Chapter Ten: The Snowball Effect

Gwen's POV

I look up from my chemistry textbook, not sure how much more I can take. It's December 12th, the last school day before our midterm exams, and I have done absolutely nothing but study for the past week and a half. If it weren't for the fact that I'm in the library with everyone else, I'd be screaming. It's just too damn much.

In my peripheral vision, I can see snow covering the field outside, at least six inches if not more. God, I want to be out in the snow so badly. Lucy and Ellie are probably playing in the backyard right now, still at the age where the hardest and scariest academic challenges are long division and spelling tests. The worst thing about midterms, I decide, is that I hardly get to spend any time with my sisters.

"Alright, I've had it." I turn to see Jack, closing his binder with finality. "We've been working nonstop for the past two weeks. It's high time we catch a break. I'm going outside, and if you guys don't come with me willingly, I swear to God I will drag every single one of your asses out the front door."

I sigh in relief. "No need to drag me," I grin. "I'm in." I can feel Rhys's scowl from next to me. "And so's Rhys."

"Who says?!" he nearly yells.

"Didn't you listen?" I retort, looking over my shoulder at him. "If you don't come, Jack drags your ass out the door."

"Fine," he mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. The others practically turn purple trying to keep from laughing.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we're in," Ianto interjects, motioning to himself, Tosh, Owen, and Martha. "Scratch that. I know I speak for all of us."

"Great!" Jack grins broadly. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

I try as hard as I can not to running out into the snow screaming like a little kid. Snow's my favorite kind of weather, by a long shot. Always has been.

Screw it. I take off as fast as I can, the wind blowing directly into my face. It almost feels like flying. I could do this forever, I think, and then I trip and fall flat on my face.

"Such grace," Rhys says snarkily from overhead. Clearly he's pissed about being out here. He holds out a hand to help me up. I don't take it, instead getting up myself.

"Oh, you can talk." Owen walks over, Tosh just behind him.

"Hypocrite much?" she whispers in his ear.

"Shut up," he mutters. She responds by picking up a handful of snow and chucking it at him. "Oi! I'm getting you for that!" He scoops up a bit of snow and prepares to throw it, but before he can, she takes off. A few moments later, they're having a one-on-one snowball fight.

I count down from three, and, sure enough, Ianto and Martha are joining in, helping Owen and Tosh respectively, before I hit zero. They can never resist a snowball fight.

"Guys versus girls?" Jack suggests.

"Oh, it's on," I grin, and we head over to them. It's only after I've thrown my first snowball directly into Ianto's face that I realize Rhys is still standing a few feet away, clearly unamused by all of this. "Come on!" I shout to him. "These guys are going to get creamed unless you help them out!"

"Not likely!" Jack shouts back. I just manage to dodge the snowball he chucks at me for that one. "Come on, it's fun." Rhys turns and storms off.

"I swear," Tosh murmurs in my ear, "if he calls it quits over this-"

"-Don't finish that," I interrupt. "I'm having a good day."

"Exactly," she mutters. "Heads up!" I look up to see a snowball headed directly towards my face.

"Shit!" I try to duck, but it's too late.

"You were saying?" Owen asks. "Something about our getting creamed?"

"You don't stand a chance, klutz," I call back.

"I'm not a klutz!" Owen argues. "Tosh, tell her!"

"Gwen," Tosh starts. I know where this is going. "I have no idea what the hell he's talking about."

"Um, hello!" Martha shouts over our exchange. "Am I the only one still playing?" Ianto whips a snowball at her. "Okay, apparently not. Am I the only girl still playing?"

"No," I reply. I turn to look at the boys, and the next thing I know, Jack's throwing a piece of snow the size of a dodgeball right at me. Trouble is, it's too heavy, and it falls to the ground before it hits me. "Nice," I laugh. I scoop up a bit of the giant snowball and chuck it at him. It hits him perfectly in the chest. "That's what you get for showing off." I get another one ready.

"Oh, you think that was showing off?" he asks. I chuck the snowball and he literally punches through it. "This is showing off." He smirks at me, and all of a sudden I feel my face turning red. "You alright?" he asks.

"Yeah… just cold…" At this, I feel myself blushing yet further.

"Alright, let's call it off," he says loudly. Everyone stops and turns to look at us. "That was fun. We'll have to do it again. But for now-" he points at me "-you have to get home and warm up so you can start round two of snowy shenanigans. I have a feeling your sisters would kill me if they found out we stole all of your energy from playing with them. Not that they'd need to, either - they matter a hell of a lot more than we do."

At the mention of my sisters, I remember something that the twins had suggested to me. I'd brushed it off before, because it's a crazy idea and could very likely do more harm than good, but for some reason it seems like a much better idea right now.

Jack's still talking. "And you two-" he points at Owen and Tosh "-have to get home to foster your budding PDA addiction." They shout protests, but Jack talks right over them. "Ianto and Martha, I don't care what the hell you do, but you should probably get home anyway, but I have to get home because my mom's starting to miss me. I'll see you guys on Monday!" He turns and begins walking away.

Fuck it, I'm going for it. "Jack!" I call after him, running to catch up.

"What's up?"

I take a breath. Here we go. "Are you free Christmas Eve?" I ask nervously.

He nods. "Yeah, actually. Mom's been invited to some work party thing, and I can't go. Why?"

"Every year, I have a party on Christmas Eve. Just a little one, with them-" I motion to the group behind us "-and Rhys and my sisters. I was wondering… do you want to come too?"

His face breaks into a grin, but then falls quickly. "Gwen, I'd love to, but is that really a good idea? I mean…" He trails off, but we both know what he's thinking. And it's the exact reason I wasn't planning on inviting him. A few months ago, I'd never have done it. I'd have told the twins they were crazy and absolutely not. But ever since that sleepover, things have felt a little different.

And they've been getting along better…

"I'll deal with it," I decide. "Any problems, I'll deal with it." Or the twins will, I think. "I'm… sort of sick of… that."

"I'm in," he grins.

Just then, I remember something. "Right, I forgot. It's a pajama party. Specifically, a cheesy Christmas pajama party. Wear your cheesiest."

"How do you know I have cheesy Christmas pajamas?" he asks.

Let's see, how to prove this cleverly… "Well, you're much cheesier than Owen, and he has cheesy Christmas pajamas, so you have to have them. Logic."

He laughs. "Can't argue with logic. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Bye!" I call, and I run towards my car. It's only once I've started it that I realized that I had made a point of being clever…

Jack's POV

"Do you know what I think just happened?" I turn to see Ianto, a slight smile of amusement on his face. He isn't really one for large expressions of emotions, I decide.

I look at him confusedly. "She invited me to her party…?"

"Well, yeah, that," he nods. "But do you know what else I think just happened?"

Owen, Tosh, and Martha are running to catch up with us. "What's going on?" Martha asks.

Now he grins for real. "I think that Gwen Cooper just grew a pair of snowballs."

Hey everyone! So, what's going on with Gwen, eh? :) Also, sorry about that last sentence. I couldn't help myself there.

I'm pretty excited for the next chapter, which will be all about this Christmas party, but, because it's not Christmas for another month and then some (sigh), I'm not going to start working on that one quite yet. Instead, I'm going to focus on TFTH, Flame (which I've been neglecting for far too long), and, of course, WHAT THE FLUFF!

Speaking of What the Fluff, make sure to go to my Favorite Authors list to find the new What the Fluff account (it's called - big surprise here - "What the Fluff Project"), and follow it to get all of the latest fluffy updates! (Because all of the stories are posted separately, following the account is the only way to be kept up to date with everything.) Details regarding writing and/or prompting for WTF, as well as all of the WTF internet accounts (which really aren't being maintained but ah well), are on the profile.

In other news: I might start a vlog series called LiaTalks! If this does happen, I'll be sure to let y'alls know!

And, as always, love and ducks to the Lone Shippers, hugs to supporters, thanks to Eleonora, Noe, Hanul, and Kizzie, and cookies for all.

Love,

Ofelia xxxx