The Calm Before the Storm

Notes:- For once I haven't got much to say... This story series has been resurrected thanks to zzzaney... so I hope you don't regret it.

The Calm Before the Storm.

"...And then I spoke to Frannie, of all people, asking for Ray and of course she poined out Stan, talk about a run of co incidences.." Tor laughed with her colleagues as she re told the story, six months ago it wasn't quite so funny.

The orthopaedic surgeon pulled off his mask as he swung through the O.R. doors. "It's done... It's healed better than we could have ever wished." He commented looking pleased with himself before adding almost in passing, "It's exactly the same length as the other one... She'll be in the recovery room in a minute you can wait there if you like."

"Thanks a lot, Dave." Tor replied to her friend.

Ben rushed down the corridor, Stetson in one hand, stuffed, lop eared rabbit in the other, lanyard flapping, looking uncharacteristicly ruffled. "Is she OK? Has it been done yet? Am I late?"

"Ben - calm down." Tor lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "In answer to your questions Yes, yes and yes. But it matters not. Come on, we're to wait for her in recovery."

Ben nodded and took some deep breaths.

They sat side by side on the uncomforatble chairs of the recovery room, as the orderlies wheeled in their daughter. It was the last piece of metal work to be removed from the child's body, seven operations and six months later the car accident was finally, well and truely over. Benton's usually obsessive style was by far surpassed by his recent efforts to catch the guy who almost killed his daughter before he had even met her. Luckily for him this was not the case and whilst the rich banker langhuished in the county jail and he and Beth had grown very close. He had helped carry her, bathe her, dress her in the early days after the accident, and then he had assisted, as best he could, with the intense physical therapy, supporting her during the exercises, encouraging her when they became difficult, comforting her when the treatment became painful. It was like they were on the same wavelength, Beth accepted Ben as 'Daddy' with out a blink of an eye. Most of the time Tor was glad of this but, just occasionally, it stung to see them together, once in a while she felt left out. This, of course was unreasonable, Tor knew that, It was her she cried for when the pain got too much, and her who got up in the middle of the night to fetch the two hundredth glass of water, but just sometimes jealousy crept in.

Tor and Ben skirted round each other. The electricity still fizzed but Tor had stuck metaphorical tape over the 'on' switch. Any attempt that Ben had made to get close to her was met by a brick wall. Her fortress was complete.

"Mummy?"

"I'm here darling, Daddy's here too."

"When are they going to do it?"

"It's all done sweetheart, have a look?"

The child glanced down at her leg, smiled and collapsed back onto the pillows.

"I'm sorry, Tor, I know I promised to be here, but Inspector Thatcher said she needed me for something...Turned out to be putting a few posters up for some out of town function... Absolutely nothing to do with the RCMP. Sometimes that woman really gets to me." Ben's outburst was out of character but not unusual these days. He had entered into his responsibilities to both Beth and Tor in the only way he knew how - Completely whole heartedly.

"Hey Ben don't worry about it. You have to learn to relax, you're going to give yourself a coronary."

Beth stirred once more."Can I have a drink of water?"

Tor nodded, "Just a sip or two." Ben was already on his feet - going to fetch a glass. Bringing it back to her, he sat on the edge of the bed and held her into a sitting position as she sipped the cool liquid.

"Thank you kindly Daddy.." she said when she'd had enough.

Ben took the opportunity to give her the gift he'd brought her. He waved it in front of her, "Do you think he needs someon to look after him."

"It's a she.. " she stated as she extended her hands towards the bunny,

In the last few months he had discovered a love of toy shops and with much of his income saved over the years, and suddenly having an excuse to wander round the shops he never got to as a child, he had bought her (and himself) too many things to count. Ray had admired his new remote control car, immediately demanding 'a go' and they had spent the previous afternoon, recapturing their childhood, racing it round the parking lot.

"What do you say?" Tor asked her as she took the toy.

She wrapped her arms round the animal and smiled up at him as he bent to kiss her. "Thank you kindly." she repeated before the drugs took their effect again and she drifted back into unconsciousness.

"You spoil her..." Tor smiled, not really minding.

"I do not."

A doctor popped his head round the door. "Not working today Dr. Spencer? "

Tor shook her head. "No, I've taken a couple of weeks leave, we thought we might go away just for a couple of days."

"Oh where are you going?"

"Oh I thought we might just jump in the car and see where the road takes us."

"Sounds like a plan... So when are you back to work then?"

"Two weeks Thursday..."

"Oh OK see you then then?"

"No doubt." Tor smiled and gave her colleague a half wave as he disappeared through the swinging doors.

"I didn't know you were going away..." Ben sounded worried. "Do you think it's wise this soon?"

"Ben she's fine! And besides I *am* a doctor... Why don't you blow off that bitch of a boss of yours and come with us?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'll lose my job... and besides its my duty..."

"Huh, duty... poor excuse... you have no life, Benton... You wont lose your job... Tell you what I'll get Carter to write you a certificate, you'll be officially ill for the next two weeks."

"I couldn't.."

"Of course you could... Beth would like it if you did.... Please come."

That was the clincher and with a half smile, feeling strangely high, he nodded his head.

****

"So you see Ms. Thatcher... Sorry... Inspector Thatcher... with a temperature of 40 and this ghastly bscess on his foot, I feel it necessary for Mr... Constable Fraser to take two weeks off work.... Yes... yes... that must be very difficult for you... I'm sorry... Good bye." Carter slammed the phone down. "Geez that woman's a bitch how the hell can you work for her?"

"She's my superior officer." The answer was simple enough.

"Gotta go... Tor...," he pointed a finger at her "... you owe me one." he swung through the doors.

"I owe you three.. beautifully done... Thank you kindly Carter.. you should be doing Shakespeare." she called through the doors after her colleague.

"Do you think I should be doing this?" Ben looked worried.

"Of course... your ill aren't you? BBS is a very serious condition..."

"BBS?"

"Uh hu... Bastard Boss Syndrome." She smiled and patted him on the shoulder. " Go on... go home and pack some things. I'll see you, 8am tomorrow at my place...oh no... it'd probably be simpler if I picked you up? 8.30 at yours... be ready."

"OK... Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure... now go." She pushed the Mountie towards the door and then turned back to Beth.

*****

"Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police" he answered his new phone in his new apartment.

"So you're sick are you?" Thatcher's voice was unmistakable.

"Er... Yes Sir."

"What's up with you...?"

"Well... ummm....well... ahh..."

"You're not sick are you?"

"Err.... No."

"OK Ben." He could almost feel her grin down the phone line, she was winding him up on purpose. "Enjoy your vacation." Margaret Thatcher rang off.

He smiled and hit the button on the phone before redialling.

"Lo?"

"Hi Tor... It's me... Bento--"

"Yeah I know the rest .. 'I came to Chicago on the trail of blah de blah de blah de blah... You packed yet?"

"I was just wondering what I should bring."

"Easy... Something formal, something casual, something cool, something warm and something to swim in... Oh and bring you bedroll... you never know..."

Ben processed the informaton."How is she?"

"She's here, watching TV, she's fine Ben."

"Good... formal, casual, cool, warm, swim, bedroll.. got it..."

"Good, I'll see you in the morning - early."

"I'll be ready.. Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet... but bring your compass."

*****

The next day dawned cool but sunny. Tor, for once in her life, was on time. Beth now free of the cage around her leg jumped out of the back of the car and ran a few paces before the pain kicked in... She continued at a more sensible pace towards her father. He was stood dressed in worn jeans and the thick cream jumper he loved so much. His leather jacket was slung over one shoulder, his pack over the other. As she approached he dropped both his jacket and pack on the floor and bent down arms spread wide to greet her. He wrapped his arms tightly round her tiny frame and swept her off her feet, whirling her round him.

"How's the prettiest girl in the world?"

"I don't know," replied Beth, "But I'm fine." she giggled, she had aquired her mother's sense of humour from a young age.

He hugged her to him and kissed her on the cheek before lowering her with great care to the floor once more.

"How are you, Daddy?" The question came after a short easy silence.

"Good... Thank you kindly... I'm looking forward to our vacation..."

"That's holiday to you, Little Miss." Tor's interjection gently digging at the use of Americanised English was said in the most Scottish accent she could muster. She would have to admit that even her English was not as 'English as once it was and her accent regualrly aquired an American twang until she remembered to jump on it with both feet. "Are we going or are we going to hang around here all day?"

Ben was dragged towards the car by an enthusiastic five year old, and soon they were on their way. On reaching the highway Tor turned to Ben.

"Quick decision... no thinking allowed... North or South?"

"North." Ben surprised her by answering quickly expecting him as usual to ignore her instructions and do the 'logical' thing.

"North it is then..." She spun the car onto the freeway and headed for the outside lane.

They drove until lunch time when all three of them were getting hot and grimey. Ben had shed the jumper and revealed a grey tee shirt underneath.

"I didn't know you owned a tee shirt," Tor had commented as he peeled off the top layer.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." His blue eyes sparkled as he looked across at her.

"Now that I believe." she jibed as she swung the vehicle into a wide lay-by.

****

A picnic area had been set up by the lake, Tor grabbed the hamper she had prepared out of the trunk and deposited it on a grassy mound about fifty yards from the water, Ben carried blankets under one arm. His other hand holding firmly to Beth's hand.

The food was plentiful. Roast ham, fried chicken, bagels, evian, coke, chips (or crisps as Tor insisted on calling them) and gooey chocolate brownies (with no nuts at Beth's insistance.)

"Kind of reminds me of the first picnic we went on." Ben commented as he bit into the huge sandwich he had just constructed.

Tor was slightly taken aback. Was Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadiam Mounted Police flirting with her and in the presence of their daughter?

"Strange." Tor smiled and replied after a few seconds. "Seems *nothing* like our first picnic to me..."

"I can't remember it.." Beth added. "Was I there?"

Ben and Tor grinned at each other, both turning pink "Well, you were, kind of there, towards the end of it..."

"Oh." Beth looked confused but asked for no further answer.

"I think it's time for a change of subject don't you Ben? Would you kindly pass the salad?"

"Of course." Ben knowing when he was beaten at his own game, obligued.

****

"Anything to declare?"

Tor shook her head.

"OK well, welcome home then." He closed their passports and handed them back through the window.

"Thank you kindly, " she smiled at the customs officer ."I could've guessed somehow we'd end up in Canada."

"I guess the draw home is very strong."

"Yeah." Tor's eyes looked distant. Could it be she was thinking of another home five thousand miles away? Then the look was gone and she turned to Ben. "So have you seen the snow chains?" She joked half heartedly, as she pretended to search the car. For some reason this doubled them both up and the mood was set for the day.

*****

Tor climbed out of the car and stretched. They had found a little town 200km north of the border and had decided to stay there for the night at least. That morning she had made the foolish decision to let Benton Fraser behind the wheel of a car. A mistake she wouldn't repeat again in this life time. His driving abitily explained much to why he favoured a dog sled and it was a relief when they finally pulled up and she could escape the metal box that she was sure was going to become her coffin.

"You know." she said looking over the top of the car at the Mountie, "Red signals tend to mean stop and green go..."

"Yes I did ... I am a police officer you know?"

"Could've fooled me... Perhaps a few days on traffic patrol may help you?... Come on let's get booked in before I collapse."

The hotel was small and run by the owners. There was one suite of rooms left billed at 'The Family Suite' It consisted of two bedrooms, one with a queensized bed the other with two singles. The rooms shared a bathroom.

"Perfect... Beth and I will take the twin you can have the 'big' bed." Tor organised the small party.

It was quickly agreed despite a minor objection from Ben insisting that he could sleep on the floor and didn't need a bed. It was swiftly quashed by Tor."No on 'needs' to sleep on a bed but when there's one going spare you might as well."

The food was home cooked and pleasant enough. After supper, Tor decided to put a sleepy Beth to bed. Ben sick of being cooped up in a car wandered out of the back door of the hotel and into the well kept gardens.

A young woman was crouched down tending the roses and he wandered across to complement her on the fine garden.

"It's beautiful... " his voice drifted into her brain triggering millions of neurones. It could't be, could it?"

She turned her face towards his.

"Victoria!" The colour drained from his face.

"Ben." her voice was so quiet it was barely audible.

And there she was, two feet from his face, standing there, her long hair chopped short, was still as beautiful, her face, her voice was just as he remembered it yet so different.

"How have you been?"

"Poor."

"I can't say I'm sorry."

"I thought you were dead."

"No not dead... very close but alive." His mind whirled and suddenly he snapped to his senses, he was in the domain of Canada.

"Victoria Metcalf you are under arrest .. You do not have to say anything..." he read her her rights.

*****

"Thank you kindly, Sergeant.. " he left the office and found Tor waiting for him.

"I bet you're glad you came now."

Ben didn't answer."You know it's strange, I can remember feeling so much love and hate for that woman, it was painful and now I feel nothing. Yes, I want her to go to jail, she has to pay her dues but I feel no malice. I must be getting old."

Tor smiled up at his face, feeling the barricades slipping away. It would take time but she knew she could fall in love with him all over again....

The End.... (well kind of)

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