justacupofcoffee   

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 Icecat62 
 
 

 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."