OK, here is my first posting of fanfic. I hope it gets good reviews!
Melissa Disclaimer: We all know how this goes, so I will make it short and sweet. The characters contained herein are not mine (with the exception of Christine Chevalier, I made her up), they are in fact the sole property of Alliance. I just play with them. No infringement is intended and I promise I will return the characters to whence I found them, clean and tidy. Honest. I swear. No, really, I do. Don't sue me, you won't get much, just a few Star Trek collectibles and some X-Files posters. So, with that out of the way, I can get on with my story.
OK, here it is, my first piece of fanfic. I wrote this piece shortly
after rewatching the great DS episode "Some Like it Red" in which Benton
Fraser dresses up as a woman to go undercover. As I watched this, I began
to wonder just how did Fraser pull off the make-up and hair so successfully?
The following story is my interpretation of what happened between the
times Ben left Ray in the alley and when he showed up again in the precinct
as a woman. I felt it should be explained as to how Ben could do it.
So, read on and enjoy the story, I had fun writing it. By the way, please
feel free to write me and send me comments, chocolate, and gorgeous blue
eyed Mountie in red serge(or whatever they happen to be wearing
WARNING! : This is what has been called a "Mary Sue" story. If you do not like these types of stories, TURN BACK NOW!!!!
By: Melissa Roule
11:00 A.M.
It was late morning in the windy city of Chicago. Cold bracing winds nipped at the people on the streets making them long for warm homes. One person, who happened to be inside her warm loft, was one of the few who wanted to be outside.
Christine Chevalier stood at her window, looking at the gray morning. Sighing, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and turned away. She had been rehearsing the same steps over and over again and longed to quit. *One more time* she thought, *one more time and I'll call it quits. *
Chris walked to her stereo and hit the "Play" button. Slowly, the strains of Sleeping Beauty filled the room. She began the intricate dance steps, focusing not on the pain or music, but instead trying to imagine her dance partner. Being cast as the lead, as Chris was, meant you danced most of your dances with a partner, or as a solo. Chris was doing that now, but instead of imagining her partner, Scott, she imagined Benton Fraser. As she danced, she could almost feel his strong hands on her. Feel how he would grip and lift her as the choreography stated. Chris smiled, she knew Ben was graceful, but she didn't think he could handle this.
Lost in daydreams of dancing with her "knight in red serge" as she so elegantly put it, Chris almost didn't hear the phone ring. She ran over, turned off the stereo and picked up the phone in one smooth motion.
"Hello?"
"Hello Chris, it's Ben." It was Ben Fraser, good friend and major hunk. Chris smiled.
"Hi Ben, what's up?"
"Not much, look I need a favor, can you meet me at my apartment?"
"Sure, what do you need?" Ben outlined his plan to Chris. She was shocked; he wanted her to help him dress up as a woman! All she could stammer out was "Sure, give me an hour," and hung up.
Chris stripped out of her sweaty dance clothes and headed for the shower. As she shampooed her short dark hair she allowed her mind to work. Ben said he needed help with make-up, he said he already had a wig and dresses (Chris did *not* want to ask where he got those) and just needed a bit of help.
"Help," Chris mumbled, regarding her reflection in the foggy mirror. "And because I work in the theater, he asks me. Oh, well. Ben *has* done me some favors. Guess I owe him one" With that thought, Chris brushed her teeth and got dressed. She pulled on her favorite jeans, a black silk camisole, and a red button down shirt. Tugging on her black trench coat, she grabbed her make-up case and her knapsack filled with jewelry Ben wanted. She hopped into her Cadillac and drove over to Ben's building.
Chris parked in front of the building and sat there for a moment. It was an hour since she had talked to the Mountie, but she still could not believe what he asked of her. *OK* Chris sighed, *Let's get this over with, I still don't know how I am going to pull this off* Chris finally got out of the car and entered the building. She took the rickety steel elevator up to the third floor and turned towards Ben's apartment.
Chris approached the faded, peeling door and stopped. She sighed and raised her fist.
BANG - BANG - BANG!!!
No answer. Chris raised her fist again.
BANG - BANG - BANG!!!
"Come on Fraser!" Chris shouted. "I know you're there, I can hear you breathing! Open up!"
Chris closed her eyes in frustration. She did *not* like being dragged out of practice for a joke. She raised her fist to bang on the door again when it suddenly opened. Chris opened her eyes knowing the Mountie was there, but what she saw of Ben was certainly *not* what she was expecting.
Benton stood before her in all his semi-nude glory. A white towel was wrapped around his hips, but the rest of him was exposed. Chris gasped, she had not expected to see this much of him!
Her lips parted and she flicked her dark eyes appreciatively over his lean frame. His body was the type women dream about - tall, broad shouldered, muscular, and tan. Chris longed to touch him. To run her fingers over his flat stomach and around his shoulders. To kiss the small scars where he was shot and where he was hit by a dead otter as a child. But Chris squelched those feelings, pushing them down and away behind a wall where the other negative emotions lurked. One day that wall would come down, but not today.
This whole exchange took less than a second, and when Ben spoke it startled Chris out of her reverie.
"Chris? You're early."
Chris glanced at her watch; it read 12:05.
"No I'm not. It's a little after twelve o'clock, see?" Chris showed Ben her watch. Sure enough, the digital display read 12:05. "I'm not early, your clock is behind."
"Oh," Fraser remarked. "Well then, come in. I shall only be a minute changing."
Chris walked into the small apartment and shrugged out of her coat. Ben walked back towards the bathroom to change.
"Hey Fraser!" Chris called out to his back. "Put on a button down shirt. Something that won't mess up your make-up when you take it off." She then plopped down on the couch and waited. Diefenbaker got up from under the table and trotted over to Chris and nudged her leg. She laughed softly, knowing what he wanted. She fished around in the pocket of her coat and produced a box of Milk Duds. Dief barked *I want one! * Giggling, Chris tossed one at Dief, who caught it perfectly and happily chewed on the sweet confection.
"You're spoiling him, you know." Ben said mock seriously as he walked into the room. He was dressed in jeans and a soft flannel shirt. *Perfect* thought Chris.
"I know," laughed Chris, "but who can resist such a face?" Dief barked in response.
The two humans laughed.
"Come on Ben," Chris giggled wiping away laughter tears. "Let's get you made up."
Chris grabbed her tackle box of make-up and walked around the small apartment looking for the best light. Finally she found the perfect light...in his bedroom.
"OK" Chris sighed inaudibly, "sit here." She pushed Fraser to the foot of the bed. He sat down hesitantly and looked at Chris. The dancer stepped back and scrutinized Ben's face. Sunlight poured though the window touching his face and hair giving him an ethereal glow. Chris sighed and thought about the make-up to apply. Finally, after a minute of thought, Chris set to work.
Silence settled between them as the young woman began to work her magic. The only sound was of their breathing and the occasional phrase of instruction like "Close your eyes" or "Turn you face this way or that". Other than that, little else was said. There was no need. Ben was able to anticipate Chris' movements and moved accordingly.
As Chris worked, Fraser concentrated on her. He could hear her breathing, feel her breath on his face as she leaned in close to him. He could even smell the faint perfume of strawberries on her skin. When he opened his eyes to look at her, he saw the fine lines of her face. Saw the slope of her long, graceful neck. He saw how her shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show the black camisole she wore underneath. He felt turned on, but hid it. He marveled how such a beautiful woman could not know how enticing she was, how sexy she was.
He also marveled at her touch. Her grip was soft but strong as she held his face to apply the make-up with an expert touch. Gentle fingers brushed a stray lock of hair off of Ben's forehead. As he sat there, Ben began to wonder what that touch would feel like elsewhere. *Stop that! * he chided himself, *she's your friend!* With that, Fraser sat perfectly still.
After what seemed like an eternity, Chris stepped back. She examined her handiwork. *Not bad,* she thought, *the wig and dress should finish the effect.* Ben opened his eyes and Chris had to smother a smile. He did look rather odd like this, but hey, she had seen some rather strange looking real women. Done right, maybe the Mountie could pull it off.
"OK Bennie, let's get you dressed" Chris smiled.
Fraser stood and walked toward the bathroom. Chris could just see the edge of the light green dress hanging there. As Ben closed the door he turned back to Chris.
"I might need some help here too," he said hesitantly.
"I'll do what I can," Chris replied.
Ben closed the door and began to get dressed. Chris stood close by the door in case he asked for help. As she waited, she heard awful strange noises as Ben dressed, but no call for help. So Chris just stood there and waited, with good ol' Dief by her side.
Finally, the door opened and Ben walked out. He walked a little funny, as he had not quite gotten used to the feeling of pantyhose. Other than that, he didn't look half bad. The light green dress Chris saw turned out to be one of the three dresses Ben had gotten. He was actually wearing a dark blue dress. Tastefully cut, the dress didn't look half bad. The skirt was cut just below the knee, flattering Ben's legs. A modest V-neckline showed off enough skin to be tasteful, but exposed his Adam's apple, a dead giveaway that this was not a woman.
"Well?" Fraser asked. "How do I look?"
Chris smiled, "Not bad. Aside from your Adam's apple showing, you might just pull this off. You know, I have the perfect thing to cover your throat, here." Chris went to her knapsack and pulled out a long scarf. The light colors matched perfectly. She looped it behind his head and around his throat. After fiddling with it for a few minutes, she stepped back and nodded.
"Yep. That'll work, now let's do your hair."
Chris removed the thin scarf and again led Ben to the foot of the bed. Again he sat, albeit hesitantly, and looked up at Chris. She smiled down at him and reached out to touch his hair. It had dried already and now stuck up in about a million directions.
"Um...Ben, you got a brush?" Chris asked.
"Sure, over there on the dresser." Ben pointed to an old brush, soft bristled and well loved. Chris grabbed it, feeling the soft bristles on her palm and headed for Fraser. She immediately began work, brushing his short hair, trying to straighten it out a bit, but to no avail. She tried running her fingers through his hair, it worked on hers, it helped a bit but not much. She looked at him, and knew what she had to do. She dug in her tackle box, and grabbed a white tube and turned to him.
"OK Ben, hold still, this might feel cold." She warned him. Now she had to work. She squeezed a bit of the gel into her palm and began to spread it through his hair. He hissed slightly at the cold feeling and Chris mumbled "Sorry", but still she worked the gel through his hair. Then she grabbed his brush and began to slick his hair back. She worked standing in front of him, one hand holding his chin, the other brushing his hair. When satisfied with the front, Chris climbed onto the bed behind him and began to work back there. Ben could feel the warmth of her body on his back and sighed inaudibly. Finally, Chris finished and climbed off the bed.
She looked at her handiwork. His hair was slicked back against his head and the gel had dried. Now all was left was to put on the wig, and except for accessories, the look would be complete.
Chris turned and thought *Now for the wig. Where is that bloody thing?* She posed the same question to Ben who pointed to a bag hanging off a chair. Chris looked in the bag, and sure enough, there was a wig. She pulled it out and cocked an eyebrow at Fraser as if to say *Red?* Ben just smiled that smile of his back in response.
Chris used the same brush and smoothed out the long hair of the wig. The color wasn't bad, a sort of brown-red mixture. Chris smiled, she knew an old friend with hair this color.
A few brush strokes here and there and the wig was ready. Chris stood in front of Ben, wig in hand.
"OK Ben, hold still." Again she warned him, and again she set to work. Chris lifted the wig over his head and brought it down, brushing the occasional strand away. She seated the wig over his scalp and tugged on it to make sure it was in place. A tug here, a flip there and Chris was satisfied. She slipped in a few bobby pins to hold the wig and showed Bennie where they were.
"Now Ben" Chris warned, "these pins will hold the wig, but don't go doing any brave rescues. The wig can come off."
"OK Chris, will do," Fraser replied.
Chris smiled, *Yeah right, fat chance. You always rescue someone.*
"All right Ben, you're done. Go have a look."
Ben walked over and examined his face in the mirror. He cocked his head this way and that and flipped his new long hair.
"Very nice Chris," he remarked.
"Thanks," she replied. "We still have to do your accessories."
Chris dug in her bag. She pulled out pins, earrings, and other pieces of jewelry she threw in the bag. Between the two of them, they picked out a simple pin for the scarf and matching earrings. Chris even produced a woman's watch and bracelet that fit Ben's wrists. Now the ensemble was complete.
Fraser added the accessories with a bit of help and advice from Chris. The last things to put on were shoes. As Bennie did this, Chris added a few feminine things to Ben's purse. A compact, a lipstick, and hair ribbon all went in. Chris showed Ben before closing the purse.
The red uniform Fraser always wore had been packed in a large duffel bag and now lay by the front door. Ben grabbed it after he put on his light green coat. Chris stood beside him, her own coat on her shoulders. She handed Ben his purse.
"Good luck Ben," she whispered and looked up, a reassuring smile on her lips.
At that moment Ben kissed her. Chris reeled, her senses were filled with him and the perfume he wore - "Passion Flower". The kiss was sweet yet passionate. It was filled with promise of more to come at some other time.
Fraser broke the kiss. He stared at Chris' shocked expression and laughed.
"Wow," was all Chris could say.
Again Ben laughed and remarked, "Thank you kindly". He then leaned in and whispered, "By the way, red suits you." With that last remark, they exited the apartment. Chris went her way home, and Ben went his way. Down to the precinct to see Ray and try out the disguise.
*Wonder what he'll say...?* thought Fraser.
THE END