Tina's corner

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Due South - Assignment Europe 10

Chapter 10 – The dinner

Already around 6.30pm their friends started to drop in, Stine had been cooking one of her fantastic casseroles and now she just waited for the guests to arrive. Ben had arrived just half an hour before the guests started to come and came out of the shower as she let her sister-in-law in “Hi Maggie, welcome” the girls hugged “I came straight from work, can I change here?” she asked as she still was dressed in her red uniform “Of course you can, I think the bathroom just got free, if you want to take a shower there are towels in the left cupboard in there” Maggie smiled at her “I know, I've been here before” this wasn't the first time Maggie just popped by after work and Stine laughed “Maybe we'd set you up with a shelf in the bathroom soon” “I'm so happy you two get along” Ben said and hugged his wife from behind as she stirred in the pot where she was cooking some rice. Ben had gotten into a habit to always rest a hand on her still flat stomach “Me too, I miss my sisters from home, but Maggie is a great sister too” she turned around and kissed him, he always smelled so great, that natural soap he always used was something out of this world. The door phone buzzed “Will you get that, I have a few more things to fix here” Stine said and pushed Ben towards the door. The first besides Maggie was Betina and her boyfriend Dan, Ben had met them a couple of times before. Just after letting them inside the apartment the buzz sounded again and this time it was Ray, Frannie and Stan, talking lively as they always did, the only one missing now was his boss. They had debated wither or not to invite Turnbull and when they had gotten out of it as Turnbull announced he had a date that evening.

Maggie stepped out into the hall barefoot in faded jeans and a perfect ironed blouse. Stine glanced and thought how alike Ben and Maggie were even though they hadn't grown up together it was like they were molded in the same form. Someone who also noticed Maggie was Stan and he didn't like what he felt. He had never cheated on a girlfriend not even on his ex-wife Stella and he cursed under his breath. Frannie came up to him with a glass of something bubbly for him while sipping her own. No one had a clue to why this dinner party had come on so suddenly and everyone tried to speculate while talking to each other. Five minutes past seven Marget showed up, excusing herself as she had helped an older lady over the road and gotten caught having to chat politely with her for ten minutes. She too was handed a glass and everyone was invited to sit down at the table. Stine put the bowls that were covered with lids on the table as they had decided that they tell straight away. She walked over to Ben's place and he stood up taking a deep breath "I guess you all wonder why you are here?" he began "It is not only because you all mean a lot to us and we therefore wanted to invite you" Stine looked at him and added "And it's not that we wanted to hurry up and invite you, then we would have done that a couple of months ago" the others laughed. Ben took her hand "No the reason we invited you all is that we got some news we want to share with you all" Ben looked at Stine it was now or never this was the moment everything was about to change "Come on Benny" Ray said and everyone held their breath. Stine who knew how private Ben could be at times open her mouth and just said it "I'm pregnant" the sound of chairs against the floor was loud as everyone wanted to get up and congratulate them as they again had gathered at their places Ray took his glass and raised it in a toast "To Ben and Stine and their baby may everything work out well" "To Ben, Stine and the baby" everyone said. Stine took just a little sip of her glass and then sat down "Please Meg you start as you're sitting closest" she nodded towards the bowl "Thank you kindly, it smells lovely" after filling her plate she handed Ray the spoon. He looked her in the eyes as he took it. It had been too long since they had had a chance to meet properly and he was missing her. After dinner had been eaten and the table gotten cleared Ray search for Meg's gaze while she was talking to Betina, he nodded towards the balcony and then walked out there. Thankfully no one else were there and when Meg arrived he pulled her close before he pushed her up against the wall in the corner and kissed her thoroughly. "I've missed you” he said as they broke for air. In her heels she was the same height as him so she rested her forehead against his "I've missed you too" she confessed and kissed him again. Some minutes later they were disturbed by Ben who of course had noticed where they had gotten too "Hey you two, dessert is about to be served" he grinned. Meg corrected her clothes not that they needed to as these Canadian Mounties never got anything wrinkled. Ray was amazed by it he had always been. The evening was pleasant and it was close to midnight when every one had left. Frannie had gotten into the car with her brother instead of Stan. There were something that felt out of place and she couldn't put her finger on it. And of course she would had wanted to know everything about her brother and the Inspector.

A week later Ray took Margret with him out on a proper official date. Of course it was followed by Sunday dinner with 'everyone' at the Vecchio house and Ma Vecchio was over the moon although a bit saddened, it seemed something was wrong with her youngest and Stan, it had been a long time since he'd left the house only to sneak back in when they thought she'd gone to sleep. It wasn't a proper behavior for a nice Catholic girl but it was modern times she thought and sent a small thought to her dead husband who surely wouldn't had approved but he had been gone for 15 long years by now. Stan had become a bit of the house hold too and she would be sad not to see him around. Of course the news she had received from Benton and Stine was almost over shining Ray bringing home Margret. After dinner Frannie asked Stan to come outside with her. Both sat down on a bench in the garden not saying anything at first “This is the problem” Frannie finally spoke “We're not talking, it's like we don't have anything to talk about anymore” “Yeah” Stan said in his usual way “It's not that I don't like you, but...” she shrugged her shoulders “It almost feels like you're my brother” “So is this it? Are we over?” Stan asked and looked up at her, he had loved being with Frannie, but the spark wasn't there anymore “I guess so” she lent forward and softly brushed her lips over his “No, no spark at all left” she said. Stan put his arms around her in an embrace before they got up and went back inside for some coffee.

Due South - Assignment Europe 09

Chapter 9 – Keeping it a secret?

Ben and Stine decided to keep their happy news to themselves for a while, it meant that when they came back they went to a drugstore away from their neighborhood, as everyone there knew them, to get a pregnancy test and to no surprise it was positive. At Friday lunch three weeks after Ben and Stine had gotten back she couldn't hold it in anymore but told her friend about the news. “Tillykke Stine, I bet Benton is happy about this too?” he friend congratulated her “Yes, we're both over the moon, but you can't tell anyone and I mean anyone, not even Dan” Dan was Betina's boyfriend “Of course I won't” she promised and the girls toasted with their water glasses.

"Constable Fraser" Margret called her senior officer into her office "Yes, Sir" Ben said "I have to ask if everything is alright with you" "Yes Sir it is, why do you ask?" he asked "I can't really put my finger on it but there is something distracting you from time to time even Turnbull had the answer for some questions at today's morning meeting before you" "Sorry about that. It won't happen again" "I don't mind I just wanted to see that everything was OK there's nothing wrong with Stine either is there?" Ben couldn't hold back the smile, they had gotten the results of the blood test the day before and it felt official "No, Sir, nothing wrong at all" he took a deep breath he had to tell someone and both Ray and Stan had been sent out of town on a mission "As a matter of fact every thing's great with Stine" again he paused "Sir, can I tell you something in confidence?" Margret looked puzzled at him "But of course Fraser" "Stine's pregnant, we're having a baby" he grinned from one ear to the other and Margret got up, usually not showing emotions but Stine had become a good friend of hers, she gave Ben a hug "Congratulations Benton, to the both of you" "Thank you kindly, Sir" Ben said "Is there anything else, Sir?" "No constable you're dismissed" Ben went back to his office and got ready to release his sister on the guard. Before Ben left the Consulate that afternoon Margret popped her head in his small office "I just wanted to know, have you told Detective Vecchio about your good news?" "No Sir, we've said we'd keep it to ourselves for a while. Why?" there were something that had passed by Ben "Oh nothing" Margret who usually didn't show any emotions blushed "Are you and Ray??" he asked "How long have you been seeing each other?" he asked boldly. She stepped inside "Promise not to tell the others just yet" she looked him in the eyes "Of course I won't do that Sir" he said "Alright then..." she paused "It's been serious since around the time you got married to Stine. We have been seeing each other on and off since you left for Denmark" Ben felt a pang in his heart there had been something between him and Meg one time, but they had never allowed themselves to act on it. The closest they'd gotten was to a few kisses, one of them on top of a speeding train filled with sedated RCMP's, their horses and lots explosives. The only thing that had gone really bad at that time was that Benton's hat had been cut off as they passed a bridge. Ben smiled at his superior officer “I'm happy for the both of you, you should make it official” he saw something in his eyes and knew what it was “You're afraid of Ma Vecchio?” he asked “Not so much afraid as I don't want to go that far yet, you heard her yourself when she found out about you and Stine” Ben thought back to the sweet old lady that he had become to see as a mother, she would be over the moon when Ben and Stine told her the good news. The Inspector left his office and Ben typed up the weekly report in his usual efficient way, it was one of his weekends to be off, the three officers shared them equally, although there would be something happening at the Danish Consulate that acquired Stine to work Saturday. But it gave Ben a bit of time to himself, he loved his wife and his married life but sometimes he needed to be alone.

Saturday evening Benton took Diefenbaker for a walk just in time to arrive at the Danish Consulate when Stine finished work. It was a really nice summer evening and although Stine had been feeling a bit tired during the last part of the day the walk back home was refreshing. When they arrived Ben made the some tea and took out a plate of ready made sandwiches "So this is what you've been doing all day" Stine teased him as she sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen counter. It was mostly for proper dinner or when they had guests over they used the big dining table. "Well that and..." he just then realized she was teasing him and not fishing for the full report on how he had dusted and vacuumed the apartment. She lent over to him as he sat on her right side and kissed his cheek "I love you, you know that don't you" she smiled softly "I know and I love you too. So did you have a nice day, felt OK all day?" he was so concerned about her. So far she hadn't felt anything but good "Yes I've had a good day I just felt a bit tired in the afternoon but that's expected I think" she had read some of the brochures she had gotten at the doctor's office when she had been in for the blood test. She put her teeth into her sandwich "Mmmm I needed this" she said and hungrily finished it. They small talked during the meal and both confessed to have told someone about the baby "I must admit it's strange you blurted it to Margret and not your sister" "Me too" he agreed "But apparently she thought I had been a bit absentminded during the morning meeting, but it feels good to have told someone" "I agree and Betina's so happy for us" she looked up at Benton who rested his elbows on the counter "What are you thinking about" he turned his head "That maybe we should invite our friends for dinner and tell them?" "Yes that might be a good idea" she said "When should we do it? You are working next weekend aren't you?" he nodded "And in two weeks I need to work again the Danish Prime minister will visit" she had taken down the calender from the wall and was flipping thru it before she looked up at him "It doesn't have to be a weekend, does it?" "Of course not" he answered "What about this Thursday coming, I get off already at two that day" Benton reached for his pocket calender “Looks good to me, I don't have guard that day”

Sunday morning Ben and Diefenbaker walked Stine to her workplace and then went on for a long walk, they just walked and walked and when Benton realized how far they had walked they turned back and went home where he sat down to call their friends inviting them for dinner on Thursday. The last ones on his list was Stan and Ray and since he knew they were on their way back into town he called Ray's phone and hoped there would be a signal where they were. “Vecchio” he answered “Hey Ray, it's Ben” he said “Hi Benny” he looked at his partner “It's Benny” and Stan just shook his head “Duh, tell him hi” “Ray, come back to me” Ben said “Oh sorry pal, I'm not driving and it's driving me crazy” they had a rental car as the two never could come to terms with who's car to take “I thought so. Can you ask Stan what I'm going to ask you now?” “Sure” Ray was a bit puzzled “This goes out to you both, can you come to dinner at our place on Thursday?” Stan accepted at once, Ray thought about it, Thursday would be his first day off and he had hoped to spend it with Meg “Inspector Thatcher is coming” Benton added his boss name “It's rather important to us” he then said. “As the others are coming who am I to say no” Ray said “So, what's happening in Chicago otherwise? Anything big?” Ben laughed “No, you and Stan are out of town so the bad guys took a vacation too” he tried to joke “You try a bit better now days” Ray complimented his friend and got a nod from Stan who had heard everything as Ray had put the phone on speaker. “Anyways we're closing in on some mountains and I bet we'll loose signal, see you Thursday if not before” Ray said “See you” Stan added. After Ray hung up Stan quickly looked at Ray “What was the importance of the 'Ice-Queen' (that was the nickname for Meg Thatcher) were coming” Ray shrugged his shoulders “I don't know” he said “But it made you change your mind, are you and... you are!” he exclaimed “For how long have you and the Ice.. the Inspector been seeing each other” Ray shot him a look “About the same amount of time that you and my sister have been at it” he said a bit disgusted “I know you don't like to think of your sister that way, but it's not like she's a little kid” Stan said in his defense “So I guess we both got lucky at the same time as Benny did, I mean you have to admit that both your sister and the Inspector's had a thing for the guy” Ray sighed “I don't know what they see in him” he said and turned ironic “Always being polite, opening door, helping older ladies over the road, and that half-wolf of a dog, no charm at all” the guys laughed.

Due South - Assignment Europe 08

Chapter 8 – A new place and new acquaintances

Two blocks away from the Canadian Consulate in a nice neighbor hood Stine and Benton chose a three room apartment, with their own bathroom. It didn't take them more than half a day to move in since the apartment came with furniture. It also had a lot of modern things like internet and a landline for the phone. They had gotten the day off both of them and couldn't help but ended up in bed in the afternoon. When they woke up they dressed and went out for some grocery shopping and after that went home to cook dinner together “This is much easier than at the other place” Stine said as they moved around in the kitchen “But I miss the closeness” Benton said “Oh we can stand close anyway” Stine said and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He took her by the waist and lifted her up on the counter. “I love you so much” he said nuzzling her neck “I love you too” she answered and pulled him closer.

A couple of weeks later Benton and Stine were sitting in the living room watching the early news on TV. Summer had arrived in Chicago and after dinner Benton had showered and put on a pair of faded jeans and a perfect white t-shirt. No shoes or socks, he longed to feel the free open nature that was around the cabin left to him from his father. “What are you thinking about?” Stine asked as she laid down with her head in his lap. He toyed with her hair “How I miss the great nature, I've been thinking about going to the cabin for some time now” she smiled at him “So, why don't we?” “You want to come with me?” he said softly “Of course I do, you always talk about the cabin with such passion” “But you know we don't have any facilities, no indoors bathroom, no electricity, no heating but the stove and the fireplace and it's not that warm in the summers as it is down here” She sat up straddles his legs and looked him straight in the eyes “We shared bathroom with others in the old apartment, can't be that bad to go outside. We don't have to bring any computers or cellphones, and for keeping warm I know a few ways” she raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a passionate kiss. Ben had long time ago forgotten about the news, making love to his wife was much more interesting.

There were a ringing sound in the apartment that Benton couldn't really put right when he woke up on the sofa with Stine in his arms. When he located it to the door phone he got up and pulled on his jeans. “Benny my friend, you took your time” he heard Ray's voice over the phone “Hello Ray, care to come up?” he asked “Sure, got Stan with me” Ben buzzed them in before he returned to the living room “Stine, the guys are coming up, maybe we should get dressed” he buttoned his jeans and found his t-shirt under a pile of her clothes. She quickly pulled her clothes on too but it was obvious to anyone what they had been up to. A few seconds later the doorbell rang and Benton opened the door to his friends “Come on in guys” he said and took a step to the side. “What brings you by?” he asked “Well...” Ray started as he saw Stine “Hi Stine” “Hi guys” she said and went into the kitchen, the usual routine when the guys came by was coffee “Well what?” Ben asked Ray “We really could use your help with a case, but you seem otherwise busy” “Yeah, busy” Stan added in his own way.

Benton tried to look surprised “We're not busy, we were watching the news” Ray looked at his wrist watch “The news ended an hour ago Benny” he grinned and walked into the kitchen where he with the ease of feeling like home helped Stine with taking four mugs out of the cupboard. “Do you mind if we steel Benton for a bit?” he asked “Would it do any difference if I did?” she asked back laughingly as many times before “I guess it wouldn't” Ray said. They all had coffee together before the guys got ready to leave “Will you bring Dief?” Stine asked “Or shall I take him out for a walk?” Ben looked over at Diefenbaker who already was laying at the door “I guess he'll come with us” he bent forward to kiss her “I'll try not to be late”

In the end of July Benton and Stine both had a week off at the same time and made the trip up north to Ben's cabin. It was sparsely furnitured with a kitchen table and chairs that were handmade, a worn down sofa in front of the fireplace and in a small room at the back there were a bed, a drawer and a closet. “I love it” Stine said and looked at Ben “It's so much you” Ben let himself relax, he had been a bit nervous what she would think about it. He was also very happy that the fire someone had tried to set to it once hadn't caught on and the cabin had been saved. As it was already late afternoon Benton started a fire in the stove so they could cook something to eat and Stine dusted off the table and chairs “Have your father made these?” she asked about the set “No” Ben shook his head “You've bought them?” she asked surprised and again he shook his head and modesty said “I made them” “You did?” she smiled at him “I didn't know” “How could you, I've never told you” he smiled at her.

The days that followed they went on hikes, Ben showed her a lot of his favorite places among them a wonderful waterfall. The day was hot and they were sweaty from the hike and didn't resist taking a swim in the water that was refreshing. Swimming towards the falling water Ben dove under and Stine followed. Behind the water-wall a smaller cave opened up. When they got back to the cabin Stine changed into something more comfortable than her hiking clothes and Ben went outside to get some more firewood in. Every evening when Ben had gone outside in his father had been there to talk to him but not this evening. He found it strange, happily he returned inside just to be met by Stine with a scared look on her face “There's an older Mountie standing by the fireplace” she pointed and Benton looked over to see his father “Has he said something?” he asked “No, should he? I mean....” she was really scared “...he wasn't there when I came out from the bedroom and now suddenly when I looked up he was just standing there” Ben was confused “Please Ben, tell me you see him” Stine pleaded and Ben pulled her close “Yes I see him, it's my father” he explained “But your father is dead, you told me that, that's how you ended up in Chicago... on the trail of his murderers” she said in shock “Yes, he's dead but he shows up from time to time, what I don't know is why you're seeing him?” Fraser Sr still hadn't said anything, he hadn't wanted to scare his daughter-in-law. “What do you mean?” she asked “So far it's just been me and Maggie that's been able to see him and....” he paused “talk to him” “You talk to your dead father? Isn't that ...” she didn't know how to explain this. “Son” Fraser Sr said and the young couple looked over at him “Stine” he added and she looked from son to father to son again “He knows my name?” “Of course I know your name, I've been around you for quite some time now and I see how happy you've made Benton” “But...?” Stine had all kinds of questions and didn't know where to start. “Why haven't I seen you before?” she felt strange to ask but had to. Fraser Sr smiled “I guess the connection's not been there before, I've longed for this day for a long time now” he said and the penny dropped for Ben “Could you please leave us alone father?” he asked “I think I need to explain a few things to Stine” and like that Fraser Sr disappeared and Ben lead Stine to the sofa to sit down. “As I said, before it's just been me and Maggie that's been able to see him, which was kind of nice when she came to look me up in Chicago, I didn't know I had a sister, but father explained it all, how he had cheated on my mother when he had been away on a three months long assignment when I was about two years old” Maggie had told Stine this story when she had been over at their new place for the first time “He once told us that only true descendants of his could see him” Benton who already had his suspicions about what had happened that afternoon behind the waterfall took both of Stine's hands in his and looked at her “But I'm not one...” she said “No, but I believe you've got a connection to one” Ben smiled at his wife “Of course I do, I'm married to you aren't I, but why haven't I seen him before now if he's been around all the this time?” and then it came to her and her expression said 'Do you think?' but she couldn't say the words “Really?” she asked “Under the waterfall?” she came with short questions. Ben nodded “It's the only answer I could come up with” both of them were smiling broadly and at the same time said “We're having a baby”

Due South - Assignment Europe 07

Chapter 7 – More from the party

Everyone had been invited to seven pm so when Stine and Benton arrived shortly after five the Consulate was buzzing with last minute preparations. They couldn't help but help out a bit themselves, Turnbull was on the edge double and trippel checking everything on the list. Stine looked amazed around the big reception room and saw some instruments on the small scene "I didn't know they had arranged for a band" she looked at Ben who just smiled "It's a surprise for you" he said but didn't say that it was him and some of the guys that were to play a few songs.

Just after they had finished getting dressed people started to arrive. It was most of the staff from Stine's work, many of the policemen from the 27th, all of the Vecchio's, Stan and a few more friends. The food was great and the party mood was on top. The couple got more gifts than expected and Stine was happy they would look at another place to live the next week since all the things would look wrong in the small worn down apartment they were living in now. Suddenly Ben disappeared from her side and a few minutes later she saw him with Ray and Stan and a couple more guys on the stage. “Hello everyone” he said as he stood at the microphone with a guitar in his hand “I want to thank you all for coming and a special thank you to my boss Inspector Thatcher for throwing us this party. Now I, with the help of a few friends” he looked back at the guys “would like to sing a song for my lovely wife Stine” she stood right in front of him “I don't know how it happened really that's why I thought this song would be a good way to try and explain it. I love you Stine” he smiled at her and took the first accord of the song.

Something in the way you talk
or maybe baby, just the way you walk
has shaken all the leaves out of the trees
Something in the way you smile
teeth and lips and hair run wild, yeah
surely this has brought me to my knees

Oh Lord, I'm down -- I'm down upon my knees
yes Lord, I'm down -- I'm down upon my knees
And I don't know which way to turn
Which way to go

Chorus:
What did you do to me?
(did you do) did you do a little seance
(did you do) a black cat romance
(did you do) did you do a little sun dance
(did you do) did you do some voodoo baby (x2)

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah
I said hey, yeah, yeah, yeah

Feels like a winds a blowin'
looks like a hurricanes comin'
and it's coming from the centre of your eyes
these eyes are deepest blue
these eyes that are so true
you got the eyes to make me cry

Oh Lord, I'm down -- I'm down upon my knees
yes Lord, I'm down -- I'm down upon my knees
and all I know is I don't know what I know

Chorus

Hush now darlin'
I don't plan to cry
I said hush now baby
That ain't my style

Look at you, God knows I do
I put it down to a thing called voodoo
I put it down to the curse of love
I put it down to fate, hey

(chorus repeat to fade)

Paul Gross and David Keeley's Voodoo
Lyrics from http://www.elyrics.net

Everyone cheered as they finished the song and someone helped Stine up on stage so she could give her husband a kiss. After a couple more songs someone started dancing music and of course it was Stine and Benton who would do the first dance. Safely in his arms she tilted her head up “Thank you for the song, I sometimes too wonder how it happened, but I'm happy it did. Jeg elsker dej” she ended in Danish.

Due South - Assignment Europe 06

Chapter 6 – The party

They day for the party came fast. On her lunch break on the Friday Stine and her new friend Betina, also a Danish girl, went out in search for the perfect dress. "I don't know" Stine said when she tried on her third dress "Out of these three I like the blue one best. What will Benton have on? I mean if you want to match" Lately Ben had almost only worn his uniform but since this was a private party she didn't know. "But I've seen that he has some nice dress shirts in the closet" "Colors?" Betina asked "Basic; white, black, plaided ones and one burgundy" she answered her friend."Well he looks smashing his red uniform so if you suggest the burgundy one and buy that blue dress for yourself you'll look great" Stine smiled "Then the blue one it is" she said and got out of the green one she had tried on last. Satisfied with her purchase she and Betina went to have lunch. If there wasn't anything special happening at the Danish Consulate they had a lunch break of one and a half hour on Fridays. The girls happily chatted in Danish their whole meal thru.

At the Canadian Consulate Maggie Fraser and Inspector Thatcher worked side by side getting everything ready for the party the following day. As one thing was done it was ticked off on the clipboard "Turnbull, has the flowers arrived yet?" Maggie called "Not yet M Fraser" he had called her that from the beginning to separate her from her brother. "Let me know when they do, I could use them about now" Turnbull almost wished he had been on guard instead of Fraser the two women were almost too much. But since the party was to celebrate Benton Fraser's wedding he had to pitch in so the guest of honor didn't have to plan and set it up himself.

A few minutes before six Ray Vecchio stopped his car outside the Consulate rapidly he got out and started to inform Ben about a case he needed help with at once, he knew this was a foolproof way of getting Ben to come along as once as the bells rang. It didn't take many seconds before Benton and Diefenbaker were seated in Ray's car "Are you coming?" Ben asked. Ray rounded the car and quickly got in "Is Stan meeting us there?" Ben asked "Yes" Ray answered "May I borrow your phone? I promised Stine to be right home and I don't want her to worry" “Sure you can tell her it will probably take all evening" Ray handed him his phone and steered the car into the Chicago traffic. Knowing Fraser having a sharp eye the others had parked on a side street before gathering in their favorite bar. "What did you say happened again?" Ben asked his friend "Something about someone trying to get out...." Ray improvised and quickly opened the door for him "...off a bachelor party" he added as Fraser saw all the guys from the station gathered in the bar. "We asked Turnbull too but he had things to do, still he might come though" Benton wasn't much of a drinker but a beer occasionally could slip down so not to break any rules he loosened his attributes and took his uniform jacket off. A few local girls who were in the bar looked at him and whistled. Ray stood on a chair to get everyone's attention, he looked at the girls "Sorry ladies he's taken" then turned to Ben "Benny my friend. Thousands of apologies for lying to you but we couldn't go to the party tomorrow without first throwing you a bachelor party although that ship has sailed too. I and the rest of the 27th of Chicago's finest wishes you all the best in your life with Stine" the others cheered "Thank you kindly Ray, guys" he said and looked around "Oh and a special greeting from Ma" Ray added just before he got down "May there be many little Canadians ans Danes in your future" Ben blushed slightly. The evening was a hit and it was almost two in the morning before Ben got back to an empty apartment. If Stine hadn't come thru the door slightly tipsy herself the next minute he would have called Ray to report her missing "I guess we both got kidnapped" Stine giggled her friends back home had thrown her a proper hen-night before the wedding but she was glad that her new friends had fixed this bridal shower as well. It had been Frannie and Sofia that had arranged it and her female colleagues had come and when they were done so had Maggie and Margret. She had gotten a similar speech as Benton had and since the party had been in the Vecchio house Mrs Vecchio had delivered the amendment herself. "It sure does who would have known." they undressed, brushed their teeth side by side at the little sink they had in the apartment and went to bed both too tired to do anything but go to sleep.

The next morning Stine woke to the smell of coffee and saw Ben stand by the stove stirring in some pans "Good morning" he said and handed her a cup of coffee "Do you want some eggs and bacon" but Stine shook her head how could he be this awake already. She felt like it would take her half the day to wake up. “Aren't you the slightest tired?” she asked Ben who shrugged his shoulders “Not really” he sat down at the table to eat. Stine got up and put a couple of slices in the toaster. She looked towards the closet where she had hung her new dress last night.

The dress was still in the garnmentbag. "Will you show me? Or will you change at the Consulate?" Ben asked after following her gaze. "I can show you it' not like it's my wedding dress." Their wedding day had been full of traditions among them not to see the bride before the ceremony. She got over and unzipped the bag and took out the blue dress "Wow" Ben said "You will look great in that, not that you don't look great in anything else" he grinned "or without". Stine hung the dress back "I think I will change at the Consulate though. Will you wear the uniform?" she asked casually, he had looked smashing waiting for her at the altar in his red uniform with all attributes. "No" he shook his head "I was more thinking of black trousers and a dress shirt" Stine saw her chance "Why don't you take the burgundy I saw in the closet" everything in there were pressed and ironed to perfection "If you don't mind me suggesting" she smiled at him "How can I mind anything you say" and like clockwork his father showed up behind Stine with a speech as usual and before he disappeared he again talked about grandchildren. Ben had an absent look in his face "Earth to Ben" Stine tried "Where did you go?" she was referring to his thoughts. "Oh nothing" he said and got up to wash the dishes. "Would you like to accompany me and Dief on a walk?" he asked softly "Or maybe you have other plans for today?" she shook her head "No plans before this evening and some fresh air would do me good" It was a nice and sunny spring day and as they came to the park Benton put a leash on Dief "Sorry my friend, you know the rules" No dogs were allowed in the park without a leash. They sat down on a bench by the lake just enjoying the view, the nice weather and each other "It's really lovely here" Stine said "So quiet although it's in the middle of the city" Ben kissed her cheek. "I will take you to the cabin back home one day" he said "The only sounds there are the nature's own" she rested her head on his shoulder "I'd love that" she got a feeling it would happen pretty soon since she knew it had been a long time coming for him to return 'home'. They got up to go back home where the got ready for the big party.

Due South / Paul Gross Word Search

I love playing with word so I made this Word Search. Let me know in a comment what word you get in the left over squares.

Words for Due South Word search

Some short words may appear more than once, there is only ONE right place for it. When you're done you'll get a nine letter word left.

Other characters Paul Gross characters & other things

DIEFENBAKER “BEN”

DOG BENTON FRASER

ELLEN CROCKER

FRANCESCA DARRYL VAN HORN

HUSKY GEOFFREY TENNANT

INSPECTOR THATCHER GRIN

OLIVER HAT

RAY KEVIN

TURNBULL MOUNTIE

VECCHIO RANK

WELLES STETSON

WOLF UNIFORM

Words about Paul Gross Songs

ACTOR(two times) AGE

AWARDED KENZIE

CANADIAN KISS

COMPOSE MAC

DIRECTOR RIDE FOREVER

EYES ROBERT

MAN SEA

SINGER TIL

SON TWO(houses)

TEETH USE

WIFE VOODOO

WRITER WEEP

YOU

Names

DAVID KEELEY FAN(aren't we all fans)

HANNAH JACK

MARTHA BURNS PAUL GROSS

Movies/series/theater

AND ARROWS

ASPEN EXTREME BOAT

BROOMS BURRIED ON SUNDAY

CRY DOYLE

DUE EASTWICK

END GETTING MARRIED IN BUFFALO JUMP

GUNLESS MEN

OF REPUBLIC

SLINGS THE

THEATERS WAR

WILBY WITH