Disclaimer: Due South and its characters are owned by Alliance. I make no claim to them and receive no profit for using them.

Rated: PG-13, Fraser/Meg

Warning: Spoilers for VS, AtQH. If you feel any sympathy for Victoria read on at your own risk.

Crimes of the Heart:

Past, Present, Future Part 3

By Kelly Ward calico321@yahoo.com

Oh dear, Constable Turnbull fretted to himself as he stood outside Inspector Thatcher's office door. Finally he steeled himself and knocked, two sharp raps.

"Come in!" the inspector bellowed, irritated by the interruption.

Turnbull quickly opened the door and walked to exactly 2 meters in front of the desk. "Inspector Thatcher, ma'am, I'm afraid that, um, well that is to say that..."

"Spill it Constable," she snapped.

Quickly Turnbull cleared his throat and proceeded with his report. "You see, Ma'am, it's just that Constable Fraser has come in to work."

Meg Thatcher narrowed her eyes and said, "What? That's not possible."

"Oh yes, I am 83% positive the man that just came in is Constable Fraser. Of course it could be conceivable that it is an imposter, a doppelganger if you will, although he seemed quite like himself as he said hello to me, but...."

"Enough Turnbull! Go tell Fraser that I want to see him immediately."

"Yes Ma'am!" Turnbull saluted smartly, turned and walked out the door, sagging against it after it closed catching his breathe. Finally he went to an office down the hall and knocked.

"Come in," a pleasant voice said. Turnbull opened the door and entered the office that was considerably smaller than the former office had been. He was less formal in his manner but just as solicitous.

"Good morning Constable Fraser. I have come on behalf of the inspector. She requests your immediate presence in her office. Now."

"Thank you Turnbull," Benton Fraser replied as he got out of his chair. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was summoned.

Outside her office door he took a moment to compose himself and make sure his lariat was straight. Shortly thereafter he knocked on the door and entered upon her request.

Ben stood at attention in front of his superior officer and awaited her instructions. She put the finishing touches on a report she was working on on her computer then slowly took off her glasses. She looked at the man in front of her for a time, taking in his features and form. With a slight shake of her head she proceeded.

"Constable, I presume you know why I called you here?" she inquired.

"Well, Sir, I would not assume to know anything that you have not yet told me," he easily parried.

Meg sighed heavily and said, "Fraser you were just in the hospital on Friday; it is now Monday. Don't you think that is a little premature?"

"Premature, Sir?"

Meg sighed again; the man could be truly infuriating. "Constable, what I mean is that you should take time to recuperate."

"Begging your pardon, Sir, but there was no real physical reason for me to be in the hospital, therefore there is nothing to recuperate from."

Before replying, Meg got up and walked closer to him. She secretly loved to smell him, his cleanness, his man-ness. She stood facing him and said, "Fraser you were in a coma for at least five hours, possibly as many as fourteen. Then your heart stopped for 34 seconds. Technically you were dead! Don't you think that is something to recuperate from?"

Ben visibly sagged and said, "I feel fine. I believe I am totally competent to complete my duties as assigned to me."

Meg walked to the window and looked out. With her back to him she said, "Not today you're not. You are officially relieved of duty. You may report tomorrow, if you insist."

"Very well, Sir, but I must inform you I intend to go to the police department and assist Detective Vecchio in interrogating Marta Reynolds."

So that was it. It all came down to her. Marta Reynolds could possibly lead them to Victoria Metcalf. Still staring out the window she replied, "Fine. Dismissed." She could see his reflection in the glass, and watched as he hesitated, confused perhaps by the tone in her voice. Then he turned and reached the door. Just as he placed his hand on the knob, almost beyond her control she whispered, "Ben."

Fraser stopped and turned around, "Sir?" Meg, startled that he'd heard her, also turned around. "What Constable?" she stumbled to cover up for herself.

"You said my name Sir. Did you want something else?" he inquired.

Looking at him, she thought to herself, Was she prettier than me? Did you like kissing her more than me? Can you ever love me? She angrily pushed those undisciplined thoughts out of her head and said out loud, "You must be mistaken, Constable, I didn't say anything."

"Of course, Sir, I'll be sure to have my hearing checked. I must be receiving some sort of auditory hallucination."

"That's not necessary Fraser. We all hear things at one time or another. Now please leave my office and go do what you have to do." She returned to her desk, dismissing him in actions as well as words.

For a time after he left she just stared blankly at her computer screen. She refused to admit to herself exactly how upset she really was. Of course she knew the official story on Victoria Metcalf from police reports. But she also learned the unofficial story, from the unlikely source of Ray Vecchio.

***************

Six Months Earlier

"...Bitch tried to ruin both our lives." Ray Vecchio and Meg Thatcher were seated at a table in a local coffee shop. They had both just been involved in a very chaotic ordeal involving a train, a nuclear weapon, and some singing Mounties. Meg was very confused and had called Vecchio to talk about Fraser. First they spoke of generalities, like his tendency to taste mud or believe every sob story he heard, but the conversation eventually got around to the events that led up to Fraser being shot.

Ray sipped his coffee and looked at her over the rim of the cup. "Inspector, I don't mean to be rude, but do you think this is wise?" he asked her.

"Wise? What are you referring to, Detective?" she countered knowing full well his meaning.

"Benny's one of the best friends I've ever had in my entire life, and I've already watched one woman destroy him. I'm not about to watch another."

"Detective, I appreciate your concern. As a matter of fact I applaud it. I'm not planning on anything happening between Constable Fraser and myself, quite the contrary he is a subordinate in my office and I am prohibited from any social...contact. That does not mean I can't be interested in my officers, especially when something in their past has such a strong impact on their present performance." With that she took a sip of her own coffee and looked out the window.

Ray Vecchio didn't believe a word she said. He knew something happened on that train between the two Mounties, but he couldn't get Fraser to talk about it. Well to be fair, he wasn't really talking to Fraser afterwards, and then they got caught up in work.

Meg turned back to the Italian cop and said, "Please continue your story."

"I didn't know what hit us. One minute Benny's being his normal irritating self, and the next I find out he's skipped out on work so I went over to check on him. It was all so unreal. He was with a woman! I couldn't even make myself believe it at first, but then I figured, hey, he's a man, isn't he? So I let him be. How was I supposed to know?

"When he didn't show for the party I should have known something was really wrong, but I was so hurt and angry I didn't let myself dwell on it. I guess the first time you're betrayed by the one person you never expected it from, it changes things." Ray shrugged his shoulders. How many times had he asked himself Why didn't you know? It killed him not to know if he could have changed the following events if he'd been a little more in tuned with what his friend had been going through.

"So I went to his apartment and confronted him. I just had to get it off my chest. He followed me out into the street to apologize and that's when things went from bad to worse. Dief was shot and the woman disappeared. But there was no sign of a woman, or anyone else in his apartment. She'd wiped the place clean. You know the rest of the story, she shot Jolly and framed Fraser then framed us for passing stolen money. He was steamrolled by the whole thing. I still can't believe he helped her buy those stolen diamonds, even if it was to save me." Ray shook is head. He was getting to the hardest part. "At least we finally had proof and witnesses to her existence. Things should have been starting to look up, but then the dumb fool had to start running after her. He told me later that he was going to go with her. He was going to go with her. I'm sorry I shot him, it certainly wasn't intentional, but now I'm glad it happened. She was like a drug. She was his heroin. And just as dangerous. She would have killed him eventually."

Meg thought this over. " Was he really in love with her?"

"I think so. In his own pathetic way I think he did. So, he doesn't have any taste in women." He looked pointedly at Meg and raised an eyebrow.

"Hmpf! Yes, Detective, you're very amusing," she replied dryly. Then putting aside the insult she said, "Do you think if she contacted him again he would help her?"

Ray's eyes widened slightly and he said, "I hadn't really thought about that. Maybe. She had such a hold on him, and he felt guilt about not letting her go 10 years ago, maybe he would because he doesn't know how not to."

"Thank you for your time Detective. The coffee's on me." Meg got up from the table and went to the cashier to settle the bill. Ray watched her walk out of the shop before leaving. Could her interest be purely professional? He didn't know but he wasn't ready for another round of Benny-in-love.

**********************

Fraser arrived at the precinct and looked for Ray at his desk. Frannie came up to him. "Hi Frase, how're you doin'?"

He turned to her, "Ah Francesca, I'm doing well thank you. Is Ray already interrogating the suspect?"

"Yea, he's been at it all morning. She's not doin' too good. Turns out she's a junkie." Fraser nodded. It all fit.

He started walking towards the interrogation room and said, "I'll just observe then, if you don't mind."

"Hey knock yourself out. Listen if you're still not feeling well, I'd be happy to come over and give you, um, a hand."

"Thank you kindly for your offer, Francesca," Fraser said over his shoulder walking away as fast as he could. "I'll be fine though."

He went into the observation room and leaned against the door for a moment, then went to the one-way glass and watched the scene in the other room. Ray was pacing back and forth, hands gesturing wildly. He had his suit jacket off and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. He looked tired and frustrated. The suspect, Marta Reynolds, looked much worse. There were dark circles around her eyes and her hair hung loose and stringy around her face. Her skin was sallow. She stared down at her hands on the table.

Fraser reached up and pushed the button connecting the intercoms of the two rooms so he could hear as well as see what was happening.

"....how many times're you going to make me ask this question? I'm tired, you're tired, why don't you just answer and we'll get some rest, ok?"

"I don't need rest. I need a fix! Can't you see I'm sick!?" Marta's voice was cracking and she no longer had the bright smile Fraser had first seen.

"Yea you're sick all right! You know I don't understand freaks like you. You had everything. Your daddy owns 20 jewelry stores in this city and you wanted for nothin'. Why would you give up all that for dope?"

"It wasn't a fairy tale, Detective! My life was hard. He hit me."

"Who hit you, your dad?"

"Yea."

"You mean he beat you?"

"Well, he slapped me."

"Slapped you? How many times?"

"I don't know, a few."

"Your father slapped you a few times and you think you had it hard!? Let me tell you something lady, my father came home drunk a few times a week and slapped me around. I wouldn't let him touch my mother or my sisters so I took the brunt of it. And what did I do? Did I turn to drugs and violence? Did I become a wife and child beater? No! I became a cop to put scum like that away. I made a choice.

"People like you whine that your lives are so hard and that gives you an excuse to blame others for your actions. Well I got a big news flash for you: You are accountable for your own actions; you alone are responsible. Everything you do and everything you don't do is a result of your choices, not because Daddy slapped you!" Ray was practically shaking with rage. "I gotta get out of here for a minute. Don't move a muscle," he ordered pointing a finger at Marta. She watched him walk out the door then hung her head.

Fraser was shocked at Ray's outburst. He never knew his friend felt so strongly nor had he heard him speak about his father like that. He wasn't sure he should let Ray know he'd heard him, but he needed to talk to him. He walked out the door and found Ray leaning against the wall, head down, eyes closed.

"Hello Ray." Ray's eyes popped open and he looked up.

"Jesus, Benny, you almost have me a heart attack! Where'd you come from?"

"In there," he motioned to the observation room.

"In there?" Ray repeated suspiciously.

"Yes." Ray just stared at him. "Ray I understand what you were saying."

"You do?"

"Yes, I've done a lot of thinking over the weekend. As much as I loved her, I was excusing her behavior, taking some of the blame myself. While I am still very sorry she was incarcerated for so long, it was her crime that I arrested her for. But more to the point, she is still at large for her later crimes. Ray, I would like to help you find her."

"Benny we are talking about Victoria, right?"

"Yes Ray, who else?"

"Who knows? Alright, Benny welcome to the team," Ray said with a smile as he grabbed his friend's hand and shook it. "Let's go finish questioning Marta."

**************

She watched the cop come back into the room with the Mountie trailing behind. She could barely hide the distaste she felt seeing him.

"You remember Constable Fraser, I presume," Ray said in his most sarcastic tone.

"How do you do Ms. Reynolds," Fraser said, nodding his head slightly in her direction. If anything he was always polite.

"Yea whatever," she said ignoring them. Fraser sidled to the other side of the room, prepared to be a silent observer.

"So, Marta, let's start at the beginning." Ray took a deep breath. "Where the hell is Victoria Metcalf?"

"I told you I don't know!" she shouted at him.

Fraser cleared his throat, his resolve to stay silent forgotten. "Perhaps we should start a little more at the beginning," he said, as Ray was about to tell him to but out. "Where did you meet Victoria?" he asked with only a barely perceptible catch in his throat. She hesitated. Fraser leaned forward and quietly said, "A sin of omission is still a sin. It's not too late to start amending the past."

Almost inaudibly she said, "Prison. We met in prison." Setting her jaw in defiance she looked directly into Fraser's eyes and said, "I was doing time out west for smuggling drugs across the border, five years. She was my roommate. She had been serving a 10 year sentence for armed robbery and assessory to murder. She was probably the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, and she was so smart. But she was full of anger and bitterness for the man that'd put her in jail. She told me all about it, the way he used her then turned her in without a second thought." Still holding his eyes with her own she paused to let the meaning sink in. Fraser never flinched. "We became friends," she continued. "She showed me around and we had great discussions about love, philosophy, anything. It was like we'd been friends forever.

"Finally she got released. I still had about 18 months left on my sentence. I never thought I'd see her again, but shortly after my release she found me here in Chicago. I was staying with a friend, getting back into the swing of things so to speak," she smirked at them both. "There was a knock on the door and there she was, but she looked terrible. She told me she'd been running all night. There'd been an incident at a train station. She was upset. She told me about her plan to buy the diamonds and try to get you to go with her. She was worried you were dead. I took her in and for a few months she laid low. In the meantime our cash flow was running short. It was all Vic's idea. She said, 'Marty, what about your dad?' Of course I told her she was nuts, that he'd never give me anything and she said, 'Who said anything about giving?'" She stopped and waited for them to ask a question.

"Why the note?" Ray asked first. Before Marta could answer Fraser did.

"She was trying to discredit me. To make it look like I was obsessed with a woman who for all intents and purposes didn't exist. Making me looked distraught and unbalanced, unable to perform my duties. She was setting me up for humiliation, for the loss of the thing I cared most about - my career."

Marta nodded, "Once she found out you were still alive, she was elated and incensed at the same time. She kept saying that she'd make you pay, she'd get back at you at any price. But I could tell she was happy you were still alive." She shook her head. "To tell you the truth, she worried me. She kept having these weird mood swings. One day she'd be all smiles and sunshine, and the next she'd just stare out the window muttering to herself. She hardly ever left the apartment because she didn't want to be seen, but she watched TV, and every time there was a news story on a do-gooding Mountie she would be totally absorbed. Her obsession with you wasn't healthy.

"Anyway, we'd decided to split up for a few months before we tried the scam. She went to stay at a motel and we were supposed to meet up once everything went down."

"What hotel?" Ray asked.

"Some dump, called the Crow's Nest. But about a week before the heist she disappeared. I couldn't ask too many questions obviously, so I just had to assume she got scared and went somewhere else. I let things play out and figured she'd be at the rendezvous. Well, the rest is history." Feeling as if she'd betrayed her best friend Marta clamped her mouth shut and sat back in her chair.

Fraser said, "She can't be using her real name. What is she registered as?"

"Eve Kendall."

"Ah," Fraser said simply. "How appropriate."

"Will you testify to any of this?" Ray asked her. She just shook her head no. "Never mind. C'mon Benny let's go get her." The two cops left Marta to her own demons.

**************

Meg decided to call her grandfather. William Thatcher had been in the RCMP for 35 years before retiring. Meg had always looked up to him and he was one of the reasons she joined the organization. Sometimes when she had a problem he was the only one she could talk with. He'd always seemed to understand her.

She picked up the phone and dialed the well-remembered number. It was answered on the 3^rd ring with a gruff "Hello".

"Grandfather Thatcher," she said. "It's Meggie. How're you doing?"

"Meggie, love! What a surprise. I'm fine and dandy, just out working in my garden and came in for some lemonade when the phone rang. How's things in the Windy City?"

"It's been very nice the last couple of months. A lot of sunshine."

"Wonderful! Have you been working to hard? You sound tired. You know Meggie there is more to life than the corp. Don't wait 30 years to find that out like me."

"I know Grandfather. I've been taking it easy," she lied. "I have something important to ask you, confidentially."

"Whoa, confidentially from who? Your father?"

"Actually, the RCMP. I'd like you not to mention it to any of your friends."

"Ah, official problems. Of course Love, I'll keep your secret." Meg smiled knowing she was his favorite grandchild.

"Grandfather, what do think of fraternization?"

"Think like what? Do you have a problem at your post? Need to reprimand someone?"

"No," she said slowly. "It's just that there is this constable here who is...Well I mean that... Oh darn!" She was insane to think she could talk about this to her grandfather.

"You love him, Meggie?"

"Oh! I've never really put that kind of thought into it. I don't know if love is the right word."

"But you like him. Have you been dating this man?"

"That's my problem. What sort of repercussions would there be if I were to date a subordinate? It's certainly a very sensitive topic."

"Meggie, in my day we didn't have that problem, because there were only men. Nowadays, you've got woman running around doing the men's work, no offense, and it causes all sorts of issues. Militaries all over are having that same problem. Honestly Meggie, I don't think much would happen if anyone found out. You'd probably just get a transfer. You've got a hard head on your shoulders, you know how to do your job. If you kept your business life separate from your personal life and were sure this constable could still follow your orders, I say go for it girl! You know, I've been thinking about great-grandkids."

"Let's not jump the gun Grandfather," she said laughing. "Thank you. I appreciate your honesty. I'll let you know how things are going."

"You'd better, or I'll come down there and find out myself. Take care Meggie, I love you."

"I love you too, Grandfather. Goodbye." They both hung up the phone.

**************

The place was a dump just as Marta had said, and it resembled a crow's nest or anything pirate about as much as it resembled the Taj Mahal. Fraser and Vecchio walked up to the counter.

"Hello, my name is Constable Fraser, and I am interested in knowing the room number of an Eve Kendall," Fraser asked politely.

"Can't give that out," the clerk said sullenly.

"Listen you geek," Ray said, slapping his badge on the counter. "I'm a Chicago cop and this woman is wanted for several felonies. So you'd better give us that info PDQ or I'm gonna slap you with obstruction of justice. So now can you tell us what room she's in or not?"

"She's not here anymore. She had some sort of breakdown and they took her away to the looney bin a couple of weeks ago."

"Which hospital?"

"I dunno, County General I think."

"Thank you kindly for your assistance," Fraser said tipping his hat before they walked away.

On the street they started walking towards the Riv. When the reached the car Ray said, "So we goin' to the hospital, Benny?"

"Yes Ray, I have to see her."

The drive was filled with a silence that was audible in its absence. At the hospital they went to the psychiatric wing and asked for Eve Kendall.

"Are you relatives?" the charge nurse asked.

"No, Ma'am, we're with the police," Fraser replied. "We believe this is that same woman who has committed several crimes." With that information the nurse tapped on some keys at her computer terminal.

"Yes, we have an Eve Kendall, brought in two and a half weeks ago in a schizophrenic state delusional, incoherent. She's in room 418, follow the blue line down the hall and to the right." She pointed them in the direction. Fraser thanked her and they headed down the hall, eyes following the blue line. Perhaps it leads to the Blue Room, Fraser thought to himself. They reached room 418 and paused. The door had a small window, probably so staff could check in on the patients. Fraser looked in and saw a woman seated in a chair, obviously drugged. Her dark hair spilled around her face and framed her empty eyes. She slowly rocked back and forth holding a pillow in her arms like a child. Fraser realized she was singing a lullaby in a whisper. His mouth felt dry and his stomach filled with lead.

"Benny are you ready for this?"

"Yes." He pushed the door open and walked in. Ray wisely waited outside. Fraser walked to the bed, which was next to her. He sat for a minute watching her quietly, waiting for her to notice him. She went on singing her soft lullaby. Finally he touched her lightly on the arm. "Victoria? Can you hear me?"

She inhaled sharply, still staring into space. "Yes Ben, I hear you. Where have you been? I've been so cold. I've been waiting for you to come and save me. Where have you been, Ben? We've been here waiting for so long."

"We? Victoria, look at me. Do you know where you are?"

"Of course. I'm in prison. I've been here for almost a year waiting for you to come and save us." Us? Fraser looked at her sitting there with the pillow in her arms and he felt the earth fall away from his feet.

"Was there a baby?" It was then that she looked at him, directly in the eyes. She looked down at the pillow and back at him.

"There was, but convicted felons in prison aren't allowed to keep their babies. He was put up for adoption."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you allow me to take the baby?"

"You turned me in!" she hissed. "It was your fault I was there..."

"No! It was you who participated in a crime. I was doing my job, which I would do again, but I want you to know I am deeply regretful you were sentenced so severely."

"Regretful? I lost a decade of my life and my baby and my heart, all for your God damned job!" He took her hand and brought it up to his mouth and kissed her fingers as she sobbed. "Oh God!" she wailed. "How can I hate you and love you so much at the same time?"

"I'm sorry I can't be the man you want, but I'm the man I have to be. We make choices Victoria. You made yours and you wound up in a deadly situation. I made mine to become an officer of the law and I wound up saving you. It wasn't my job that I valued above you, it was justice, and if I don't have that unfailing belief in justice, then I am not the person you love." He continued to hold her hand in his, and he wasn't even sure if she'd even heard him. She'd gone back to staring into space. He held her hand for a time until she resumed singing her lullaby. He got up, bent down to kiss her check, then left the room without looking back. Outside he walked back the way they'd come with Ray on his heels.

As they passed the nurse's station, the charge nurse asked, "Was it the same woman?"

Fraser replied, "No, Ma'am. It wasn't."

Back in the Riv Ray asked, "Benny how can you expect me to just forget we found her?"

"She been punished enough. I doubt she'll ever get out of the hospital." After they'd driven a few blocks he said, "She said she had a son."

"Wha...What?" Ray sputtered.

"She had my son in prison, and they took him away from her. She refused to tell me about him."

"Are you going to try and find him?"

"No, I don't see the point. I'm sure he's being raised by loving parents. What can offer him? How can I explain what happened to his mother? He's better off without me."

****************

After Ray had dropped him off at his apartment he changed into his jeans and a shirt and took Diefenbaker for a run in the park. By the time they returned it was about suppertime. He was looking through his meager food supply when there was a knock at the door. He was expecting to see Ray when he opened it and was clearly shocked when he saw Margaret Thatcher waiting.

"Inspector! Is there something wrong at the consulate?"

"No no, nothing's wrong. Are you going to invite me in or should I stand out here all night?"

"I'm sorry, please come in." He held the door for her as she swept through. He noticed she was still in her navy skirt suit and assumed she'd come directly from work. He closed the door and looked at her expectantly. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if you had any plans for supper?"

Fraser chuckled and rubbed his chin as he said, "Actually I was just inventorying my provisions and I'm afraid they're rather inadequate."

"Well then, can I interest you in a meal out, my treat?"

"I don't understand. Are you asking me on a date?"

"Actually I am Constable. Is that a problem?"

"Sir, I was under the assumption that, well, that we were on a professional basis only."

"Who says professionals can't eat a meal together. I believe you and Detective Vecchio go out all the time. Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Oh, no!" he exclaimed, turning a very bright shade of red. "I apologize for the misunderstanding and I would be delighted to have supper with you. If you'll excuse me, I'll just get my jacket."

He started to walk by her when she caught his arm. "Fraser...Ben. I was a little misleading there. I know it's been a while since, well since our contact. I've been doing a lot of thinking and I'm afraid it's all about you," she said. "Is it too late? Have I waited too long?" Before he could stop himself the tears came, they fell out of his eyes and down his cheeks. "Oh God, what happened?" she asked him, placing her hands on either side of his head and wiping the tears with her thumbs.

He looked into her eyes. "I've got a lot to tell you, then you can decide if it's too late for me." She nodded and he lowered his mouth to hers kissing her gently as they held each other.

THE END