carefully sat Meg down and helped her remove her parka and boots, and then he prepared the bedding for her. The sight of him doing this caused her body to tingle and a blush of desire to rush to her face.

"Here you go, Ma'am," he said as he held out his hand to help her into bed.

As Ben was about to pull the blankets over her, she stopped him. "Would you please help me off with these snow pants? There are zippers around the ankles..."

"Maybe you should leave them on, Sir. The nights can be quite chilly," he suggested, obviously feeling a bit uncomfortable with her request.

"No, I couldn't possibly sleep like this." She was touched by his uneasiness and assured him, "It's okay, Fraser. I've got thermals on under them."

He nodded, and as she removed the suspenders from her shoulders and slid the pants over her hips, Fraser loosened the leg grippers and pulled the pants off of her and neatly deposited them in a corner. He absent-mindedly gazed at her as she sat there in her long johns, then came to with a start when he noticed her reaching for the blankets.

"Thermal suits you," he smiled shyly to her as he covered her.

She couldn't help smiling back at him. "Thank you...for your help, Fraser."

"Good night, Sir," he said as they both sat there, looking at each other, neither one able to move. "I should go now. Will you be all right?"

"Yes..." It sounded like she wanted to continue, but no more words came from her. Usually they understood each other very well without many words. But tonight...tonight she would have to be more direct.

Fraser turned to crawl his way out of the tent, but he didn't make it very far. There was a force holding him back. Not an emotional, intangible force, but an actual, physical, three- dimensional one. Meg had grabbed onto his arm as it swung around in front of her and was now holding it with both hands as she looked down. The coy desperation he saw on her face almost made him forget that she was his superior officer.

"Sir?" he asked, with apparent confusion and a certain amount of fear.

"Stay...for a while longer," she asked softly, still holding onto him. His hands felt strong and she imagined their touch on her body.

Ben hesitated, then responded with "Is that an order, Sir?"

"No," was her simple reply. But her eyes told him more.

"Understood, Sir," he said, almost as a question. He looked at her hands holding his, and she released him. Ben was squatting across from her, looking very uncomfortable both emotionally and physically.

"The 'Sir'-ing isn't necessary, Fraser. We're off duty, all right?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She laughed and he blushed.

"And please, drop the 'Ma'am' while you're at it. It makes me sound like an old school marm or something." But she looked anything but old, sitting there in the dim lantern light.

"You're my superior officer, Sir...Ma'am...Inspector," he fumbled.

"Yes, that's true," she laughed. "But maybe...I thought maybe...since we won't be...since I won't be your commander much longer, I thought maybe we could, um, forget that I'm your superior officer -- just for tonight."

"Wha...What do you mean, Sir...um, Ma'am...um?" he stammered with wide eyes, clueless how to address her.

"You can't be very comfortable," she said suddenly noticing his position.

"Comfortable, uh, um," he coughed.

"The way you're squatting there. You can't stay in that position very long."

"I could, Sir, if need be," he resolved.

"You're not being punished, Fraser. At least, I hope you don't feel that way," she added demurely. "I'm only asking for your company, but if you don't want to..."

"No, Sir, I mean, yes, I'd be glad to...keep you company."

"Oh, good, fine. Now, make yourself comfortable. That is an order!" she commanded, and then added, softly "...Ben."

"Ben?" he said almost to himself, as if he didn't recognize his own name.

"That is your name, isn't it?"

He nodded with that bewildered look on his face. She had only called him Ben once before, and that was only as a ruse to discourage unwanted attention from another man. This time it was different. This "Ben" was much more personal.

She smiled a somewhat frustrated smile at him, wishing this didn't have to be so hard. Why couldn't they just be two friends enjoying an evening together. But she knew why.

"Come sit next to me," she said, placing her hand on the ground next to her.

Ben stared at her hand as it invited him over. "Are you sure?" he asked, never taking his eyes off her hand. Could she be suggesting what she seemed to be suggesting?

"I won't bite," she said with a pointed laugh.

Ben gulped and his body shivered at the prospect. "No, I know you won't, Sir, but do you think...?" he began before being cut off by her.

"Uh, uh, uh! What did I say about the 'Sirs?'" she reprimanded him playfully.

"Right. Sorry. I'll just...," he said as he slowly made his way over to sit beside her, not daring to breathe until he was settled into position on her bedroll. He looked at her and smiled uncertainly.

"Isn't that better?" she asked, placing her hand on his thigh.

"Hmm," he nodded, as his eyes rolled back in his head and he stiffened slightly, anxious to know what would happen next. Her touch, even through his insulated pants, stirred his senses. He was still feeling the warmth of their earlier outburst of passion and now, with this turn of events, sweat was glistening on his brow.

"Goodnight...Ben," Meg said as she laid back, deliberately resting her head half on her pillow and half against Ben's body. Even if this went no further, she would have the memory of this moment, of feeling a security, a comfort, a release of control she had never before allowed herself.

A new heat began to surge through Ben, pulsating stronger with every speeding beat of his heart. He looked down at Meg and saw her lying peacefully, eyes closed, seemingly unaware of the effect she was having on him. His desire was now growing so fast he didn't know how much longer he could keep it from her. It would be so easy to lean over her and taste those lips again. Those lips that beckoned him constantly, even when they chided him, as they so often did. Those lips that, a few short moments ago, had been one with his. It would be so easy, yet he held back.

"Inspector," his shaky voice seemed to reverberate through the entire camp, "would you mind if I removed my coat? It's a little," he cleared his throat, "warm in here."

"No, go ahead. You wouldn't think one little lantern would give off so much heat, would you?" she agreed, the fire as hot in her as it was in him.

Ben took off his parka and laid back beside Meg, who resumed her position. Without the coat between them, she could now feel the intense heat coming off Ben's body and burning through his clothes. Her face flushed with the desire they were both feeling.

"You still seem quite warm," she said as perspiration beads formed on her upper lip. "If you need to, you have my permission to remove...well, whatever you need to...if the heat's unbearable." She didn't want it to sound like she was trying to undress him, even if she was.

The heat was becoming unbearable for Ben, but would removing his clothes help the situation or make it worse, he wondered. He looked at Meg as she lay against him and believed he understood her intentions. She had removed the intangible barriers between them, and was leaving it up to him to remove the physical barriers.

Very deliberately, Ben took off his boots, snow pants and sweater, leaving him with nothing on but his thermals. He then lifted one end of the blankets and slid in under them, behind Meg, wrapping himself tightly around her, and making her immediately aware of his pressing needs. He had so often dreamed of holding her like this, as if he would make them one body, and this sensation was cathartic.

Meg let out a sigh as Ben's burning body enclosed hers. This felt so good: their bodies locked in silent embrace. She enjoyed this stillness for a while before she took his hands, which encircled her waist, and placed them against her breasts. His loving touch brought an immediate spontaneous response from her loins. What have I been so afraid of? she wondered. They had needed this physical union for so long.

As Ben silently reveled in the promise of what lay under her sweater, he kissed the back of her neck and made his way slowly around to nibble at her ears, his hot breath coming ever nearer her mouth until, finally, their lips met, their mouths opened, and they indulged in the taste of each other.

Still kissing, Ben rolled onto his back and gently pulled Meg around to face him. As she laid atop him, she took his hands and placed his fingers around the bottom of her sweater and he quickly pulled it off over her head. As he watched, she sat up and unclasped her bra, and he slid the straps off her shoulders and down her arms and let the bra fall where it may. He looked her in the eyes, then at her body and back into her eyes, as if to ask permission. There could be no turning back once they did this. When she closed her eyes and gave a slow, slight nod of her head, he pulled her to him and buried his face in her chest, suckling at each breast in turn, as Meg moaned in delight.

Eager to do some exploring of this man whom she had always kept at arm's length, Meg removed Ben's thermal shirt in one quick motion. She caressed and kissed his chest, enjoying the smooth firmness of it, then brought her hands up until they held his face. She let her fingers touch every detail of his face, then ran them through his hair as she brought her face to his and kissed every inch of it. Her 'goodbye' would be very thorough. When their mouths met, they believed they would swallow each other, so profound was their hunger.

Meg slid down him, tasting him on the way: his lips, his neck, his shoulders, his chest, until finally she came to the nipples. She reached a hand down and began to caress the inside of his thighs. As she took a nipple into her mouth, she felt Ben shiver. It was hard, and she couldn't resist nibbling a little roughly on it.

"Ouch!" Ben exclaimed. "I thought you said you wouldn't bite."

She put a finger to his lips, and he instinctively took it into his mouth. She slid her finger back and forth between his lips while her other hand stroked him between his legs. She then gently kissed each nipple before tracing a line with her tongue down his chest to his navel, where she planted several kisses just below and underneath the waistband of his thermals, sending tremors of pleasure and desire through Ben's body.

Ben slipped his hands under her long johns and firmly cupped her buttocks, pressing her body ever closer to his. His need was becoming most urgent, so he swiftly disposed of the only remaining barriers: first her long johns and then his own. They laid there naked, facing each other, taking in the beauty of this moment before it would all too quickly dissolve.

Ben reached out and ran his fingers through Meg's hair, then held his hand against her cheek, leaned in and kissed her tenderly. He then rolled on top of her, pinning her on her back, as he slid a hand between her knees, gently separating them. He let his mouth wander over her body, eager to taste every bit of it, as his hand made its way up her thigh until it came to caress the center of her pleasures.

Oh! That strong, sure hand! Meg gasped as he continued to kiss and caress her, and when his head came to rest between her legs, she closed her eyes and slightly spread her thighs, inviting an even fiercer ecstasy. Ben's sensual touch was just about to take her over the edge when she lifted his head, sat up, and pushed him onto his back.

It was plain to see that Ben could not endure much more teasing, but Meg was not ready to give in yet. She straddled his legs and leaned down to kiss his knees. Her body holding him still, she then kissed her way up, first the inside of one thigh, then the other, back and forth, as he moaned and trembled repeatedly in response to each increasingly dangerous touch from her lips. He could feel her soft hair brushing against his manhood as she was nearing her goal, and he held his breath and arched his back as she folded her lips around the tip of his throbbing penis and gave it one steady suckle.

After she released him from her mouth, Ben let out the breath he had been holding, reached his arms down and, with one hand around each of her thighs, pulled her up until she mounted him. As he entered her, they simultaneously closed their eyes and uttered a soft, quick moan. She sat atop him, gently swaying, while Ben massaged her breasts, and she ran a finger across his chest, from nipple to nipple, then down along the center of his chest. Meg leaned forward until their mouths meshed and their tongues danced inside each other. When the pleasure was nearing its climax, he grabbed the cheeks of her behind and rocked her on top of him, while she sat, gripping his arms, her head flung back.

Orgasm was simultaneous and furious as their bodies convulsed with the release of the passion that had been building in them almost since the moment they met. Without saying a word, Ben wrapped his arms firmly around Meg and pulled her to him, and they kissed sweetly. Ben realized he was still inside her, so he pulled himself out from under her, and she gently rested her head on his chest. Their skin shimmered with perspiration in the flickering lantern light, and Ben pulled the blankets over them.

"Fraser?" Meg breathlessly broke the silence moments later.

Ben hesitated, then responded earnestly with, "This can never repeat itself?"

Meg held back a chuckle, moved by the graveness of his question, and hugged him even tighter. "Actually, I was going to say, I wish we could stay here like this forever." And she meant it.

Ben kissed her on the head, a hint of tears in his eyes, and answered, "Likewise."

They closed their eyes and fell peacefully to sleep.

THE END

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