Chapter Text
Chapter 8
Ray had everything ready with the Feds, so Linda had a wheelchair with a place for the oxygen canister waiting for her when she entered the federal facility downtown Chicago, where Peggy was held. Before going inside the interrogation room, Linda took some deep, relaxing breaths, and held Benny's hand.
"I am ready now," she announced.
Benny kissed her front and rolled her inside the interrogation room, where Peggy was waiting for her with Special Agent Cooper. She was sitting by a table in a barren interrogation room, with a two-way mirror. There were certainly other agents observing at another room. When the girl saw Linda coming in, she was surprised – and alarmed, one could tell.
"Oh, God, what happened to you? Don't tell we did this to you!"
Linda nodded. Peggy was pale. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God, I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen! I didn't know. I'm *so* sorry!"
The oxygen mask muffled Linda's voice. "Peggy, I was left inside an oil barrel for days. I was left to die."
The girl was horrified, "No! Victoria told your family where to find you. She did this right after we left you."
Special Agent Cooper reminded her, "Linda was held for almost three days by Victoria Metcalf. She was also abused physically and psychologically. She's pregnant, and she almost lost the baby. You do know that it compounds to your situation, don't you?"
As if possible, Peggy paled even further. "Oh, no. But that wasn't my fault. I would never have done anything if I'd know what she was up to! I'd never meant any harm to Linda, specially she being pregnant and everything!"
Linda asked, "Then help us find her. Tell us everything you know, please."
"But I don't know anything!" Peggy began to cry. "The boss wouldn't tell me anything, and she scared the hell out of me. Linda can tell that she threatened me all the time. She threatened not to pay me and she threatened to kill me if I didn't follow her orders. I had to ask her permission to treat Linda kindly, and still she would be pissed that I'd ask that things. She didn't like Linda at all."
Linda shuddered to remember all the things she went through and she braced herself. Fraser put his hand over hers and Linda felt a wave of warmth at her husband's closeness.
Cooper wanted to know, "What happened after you left the warehouse?"
The girl answered, "We went to the pick-up point and then to a secondary location to split the money. From there I took a cab to my place, made a small bag and crashed at a friend's apartment. My plans were to take a train to Baltimore, to stay with another friend, but then I was caught."
"Do you know about your friend's plans?"
"Ted never talked about them, except that it included beaches. He always talked about the sun. All Victoria said was that she was finally getting rid of Linda. She really looked forward to get her out of her life."
Cooper circled the table. "You're not making sense. You said she called for Linda to be free, so how come you're saying that she was finally getting rid of her?"
"Victoria said she had sold Linda to some people. Apparently they'd kill her or have her as a breeding slave. When you guys told me she was safe, I was very happy. I didn't know she was sick."
Ray and Benny felt bile rising to their mouths. Even Agent Cooper widened his eyes as he heard Victoria's plans for Linda. When Linda herself had told him this, he had dismissed as a hallucination from lack of sleep or food deprivation.
"Tell us something useful and it might help in your trial." Cooper looked at her. "Will you cooperate with us?"
Peggy wiped her tears, "Yes. I will tell you everything I know."
"Good."
The girl turned to Linda, her eyes still filled with tears. "I want you to know I didn't want none of this to happen to you. I'm very sorry. Thank you for coming."
"Thank you for helping me. Not only now, but before. You were kind to me in a very, very frightening time. I'll never forget it."
Ray said, "Linda, you need to rest. Doctor's orders."
Linda asked, "Peggy, please help us. If you really care about me, and if you really feel sorry about what you did, then help us catch that woman. Only then I'll feel safe, both me and my baby."
"OK."
"Thank you."
Peggy nodded to Fraser, who nodded back and manoeuvred the wheelchair out of the room. They only hoped all these efforts might help a little in finding that woman that brought so much grief and sorrow to them.
* * *
Fraser helped Linda get back to the Riv, as Ray exchanged a few words with the FBI agents. Linda was silent, her face unreadable. Fraser began to get restless, wondering what was going on inside his wife's head. He wished he could take away the pain inside her.
"I took the liberty of asking Mrs. Vecchio to gather some of your clothes to bring to her home, so Ray can take you straight there," Fraser said, trying to get Linda’s attention. "Did I do a bad thing? Because we can go back to our apartment, if you want, too."
"No, of course not,” said Linda. “I better rest, anyway. It's doctor's orders."
"That's what I thought." Fraser smiled at her. "Do you feel all right?"
Linda nodded and tried to smile at him. She wished she could kiss them, but the mask wouldn't let her, so she just squeezed his hand. He kissed the top of her head. Linda loved it when he did that.
They were effusively welcomed at the Vecchio's, and Ma had the guestroom all ready for them both. Fraser had a few things to take care of at the Consulate. Linda was to rest for a while, still with the mask on – but not before Mrs. Vecchio made her drink a good glass of milk, because it was good for her baby.
When Fraser returned a few hours later, Mrs. Vecchio was a bit restless. "Benito, I'm a bit worried. Linda is upstairs, and she doesn't seem fine to me."
"Why? Did she complain of any pain?"
"No, my son. I just think she's sad. A mother's heart knows these things. Please talk to her."
"I will. Thank you."
He went upstairs, his heart clouded. Linda had already seemed a bit sad after talking to Peggy at the FBI. Maybe she shouldn't have done that. It had brought too many memories.
Fraser opened the door with great care in case she was asleep. She was in bed, and she turned her head to see him coming inside. "Come in,” she said, “I'm not sleeping."
"You should be. You need the rest."
"Don't worry. I've followed the doctor's orders and I've not left the bed."
"Are you all right? Any pain?"
"No pain." Linda looked at her lap. "I'm fine, really."
Fraser lay in bed by her side and put his hand on her belly. "You don't look so well. Are you worried about the baby?"
"Ultimately, yes, I guess. I've realised a lot of things, Ben. I was feeling quite sad for not being able to do all things I wanted to do in order to help with the baby. We must set up the nursery, and do baby shopping, and I still don't know how to be a good mother. There are so many things to do, but instead of doing those things, I have to rest because the baby needs to be strong. All because of that woman."
"We'll get her." Ben said. "And we'll live in peace with our baby."
"Ben, that's not the point. And you know? I've been missing the point for a long time. Since I've talked to Peggy, I've come across the truth. Things have already come into perspective, again. Victoria helped me regain perspective. She kept calling me 'a little freak'. She has always done this. She is always telling me that this is what I am, and that this is what I'll always be – nothing but a freak."
Ben rushed to say, "It's a lie, Linda. You know it's a lie. You are not a freak."
Linda looked at him. "Ben, I've lived a great part of my life in a mental institution. I had few perspectives in my life until you showed up and changed my life completely. You made my life worth living. I'm forever grateful for you for this."
Fraser wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close to his body. "You gave me love, Linda. You, with your kindness, your gentleness and your sweet loving ways, gave meaning and purpose to my life. You also gave me a family. How could I not love you?"
"Oh, Ben, I'll love you forever. I'll have as many babies you want, and I'll be by your side as long as you want me. You gave me a life when my perspectives were to go back to the institution for the rest of my days. Each time Victoria called me 'a little freak', her intention was to hurt me and intimidate me. In doing so, she also reminded me what I could have become without you, and why my life now is so precious. I am very grateful for it; actually I am absurdly grateful for my life." Her green eyes were twinkling in adoration as she looked up at him. "If having our baby means my getting a little bored so that it can be born healthy, so be it. Benny, my love, I'll do anything for our family, because it is so important to me. I love you so much. Thank you."
"No, Mrs. Fraser. Thank you."
Fraser leaned in, took off the oxygen mask from Linda's face, and took her breath away as their lips met in a passionate kiss. This time, Victoria's spectre was nothing but a shadow that no longer cast fear upon them. It seemed that from now on the woman's evil clutches wouldn't be the same on the new born Fraser family – the next generation.
From an undisclosed location, the ghost of Robert Fraser smiled.
The End