Standard Disclaimer: due South and it's characters belong to Alliance. I just use them for fun. Hopefully they will return to their world unharmed and ready for other people to play with them.

WARNINGS: PG-13

PAIRING (S): Meg Thatcher/Ben Fraser

TEASER: What happen's after they had coffee.

SPOILER: The Edge.

Just a Cup of Coffee

Meg Thatcher sat behind her desk working on another one of those long, boring reports that she detested. It was part of her responsibilities as an Inspector in the R.C.M.P., so she completed them with precision. But today she was having trouble focusing on anything. The nausea, the dizziness - she couldn't concentrate. The only thoughts that she had were to keep from throwing up. But the feeling wouldn't go away. With a panicked lunge, she grabbed at her waste basket and tossed her breakfast of croissants and coffee into the receptacle.

Staring down into the mass of papers and vomit she tried to think why she may have gotten sick. The croissants? No. Bread wouldn't make her sick. Last night's dinner? No. She would have felt alot worse if it had been food poisoning. The coffee? How in the hell could the coffee make her this sick? She felt herself slowly growing numb. The coffee. It was the coffee. It had to be! She hadn't done anything since the coffee and now she was getting sick. *Oh my!*

With shaky hands she picked up her phone and pushed the button for Fraser's extension. "Constable Fraser, speaking may I..." "Fraser, I need you in my office immediately." She hung the phone up and sat still. Taking several deep breaths, she prepared herself for Fraser's arrival. The soft knock at the door meant he was here. "Come in." He walked slowly to the front of her desk. His carefully schooled features were blank. No emotion. No nothing. That was another of her problems. Her telling him to forget was the problem.

"Sir? You requested my presence?" "Uh, yes. I believe that we may have had a little accident." "We, Sir?" "Yes. We. I believe that the 'coffee' that we shared...is...well...I am 'sick'. I think." Fraser stared at her in confusion. "I do not recall sharing any coffee with you today and I feel quite well. Perhaps you may be coming down with the flu, Sir." "No. I do 'not' have the flu. I think it's 'the coffee'." She stared at him. "The coffee?"

"How can you be so intelligent and so dense at the same time? The 'coffee' Fraser. Last month. The 'coffee' we shared last month, after the incident at the trade agreement." His head cocked to the side as he mulled over her words. "The 'coffee' we shared last month, after the incident at the trade agreement, is making you sick now?" "Yes." The look of confusion was slowly replaced by one of surprise. "Are you sure? Have you seen a doctor." "No, I haven't gone to the doctor. Maybe it's not the coffee. At least I'm hoping it's not." She saw the flicker of disappointment on his face.

"Maybe you should go to the drug store during lunch. To see if it is the coffee that is making you sick." "Why would I go to the drug store to find that out?" Fraser hesitated and cracked his neck, a sure sign of his discomfort in discussing the situation. "I believe that they have tests for something of this nature. So that we may be able to ascertain that it was the coffee that is causing you to be ill." Thatcher nodded her head slowly. "That is a reasonable suggestion. Come back here at twelve. Dismissed."

Fraser didn't move. "May I inquire as to why I am required back here at twelve?" Thatcher stared at him dumbfounded. "You shared the 'coffee' with me, therefore you should be involved in the entire process." "Understood." He turned smartly on his heal and left her office. Once the door closed, she rested her head on the desk. "All he asked for was a simple cup of coffee. All I wanted to do is share it with him. How could I be so stupid?!"

The next few hours seemed to last forever. As always, Fraser was prompt. Twelve o'clock on the dot he entered her office. "Come on. Let's get this over with." Fraser gave her another disappointed look, which she tried to ignore. The questioning look that Turnbull shot them as they left the consulate together made her feel uneasy. "Fraser, whatever you do, I am asking you not to reveal this to anyone...about our sharing the coffee." This time his look was one of extreme hurt. "No, I have not, nor will I ever speak of the incident." "Very good."

They took her car to the nearest drug store and slowly walked around the isles. "Where are they Fraser?" "Where are what, Sir?" She stared at him again. "Oh! Yes, oh dear. I've never had the need for this type of thing in the past." She grabbed him by the upper arm and pulled him through the store. "Come on!" They finally found the isle that they were searching for. The two of them stood looking rather dazed at the selections that were made available to them. "Uh, which one.?" Fraser only stared at the packages. Reaching out a hand he plucked one from the counter.

"This one, Sir?" As she read the package, she let out the breath that she had been holding. "I guess so. It says it's fast and accurate up to a percentage of ninety-seven. This will do." As they both turned to walk to the cash register they bumped into Ray Vecchio. "Hello Inspector! Hi Benny! What'cha doin' here?" Ray looked at the item in Thatcher's hand and then at Fraser's beet red face. "You're kidding?" A big grin appeared on his face. "You two?!"

Thatcher looked angrily at Ray. "We had coffee, all right!" "Yeah. And what was for dessert?" "Ray, that is enough." "O.K. Touchy, Benny. Well let me know how your test comes out...for the coffee. I'll see you after work Benny, maybe you can tell me about it." Ray walked away from the pair shaking his head. "You will not discuss this with him. Is that understood?" "Yes, Sir. I believe that we had already discussed my talking to others about this matter." "Fine. Let's hurry up and get out of here before someone else you know walks in."

Once back at the consulate, they went to her office. Opening the box they read all pertinent instructions. "It seems simple enough. The plus sign means yes. The minus sign means no." "Cross your fingers for the minus sign. I'll be back in a moment. Stay here and do 'not' answer the door or the phone." Thatcher walked to the bathroom at the back of her office, leaving Fraser to fidget at her desk. In a few minutes she came back and set the item on her blotter.

"It said to wait five minutes." Thatcher sat in her chair and Fraser stood to the side of her. They both stared at the item. "I may seem a bit out of line saying this, after you had told me to not mention the coffee again." He took a deep breath. "But it was the best coffee that I have ever had and I would have liked to have shared...many more cups with you." Thatcher turned to look at him and smiled slightly. "It was the best coffee you ever had?" "Yes." This time Fraser smiled back at her.

"And what if that one cup, is what is making me sick?" "Then maybe we could some how make arrangements so that we could have coffee on a permanent basis. Sir." "I don't know. I don't think certain people would like us sharing our coffee...together. Every day." "But if the coffee is making you sick then wouldn't that be the proper action to take?" "Not necessarily. "I could do something that would take care of...the problem." Fraser's face fell. "You wouldn't do that would you?" "It would be up to me." "Yes, I know. But having coffee with me, every day...would it be that bad?"

"No, Fraser it wouldn't. To be honest...sharing my coffee with you everyday, for the rest of my life would be rather nice." "That is how I see it. If it isn't the coffee that is making you ill, would you still consider...sharing more coffee with me?" Thatcher looked at him startled. "Even if this isn't...from the coffee this time?" "Yes." She smiled back at him and shook her head. "I don't know. It's a big step. There would be alot of complications. Sharing coffee together is a big step." "But we have already shared one cup together...why not continue it?"

Looking at her watch, she took a deep breath. "This is it, Fraser." With slightly shaky hands she pulled the stick apart. Peeking at the results she let out a small gasp. "It's a plus sign." *It's positive.* She looked back at Fraser. He had the biggest smile on his face, that slowly disappeared when he saw her ashen, shocked one. "Sorry. But...I can not help it." "I know. But, this is a big...cup of coffee, Fraser. We are talking the whole pot. Not an occasional cup here and there." "I know. But as I have stated...your's is the best coffee that I have ever shared." "I guess this means we'll be sharing our coffee then." "Everyday?" *I can't believe I'm doing this.* As she looked at Fraser's smiling face she made her decision. *Sharing coffee with him the rest of your life, won't be such a bad thing.* "Yes, Ben. Everyday."

Ray pulled the Riv up to the steps of the consulate to be greeted by Fraser, who was smiling brightly at him. Opening the door he let Diefenbaker in the back seat and he slid into the front seat, placing his stetson on the dashboard. "So Benny. What was the deal at the drug store with you and Thatcher? Are you allowed to talk about it?" Fraser turned to him, looking more excited than Ray had ever seen him in his life. "Yes, Ray. Meg and I are going to be drinking our coffee together on a permanent basis." "Huh?" "We are going to get married." "And the thing in the drug store?" "It was a plus sign!" Ray shook his head in amusement. "Congratulations Benny." "Thank you kindly Ray."