I had the idea for this earlier and couldn't wait to write it! I hope you all enjoy, and please do review if you can! -Sophie x


It was the 23rd of December and winter was drawing in fast. With the Christmas period came icy temperatures, bitter winds and frosty cars- but as yet, no snow.

The ED were kept on their toes, with numerous cases of pneumonia and slips and trips on the icy pathways. These long, busy days made the staff happy to be able to go home at the end of a knackering shift.

Pulling on her large, wool coat, Tess stepped out of the entrance and into the cold evening, shivering as she pulled her scarf tighter round her neck.

"Tess!" She turned to see Charlie sprinting towards her, also bundled up in many warm layers.

"Yes?" Her reply sent a cloud of steam into her friends face which was already turning red with the cold.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come back with me for a bit? We could go over the staffing reviews together?"

Tess pulled a face.

"Or not. Ok, what about tea and some company then? Seeing as neither of us have anyone to go home to."

His kind eyes twinkled under the glare of the lamplight, and Tess smiled. "Ok, why not?"

"Great. Come on then, cars this way."

They made their way back to Charlie's little semi in a comfortable silence. He pulled the little Ford into his driveway and they both got out, immediately wrapping their coats further round their bodies.

Once inside, Charlie closed the blinds and curtains before disappearing to switch on the heating, whilst his colleague collapsed onto the sofa and switched on the TV. The older nurse came back just as the Sky box warmed up.

"Pizza or Indian for tea?" He asked, popping his head round the doorframe.

"Um, Indian? Might warm us up a bit." She smiled, before frowning at the remote. "Why isn't it working?"

He sighed. "Come here."

He went over to her and took the remote before jabbing it towards the TV. "Hmm. Something to do with Sky I think. Might be a storm brewing. Try the different channels, see if there's any you can get."

Charlie went and phoned the takeaway. Standing in the living room doorway, he tried not to laugh as Tess got increasingly frustrated with the lack of channels she could receive. Once the order was placed, he went and sat next to her, leaning back and yawning.

"The only channel I can seem to get is Sky Disney." She muttered.

"Well stick that on then, I don't care."

Sighing, she turned to that channel. "Frozen" was just starting, much to her dismay.

"I hope food gets here soon." She thought to herself as she leaned back and started to watch.

Turned out the Indian place were running late, so it didn't arrive until 3/4 of the way through the film. As they ate around his kitchen table, Charlie hummed the tunes of the many songs that had been on, deliberately to annoy Tess who had a fuelling hated for musicals.

"Cut it out Charlie, Reindeers are not better than people and you know it."

He grinned at her before moving her empty plate and placing it by the sink. "They're only better than some people."

"Hey!" She feigned offence before looking up at the clock.

"Dear god it's half past 10! I should really be getting back." The nurse said, pushing back her chair and standing up.

"Fair enough. I'll record the rest of "Frozen" for our next get together." He laughed, dodging the tissue she threw in his direction. "Want a lift back?"

"No I'll call a taxi, you're fine."

"Sure?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I don't want to hear your cover of "Let It Go" again if I can help it."

Once she was bundled up again in her cardigan, coat, hat, scarf and gloves, she opened the door- and stopped dead.

"Um, Charlie?"

"Yeah?" He called from the living room.

"Come here a sec."

"Why, what's up?" He turned the corner to find Tess stood at the door, looking out at what can only be described as a winter wonderland.

"THAT'S why the Sky was playing up."

He moved past her, reaching down and taking a pinch of the freshly fallen snow, to find it stuck and held firmly in his grasp. Getting an idea, he rose slowly and turned to look at her, a huge grin plastered across his face.

"Tess?" He asked. She looked at him, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes?" She replied, cautious of the fact he was now pulling his boots and coat on. Once he'd done the zip up, he looked at her again.

"Do you want to build a snowman?" He sang childishly, watching as Tess' face went from confused, to slightly amused, to her natural look- stern.

"Not particularly no."

"Come on, let's go and play!" He took her arm and pulled her from the doorway and into the snow, shutting the door behind her.

"Charlie- I-" she began, but he had already started gathering a lump of the frozen rain together to roll around the garden.

"You start on the head!" He called.

"Charlie, come on-"

"I said start on the head!"

Tess paused for a minute, watching his glowing face light up as the ball of snow grew bigger and bigger. Sighing heavily, she dumped her bag on his doorstep and pulled her gloves up before grabbing a handful of snow and starting to roll.

After 10 minutes or so of hardcore heaving, the two nurses stood back and looked proudly at their creation, both of their noses bright red.

"Hey, it's faceless! It needs a carrot- and some pebbles for the eyes and mouth!" Charlie exclaimed. "Grab some stones from the rockery, I'll go get a carrot."

Tess moved the snow from the garden at the side of Charlie's house, and grabbed a handful of tiny stones. She arranged them to make a smiley mouth and eyes just as her colleague came back, clutching a vegetable that certainly wasn't a carrot.

"You do know what a carrot looks like right?" She asked sceptically as he approached.

"Har har. I'm all out, only thing I had was this stick of celery."

"It'll do I guess."

He stuck the vegetable firmly into the snowman's head, and stood back proudly.

"Perfect. But what do we call him?"

Tess nudged him with her elbow and grinned before looking up at him.

"Olaf."

He laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders as she leant into him. "Olaf it is!"

Tess ended up staying the night (in the spare room, don't be getting any ideas) rather than getting a taxi home. She liked having someone to keep her company, and wanted to hold onto that feeling just a little while longer.