Title: "Family"
Author: EA Karras and Magnes
Series: Mountie Slayer: Arc 1.5
Rating: PG13

------
Fraser stared at the werekid, unamused. "Yes, I am aware you never had
to attend school before. The fact is, you were never a human before."
He glared at Diefenbaker, frowning. "You know what I meant." 

Ray opened one eye, and grinned. "He giving you trouble, Frase?" 

"He's being increasingly stubborn. I've tried to tell him that there
are going to be other werewolves there. Demon children too. He just won't
listen." 

"Didja tell him Aja's goin'?" 

"No. I had wanted that to be a surprise, but perhaps he'd be more willing
to go if he thought a friend were accompanying him." 

"Works for me." 

*** 

Calhoun woke up to an empty bed. Not an unusual occurance nowadays, since
Tom seemed to be spending his early mornings losing whatever food he'd
managed to get down the previous day, but still worriesome. He wasn't
in the bathroom. 

He found him in the living room, half asleep on the couch, watching cartoons.
He'd dragged one of their blankets out with him and had it wrapped around
himself and Caine, who looked like he was barely tolerating being anywhere
near his father. 

Calhoun stood near the edge of the couch, looking down. Sighing, Caine
scrambled off the couch and headed back to his bedroom to get ready for
school. He noticed Tom watching him.  "You're up early. Not feeling too
well?" 

"Couldn't sleep," Tom said, quietly and tried to burrow deeper into the
couch. His back didn't hurt so much as feel like tiny people were having
tiny wars and setting off tiny bombs inside his spine. He felt James
settle on the couch beside him, and sighed. "Ray said Cassie got in at
3 in the morning." 

Calhoun tensed. "What're you going to do?" 

"I'll talk to her.  To start.  We'll see where it goes." 

Caine came back into the living room looking a trifle frustrated.  Calhoun
immediately faced him. 

"My lord?" 

"Elder, the drawer in my dresser is too heavy for me to open." 

"Of course, my lord." 

When he returned to Tom, the psychic was sitting up.  "Looks as if Cass
isn't the only one that needs a talking to," he commented bitterly. 

Calhoun knelt.  "What do you mean?" 

"Adam needs some manners when it comes to you." 

The Sabbat shook his head, dismissing the rude treatment.  "He's my lord.
He can treat me any way he likes." 

"He's my kid and you're my better half and he /will/ be polite." 

*** 

"Dief, now remember, you promised to behave." 

"Yeah, so if ya gotta wolf, don't lose track of your clothes." 

"Ray!  You're not helping!" 

"Sure I am!  I'm being practical and logical, Frase." 

"Diefenbaker, listen to the teacher and if you think you've missed something,
raise your hand like we taught you.  Show me.  What...who taught you
THAT?" 

"Don' look at me!  Do not be looking at me like that, Benton Fraser!
Dief, raise yer whole arm.  And all yer fingers or your first day'll
be yer last." 

***

 Tom knocked on his daughter's bedroom door, not feeling up to this at
all 

No answer. He knocked again, then pushed the door open. Cassie was lying
in bed, still dressed and staring at a poster on the ceiling. He sat
on the bed beside her and looked right at her. "Where were you?" 

"What?"

"Ray said you got in at 3."

She scoffed. "And you believe him."

He blinked at her, somewhat surprised. "He's got no reason to lie." 

"And I do?"

"Cassie, where were you?"

She pursed her lips, stubbornly. "Out."

He pressed on, "Out where?"

She sat up, glaring at him. He winced, not sure where all this anger
was coming from. "On the docks, flirting with sailors. I was out, ok,
dad?" She flopped back on the bed, sighing despondently. She had been
out with friends, studying. Not that she was about to tell him that.

He stared at her, not sure what to think. "You're grounded," he finally
said, then blinked at himself. He was quite sure he hadn't meant to say
that. 

***

Caine pushed his cereal around in his bowl, eating it slowly. He stared
across the table at Dief, who looked positively un-elated about his first
day of school.  Caine smiled at him, unable to wait. He had never been
a child, at least not since he truly was one. He had never been to a
real school. It would be quite a challenge. 

He frowned at the sound of raised voices coming from his sister's room.
What on earth was going on in there? 

Ray sat by Dief, making him look at him. "Don't let me find out ya've
gone and bitten some kid, got it?" He grinned, mussing Dief's hair, good
natuerdely.  "Unless ya think the punk deserves it, of course." 

"Ray!" Fraser admonished, almost dropping his plate. 
 
But Ray was on a roll.  He pointed across the table at Aja.  "You either,
pops!" 

He laughed at the notion. 

"Don' give me that!  I've seen you eyein' the occasional ankle like it's
a t-bone!" 

"Finish up!" ordered Fraser, distracting his lover with some coffee.
"Tom will pick you both up at two.  I expect rosy reports." 

"Do they have detention in day care?" 

"Ray!" 

*** 

"I have to go see my clan.  My second is calling.  You'll be alright?"

Tom hated to share his Sabbat lover with anyone, especially the nameless
members of his clan.  Try as he might, Tom could not get James to reveal
anything about the vampires he lead beyond the fact that they existed.

"I'll be fine." 

"Will Cassie be going to class today?" 

"Yeah.  I grounded her." 

"Ouch.  Guess that makes you popular." 

"Between her and Adam, I'm really sick of this." 

"Maybe that's why you haven't been feeling well." 

"Yeah.  Maybe." 

James leaned over and kissed him, trying to take all the pain and doubt
away by the sheer immensity of his love for this man. 

He very nearly was successful. 

"You'll call me if you need anything."

"Yeah."

***

While Ray had the day off, Fraser did not. He contented himself by playing
poker with Tom. He won every hand. Grissom was not concentrating.  Finally,
Tom sighed, lying his cards down. He looked incredibly pale, and like
he was in a bit of pain. They all knew pregnancy was extremely difficult
for him, made worse by the extended gestation periods typical for demons.
"You ok?" Ray asked, rubberbanding the deck back together. 

"Yeah. I need to lay down..." He stood up, shakily and made his way towards
his bedroom. 

After the fifth step his legs wouldn't support him. 

Ray ran over, kneeling beside the surprised-looking Tom on the floor.
"What happened?" 

"Nothing...got a little dizzy..." 

"You look like you're about to pass out. Go to bed, I'll pick the kids
up." 

"No, I can...." Tom tried to stand up, falling again before he even got
past his knees. 

"You can lie down. I'll even help. Come on."

*** 

Ray sat outside the highschool, in the GTO and looked at his watch for
the 8th time in a row. He let out the breath he'd been holding. Dief
and Caine were getting restless, unable to sit still in the heat and
silence. 

Thirty minute late. Ok. He could deal with that. 

Forty. Still, he could deal with it. 

An hour was where he drew the line. 

Slamming the car door shut, he led Aja and Dief through the high school
on a man hunt. Or in this case, a cat-bird girl hunt. 

No go. 

"Fuck..." he whispered under his breath, going into the attendance office.

She'd never showed. 

She had never showed. 

*** 

He found her sitting outside a movie theatre talking to her friends.
Screeching the car to a dead halt, he threw open the door and shouted
at her. "Get in." 

"Ray?" 

"Get in NOW." 

*** 
 
She was silent for the first five minutes.  "You gonna tell my dad?"

"Nope," returned Ray. 

She was relieved. 

"You are, Cass." 

"But-" 

"No but's, Cassie!  He feels like crap in this heat even with the air
conditioner on.  He collapsed today.  Have ya forgotten that he's gonna
have a kid?"  He cast her an angry glance.  "Yer not helping with yer
rotten teenage attitude and yer stayin' out and makin' him worry when
all ya have ta do is talk ta him about what ya want ta do.  He's not
unreasonable, Cass.  Don't go treating him like crap because he's yer
dad." 

She sat in sullen, chastised silence.  Finally she muttered, "So I'm
not perfect." 

"Never said ya were or had ta be, Cass.  Just talk to him.  He loves
you so much." 

"I love him, too, I just...want to do things." 

"Ya can.  Just ask.  We all worry, Cassie." 

"I'm sorry, Ray." 

"S'okay.  Let's just go home and cool off." 

*** 

Fraser sat Dief down with a glass of juice.  "How was it?" 

Dief whined and the two of them were off in their own language. 

"Well?" pressed Ray anxiously. 

"He liked lunch.  Ray, tell me you really didn't make him peanut butter
with Smarties on a sandwich." 

"They're nutritious." 

"Ray!" 

"I gave him juice too."

"Well, that's something..."

***

Tom paced back and forth in front of Cassie. "I grounded you. Did I not
ground you?" 

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?" He grabbed the dictionary off her bookshelf. "Look up the
word grounded and show me where it says 'To skip school'. Does it? No."
He ran his hands over his face, aching all over. "You /lied/ to me. You
made Ray run all over town looking for you. What if he hadn't found you?
What then? What would you have done?" 

"Come home..." She started. 

He glared at her. "How? You have bus fare? Cab fare?"

"No, but...."

"Then how were you planning to get home?" He was shouting, he knew he
was shouting. 

She glared at him, suddenly feeling incredibly resentful. "What the hell
do you care? You're so busy with Slaying, and trying to get Adam to like
you that you won't even listen to anyone else." 

"If I didn't care, if I didn't listen I wouldn't be in here, would I?"

"Spending one year as my dad out of the last 5 isn't being a real father,
you know. You weren't even a real father when you were home all the time.
You're always out slaying, or working..." 

"God forbid there be food on the table, or you be able to go to school."

"I don't care about school!"

"Yeah, you don't seem to care about a lot of things!" 

She reddened, "You were a better father when Alex was around. At least
then I knew you'd be around more than a day!" 

He gaped at her, not believing what he was hearing. "A month. No movies,
no television. No computer. No parties. No friends...." 

***

Calhoun closed the door to the apartment, not prepared for the assault
on his ears. Screaming and yelling came from Cassie's bedroom and he
raised his eyebrows, looking at Ray and Fraser. 

The two were playing Monopoly with Caine and Dief. To his ever lasting
amusement, Caine seemed to be losing. To the wolf. 

He looked to the bedroom door, then back at the game. "What's going on?"

Cassie's bedroom door slammed open and out she came in full demon mode
and the first unfortunate in her path was the Sabbat Elder.  She got
one good look at Calhoun and whirled on her father. 

"/HE'S/ a better father to me than you are!  At least he came and got
me!" 

Calhoun looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet, up
to and including a church, than here. 

She caught the look and knew whose side he was on.  She snorted in disgust.

"But I guess all you care about is geting your thrills in." 

"CASSIE!" 

Tom stood behind her. 

"In your room," he ordered.  "I don't want to see you until dinner."

The door slammed hard enough to rattle the pictures on the walls.  Tom
sighed and looked at them apologetically before moving foreward to lean
his head on Calhoun's shoulder. 

"Bad day?" asked Calhoun brightly. 

Tom nodded.  "You have no idea." 

"It looks as-" 

"Elder," interrupted Caine.  Instantly the vampire turned.  Tom stiffened
in his arms. 

"Yes, my lord?" 

"Would you-" 

"Wait a minute, young man," growled Tom, looking up.  "Do /not/ interrupt
when we are speaking.  You /are/ capable of saying 'excuse me.'  I've
heard you do it but only to Ray and Ben.  James is not your servant and
I'm your father, not a doormat." 

For the second time in five minutes, Calhoun looked as if he wanted to
die all over again. 

Tom was in Adam's face.  "A little courtesy, young man, will save you
from a world of trouble.  I'd feel guilty grounding a two-year old, but
trust me, I can handle guilt." 

Caine looked shocked. No one, /no one/ had ever spoken to him that way.
No one except Tom Grissom ever treated him like anything other than the
lord of all vampire kind. 

He stood up, looking sullen and went into his own room, slamming the
door behind him. It didn't make quite as much noise as Cassie's. 

Tom shook his head. "I'm going back to bed..." 

*** 

He lay awake in bed, curling around a pillow. He hated yelling. Hated
having to ground his children, hated being treated like shit by his own
kids. He hurt too much to think, and clutched the pillow tighter. 

Cassie was right. He should've come for her. He should've ignored the
council, and taken her from his mother when he'd gotten out. But, wouldn't
that have just made things worse? 

Tears stung his eyes, and he leaned forward, burying his face in the
pillow. His stomach hurt, badly.  He grit his teeth, trying to work through
the pain. 

*** 

Calhoun looked up as he suddenly noticed it was way too quiet in the
apartment. Glancing at Ray who was reading a note Dief had brought home,
he made his way to Cassie's door. 

"Cassie?" he knocked on it lightly, then opened it. Gone. She was gone.

Drawers and closet doors were thrown open and half empty. A note lay
on the bed. She was /gone/. 

Fuck. 
 
He hurried back into the living room and snapped his fingers, pointing.
"Diefenbaker!  Come on!" 

"What's up?" wondered Ray. 

He handed Kowalski the note.  Your basic you don't understand me, I'm
leaving affair he'd seen dozens of times, with better punctuation than
most. 

"Keep it quiet.  Tell Tom my clan called or something if he comes out.
Check on him later, will you, my prince?" 

He could never refuse when Calhoun referred to him that way.  He only
did it in times of extreme stress. 

"Yeah.  Don' worry." 

*** 

An hour later, Ray entered the bedroom Tom and Calhoun shared.  The psychic
was clutching a pillow desperately, miserable and in pain. 

"Hey."  Ray sat on the bed by his friend.  "How ya feel?  Want some broth?"

"We have some?" 

"Yeah.  I'll heat some up fer ya.  Chicken sound good?" 

"Please," sighed Tom. 

"Kay.  Gimme a few.  James went out.  A clan thing." 

"Oh.  Alright.  Ray?" 

He paused in the door expectantly. 

"Thanks." 

The red-haired detective smiled.  "My pleasure." 

*** 

They had no trouble tracking Cassie.  Her scent was distinct and fresh
and in an hour they were standing outside the ice cream parlor by her
school.  Calhoun watched for a while, Dief hopeful of a snack, until
he saw the object of their hunt leave the parlor. 

 She had her pack and gym bag with her and she looked more than a little
forlorn.  He waited, wanting to see how strong her demonic instincts
were.  Demons could feel people's stares.  Tom knew the moment he was
being watched by anyone and reacted instantly every time.  Cassie was
more demon than Tom... 

After a quick look around, she spotted him.  She seemed to deflate just
a little more, knowing there was no escaping the Sabbat.  She turned
back to the door, contempulating going back in and screaming vampire.

He crossed towards her, quickly. Staring her down. She shivered unconsciously,
remembering that as the same look he'd given her grandmother. 

"Where are you going?" 

She stared at him, refusing to answer. He sighed, getting in her face.
"Where are you going, Cassie?" 

"None of your business." 

He crossed his arms, waiting. 

"It's not like he really loves you," she suddenly sneered at him, trying
to push him away. "One day you'll wake up with a stake in your chest...."

He waited, arms folded.  She had about as much chance as knocking over
a building. 

"Grandma was right about him, too. He's not worth a damn thing as a father
or anything. I wish...I wish he'd stayed locked up!" 

A long stare.  Finally, he spoke. "You done?" 

*** 

Ray peeked into the bedroom, staring at his sleeping friend. Tom looked
better asleep. More healthy. Less pained. Carefully, Ray shook out the
blanket at the foot of the bed and covered the Moloch.  Then he sighed
with relief, closing the door. 

Aja was stepping out of the bathroom. 

"You okay?" asked Ray. 

"I...I've used this time to consider his words.  He's right, Raymond,
I am not very kind to anyone beyond you and your soul and your son. 
I suppose it's because I chose you, not because I was chosen.  I shall
do my best to improve." 

Ray smiled.  "Want some broth?" 

*** 

"You're afraid." 

"I am not!" 

"I can smell it on you, Cassie, you're afraid.  What of?  That I'll tell
your father?  Ray's covering for us.  Tom's asleep right now." 

She stirred her cup of coffee with a spoon, not looking at him.  Besides
them, Dief was eagerly awaiting his burger and fries.  It was getting
dark outside the diner and it looked as if it wanted to rain. 

"I really hurt him, didn't I?" 

"I'd say yes, since that did seem to be your intent." 

"I'm really sorry." 

"I'm not the one you should apologize to." 

She shrugged, still not meeting his eyes.  "What I said before...I know
he loves you.  Really.  More than me, it seems." 

"He loves me differently." 

Dief was quivering in anticipation.  Calhoun reached out and stroked
the boy's spikey silver hair. 

"So...what are you afraid of?" 

"What am I going to do, Jamey?" 

"When?" 

"With my life.  I mean, I get good grades and stuff..." 

"What do you want to do?" 

Cassie bit her lip, hesitant to reply.  "I...I'd like to go to college."

"Then go." 

She sighed.  "We can't afford it, Jamey." 

Confused, he frowned.  "Says who?" 

*** 

He called ahead to make sure Tom was still asleep and they snuck Cassie
into her bedroom with no one besides Calhoun and Ray being any the wiser.

"You'll talk to him?" she asked one last time before going to unpack.

"In the morning," promised he. 

Cassandra Grissom smiled.  "Thanks, Jamey." 

"All better?" asked Ray, fairly certain Diefenbaker was trying to tell
him about something chocolate for dessert. 

"Almost.  She wants to go to college." 

Ray nodded.  "Can you guys afford it?" 

With a long, luxurious stretch and a bone-cracking yawn, the vampire
nodded.  "Yeah.  I'm pensioned, remember?  From two armies."  Another
yawn.  "They didn't take into consideration that I couldn't die when
they signed me on.  I'll collect forever." 

Ray chuckled.  "Aja's passed out.  I'll walk Guess in a minute.  Go to
bed." 

He smiled his gratitude.  "By your command, Prince Kowalski." 

"Yeah, yeah.  Jerk." 

*** 

He silently entered the darkened room and slid into bed behind Tom. 
Wrapping his arms around the psychic, Calhoun nestled close, letting
Tom warm him as he settled his cheek against the back of Tom's neck.

Warm hands slowly reached up and covered his, pulling him nearer and
a soft sigh told him he was home again. 

*** 

"Ray!" 

"Hey, Frase!  Ya escaped early!  What, the Ice Queen melted?" 

"Hello, Guess!  Actually, Ray, she said the party was insufferable dull."

"Wouldn't want her ta suffer boredom." 

"How was your evening?" 

"Uh, quiet.  Me an' the pooch." 

"Ah." 

"Y'know, Frase, I think everyone's asleep back home." 

"Really?  Everyone?" 

"Yeah." 

"It's only nine.  The game is still on." 

"Race ya!"