Author's Note: Another Grey chapter. =] Sorry it's a bit short, but with the way the chapter ended there's not a whole lot more that could have been done with it. Hope you like it!


Grey had never seen Carrie this jumpy. They'd been sitting in the library like usual, him studying and her pretending to read while she watched him, but there was something different about this. Maybe it had something to do with the blinding snow outside, and the way the wind howled around the castle walls? She wouldn't be the first one to feel a little nervous and skittish because of the weather. Grey really didn't let it bother him, but he knew that it did some people. The way he saw it, they were in one of the safest places they could be, surrounded by centuries-old stone walls. After sitting through nearly an hour of her fidgeting in her seat, he finally looked up from his book.

"Carrie, what's wrong?"

Now that he took a closer look at her, he could see the obvious signs of discomfort about her. She looked tense, and a slight tremor ran through her every time the wind howled. This might be worse than he'd thought. She just shook her head, gesturing at the window.

"The wind – I don't like it when it howls like that. It sounds like a pack of wolves."

Grey couldn't quite understand the fear. It was only the wind, after all – it wasn't like there was actually a pack of wolves prowling outside the walls waiting to rip them apart. That sort of thing just didn't happen. It wasn't a full moon, either, so werewolves weren't exactly a worry. Grey liked to think that there weren't werewolves in these parts, anyway. He would have been wrong, of course, but there was no way for him to have known that. He just gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"It's just the wind, Carrie. There's nothing to worry about."

She didn't seem convinced. She frowned at the window, before turning back toward him. "I don't like it, Grey. It sounds angry."

He really wished that she's stop drinking before coming to visit him at the library. If she'd been completely sober at this point, he likely wouldn't have had to worry about her being so afraid. As it was, she was tipsy and more than a little irrational. She likely knew that there was nothing to fear, but feared it anyway.

"It'll be alright. I promise. Nothing's going to hurt you while I'm right here." Grey had grown rather fond of Carrie - or at least, accustomed to having her around. He enjoyed spending time with her, now that she seemed to have wrapped her head around the idea that he wasn't going to just fall into bed with her. She was brighter than most people gave her credit for, but underneath it all he suspected that she didn't believe in herself enough to put her brains to good use. She had a decent poker face, but the way she lived her life practically screamed that she was insecure and in desperate need of affection.

If he gave in now, though, she'd have no reason to stay. Part of him wanted to so very much, but he couldn't take that risk. If anything was ever going to happen between them, he was going to need some sort of reason to believe that she wasn't going to just disappear when it was all said and done. He turned his attention back to his book, only to be distracted moments later by the sound of her sliding her chair just a little closer to his. He stared at her for a second in silence, before she moved a little closer.

"Did you need something?"

It was a valid question. There had to be some reason she was moving in closer, after all, and he hoped that it wasn't because she was up to something. She'd been doing so well, after all - it had been hours since she'd propositioned him or tried to kiss him. She just glanced down at her book, then up at him.

"Could you ... maybe ... "

He waited for her to finish her sentence, but she never did. He gave her the gentle nudge she needed to finish the thought. "Could I maybe what, Carrie?"

"Hold me for a second? It might make me feel better."

Was she being serious? He never thought he'd see the day when Caroline Winters, of all people, actually wanted somebody to hold her. He doubted that she was the romantic or cuddly type, after all. She probably wanted to get in, get what she wanted, and get back out. Which made him wonder - why was she still here, after all this time? She'd been chasing him over a week, after all, and that was unheard-of in her world. He thought about refusing her request, but what was the point? All she wanted was a little comfort, and he could give that. The tremors and the tension in her expression weren't something that she could have been faking, as far as he was concerned.

"All right."

A brief smile crossed her face as he held one arm out. She moved her chair in closer, leaning in to rest against his side and pressing resting her head against his shoulder. She felt so much smaller than he'd expected. Caroline had a rather large presence, after all, and sometimes he forgot just how small she really was. It was a little intimidating - she felt as though she'd break if he didn't handle her with care.

"Thanks, Grey," Carrie mumbled into his neck, fingers curling in the fabric of his sweater as she relaxed against him. He shifted his hand to stroke her hair, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

"No problem."

He went back to flipping through his book as best he could with his free hand, and eventually the tremors stopped and her breathing began to even out. Soon enough it was completely even, as she fell sleep leaned against his side. He paused to kiss her on the top of her head, knowing that she was fast asleep and wouldn't be able to use it against him later.

Maybe all these years he'd been wrong and there really was a little bit of a romantic spirit in him after all.