ohitshalloween.html   Title: Oh It's Halloween 1/1 
Author: Icecat62 
Rating: PG 
Genre: Gen 
Category: Holiday 
Pairings: FraserFrannie 
Spoilers: None. 
Teaser: Fraser experiences Halloween. This is set the first year Frannie
and Fraser started dating. 

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. 

Originally posted at RedSuitsYou@egroups.com - October 2000. 

    Francesca smiled up at Fraser as he walked over to her desk at the
twenty-seventh precinct. "So Benton...what do you want to be for
Halloween?" Fraser gave Francesca a confused look. "What do I want to be?"
"Yeah...you know...what costume are you gonna wear when we give out the
candy?" "We're giving out candy? Where?" Francesca rolled her eyes and
then paused. "Oh yeah. You weren't there last year. Maria and Tony will be
takin the kids out and we give out the candy at home. We all get dressed
up. You should have seen Ray last year. He was a vampire." She grinned at
the visual she had of Ray in full vampiric mode. 

    "So...what do you want to be? A fireman?" She leaned over her desk and
whispered. "You already have the big hose for it ya know." The blush she
expected creeped up Fraser's neck and onto his face. Fraser remained
silent, keeping his head tucked down. Ray walked over to the pair. 

    "Frannie, what are you doin to him?" "I'm not 'doin' anything, I'm
just askin him what he wants to be for Halloween." Ray smiled broadly.
"Yeah, I can't wait. I'm gonna be a ghoul this year. So what do you wanna
be Benny?" Fraser looked up, his face confused. "I don't know. I've never
participated in this ritual before and..." Ray held a hand up, stopping
him from speaking. 

    "Wait a minute. You're tellin me you've never dressed up for Halloween
and gone trick or treating?" Frannie stared at Fraser, feeling sorry for
him as he shook his head no. "Why not? I thought they did Halloween in
Canada." 

    "Well yes Ray, they do, but my grandparents thought that it was a
wasteful pagan ritual which..." "Benny! It's fun! You can be anything you
want to be! You gorge yourself on chocolate, bob for apples! What in the
hell was the matter with your family!?" 

    Fraser frowned. "There was nothing wrong with my family, we just
didn't do those things." Francesca frowned back at him, crossing her arms.
"You're gonna tell me your Mom never took you trick or treating before?" A
look of sadness crossed over his face. "We lived rather far from anyone
when my Mum was alive. The Inuit people had their own type of celebration
for the undead. In a ceremony they would..." "Benny." Yes Ray?" "No Inuit
stories." "Yes Ray." 

    Francesca stood up and hugged Fraser. "I'm sorry. You missed out on a
lot ya know." "Yeah Benny, Halloween has always been a big deal for us.
Ever since we were kids, we'd decorate the house and Ma would do the candy
and stuff. You should have seen the candy I use to get." Ray got a far
away look. "I can still taste Mrs. Zeigler's candied apples. They were the
best." 

    Francesca grinned. "Well Benton, this year you're gonna have your
first Halloween. What do you wanna dress up as?" "I don't know." "Come on.
What did you always wanted to be when you grew up?" "A Mountie." "No,
seriously. What did you always dream of doin when you were a kid?" Fraser
sighed. "I never wanted to be anything other than what I am. As long as I
can remember, I wanted to be a Mountie like my father." Ray shook his
head. "You're a mess." 

    Looking Fraser over, Francesca smiled brightly. "I have an idea. I
know something that wouldn't be that hard to do and you'll look great
dressed up as it." "What are you gonna make him, Frannie?" "No way. You'll
have to wait. I'm gonna make him a good costume." Fraser gave her a wary
look and she waved a hand at him. "Oh calm down, I won't make you wear
anything dopey. You just wait. You're gonna love it!" 
  
  
  

    Halloween night came. Fraser cautiously approached the Vecchio home.
It was still daylight and he had come over early to let Francesca dress
him up. The few things she had asked him to bring, confused him. Ringing
the doorbell, he looked around the porch, smiling at the fake spider webs,
corn stalks and decorations that were hanging in the windows. 

    The door flung open and Francesca grabbed him, pulling him excitedly
into the house. "Come on Benton, we've been waitin for you to get here!
We're carving the pumpkins!" "Carving?" She smiled and shook her head,
grabbing his hand, pulling him into the kitchen. The entire Vecchio clan
was crowded in the kitchen, pumpkins were on the table and knives were
laid out. Tony and Maria's children were dancing in place. 

    Angelo yelled out to Fraser. "Uncle Benny! Can you help me do my
pumpkin?!" Francesca pushed Fraser toward a large pumpkin at the end of
the table. "Sorry Angelo, but I'm gonna make Benton do his own. He's never
done this before." The children all stared at Fraser, making him feel
uncomfortable. Tony Junior gave them a skeptical look. "You've never cut
up a pumpkin before?" "No." The silence in the room was deafening.
Francesca didn't like it one bit. 

    "Okay everyone. So he's never carved a pumpkin before. The fact that
he's gonna make a Vecchio style pumpkin his first time out means he's
gonna be makin only the best, don't ya think? You think you guys can show
him how it's done?" All three of the kids smiled and nodded their heads
enthusiastically yes. Grabbing their knives the two older children began
carving their pumpkins, Tony helped Angelo. Fraser watched in fascination
as each child scooped out the seeds, squishing them in their fingers.
Angelo grinned as he held up the pumpkins inside. "Look Uncle Benny.
Guts!" 

    Once the three children were finished with their pumpkins, they all
looked expectantly at Fraser. "It's you're turn Uncle Benny." Francesca
handed Fraser a knife. "Go ahead, give it a try." Fraser stabbed the knife
into the top of the pumpkin, carefully removing the top portion. He rolled
up a sleeve and began to take out the insides. Angelo grinned. "Squish the
guts, Uncle Benny. It feels neat." Fraser closed his hand slowly, watching
the pumpkin seeds and pulps ooze through his fingers. A small smile
crossed his face. 

    Francesca grinned as she watched the smile appear on Fraser's face.
Here he was a grown man, never having the chance to be a child. It was
special getting to watch him enjoy something as simple as carving a
pumpkin. Placing the 'guts' on the newspaper, Fraser began to carve the
pumpkin. She peeked over at Ray who was grinning from ear to ear at the
look of deep concentration on Fraser's face. Fraser was oblivious to the
family watching him. His entire being was devoted to making the face on
the pumpkin. 

    Standing back from the table, Fraser eyed his work and smiled. "Is
this adequate?" Turning the pumpkin to the room, the adults mouths dropped
and the children yelled out their approval. "Cool!" "Woooooow!" "Mom look
at it!" Ray shook his head. "You're amazin. You say you never did this
before?" "No Ray." "That has to be the best pumpkin I've ever seen." 

    Francesca leaned forward and stared at the skull that Fraser had
carved out. "This is great! We'll have to put it on the top rail where
everyone can see it." Reaching up, she hugged Fraser. Pulling back, she
gave him an evil grin. "Now we have to get you in your costume." 
  
  
  

    After cleaning up, Francesca pulled Fraser by the hand and out of the
kitchen. "Did you bring the stuff I asked you to bring?" "Yes..." "Okay,
then let's get you dressed." She giggled as they went up the steps. "Boy
is Ray gonna be surprised." Fraser stopped them in the hall. "Why will Ray
be surprised?" "Oh don't worry, it's nothin bad." She pulled him down the
hall and into her bedroom. Closing the door, she smiled at Fraser. 

    Running over to the closet, she whipped open the door and pulled out a
plastic wrapped suit. Fraser grinned and then it faded. "Francesca, I
can't wear that. Ray won't like it." She smiled at him. "He won't care. I
bet he gets a kick out of it." She stripped the plastic off the suit and
held the jacket out to him, her smile growing wider. "Come on Benton. Put
it on." 

    He slowly took the jacket from her, the smile reappearing on his face.
"He will be surprised to say the least." Snickering, she grabbed a bag
from the closet and dumped it out on the bed. Shaking his head, Fraser
laughed softly. "You are amazing." "I know. That's why you love me. Now
hurry up, I want everyone to see you before they leave the house." 
  
  
  

    Ray ran up the stairs and headed toward his room. He had to hurry up
and get in costume so the kids would be able to see him. As he passed
Francesca's room, he heard Fraser and her giggling and talking softly to
themselves. He quickly ran down the hall, not wanting to hear them 'going
at it'. *Those two never let up. Geez...I never thought Benny would be
such a horn dog.* He forgot all about them as he gathered the things for
his costume and began putting them on. When he finished his stood in front
of his dresser mirror and smiled. "Ray, you are too good." 

    Smiling, he ran out of his room and down the hall, stopping at
Francesca's door. "Hurry up you two! The kids will be leavin soon!"
Without waiting for a reply, he ran down the stairs and headed toward the
kitchen. He couldn't wait to scare the kids with his ghoul outfit. 
  
  
  

    Francesca slowly cracked the door open and looked down the hall. She
stepped out and motioned Fraser to follow her. Taking his hand in hers,
she giggled. "Oh my God, you look too good. Ray will laugh his butt off."
She was dressed up in a sparkling fairy outfit, complete with silver
wings. Fraser kept eyeing her legs as they walked down the hall. "Benton,
if you don't stop that, I won't be able to control myself." He gave her a
shy smile. 

    "I'm sorry, but you look absolutely captivating." Reaching up, she
gave him a kiss, running her hand down his chest. "And you look absolutely
perfect." She did a small dance. "I can't wait to see his face. Come on,
let's get down there." 

    They walked down the steps, pausing before reaching the kitchen
entrance. She picked a piece of lint off the front of his jacket. "You
ready?" Fraser stood at attention and saluted her, smiling brightly.
Giggling, Francesca motioned him forward. "Come on then." 

    They calmly walked into the kitchen. Ray had his back to them. Tony
and Maria smiled as they looked at Fraser. Tony Junior nudged Mrs.
Vecchio, who grinned. "What?" Ray turned around and stared at Fraser and
Francesca. Francesca was a fairy, all sparkly and shimmery. She had
already started laughing at the look on Ray's face. Ray on the other hand
yelled as he smiled. 

    "Where in the hell did you get that?!" Fraser smiled back at him and
read the gold pin over his breast pocket. "I believe this belongs to a
Detective Armani." Ray walked up to Fraser and shook his head. "It's a
little snug." Smoothing down the material, Fraser nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but it still fits me." "Was this your idea?" "No, Francesca
suggested it." Ray grinned over at her. "You little sneak." She giggled
and hugged Fraser. "You got to admit, he looks pretty good though." 

    Ray stood back and laughed as he looked Fraser over. He did look good.
Hell, Fraser looked better than he ever did in the outfit. Francesca had
transformed Fraser from the Canadian Mountie into a Chicago police officer
in full dress uniform. He looked like a recruitment poster for the City of
Chicago Police Department. Ray marveled at the fact that even though he
and Fraser were basically the same height, Fraser filled the shoulders out
way more than he ever did. Where he was thin, Fraser was bulkier up top. 

    "I don't know Benny. I won't be able to wear that uniform again, what
with you stretchin it out an all." He smiled good naturedly at Fraser so
he would be sure to know he was only joking. Fraser smiled back. "I assure
you, I will be careful. Angelo walked over and tugged at Fraser's sleeve. 

    "Uncle Benny. Is that Uncle Ray's gun? You know you're not supposed to
touch his gun." Fraser knelt down and took the 'gun' from the holster.
"I'm not licensed to carry a weapon in the United States. This is a toy."
He handed it to Angelo, who smiled. "Good. I didn't want Uncle Ray yellin
at ya. He said we was to never touch his guns." "No you shouldn't. Only
Ray is allowed to use his guns and then he only does it because of his
occupation." 

    Angelo handed the gun back to Fraser who twirled it gunslinger style
before smoothly reholstering it. "Wow! Did ya see that Uncle Ray!" "Yeah I
saw it Angelo." Ray stuck his tongue out at Fraser. "Show off." Fraser
tucked his head down. "Sorry." Ray almost felt bad, until Fraser looked up
and was smiling. "Faker." 
  
  
  

    The rest of the evening was like a wonderland for Fraser. He helped
hand out candy to all the neighborhood children, guessing who was who and
what they were dressed up as. He hadn't enjoyed himself like this in ages.
Sharing a family activity was always a treat for him. 
Pulling Francesca to him, Fraser gave her a deep kiss and a very tight
hug. As he released her, she laughed. "Now what was that for officer?"
"That was for making my costume and for letting me know what this was all
about." 

    Giving her another kiss, he softly brushed the hair from her face.
"Thank you kindly Francesca." Hugging him back, she kissed his cheek. "You
wait until later Benton. You haven't gotten your tricks or treats yet."
Shaking his head, he pulled her back toward the front porch to greet
another group of children.