Chapter II -

A/N: I know, I know, it's really short... but I've decided to just put it up in smaller parts but more frequently instead of waiting for a month or so for an acceptable amount to post.

"Well honestly, who didn't see that coming?" Cartman said un-concernedly, as he returned to going down the slope. Although he did seem to be slightly distracted, after all, he had forgotten to make fun of Kyle for completely sucking at skiing.

"Yeah, he always comes back," Stan said without working the logic in his mind, as he too ignored his dead friend who was being dragged away by mice as they spoke. Pushing himself up from laying on the ground, now covered in snow, was Kyle, nodding slightly in agreement to Stan's statement -- none of them ever questioned how Kenny always reappeared. It was... just normal.

"I wonder what it's like to die," Kyle thought aloud to a clearly non-interested Stan, who was however laughing at Kyle's appearance. I mean, here he was being serious but covered head to toe in fluffy white snow.

"I'm sure it really bites, dude," Stan said as he started sloping once again, followed as best as possible by Kyle, who really sucked at this. It took no time at all for Kyle to fall down five more times. He got back up out of the snow again yet again, and started going down the hill again beside of Stan who seemed to have slowed down as much as he could when he started to fall for the seventh time, though he found a softer landing which was Stan's padded jacket, as he'd caught Kyle this time from falling.

"Thanks," Kyle muttered embarrassedly, face as red as the pom-pom on Stan's hat. He'd been in that position for about thirty seconds before he stood back up, and so Stan couldn't catch his expression of embarrassment, he zoomed off down the hill again, this time having to fall without being caught.

Ì

Stan was puzzled as he sat in a lounge chair on the main floor of the lodge, and it wasn't until Cartman walked in that he stopped thinking about Kyle. "Oh, hey Cartman," he sounded strangely distant, and a slight frown was seen on his face.

"Where'd you and Kyle go?" Cartman asked as he sunk – quite literally, it must have been very painful for the chair – into another arm chair near Stan. "I never ran into either of you again after that first hill," you had to wonder why Cartman cared, as he'd probably be happier on his own.

"I was waiting for Kyle on that first one, but I lost him after it, too," Stan said honestly, as he fingered the key in his pocket. "Maybe I should go check if he ever came back." Standing up to leave before Cartman even responded, Stan headed up the stairs to get to the right floor, thinking about what'd happened. But what had happened? That's what Stan was most confused about....

Was Kyle hiding something? Kenny or Cartman wouldn't have acted like that if Stan had helped them... although Cartman would've knocked Stan over if he tried to help, and Kenny was dead, so Stan actually wouldn't help anyone but Kyle. Was that the only reason, though?

Ugh, Stan had never felt more confused in his life. When Stan had reached the fourth floor, he went through the door and headed quickly to his and Kyle's room. He didn't hesitate before unlocking the door and opening it, standing of course in the bedroom. Promptly, Stan threw up as he saw Kyle walking out of the bathroom without his shirt on.

"Gross, Stan! I just took a shower, now I have to take another!" Kyle looked annoyed for a moment, but then felt the same confusion Stan had just pondered over. Stan didn't normally throw up on anyone... though when he'd had a crush on Wendy – but that wasn't what was going on. Of course not....

"Oh – er – sorry, where'd you go, anyways?" Stan said, as unnoticeably as he could wiping the vomit from his mouth, trying to sound casual. It was a bit late for this, as Kyle still had a ton on him not to mention the floor, but you had to give him credit for trying to ignore it.

"Oh, I came back here right after that hill," Kyle said, grabbing a towel while he spoke to wipe himself off. "I got annoyed of falling face-first into snow, wouldn't you?" Ironic, considering they were always in snow because of where they lived, but Stan chose to ignore that thought.

"D'you want to go back out?" Stan asked, a wicked grin creeping onto his face, "I could teach you how to ski. God knows you need the help," he winked as he sat on the bed while talking.

"I would, but you see, I don't want to walk around with someone's puke on me," Kyle said as he stepped back into the bathroom. "I'll meet you and Cartman out there later," the door was shut and a few minutes later Stan could hear the water from the shower.

Stan walked back out of the door and got on the elevator going back to the main floor again, noticing Cartman hadn't moved an inch since he'd last seen him. "Kyle's up there," Stan explained without being asked, "guess he just got bored."

"Something's up with Kyle," Cartman replied, "he's been acting all weird lately, wonder what's wrong with him." He paused and realized that sounded like he cared too much, "If he's on drugs and he isn't sharing with his friends I'm going to hurt him!"

"Drop the insults and jokes, Cartman, you're actually making sense for once.... I wonder what is going on with Kyle?"

"This looks like a case for Clyde Frog," Cartman said, and Stan looked livid. Oh God, he was going to have to deal with Cartman doing his stupid games. Still, he couldn't help but be curious if Cartman could figure out what was happening.

"What about Polly Prissy Pants?" Stan couldn't help but ask with a soft smirk, gazing at Cartman waiting for him to be offended and throw something.

"She and Clyde Frog had a fight, okay? We aren't on speaking terms," said Cartman, alarmingly sounding serious. "Now, we need to find out what Kyle's been doing since he started acting this way –" Cartman continued going on like this for a while, but not talking to Stan, rather, talking to himself.

"Just tell me what I can do," Stan fought off a laugh as he tried to think what could be happening with his friend.

Ì

Kyle stepped out of the room he and Stan shared, and headed down the stairs. Still embarrassed over the whole ordeal, he made sure before going onto the main floor Stan wasn't there. He did see Cartman, but he probably wouldn't come up to talk to Kyle anyways. Oh, how wrong he could be.

The second Kyle went to get his skis to practice by himself, Cartman got some and followed him out the door. "Going to go learn how to move without falling, Jew?" Cartman greeted, almost cheerfully for him.

"Yeah, that's it, you should really do it too, you could stand to burn fat," Kyle responded calmly, not at all surprised to see Kenny walking around outside. Death really must not be a mystery for that kid.

"Haha, cut the fat jokes," Cartman said simply, waving to Kenny as if he'd never died.

"Why are you on free will talking to me anyways? You normally prefer to keep your distance because you're so stupid you think you can catch being Jewish," Kyle said, both of them knowing that was true. Of course, for someone who was Jewish Kyle had gone to church before, not to mention actually performing the stations of the cross.

"Why wouldn't I want to hang out with my friend?"

"Who are you buying drugs from, Cartman?"

"There you go being naive again," Cartman said with a sickeningly sweet smile, "I was just wondering what happened before with you and Stan."

"Oh, nothing, he just threw up, that seems to happen a lot, doesn't it?" Kyle said, but was surprised to see the blank look on Cartman's face. That wasn't what he was talking about, was it?

"He threw up on you?" Cartman said, still looking blank. "He hasn't done that in ages to anyone.... I was just talking about –" Cartman didn't finish, he was just looking strangely at Kyle and then went back inside.

"Talking to Cartman is never a good idea," Kyle muttered to himself.