This wasn't my first DS fan fic, but this is my first to my DS fan fic series, The Trio Series. I believe I completed this back in December of 1996. It has been corrected a little, I'll admit, since I decided to fix up the installments since I wrote them for the new DSA. So, here it is. Enjoy. : )


Simple Gifts
Number One in The Trio Series

SmileyFace

Email: LSky84@aol.com

Flames will be used for toasting marshmallows, otters will given to my friends as Christmas presents. Nice comments will make me smile.
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"Here we come caroling among the leaves so green!"

Constable Benton Fraser rubbed his blue eyes. He glanced at his father's wrist to see exactly what time it was. "6:30AM!" he exclaimed, "I must have slept in!" He quickly jumped out of bed, tripping over his Mountie boots, which caused him to fall. He shivered from the cold that whipped through his open apartment window. The early Christmas Carolers' voices drifted with the cold, and flowed to Fraser's ears. He smiled as he took in the beautiful sounds of the voices filled with Christmas cheer, and the gentle wind that reminded him of past Christmas'.

It was Friday. For Fraser's friend, Raymond Vecchio, it was the best day out of the week. Last day to work, first day to rest, as he often said. Days didn't matter to Fraser. He enjoyed his job as a member of the RCMP, and didn't mind working. Of course, he knew Ray didn't either, except around Christmas. Ray always got antsy around Christmas time when he was working. He often told Fraser, "I just want five minutes of peace and quiet around the holidays, you know?" Fraser being Fraser, he just nodded his head, and replied, "Ah." Then Ray would start asking what, "ah" meant in Canadian, and Fraser would answer, "It's just a word, Ray." And that sentence would start a huge conversation that didn't end until the next day, or until something new came up.

Fraser yawned. Quickly dressing in his red, flannel serge, he slipped on his navy blue, side striped Mountie pants. After a few minutes of combing his thick, dark hair, he grabbed his Stetson, and gave one command to his deaf wolf, Diefenbaker.

"Stay here. If you go anywhere, I won't buy you anything for Christmas. Understand?" Dief barked in reply as Fraser clicked the door shut behind him. Dief jumped on top of his master's neatly made bed, and closed his eyes for a peaceful sleep.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vecchio."

Ray held the phone close to his right ear. "Uh, huh. Yep. Ok, Frank. Catch you later." He hung up the phone, and shot a Nerf basketball inside his garbage can basketball net. But, before it landed, Fraser caught it with his Stetson.

"Hey, Benny. Today's Friday!" Ray exclaimed, grabbing the ball from Fraser's hat.

"Yes, Ray. I know." Fraser smiled. He glanced around the Precinct. There were holiday lights that sparkled in the dimly lit building, and holly wreaths decorated office doors. Even a sprig of mistletoe hung by a thumb tack above the Precinct's entrance.

"Like it, Benny?" Ray asked, noticing his friend's interest with the decorations.

"They are very attractive, Ray. Very...Christmas like," Fraser replied. He glanced over to the entrance again. Unexpectedly, Inspector Meg Thatcher walked through. Ray gasped.

"What's she doing here?" he asked.

"Probably going to ask Leftenant Welsh if she can have the file on the murder on the border of Canada and the United States," Fraser answered. Meg made her way over to Ray and Fraser.

"Good morning, Vecchio, Fraser," she said with a smile. Ray looked at her quizzically. *Maybe the Christmas bug bit her!* he thought. She seemed warm, happy. Very unlike the normal Inspector Thatcher he knew.

"Could you tell me where Welsh's office is?" she asked Ray, who nodded.

"Sure. Straight over that way, the door with the big wreath. Okay?"

"Thank you, Vecchio."

"Yeah, no prob." Ray waited until she was out of sight. "What's up with her?"

Fraser looked confused. "In what sense?"

Ray frowned. "Never mind, Benny," he sighed, and returned to his paper work. Fraser seated himself down on a extra chair next to Ray's desk. He watched Meg discussing different things with Welsh, such as the murder. She groaned, and walked back toward Fraser and Ray.

"Vecchio, one question," she said. Ray looked up from his paper work.

"Go ahead. Shoot."

"Why is Welsh so set in his ways?" Ray smiled.

"What, no file 'till after he's done?" he asked. Meg nodded.

"He says, 'I can't let you have that, until I'm done, Ma'am.' It could really drive a person insane!" Ray laughed, even Fraser grinned. She put her hands on her hips. "What is so funny?" she asked the two men. Fraser stopped, and looked down. As she headed back to the Consulate, she winked in his direction. Fraser looked surprised. Ray grinned. *I could get used to the new Inspector Thatcher,* he thought.

Before Meg walked out, Detective Louie Gardino bumped his way through to Welsh's office. "Sir, we have a situation. Bank robbery on the corner of Elm Street." Louie called. Ray stood immediately, Fraser following. Meg walked back over to Ray, curious.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly as officers got ready to make a bust.

"Another bank robbery this Christmas. Let's hope Santa doesn't show," Ray replied, checking his hand gun for ammo. Meg looked bewildered.

"Last year, before you came to Chicago, there was a bank robbery with 4 dressed-up Santa Clauses, the robbers," Fraser explained. Meg stuck her hands inside her jeans. She looked at Ray the way Fraser always had when he wanted to come along on something. Although, Fraser didn't have to use that look very often.

"Oh, fine. You can come too. At least your dressed for it," Ray agreed, looking at her jeans and sweater. The trio ran out to the Riv and piled inside.

"Now listen. You and Fraser stay *out* of trouble. Is that too much to ask?" Ray asked. The two Mounties, both at the same time, shook their heads. "Good. Now, since I hear your good with a knife, you take this." Ray handed Meg a knife. She frowned.

"What am I going to do with a knife?" she asked.

Ray pointed to a beat up van. "Take it, and bust the tires on that van there. That's what," Ray explained. Meg nodded. "Then meet me and Benny around the corner. Okay?"

"Okay." Meg echoed, waiting for Fraser to get out. She crept around to the van as Fraser and Ray went around to the side of the bank. She jabbed the knife inside all four tires, looking very pleased with the large knife slits she made. She quietly hurried her way back to the two men, making sure she didn't make a sound.

"Your a natural," Ray approved, taking the knife back. "Now let's just hope that was the right van."

The three waited for Welsh's signal on walkie-talkie, then crept inside the bank. Fraser peered over the counter they were hiding behind.

"Status?" Ray whispered. Fraser held up three fingers. Meg shook her head, and held one of her own. Fraser looked back over and saw a fourth coming out of a door way. Unfortunately, he saw Fraser, and yelled:

"Cops!" and the other three ran to the three cops, firing their weapons.

"Great," Ray mumbled, returning fire. Fraser pushed Thatcher down as a bullet flew above their heads. Then he felt a gun jab into his broad back.

"Don't move," a robber ordered, "unless you don't care about seeing Christmas." he cocked the gun, and Fraser slowly rose, along with Ray and Meg. *Where's backup?* Ray thought, raising his hands, and setting his gun down. One came near Meg and grabbed her arm.

"Ooh...look here, Tom! A little lady cop!" the robber called to another robber, who was obviously named Tom. Fraser started getting mad. Ray knew he was in love with her and protective.

"Leave her alone," Fraser ordered. Tom laughed.

"In your dreams, Pal," Tom replied, taking Meg's arm. He braced her to his body. Meg knew they needed a diversion. She met Fraser's eyes with her own, and signaled silently her plan. Fraser blinked back, twice, to tell her yes. Immediately, Meg swiftly kicked her imprisoner as high as her leg would reach. Ray grabbed his gun, and shot one of the robbers, then Fraser gave another a gut punch. Just then, back up came.

"Throw your weapons down. Your under arrest," one officer called. Tom quickly grabbed Meg again.

"Don't move or I shoot," he warned, pushing a gun to her head. Fraser stopped, and looked into Tom's eyes. He saw Detective Jack Huey coming around with a gun.

"Let the women go," Huey said, shoving the gun into Tom's back. "Now." Reluctantly, Tom let go, and raised his hands in the air, but changed his mind, and fled for the get-a-way van. Huey shot at him, but missed. Ray, Fraser, and Meg ran outside to chase him, and saw him climb into the beat up van with four flat tires. Back up came, and surrounded the van, leaving Tom with no other escape left. Ray smiled at Thatcher.

"Like I mentioned, your a natural. Why didn't you ever join the police force in America?" Ray started as the trio walked back to the bank to check on the hostages.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn't but a hour after the robbery that Ray started noticing something in this "new" Inspector Thatcher. He noticed somewhere inside Meg that there was a good heart, a kind soul. She seem to fit in with the two men quite comfortably, but yet, her and Fraser's methods of greeting a commanding officer was a bit different then Ray had expected.

All three walked inside Welsh's decorated office. Meg stood straight and as tall as she could be, her hands neatly folded behind her back. Fraser followed her actions. She had never come into Welsh's office before, except when the people from the French and Canadian Governments came about the Tsimshian mask and just a hour ago. *What could it hurt?* she thought, standing properly. *Besides, it IS the proper way to greet a commanding officer that isn't yours.* she considered. Welsh looked puzzled at the two stiff Mounties.

"What is this, the Navy? Or maybe the Marine Core?" Welsh whispered to Ray. Ray shrugged, confused on their behaviour as well. Welsh finally decided to make his move. "Ok, you two. At ease, or whatever." In unison, the two Mounties separated their legs about a foot apart, with their hands still behind them. They loosened a bit, enough to look normal, in Ray's eyes.

"Okay, more about this robbery. You caught the guy, right Vecchio?" Welsh asked, seating himself down in his office chair. Ray nodded.

"Actually, Sir, we caught them," he corrected. "And, Sir? I have one addition to make to this case," he added. Welsh looked surprise. "With your permission, Sir, I'd like to take Inspector Thatcher here along on my current cases that Constable Fraser and I are working on, including this robbery case, Sir, if she wishes." Meg could feel herself blushing as Welsh looked over her. Welsh nodded in approval.

"Fine, Vecchio," he replied. Ray smiled.

"Thank you, Sir," he said to his boss. Welsh smiled.

"Go solve a crime, officers," he said, motioning them to go out the door. But before they did, Thatcher and Fraser very swiftly, in unison, moved their legs back to the first, together position, letting their arms down to their sides, then walked out with Ray. Welsh shook his head as the officers walked out, with Fraser shutting the door behind all of them.

Meg couldn't help but smile at Ray as they walked down the Chicago street sidewalks. "Why'd you do it?" she asked, curious to know.

" 'Cause I wanted to," Ray replied. "And besides, if you can make another goal like an hour ago, your staying with me and Benny," he added. All three laughed as they walked closely together down the sidewalk, with Meg in the middle of the trio. "And what was with that act you two put on in front of Welsh?" Ray asked the two Mounties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They're working together, all three."

"All men?"

"Nope. One women."

"Hmmm. Where is the girl located?"

"A apartment on Chestnut Drive."

"Bring her to me tonight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fraser had went back to his apartment later that evening to find his deceased father waiting for him. Fraser Sr. Often visited his son as a ghost. "Hello, Son," Fraser Sr. said, sitting on Ben's bed. Fraser smiled.

"Hello, Dad. How are you?" he asked.

"I'm dead, son."

Fraser sighed. "That's right. So what brings you here?" Fraser asked, taking off his Stetson, resting it on his table.

"A message, son," Fraser Sr. replied. His son smiled.

"Really?" Benton asked, a bit sarcastically. Fraser Sr. nodded.

"Yes, son. Something special is going to happen midnight on Christmas Eve," Fraser Sr. replied. Fraser frowned.

"Wouldn't that be Christmas Day, really?" he asked. "And how do you know what's going to happen?" he added in confusion. Fraser Sr. smiled.

"Simple gifts, son. Courage, trust, and love. They're the best things a man could give another at Christmas. Gifts you can take anywhere and give to anyone. You have to trust your father, son." And with that, Fraser Sr. disappeared from Fraser's sight.

"He comes. He goes. Never a word of warning," Fraser sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trio said they'd meet each other at the Precinct, after the morning's work was done at the Consulate. Meg walked up to her apartment door, but found it ajar. Cautiously, she peered around inside the hall way of her apartment building, but found no one in sight. Ready to defend herself, she kicked open the door, and looked around. Nothing was out of place, no one was in the place. At least, that's what she thought until a man grabbed her around her neck. She screamed, but he muffled it with his large hand, and held the shiny blade of a knife close to her throat. Her breathing quickened, and her heart raced as she thought of what to do. Without speaking, he lead her down the back way stairway, and pushed her into the van he drove there with. She glared at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked. He threatened her with a loaded pistol.

"Move and your dead," he replied, continuing to drive to where his boss was waiting. They stopped at a old ware house in downtown Chicago. The man grabbed her by her hair, and lead her to the building, still holding the knife close to her throat. She winced in pain as he dragged her to a dark room. She could hear a man breathing heavily. Suddenly, lights flashed on and her imprisoner's boss smiled wickedly at her. She planted her feet on the ground and stared the boss.

"Well, well, well! And what do we have here? A pretty lady police officer, hmm?" he said, circling around her.

"Who are you?" Meg asked, determined to know who these men were.

"My name is Travis. And yours, dear?" Travis asked, standing directly in front of Meg.

"It's none of your business," she retorted. Travis frowned.

"Well, if *my* name's important, then yours must be too," he explained. Meg looked smartly at Travis.

"I didn't ask for your name. I just asked who you were," she replied. Travis frowned. His temper was rising, she could see it in his face. Travis' eyes narrowed.

"Ok, girl. Sit." He shoved her down to the floor. Meg winced at his actions, and sat on the floor while Travis went to get handcuffs. The man who kidnapped her watched her with a gun aimed directly at her. Travis reappeared with two pairs of shiny metal handcuffs and bent to cuff Meg. "Wanna know where I got these?"

Curiosity killed her. "Where?" she asked. Travis smiled evilly.

"From the two dead cops over there," he laughed, cuffing Meg tightly to a metal bar that was rooted deep into the earth. He cuffed her feet together. Meg only hoped it wasn't Fraser or Ray.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knock, knock, knock!

Fraser tried Meg's office door the next morning. He frowned when there was no reply.

"Inspector? It's Fraser. I was just...well, actually, I...well, you see...in a manner of speaking....under these circumstances...I was hoping...can I come in?" he asked outside the office. Still no reply. Ovitz passed by, shaking his head.

"She hasn't come at all this morning. Her car wasn't even around. Don't know where she could be other then home with a friend..." Ovitz trailed off into silence as he copied a file in the Xerox machine. "You know, she's been acting a bit weird lately. I'm just saying to watch out...if she happens to have a male friend," Ovitz added. Fraser frowned. He sighed and decided he'd check the Precinct. Maybe she felt like going early.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vecchio," Ray answered his phone. "Uh huh, Frannie. Look, I gotta go, Fraser's coming! Bye!" Click! Ray sighed as Fraser entered the Precinct, scanning the officers for his superior. "What's up Benny?" Ray asked, seeing the troubled look on his friend's face.

"Inspector Thatcher wasn't in the Consulate...I was curious if she was here," Fraser explained. Ray shook his head.

"Nope. Haven't see her here at all," he replied. Fraser sat down beside his friend. "Maybe she'll come here though, or something," Ray suggested, trying to be hopeful. They both nodded at the same time...wondering if what Ray had suggested was true at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As it turned out, it wasn't. Ray and Fraser waited almost the whole day at the Precinct, calling the Consulate, checking the house line. But still, she was nowhere to be found. Fraser tried to think on how she would disappear from her apartment.

"Who knows?" Ray asked. "We've been hunting for clues all morning, Benny. Still, like Ma always says when you try to find something real hard, you never notice that it's right smack in front of your nose," Ray quoted, sighing. Fraser perked up.

"In front of your nose," he repeated. Fraser thought about Meg being braced to Tom. *The robbers...four! That's it!* he thought. Ray looked confused.

"Yeah, Benny. It's an expression," Ray replied. Fraser shook his head.

"No, no! Don't you see? Remember when we were behind the counter at the robbery?" Fraser asked. Ray nodded.

"Yeah."

"And remember how Inspector Thatcher told us there was four robbers?" Fraser asked. Ray nodded.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, remember how you shot the one, I punched the other, and Tom almost got away. But what happened to the fourth?" he asked. It clicked in Ray's mind. He sprung up along with Fraser.

"That's it, Benny! That's it!" Ray shouted. The two were about to go out the door when Ray got a phone call. Before he picked it up, Fraser shouted:

"Tap the line! It could be him." Ray nodded, and set up the tap. Ray motioned for Fraser to pick it up...and he did. "Hello?" he answered casually.

"Constable Fraser. Your friend has told me much about you," Travis said. Fraser couldn't control his emotions.

"Where is she?" he asked angrily. Travis laughed.

"Don't worry, she's fine. In fact, she wants to talk to you for a bit. Here she is." Travis said, letting Meg talk.

"Fraser?" she managed to whisper. Fraser gripped the phone even tighter. He was talking privately, yet they were tapping the message.

"I'm here, Inspector. Are you ok?" he asked, concerned.

"I can't say that, Fraser. You have to come to the warehouse on the corner of Dodge Street and Fare Lane at 11:30PM tonight. You have to come alone with a black suitcase with contents of $12,000 dollars. If your a minute late, he'll kill me." The phone went dead in his ear. Fraser held it up, wishing he could see her. To know she was okay. He trembled as he hung up the phone. Ray waited until Fraser spoke.

"He said to come alone with a black suitcase with $12,000 dollars. If I'm a minute late at the warehouse on Dodge street and Fare lane, he'll kill her," Fraser explained. About fifteen minutes later, Agent Ford came inside the Precinct.

"Gotta call from Detective Huey. Said a certain Inspector Thatcher of the RCMP was kidnapped," Ford said, tossing his brief case on Ray's desk. Fraser and Ray exchanged glances to each other. Then in unison, they replied:

"He said come alone."

"Look, guys. That's what they all say. Now about our plan..." Fraser interrupted in Ford's sentence.

"Agent Ford, I do respect you and your work, and your help that you do give, but this is my superior's life on the line. We'll do as he says," Fraser replied. He left the building, leaving Ray to catch up to him outside.

"Man, Fraser, you really blew up back there!" Ray remarked, jogging next to Fraser. He turned to Ray and said one thing that rung in Ray's ears:

"It's because I care."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meg pulled at her hand cuffs...but almost like a straight jacket, they became tighter as the more pulling she did. Finally, she gave up. Her ankles were sore, and her wrists almost raw from the tight bonds Travis kept her in. She watched Travis and the other man named Frank talking about 10 feet away from her.

"Sounds like we're gonna get our money, huh?" Frank said, glaring at Meg. Travis shook his head.

"No, my friend. I'm going to get *my* money!" Travis laughed, pulling a gun out of his breast pocket and shooting Frank. Meg jumped as she watched Frank fall to the ground, dead. Her breathing quickened as Travis walked closer to her.

"No fear, darling. I need you. Although...you being dead could work even better. See, I get my money first, and then I give Constable Fraser your body. Hmmm..." Travis thought, bending down to Meg, who still sat on the cold ground as Travis laughed evilly, putting his gun away. Meg closed her eyes as he walked away, laughing to himself. She shivered at the thought. Was Fraser to come at all?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fraser and Ray had left the Precinct at 10:00PM that night to get changed out of their dress clothes, but of course Ray insisted he'd wear his clothes he had on, since they were his normal clothes. Fraser stepped outside his bathroom in his apartment with a pair of blue jeans on and a gray shirt. Ray waited outside the bathroom in the apartment, and grabbed his coat when he saw Fraser come out.

"Let's go, Benny," Ray said. Fraser nodded, but before he left, he gave a wrapped package to Dief.

"You can open it now. Yes, I was saving it. You really didn't think I wouldn't buy you anything? Goes to show how much you know. I hope you like it...I picked it myself," Fraser said, patting the wolf on his furry head. Dief growled happily, licking the brightly wrapped bone and resting his head on it. Fraser grinned. "Ok...save it. But I will be back. I promise. Goodnight, Dief and Merry Christmas, just in case," Fraser added, shutting the lights out, and closing the door behind himself, leaving Dief with his half opened package.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ok, men. This is how it works. The Mountie gives the guy the money...gets the girl, and we arrest him. Clear?" Ford explained. Fraser raised his hand. Ford frowned. "What?" he asked, a bit annoyed.

"First of all, I'll give him the money, yes. But I probably won't get Inspector Thatcher back then. If he's a smart robber, he'll try to trick me into giving him the money and walking away with both..." Fraser stopped. Everyone looked puzzled. Fraser bent to Ray in private.

"Ray, who was the victim of the murder on the border of Canada and the US?" Fraser asked.

"A second grade teacher, why?" Ray asked. Fraser lifted his head.

"What sex, Ray?" He asked.

"Female...oh my god. I knew I knew that guy from somewhere," Ray said. Fraser and Ray both thought the same thing.

"Me too. I recognized him from the mug shots. He's not going to wait around. Remember the case? It said, 'The FBI showed a minute late, but found the second grade teacher dead with a bullet to the heart.' He's not going to keep her alive. Damn, I should have known!" Fraser yelled softly. Ray took his friend by the shoulder gently.

"Let's move!" Ray commanded to the FBI officers.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Travis checked his watch. "They'll be coming any minute, darling. But first, I wanted to give you something to remember me by," Travis said, taking a cigarette out of his mouth and holding it close to her pale cheek. She tried to back away from it, but she couldn't. A man's voice stopped them both.

"Don't touch her, Travis. I have your money," Fraser said, showing him the suit case. Meg's eyes widened at Fraser's presence. Travis eyed the case.

"Slide it over...slowly," he ordered. Fraser did so, and Travis opened the case and peered into it. He saw the stacks of crisp bills tied together inside, and shut the lid. Fraser knew Travis' next move. He stepped forward toward Meg. "I don't think so, Constable," Travis said, as he uncuffed Meg and dragging her with him. The two pairs of eyes met. Meg's were scared, any fool could see it. Fraser's signaled a secret message that only he could write:

"You'll be fine. I swear it."

A sharp pull from Travis broke the steady stare the two shared. Fraser stopped him. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked. Travis looked confused.

"What's that, Constable?" he asked. Fraser nodded toward the case.

"It's blue. You said black. Just thought I'd point that out." Fraser replied. Meg's mouth opened slightly. Was he asking for her to be killed? Then she remembered his message. What *was* he doing anyway? Travis looked at the case.

"Don't move or I shoot," he warned, seeing Fraser was right. The Mountie stopped him again and stepped closer.

"And your also forgetting that nothing or no one will stop me from turning wrong into right, Travis. And they feel the same way," Fraser added. Suddenly, three bright lights flashed on, police cars were lined on the street, and 12 officers were aiming at Travis with their loaded weapons. Travis stared at Fraser. Ray jammed a gun into his back.

"Yeah...especially me. Hands above your head," Ray said, cuffing Travis. Meg was let free, but before she could get to Fraser, Ray got there first. "Way to go, Benny!" he congratulated his friend. Fraser smiled in response. Agent Ford came next.

"Good job," Ford said. Fraser nodded at him, with a half smile.

"Thank you kindly," he replied. And finally, Meg came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Fraser was surprised at her actions.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Fraser looked down to her with a crooked smile.

"Me? Your the one who was kidnapped!" he replied, equally checking her. Their eyes met; Fraser pulled her around the corner to a private, moonlit alley. The stars twinkled above them.

"You know, I just realized the police officers that were aiming at Travis...there was 12 of them," Meg said.

"So?" Fraser asked, a bit confused. Meg smiled.

"12 days of Christmas...12 officers of Christmas Eve," she explained. He nodded.

"Yes...that is true. I didn't realize it before," Fraser acknowledged.

"And just what were you trying to point out with that suit case thing?" Meg demanded. Fraser smiled down at her.

"Black is black and blue is blue," he replied. "But I still think something."

"What?" she asked, still standing closely to him.

"Red suits you," he replied. Meg stared into his eyes. At once, they both looked at the tall tower clock that bonged it's second chime for the hour twelve. Fraser smiled and pulled Meg into his arms and kissed her passionately.

Three...four...

Deeper and deeper...

Seven...eight...

Hugging closely...

Ten...eleven...

Thatcher pulled away from Fraser on the 12th chime. "Merry Christmas, Fraser." she whispered. Fraser smiled.

"Merry Christmas...Meg." The two joined in another short kiss before Meg rested her head on Fraser's chest. He smiled and looked up the twinkling stars that shone bright in the dark sky and whispered:

"Thanks, Dad."


fin.