Author's Notes: Can you guys tell that I love this family? Can you tell that the moment I saw the theme was winter, I had to take the reins? Can you all see the subtle hints at Frozen I did? I'm sorry, but when ATWF joked around about adding a reindeer, I couldn't resist! Besides, I needed it. It's totally Gwen! Plus, I like to think that Kurt would do a lot for his family. I'm pretty sure it might be canon that Kurt is younger than Joe but... I just never saw it like that. I guess I just see Kurt as this protective big brother and Joe being the younger one, making up for his brother's shortcomings of... social interaction.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Yadda yadda. Don't own. You know the drill.

Winter in Leaf Valley was never too bad. Snow rarely accumulated so it was easy to get around. It still got cold, but not as cold as other places. It was comfortable until the rainy season, when things got a bit chilly, but even that was tolerable.

This winter was different.

Snowstorms had plagued the valley, making it difficult to get to where they needed to go. Even the farmers were having a hard time to care for their animals. Often, they had to call for help digging each other out. Everyone was playing their part, hoping and helping each other through this tough time.

There was work to do, though.

Right now, the carpenters were out in the forest, chopping down trees for lumber. Gwen watched Kurt and Joe, having replaced Woody during the winter season. Winter was a difficult time for her grandfather, sometimes. It was the only season she pushed for him to take it easy. The boys often commented how it was amazing that she succeeded.

Bundled up in their warmest gear, they did their best to not think of the cold. It was easier for the boys, with them working hard to make the lumber. Gwen just waited there and watched them work, sitting on the sled that carried the lumber to their shop. If she had a spare ax, she would be helping them, too. Oh, why didn't she think about bringing it along in the first place.

She ran a hand down her face and wrapped her arms closer to herself. "Come on, guys. Speed it up! I just want to go home."

Joe stopped, pushing his ax into the snow. "Listen, we just have a few more pieces to get. If you want to warm up. Take a walk or something."

She stared at him, a dumbfounded look on her face. Since when did Joe ever say something that made sense? Gwen couldn't even think of one moment where he did. Still, it didn't hurt to listen. Standing up, she told them that she would be back, and headed off through the forest.

Kurt watched her go, resting for a few moments. Yes, Joe had said something sensible, but every alarm in his being was going off. The valley had never seen a winter like this before. What if a storm just appeared out of nowhere? The weather channel didn't announce one, but that didn't mean it couldn't change. Mother Nature obeyed no one.

"Hey, you okay?" Joe asked over the sound of his ax.

It was impossible to shut off such an alarm. Gwen shouldn't be going out there on her own. "Yeah... but I'm going to keep a close eye on Gwen," Kurt answered, setting his ax aside. "Do you have things covered here for a bit?" Joe gave him a look but nodded his head. The work was almost done. They just needed to chop it up, load the sled, then leave.

Kurt trudged through the snow, following Gwen's footprints. Maybe it was just from past experiences that made him so cautious. After going through the snow and storms to get Joe and himself to Woody's shop, it left an impact on him. All throughout winter, he was more careful than ever before. Gwen may have been the one overseeing the work, but he was the one to make sure they were home before dark.

Woody never complained, but he didn't exactly compliment how careful was.

Her trail went deeper into the forest. It didn't make sense. Why was she traveling so far away from their spot?

"Aw, you poor little thing. Are you lost?"

Kurt followed her voice, dipping under low hanging branches. When he found her, a reindeer leaned against her, embracing her in a hug. Of course she would find a reindeer in this forest. If anyone would, it would be her. "What are you doing?"

Gwen looked at him, her hand moving up and down the animal's neck. "I found this little guy's trail when I started walking."

"Little?"

"He's so sweet. And don't you see these bells?" she asked, showing him the collar he wore around his neck. "It kinda reminds me of Santa Claus's reindeer, huh?" She stepped back, rubbing her nose against the reindeer's. "You're going to stay here for the winter instead of the North Pole, huh?"

Kurt groaned, running a hand down his head. "Gwen, we don't have time for this."

"But he's lost, Kurt. I can't let him be out here on his own like this."

"He's an animal. He'll find his way home."

She rolled her eyes, returning her attention back to the reindeer. "Look, I'll be fine out here. Just head back."

"Gwen-"

"I'll be home before dark. I promise."

Kurt stared at her. Gwen wasn't one to break a promise, but he didn't feel right leaving her out here by herself. He looked off towards where he came from then up at the sky. If she left in an hour, she could make it back well before dark. He pointed at her. "One hour—two at the most—then you head back home, okay?"

"Yes, Kurt. I'll be sure to head back by then. I promise."

"Good." With much reluctance, Kurt made his way back to where Joe was. The work was already finished, the sled loaded and ready. "Gwen's staying behind for now."

"What? Are you sure?" Joe asked. "Even with your strange 'back before sunset' rule during the winter?"

He rubbed at his eyes. "I know and it wasn't easy. Let's just go. She promised that she would be back before the sunset."

"And you believe her?"

Kurt didn't have time to think back on what he said. He didn't want to doubt himself, for once believing that she would be back before dark. "Joe, let's just go. I want to get home already."

Joe said nothing as he helped bring the lumber back to the shop. Woody was waiting outside for them, as always, so he could supervise them as they placed the lumber away. He glanced around. "Where's Gwen? Wasn't she with you?"

Joe took it upon himself to announce it. "Kurt said that she's staying out for a bit, but she'll be back before dark. Whatever that means."

Kurt could feel Woody boring his eyes into his back. He didn't need to tell him that he messed up and it was completely out of character of him. He knew that worse things could happen to Gwen out there and he didn't fight to make her come back home. Did he, though? Kurt could have sworn just Gwen's love for animals was stronger than him. "She promised. I believe her on that."

"If say so," Woody muttered. He walked away back into the shop.

Kurt continued working, feeling Joe's eyes on him now. "If you have something to say, say it now."

"It's just so unlike you. You're just so... cautious during the winter, y'know?" Joe explained, leaning against the shed. "I would imagine that you'd just toss her over your shoulder and drag her back with you. Seems like something you would do. Better than to let her stay out here any longer than she needed to be."

He was right. He knew he was right, and he just wouldn't say it. If Kurt allowed an inch of doubt, it would consume him and then he would be out searching for her. She knew the forests better than anyone. He would be the next one lost and then she would have to save him.

"She'll be fine. I know she will be."

"I guess, but I still think it's a bad idea."

Kurt didn't need a reminder of it. Even now, the alarms in his head blared at him to go back, but it was too late now. Wherever Gwen was, only she could get herself out of it.

He never use to be like this. Then again, that was back when he was still a kid with his parents and Joe. Back then, winter held a marvelous wonderland and they were free to explore it. Their mother always keeping a watchful eye over them. That was a time when one could actually enjoy the season and take in the wonders that it had to offer. New fishing spots, deer, the calm serenity that happened every night as snow fell.

The past, though, was in the past. Since winter was the time of his parents' death, along with other events, he's always been wary of it. In the valley, he knew they were safe compared to back then. However, this new winter that had covered their small part of the world was unnerving. It threw him off and he worried more than it should.

Now, he had to hope that Gwen arrived home and safe.

It was already dark and there was no sign of Gwen. Kurt and Woody hovered over a couple of blueprints, designing new things to build. Joe sat on the couch, watching the news with care for any changes. No one bothered to mention the fact that she wasn't back yet. No one wanted to say anything, and Kurt was grateful for it. He didn't want to think about anything terrible happening to her. Woody mentioned that she might have stayed over at Lyla's for the night, but Kurt didn't believe it.

"There's a blizzard moving in."

Kurt froze and looked at the TV. Sure enough, it showed exactly where it was heading, their small valley right in the middle of it. And Gwen hadn't appeared yet.

"Maybe Gwen did head to Lyla's," Joe said, leaning over the back of the couch to face them. "After all, it's not like she ever tells us if she's going to do it or not. Heck, she might be at Bob's." He grinned. "Maybe at Toy's."

No, it didn't feel like it. Kurt hurried to the door and grabbed at his coat, hat, and scarf.

"Kurt, you're crazy."

"You can't go out there with a storm coming!"

He pushed on his boots and turned to them. "I don't see any of you moving. I'm just heading to Lyla and Bob to see if she's there. If she's not and the storm hasn't come, I'll just stay with one of them," Kurt explained. He took in the warmth he won't be feeling for a while. "She's probably still out there and I'm going to find her, whether you two like it or not."

The last thing he heard before he stormed out was them calling for him. He wasn't heading towards any of the other houses. He had a funny feeling that Gwen was still in the forest, playing with that reindeer friend of hers. Trudging through the snow, he made his way back to their lumber spot. The snow was falling heavy around him, but it wasn't enough to classify as a blizzard just yet. He figured he still had time before it finally came to the valley. If he didn't find her by then... he didn't want to think about that.

"Gwen!" he called out as he moved past their usual spot.

Deeper and deeper into the forest he went, calling out her name and hoping for a response. The snow fell heavier and the winds grew stronger. Soon, they were so strong that it was pushing him back whenever he made a few steps forward. Kurt still pushed on, calling out Gwen's name in vain. Reaching a tree, he leaned against it to catch his breath. It was madness to still be out here in this storm.

Right now, it would be a good idea to seek shelter and wait for it to die down.

He pulled his hat down and his scarf up further, allowing on a slit between them for his eyes. Kurt stumbled from tree to tree, leaning against it to catch his breath and energy. He found a cave somewhere along the line. It wasn't the best place for shelter, but it was much better than walking around blindly in a storm.

Kurt fell to his knees as he made his way into the cave. It shielded him from the snow and wind, giving him a chance to warm up a little. Looking around the cave, he found a few dried leaves and sticks littering the floor. If only he remembered matches. He would have been able to build a fire. It would help him a lot if he was stuck here all night. Kurt had to count his blessings, though. For now, he was safe.

Where was Gwen, though? Was she out there in this storm? He tried not to think about it, but it was hard not to.

He walked further into the cave, muttering to himself. "This is ridiculous. I should have never listened to her when she said she'd be back. What a pain..." He gathered a few of the sticks and leaves, going to do his best to build a fire out of them. After making sure they were dry and arranging them, Kurt continued to spin a stick between his hands. He tried to cause enough friction between the pieces of wood. "Come on... come on..."

The fire finally ignited and he let out a breath of relief. Maybe he'd be able to survive the night here after all.

Kurt leaned back on his hands and looked around. The cave had seen some wear and tear. On the walls were claw marks. He didn't know if it was from a bear or some other creature, but it was enough to put him on edge. He would explore deeper into the cave, but if there was an animal in there, he didn't want to meet it. If he was lucky, it would be hibernating.

Curiosity was a tricky thing, though. It tickled at the back of your mind with each new option, tempting you to go forth. Kurt was no exception to that rule. Standing up, he wandered deeper into the cave. There was a small bundle in the back, but he wasn't going to disturb it. Whatever it was, animal or no, it was better to stay away. He just hoped that the smoke wouldn't wake it. Other than this, there was nothing else in the cave, signaling that it was pretty much empty.

He was ready to head back to his little fire, when he heard something. He knew he heard someone groaning. His eyes wandered back to the bundle and watched it as it moved. It couldn't be a human, could it? Already hope filled him. It could be Gwen.

Hurrying over to the figure, he hovered over it, trying to get a good look at it. Sure enough, he could see a few traces of blond hair peeking out from beneath an arm.

"Gwen," Kurt whispered as he moved her onto her back. She peered at him through partially closed eyes before shutting them again. She curled up into herself once more, moving closer to him. "Gwen, wake up!"

"No... Just let me sleep..." Gwen muttered, covering her face again.

"Yeah, that's not happening." He took off his glove and felt her face. No, she definitely felt cold, and it wasn't because of his hands. Lifting her up into his arms, he brought her closer to the fire and set her down. "This should help a bit..." He peeled off his hat and placed it on her own. She sighed, curling up some more.

Kurt sat behind her, keeping an eye on the storm outside. It was still raging on and hard. He could hardly see the trees in the area. It was getting worse, he could tell. How were they going to get home? More importantly, would this fire be enough for Gwen? She was freezing. He could hope, pray to whatever Goddess that actually existed, but would it be enough?

He hadn't felt this feeling in a long time...

Fear.

That was what he felt. Fear for the life of someone he cared about. It had happened before with Joe such a long time ago. Before that? His parents. The only difference was his brother survived and his parents didn't.

If he was to lose someone else...

No. He didn't want to think about it.

Leaning over Gwen, he shook her. "Hey. Do you think you can move?" She groaned, covering her face. "Do you even want to move?"

"No... I just... I just want to sleep..." Gwen muttered, hardly moving.

He couldn't allow that to happen. Kurt ran his hand down his face and stood up. Walking to the mouth of the cave, he looked out into the storm. Where were they? If he could at least guess where they were, it shouldn't be hard to get them back to the shop. Or at least, this is what he told himself. He told himself this... because he needed just a little bit of hope to survive this situation.

All he could do at this point was to try.

Rushing over to Gwen's side, he turned her on to her back. "Okay, we're going to head home, alright?" Gwen opened her eyes a bit, but closed them quickly and shook her head. "Tough. We're going."

"But I'm cold and tired..." she whispered, turning back on her side.

He put on his other glove and made sure his scarf was secure on to him. Making a few more checks to insure that at least one of them would stay warm, he lifted her into his arms. She struggled in his grasp, trying her best to push him away. Without any energy to put any force behind it, her hands just grazed him before falling to her sides or stomach.

"Stop..."

"Gwen, we have to at least try."

Once again standing at the mouth of the cave, Kurt took a few deep breaths of the cold air. Now that he was there, he was doubting his actions. If they didn't make it to the shop soon, who knew what would happen to them. It wouldn't do for Woody or Joe to learn that they had died in the snow. But if Gwen didn't get to a warmer place soon... she might not make it at all.

Kurt took a few steps into the cold and he could feel Gwen freezing up, shivering even more than before. The snow reached until the middle of his calves as he pushed through the storm. A few times, he tripped in the snow, hardly regaining his balance. It was so hard to see and the snow was deep. If he didn't move fast, they would be snow people by the time they reached the shop.

Falling to his knees, Kurt held Gwen closer to himself, trying to catch his breath. He felt her hand touch his cheek, cold to the touch. "Kurt... just bring me back to the... to the c-c-c-c-cave... You can come back... for me..."

"That's... t-t-that's not happening..." he said through chattering teeth.

How much more could he continue, though? Dark thoughts filled his head and he was unable to shake them. No, he couldn't keep this up. Kurt hunched over, burying his face in his hand. To think that this all happened because he let up on his little "rule."

He felt something on the back of his neck.

Looking up, Kurt came face to face with a reindeer. He could see the collar wrapped around its neck, bright and red. This couldn't be the same reindeer that Gwen was caring for, could it? He resisted the urge to pull away as the animal pushed his muzzle past him and into Gwen's face. The reindeer looked at him, almost a silent question in his eyes.

"Help..." Kurt whispered.

The reindeer snorted and nudged his arm. Kurt grabbed onto his antler, allowing the reindeer to pull him to his feet. With difficulty, he climbed onto his back, keep a firm grip on the collar and on Gwen. The reindeer snorted, looking back to make sure that they were safely seated. With just one nod from Kurt, he took off, charging through the snow without a problem.

Kurt kept his head down, shielding his eyes from the snow. He wasn't sure how this could help, but he had to at least hope so. If Gwen could put all her faith in an animal, why couldn't he? He found Gwen looking back at him. What could he even tell her?

"We're... g-gonna be o... okay..."

For the second time that day, he believed her.

Time passed and the reindeer finally slowed down. Kurt looked up, finding the shop right in sight. He dropped off the side and regained his hold on Gwen. The reindeer pushed his muzzle between their bodies, nuzzling Gwen. He took one look into Kurt's eyes before calming walking off, returning to the forest. Kurt wasn't sure what had passed between them, but he was glad to have the help.

He trudged through the snow again until he leaned against the shop. It was a struggle to turn the knob, but he stumbled inside. Woody and Joe stood before them, dressed in their winter gear.

"Kurt!" Joe grabbed Gwen from his arms and brought her to the couch.

"We were just about to go out lookin' for you," Woody said, helped Kurt into the house.

"You've been gone for a long time." Joe placed a hand on Gwen's skin. "Woody, she's freezing!"

Kurt coughed, pulling off his coat and kicking off his boots. "I found her in a cave..."

Woody hurried to grab blankets from another room. With Joe's help, they covered and tucked her in. "I'll have to call Louis."

Stumbling to the couch, Kurt used it to brace himself as he walked around it. He sat down on the floor, resting his cheek on the arm. Once again, he went into another coughing fit. He didn't understand. Just a few moments ago he was fine. Now, he felt sick.

His brother watched him as he wheezed and curled into himself. "You don't look so great, Kurt. Are you okay?"

Kurt slowly nodded his head. He lay on the floor and continued to cough. Everything was buzzing. He could hardly hear Woody and Joe talking. Even his own vision was starting to fail. He felt a blanket cover him and he took that as a sign. Without trying, he fell asleep.

"How long has he been sleeping?"

"An entire day."

"And Gwen?"

"The same."

Kurt opened his eyes and found Louis standing over him. "Good morning. How do you feel?"

He closed his eyes again, ready to fall asleep. "Tired."

"You have a bad case of pneumonia, so it's expected," Louis explained. "What were you thinking? Going out in a storm like that. You're lucky to have made it back alive."

What was he doing out there? That's right. Kurt shot up, Louis's hand pushing him back down. "Gwen! Where is she?"

"Easy, easy..." Louis muttered, pushing him back down. Kurt realized then that someone tucked him into a futon, blankets on top of him. "Gwen has a terrible case of hypothermia. You need to focus on yourself right now."

He tried to push back, but he was too weak. Whatever energy he had was gone, wasted away on something as silly as sitting up. Kurt placed his head on the pillow and let out a sigh. He couldn't keep his eyes open. Despite not wanting to, he fell asleep.

The dream he had disturbed him, making his sleep fitful. He tossed and turned, wasting even more of his energy. When he woke up again, Louis was gone. He sat up and looked around. Gwen was still on the couch, more blankets on her than there were on him. She was going through more than him. He rubbed a hand down his face, then started to peel off the blankets.

"Don't you dare!" Joe was at his side, pushing him roughly back into bed. "Louis told us to keep you in bed. If not, you'll never get better."

Kurt groaned. "This is ridiculous... I need to get out of this bed..."

"That's not happening so you might as well get comfortable."

He huffed. He looked over at the couch, seeing just the tip of Gwen's hand peeking out from beneath the blankets. "When did Louis leave?"

"A couple of hours ago. He told us to keep a close eye on you two. If Gwen gets worse, we gotta take her out of the valley and to a hospital." Joe sat down on the coffee table, which had been pushed away to accommodate Kurt's body. "How do you feel?"

"A bit better. Still tired."

His brother frowned. "What were you thinking? You knew it was bad to even go out there in that storm."

"I know..." Kurt muttered, rubbing at his eyes again.

"Then why'd you do it? For all we know, Gwen could have been alright on her own out there."

Kurt doubted that. After all, when he found her, she was in some dark, cold cave, shivering like a falling leaf. He looked at his brother. He was feeling delirious, this much he knew to be true. There was no way of stopping the next words from leaving his lips. "I didn't want to lose any more family..."

Joe's eyes widened and he stared at him. Kurt turned away from him. He would let his brother just sit with those words, hoping it would make sense to him. He took hold of Gwen's hand. It was still cold. Once again, exhaustion grabbed him at the smallest actions. In moments, he found himself asleep again.

It was so hot...

Gwen peeled open her eyes. The news was playing on the TV, announcing that the blizzard was well on its way out of the region. Was there a blizzard? Gwen had no recollection of it. She leaned on her arm and looked over the side. There was Kurt, his hand wrapped around hers. Had he been there the whole time?

"You're finally awake."

She looked up just as Woody came by with a tray of bowls. "Yeah. How long have I been out?"

"A couple of days," he answered, putting the tray down.

Days?! Had she been sleeping for that long? She sighed, lying down again. "What happened?"

"Well, from what I can tell... You went after a reindeer and got caught in a blizzard. At the same time, you caught hypothermia, and needed Kurt to rescue you." Woody placed a hand on her forehead. "You've endangered your lives. I hope you're proud of yourself."

It was rare when her grandfather would scold her. When he did, though, he knew exactly where to hit. This time was no exception. Of course she wasn't proud of herself. She looked over the side of the couch and stared down at Kurt. "Has he been here the whole time?"

Woody nodded. "We tried moving him, but he wouldn't have it. Said he'd rather stay there with you." Stretching out his back, he groaned. "I better let Louis know. The snow on the paths should have cleared up by now. Shouldn't be hard for him to come."

Gwen sighed. She was still tired, but she wasn't ready to sleep just yet. A couple of days sleep helped her a lot. With her free hand, she reached over and poked at Kurt's cheek. "Hey. Wake up. You've slept long enough."

Kurt grimaced and opened his eyes. He looked at her for a moment before closing his eyes again. "Shut up. You have no say in when I wake up today."

"Oh?"

"I saved your life. I can sleep in for once."

Snorting, she rolled more onto her stomach. "Yeah, yeah. Just this once, though." Her thumb stroked his hand, receiving the same action from him. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome."