Out in the cold

Disclaimer: I make no money from these fics and recognise the sole rights of the original creators to do so.

Summary: A Christmas fic for Wheeler and Linka fans

A/N: Merry Christmas! I didn't mean to be absent for so long but real life tends to get in the way at times. I see I have a few stories to catch up on, I look forward to getting into them now I finally have a break!

As always, thanks to Becks for the help and inspiration.


Prologue

It is not that cold. Linka thought irritably.

She had just finished telling the Water Planeteer how, with a little planning ahead - and therefore a few extra layers-, the winter coats they usually used in freezing climates would not be needed, but she was clearly wasting her time.

Unfortunately Gi had not planned for cold weather at all and their coats were now in the Amazon with Ma-Ti and Kwame.

"You never feel the cold anyway!" The pretty Asian complained, hugging her jacket around her as she paced back and forth. "Besides it wasn't supposed to be this bad."

"It is not that bad." Linka rolled her eyes. "I am sure they will have something you can borrow at the animal reserve."

Wheeler stood up from the wall he'd been perching on and walked over to Gi. "Come here."

Their lift was late and as much as he adored Linka, the American had to admit she could be obnoxious at times. She was right of course, she always was, but that was of no practical use just then and he sympathised with the irritation Gi felt.

Stopping the Water Planeteer's continued movements by snagging her round the waist and pulling her close with her back against his chest, he wrapped his jacket around her, followed by his arms. "Better?"

"Actually, yes." The Water Planeteer laughed, "except for my legs."

He then made her squeal by lifting her and moving them back to the wall so that he could sit with her on his lap, and rub the tops of her legs. They were both laughing.

There was nothing particularly lover-like about them, but Linka didn't see it quite that way. She moved further away and kept her eyes on the road in the direction she knew their lift would be coming from.

Suddenly it felt a lot colder, and she had to resist the urge to hug her arms. She brushed the feeling aside irritably. I am being ridiculous.

Their flow of easy chatter and laughter did nothing to improve her mood, in fact she began to wonder if she was the subject of their mirth. She had often been the butt of jokes at school because of her intelligence and logical outlook and though she didn't credit her new friends with the same cruel intentions, she had noticed them share smiles and little glances when she was trying to explain something for their benefit.

At last their ride pulled up at the curb. It bore the coastal reserve's logo on the side and had the young man they knew as Warden Aiden Rivers in the driving seat. He waved, and as Gi made haste to claim the front seat, apologised for being late. "You must be freezing."

"We weren't waiting long." The Asian assured him, with a shy chuckle. "I just didn't plan ahead very well."

Linka climbed in beside Wheeler in the back of the land rover, and rolled her eyes. She is not content with one good looking guy being all over her… Blushing as she realised what she was thinking, and feeling, she nonetheless remained unusually silent while the others enthusiastically discussed what they were going to see.

For the first time she was regretting being so organised. I was the sensible one, so she is the one that gets his attention! It is not fair, why should I pretend to be someone I am not just to appeal to his ego?

Linka wanted to be annoyed with Wheeler for once again forgetting that she was there - when at other times he seemed to want her to believe that he cared - but her heart wasn't in it. He likes to play the hero, but Gi does not need protecting any more than I do, she just knows how to be vulnerable, how to let him in… they would make a good couple.

The thought depressed her. Would it really be so bad if I gave him a reason to put his arms around me? Even if it were made up? Could I?

She still hadn't come to any conclusions when they arrived at their destination.


"Everything okay Babe?" Wheeler's voice made Linka jump, and he reached out to steady her. "Sorry."

She'd been staring out to sea, watching the birds reel over the protected waters before diving down to catch the fish below. She looked out at the ocean once more. "It is fine, I was miles away."

"Are you sure you're ok?" He pressed, letting his hand fall but stepping closer, "You've been quiet all morning, and then you wandered off..."

"I did not think you would notice." She said, rather more bitterly than she'd intended.

His eyes opened a little wider, "Have I done something to piss you off?"

Linka shook her head and forced her voice into a more normal tone, "We should go and find the others, they will be wondering where we are."

Laughing at that, Wheeler shook his head, "Somehow I don't think they'll even have noticed we're gone. Aiden is almost as obsessed with seals as Gi is, I left them getting very excited about… actually I have no idea what they were excited about."

The Wind Planeteer smiled but it didn't seem to reach her eyes. "Each other probably, based on the way they were acting earlier. I did not realise they had not met before, but I suppose I did arrange everything… as usual."

Wheeler swallowed, "Are you jealous?"

Linka was about to hotly deny the accusation, embarrassed at how obvious she had apparently been, when he continued, "I mean you must have spent a lot of time with him setting this up, and he seems like a decent guy, so I guess I can understand if you like him too."

She was watching her friend closely but he didn't meet her eyes and when he got no response he muttered, "He's certainly got a lot more going for him than I have."

Not able to entirely banish her earlier fears, she said, "You do not think Gi would pick you if she were given the choice?"

Anger flashed in his eyes when he looked at her but he didn't shout, "You don't have to mock me."

"I was not…"

"Really?" he growled, "Do you think it's easy for me? I was trying to be a good friend and not the green eyed idiot you can't stand, but I can't turn my feelings off! I've tried to keep my distance, I try to accept that you aren't interested, and you start making jokes about Gi?!"

Linka turned to fully confront him, her hands on her hips and her voice rising, "It was not a joke! What am I supposed to think when you are all over her? Using the flimsiest of excuses to cuddle her and whisper secrets?"

"Are you serious?" Wheeler shook his head, "She was cold, I was trying to warm her up!"

His friend snorted, "Da, that was obvious."

"You're crazy."

"It was not that cold!" she yelled, causing the nearest birds to take flight.

Wheeler threw his arms up in the air triggering more panicked lift-offs, "She didn't grow up in Siberia!"

"Neither did I!" She sighed and forced her voice back to a normal level but she still sounded angry. "You mean that I am a cold person, that there is ice in my heart."

"No, I mean that she's used to a warmer climate. What's got into you?" She looked away instead of answering so he pushed on, "All she wanted was a little kindness but you just told her what she 'should' have done, and even if you're right, that's not helpful." Still no response and it rankled him. "You're always so superior, you've got some great qualities but that's not one of them!"

That seemed to do the trick as she turned on him again, her eyes blazing, disgust dripping from her mouth. "Great qualities? You mean my face and my body, it is all you see, all you want, and you even forget about that whenever someone better comes along!"

Glaring back, "By 'better' I guess you mean friendlier? Why not? I like attention from pretty girls, so what? It doesn't make my feelings go away and it's not like you care anyway!"

Linka pushed past him and headed back towards the others. She wanted to scream at him, not in words but a long drawn out expression of her frustration. But what good would it do?


To be continued...