Title: Snow Day

Author: Whiskey Meteor

Rating: PG

Summary: L.A. gets an unexpected snow fall. Angel declares it a snow day, and everyone goes outside to play.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these fine characters, nor am I making any money off of exploiting them.

Notes: Set in season 4, Ats, after Spike has been made corporeal again.

_______________________________________________________________

Angel woke up chillier than usual. He rose from his bed and curiously peered out the window. Snow. Outside there was a raging blizzard, and by the looks of it, there was already about a foot of beautiful, powder white snow covering everything in sight. Angel groaned. "Ugh," he said, "I *hate* the snow."

Grumpily, he slouched over to his bedside table, picked up the phone, and dialed. "Hello, Harmony?" he asked when the line connected.

"Oh, hi boss," came Harmony's chipper reply. "Have you looked outside?" she squealed. "It's snowing!"

Angel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks, I noticed."

"Oh," Harmony said. "So... what do you want? Is work canceled?"

"No," Angel asserted. "I need you to call everyone in for a meeting."

"Everyone?" Harmony asked.

"Everyone," Angel confirmed. "The main boardroom, one hour."

"But, boss," Harmony started, "it's snowing, and--"

"One hour." Angel hung up the phone. He turned briefly back to the window before stalking off to shower and dress, muttering all the while about the snow.

* * * * *

Angel met Harmony at her desk, and walked with her to the main boardroom in silence. She opened the door, and ushered him inside.

Everyone who had shown up had gathered around the long, rectangular table. Wesley was talking quietly with Gunn. Fred was laughing while Lorne related to her some amusing anecdote. Spike was watching everything from a corner, with a look of quiet disapproval fixed on his face. Angel took a seat at the head of the table, and Harmony stood in the doorway, waiting awkwardly.

Conversation stopped, and all eyes turned to Angel.

"So what are we up against, Angelcakes?" Lorne asked brightly.

Angel frowned. "I think we should wait until everyone gets here. You know, before we start talking." He glanced around the room and was met with blank stares. "So we don't have to repeat ourselves?" he offered. "Because I hate repeating and... and no one else is coming, are they?" He turned to Harmony, who bobbed lightly on her feet and fidgeted.

"It's not like I didn't try," she insisted. "But with the snow and everything? I'm surprised *this* many people came."

"She's got a point," Spike called from the corner. "If I had any choice in the matter, *I* wouldn't be here either."

Angel glared at Spike briefly before turning back to the rest of the group. "Well thank you all for coming." He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "So does anyone have any ideas?" Everyone remained silently confused. "About the snow?" Angel prompted.

"...That's why we're here?" Fred asked hesitantly. "I know it's weird, and pretty much statistically impossible..." She folded her hands in her lap and smiled apologetically. "But in actual fact, it's only statistically *improbable*."

"She's right," Wesley interjected. "Angel, when I woke up this morning I must admit that I was slightly... thrown by the unusual turn in the weather. But I checked amongst my contacts, and other than the snow, nothing... unusual is taking place." He gave a small shrug. "I don't think this is anything to concern ourselves with."

Unconvinced, Angel squinted and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "You're not worried that it might be the work of some evil spirit?"

Fred smiled. "What, like the evil spirit of Christmas?"

"Fred's right," Gunn said. "Wes too." He tapped his fingers on the tabletop. "Angel, have you *looked* outside? It's beautiful." He shook his head amicably. "I think this is a gift."

"Yeah," Spike chipped in from the corner. "A white, fluffy gift."

"Like a poodle!" Harmony exclaimed.

"Yeah," Spike said, shaking his head in disbelief, "exactly like a poodle." Harmony pouted.

Ignoring them, Angel turned his attention back to Wesley. "You really don't think we should be worrying about this?"

Wesley cocked his head to the side and was pensively silent for a moment before answering. "Despite my better judgment," he said at length, "I think we should go outside and play."

Fred clapped and exchanged an excited grin with Gunn. "Yay!" she bubbled. Then her face abruptly fell. "But we can't go outside and play," she said. "Well, at least not *all* of us." She aimed a pointed nod in Angel's general direction. "It's daytime. Remember? Sun... vampire... dust?"

Lorne waved a hand dismissively and gestured towards the window. "Don't worry, sunshine," he soothed. "Blizzard equals indirect sunlight, which is a-okay. Our little Angelcakes can run and play outside today to his un-dead heart's content."

All eyes turned back to Angel, who cradled his chin in his hand and stared at the table thoughtfully. Finally, he looked back up and raised his arms in defeat. "Okay, fine," he gave in. "Let's go out and play."

When everyone was done cheering, Harmony stepped forward and waved her hand to gather Angel's attention. "Um, Boss?" she asked. "So we're not going to work today?" Angel shook his head regretfully, and Harmony squealed excitedly. "Then can I go home? Because my shoes weren't meant for playing in the snow."

Angel stood, and raised his hands again, addressing the room. "*Anyone* who wants to go home, can," he announced. "Work is officially canceled. We're having a snow day."

* * * * *

"Here's another toque," Gunn announced, pulling a pink and baby-blue knitted hat out of the lost and found. He twirled it around of his finger, and then stealthily snuck up behind Spike and tugged it down securely onto the vampire's head.

"Oi!" Spike cried, and pulled the hat from his head. "I'd rather freeze to death than wear this... this... thing." He held the hat at arms length and sneered at it.

"Come now, Spike," Wesley said. "You *will* freeze to death if you don't wear a hat." He smiled condescendingly.

"Wes is right," Gunn chipped in cheerily, snatching the hat from Spike and pulling it onto his head again. "And we wouldn't want that." Spike scowled, but let the hat stay where Gunn had put it.

Angel pulled a pair of dusty mittens out of the lost and found box and shook a cloud of dust off of them. "I don't know if we should be using this stuff," he said.

Lorne pulled a long, moth-eaten, red scarf out of the box and wrapped it carefully around Angel's neck. "I think some of this stuff might be older than *you*, Angelcakes," he observed. "And no one's going to come back for it today, at any rate."

Angel gave a nod and pulled on the mittens he'd found. Then he looked around at everyone else. They'd managed to find an inexplicable box full of winter clothes in the lost and found, and dressed themselves more appropriately for the weather. Everyone appeared ready to face the elements, except for the green demon. "Go ahead on out," Angel instructed. "We'll be right behind you." He leaned into the lost and found box. "Come on, Lorne," Angel said, "I think there's another hat in here somewhere. I know it probably won't match your coat, but-,"

"Don't sweat it," Lorne cut in. "They don't make a hat that meets the needs of your average horned demon." He waved his hands dismissively. "I don't wanna go outside anyway. Somebody's got to stay in and get the cocoa ready."

Angel smiled hesitantly. "Are you sure?" he said. "It'll be fun."

"I'm sure it will be," Lorne replied. "But frostbitten horns? Not a pretty sight." He pushed Angel playfully towards the door, after the others. "Go on, scoot. There'll be hot cocoa waiting when they can't feel their toes." Angel chuckled and headed off. "Angel," Lorne called after him, "throw a snowball at Wes for me, will ya?"

Angel turned and bowed back at Lorne. "It would be my pleasure," he said. And then, with a wry smile, he turned and hurried out the door.

* * * * *

Pushing open the door slowly, Angel stepped out into the blizzard. Soft, white snow swirled around in the air, and on the ground the pure white powder came half way up to his knees. Fred and Wesley were engaged in a friendly war, pelting each other with snowballs and running circles around Spike and Gunn, who were just putting the final touches on a fair-sized snowman.

"Hey, nice snowman," Angel called.

Gunn waved, and Spike grinned. The blonde vampire stood back from where he'd been standing in front of the snowman, revealing that he had just attached two snowballs to the figure's chest, giving it the snowy equivalent of breasts. "It's a snowbird," Spike declared proudly. "Get it?" Gunn snickered, and continued adding snow to the head, sculpting a face for their creation.

"Spike, I think you spent too much time around Xander," Angel offered dryly.

"Hey!" Spike narrowed his eyes and planted his hands on his hips. "And what exactly is *that* supposed to-" He was cut off as a rogue snowball, thrown by Fred, made contact with the side of his head.

Angel snorted, and dissolved into a fit of laughter, but then he too fell victim to a rogue snowball to the head. "Hey!" he called, "Who threw that?" He stooped and balled up a handful of snow. "Whoever threw that is *so* going to pay."

Wesley waved. "I'm very sorry, Angel," he said. "If it's any consolation, I was aiming for Fred."

"It's not." Angel smiled wickedly, and flung the snowball at Wesley. His aim was true, and the ball planted itself firmly in the middle of Wesley's chest. Angel gave a whoop of delight. "*That*," he declared, "was from Lorne."

Wesley's retaliation was swift, and before Angel could duck, a large snowball hit him square above his heart. "And that," Wesley said wryly, "was from me."

Spike doubled over, shaking with gleeful laughter at Angel's expense. Deftly dodging an attack by Fred, Gunn lunged to the side and accidentally tackled the blonde vampire. They fell in a pile, Spike face down in the snow, and Gunn splayed on top of him. "Oh, man," Gunn said, shaking his head and regaining his bearings. Then he realised he was lying on top of Spike. "You all right, Spike?" he asked, still seated atop the vampire in question.

"Mmmph, mphphmm," came Spike's reply, muffled into incoherence thanks to his face first in the snow position.

Gunn scrambled off of him, and pulled them both up into sitting positions. "I'm sorry, man," Gunn offered lightly, "I didn't see you there. Are you okay?"

Glaring, Spike rose to his feet. Then, he reached out, popped the snowman's head off, and dropped it on Gunn's upturned face. "I'm peachy," Spike added. "Thanks for asking." He turned to walk away, but stopped as something hard and cold smacked into his ass. After reaching around and batting away the remnants of the snowball, Spike turned back to glare at Gunn. Gunn leapt to his feet and raced away, with Spike in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile, Wesley, Angel and Fred were still engaged in their war. Fred and Wesley had teamed up and cornered Angel next to the headless snowman, and were pelting him mercilessly with snowballs. All three were laughing happily, when finally they tired themselves out. Fred fell back into the snow and waved her arms and legs back and forth to make a snow-angel. She sighed smiled. "Now we have two Angels," she declared.

At that moment, Spike and Gunn came running back to join the others, breathless and covered from head to toe in the evidence of a mighty snowball fight. "Did I hear someone say something about two Angels?" Spike asked between breaths. "Because we already have one, and that's one too many if you ask me."

Crawling to his feet and ignoring Spike, Angel joined the group beside Fred's snow-angel. "This was fun," he said, and looked to Gunn. "I think you were right. This is a gift."

Gunn smiled, and Spike grimaced. "This isn't gonna turn into a group hug, is it?" he demanded.

Wesley laughed, and helped Fred to her feet. "I can't feel my toes," she remarked tiredly.

Gunn reached out and brushed some snow out of Fred's hair. "I hear Lorne has a cure for that," he offered.

"Yes," Angel said, "he does."

* * * * *

Inside, Lorne was waiting, as promised, with five steaming mugs of hot cocoa. "So," Lorne said, handing out the drinks, "did you have fun? Tell me all about it, kiddos."

Angel opened his mouth to speak, but Fred interrupted. "Wes hit me right in the face with a snowball!" she exclaimed.

Wesley offered her a small smile. "You started it."

"Gunn hit me on the bottom," Spike proclaimed. Everyone turned wide eyes at him and Gunn. "With a snowball," Spike amended dryly, and then turned to Gunn. "Though, you must have stared at it for a good long while to aim so well." Gunn merely frowned at him, and went back to drinking his cocoa.

Fred and Wesley continued to bicker amicably, and Angel turned to Lorne. "Yeah," he said. "I'd say we had fun." Angel patted Lorne on the shoulder and sipped his drink. Then, abruptly, a door slammed, and Angel turned around just in time to see Gunn open it again and rush out. He and Lorne looked to Fred and Wesley for an explanation.

"Spike got mad," Fred offered. Angel nodded.

"Well," Wesley said, handing his empty mug back to Lorne, "if I'm not needed here, I think I'll head home." He turned to Fred. "Would you care to share a taxi?" he asked.

"Sure," Fred said, and then turned to Angel. "As long as we're not needed here?"

Angel waved a hand dismissively. "Go ahead," he said. "Lorne? You gonna go with them?"

"No, I've got to take care of these dishes," Lorne said, indicating the cocoa mugs. Then he turned to Angel. "Besides, I need to talk to this guy before I head out."

Fred and Wesley said their good-byes, and headed off to catch a cab, leaving Angel and Lorne alone to gather up the empty mugs.

* * * * *

Gunn turned a corner and ran to catch up with Spike. "Hey, wait up, Blondie Bear," he called jovially.

Spike rolled his eyes, but stopped and turned around. "Why is it that the only time anyone ever pays any attention to me is when I want to be left alone?"

"Hey, look," Gunn offered, "I said I'm sorry. What more do you want?"

"You don't have to apologize," Spike said with a heavy sigh. "I realize that no one wants me here. If I could leave I would," he said. "But I can't." He shrugged. "It would just be nice if once in a while..." He trailed off, but Gunn waited, silently, for him to continue. "Outside? In the snow?" Spike started again. "I felt like I belonged. Like I was wanted."

Gunn reached out a hand and placed it on Spike's shoulder. "Well maybe that's because you are wanted."

"Am I?" Spike asked, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Then prove it."

"What would you like me to do, Spike?" Gunn asked, throwing his arms in the air. He grinned wryly. "Want me to throw you on the floor and beat you until you feel like part of the team?" Spike hesitated, before turning away with a scoff. Gunn went on, "Because if you wanted-"

Spike cut in, turning around to face the other man and placing a hand on his chest. "You could throw me on the floor," Spike said slowly. "If you wanted."

Gunn looked down at Spike's hand on his chest, and then back up into his pale-blue eyes. "Oh?" he asked. Spike smirked and ran his hand slowly down until it came to rest on its target. Gunn swallowed. "Oh..."

* * * * *

"I had fun today," Fred said, turning to Wesley, who was seated beside her in the taxi.

Wesley smiled. "Me too." Their eyes met for a long moment, and then they glanced away. Wesley cleared his throat. "I hope Lorne is able to find his way home all right."

Fred smiled. "Me too." Their eyes met again, but this time they didn't turn away. Fred smiled. "But I'm kinda glad he didn't come with us," she admitted.

"Oh?" Wesley asked, raising his eyebrows. Fred smiled again and took his hand in hers. "Oh..."

* * * * *

"You should have come out with us," Angel said. "It was fun."

Lorne smiled. "I'm sure it was."

"I should finish my cocoa."

"You already finished it, sunshine."

"Good," Angel said, "because I don't want to get up yet."

"Are your feet still cold?"

Angel shook his head, smiling. "That cocoa really works."

Lorne frowned. "Oh, sure, give the cocoa all the credit. Forget the demon space-heater lying right beside you."

Angel chuckled. "I always forget how cold I get."

"Well I never forget how much I like warming you up," Lorne teased.

Angel smiled broadly. Lorne pulled the comforter up around them, and they ducked back beneath the covers eagerly. "Oh... Ohhhh, I *love* the snow," Angel declared happily.

The end.