This chapter is pure undadulterated FLUFF :) Here's the long awaited Ice Skating scene... with lots more added. The original conversation is kept true to form.. I will not be changing any dialouge that was originally written. After all, that's what kept us on our toes and waiting for more of those lovely little moments. I will only be adding "deleted" or what should have happened afterwards scenes. Glad everyone is still enjoying my little attempt. :)

If anyone has any ideas on how to proceed with Shock Wave and Dangerous Games, I'd be more than happy to hear them. Shock Wave is the worst since Frank spends his time flirting with Taryn, and Buck is all over Nancy, and of course Ned is there for the entire time. Dangerous Games has better moments, but once again... Ned's around for the majority of the story. Just not sure how I'm going to get around Mr. Nickerson in those two stories without altering their entire universe. So, post your ideas in the feedback section and help a girl out, please:)

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Jean-Claude had been recovered successfully the night before and Joe had been attacked in his own hotel room. The longer we were in New York, the crazier the days seemed to be getting.

The prince convinced us to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center that afternoon. While we were at the rink, Bess and Jean-Claude's mushiness apparently got under Joe's skin, and he blew up at the couple. He exchanged angry words with his brother too, and stormed off, leaving Frank and I alone.

Joe returned shortly, his mood changed dramatically. He had apparently run into Fiona and convinced her to join him at the skating rink. As I watched the two couples skating hand in hand, lost in their own little world, I found myself lost in daydreams of my own.

I pictured myself gliding across the rink with Ned, looking up into his eyes, when suddenly I realized they weren't Ned's eyes I was looking into. I couldn't control the rush of blood to my face as I shook myself out of my daydream.

I felt Frank's presence beside me, and just knew that he was going to notice and ask me what was wrong. But if he did notice, he didn't let on. Instead he kept staring out at the rink as I had been doing moments before.

Finally, in a soft almost shy voice, Frank turned to me and said, "Looks like the four of them are having fun."

I nodded wordlessly and followed his gaze to the rink where the couples were having the time of their life.

"Maybe we ought to…" he began, letting his voice trail off.

"Ought to what?" I prompted.

He turned to look at me once more, this time his face only inches from mine. "You know, I've been doing some thinking, Nan," he said. I could feel his heated stare and my heart pounded in anticipation.

Just then, a roar went up from the crowd and the two of us looked around in confusion. The first snowfall of the year had begun. I turned back to Frank and smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he replied.

I wondered frantically if he was going to finish what he had started to say. Taking matters into my own hands, I softly brushed away a snowflake from Frank's cheek, just as he had to done to me at the club two nights before.

Frank glanced briefly at the rapidly falling flakes, before returning his gaze on me. "You're fighting a loosing battle," he said, parroting my words from the other night.

"I know," I responded softly.

Frank's hand closed over mine that was still pressed to his cheek. I saw him beginning to inch towards me, but his attention was quickly pulled elsewhere.

I followed his gaze and found Joe and a man, who I finally recognized as the chestnut vendor who had kidnapped Jean-Claude, locked in a heated argument! Frank and I quickly ran to the skate rental shack so we could enter the rink. We grabbed the first pairs available, and made a beeline for the ice.

No sooner than we stepped foot on the ice, was I grabbed by a stranger for a heart stopping game of Snap the Whip. By the time the rink guard broke up the game, the chestnut vendor, Joe, and Fiona were nowhere to be found.

Frank and I rushed back to the rental shack once more and asked the incompetent cashier if she had seen anyone matching Joe and Fiona's description. After much prodding and prompting, she remembered that Joe left a message with her saying he would meet us at Sak's like we had planned.

Thoroughly relieved, Frank and I wandered back over to the edge of the ice.

"Look at is this way, Frank," I said. "Jean-Claude is safe for the time being, one kidnapper, at least, is out of sight. And the robbers wouldn't dare pull anything here in broad daylight."

Frank then made a little half bow for me to enter the rink. "I guess that means I have an hour to show you a little something about skating."

"Oh, we'll see about that!" I said, my feet sliding around in my oversized skates. I gave Frank a mischievous grin and took off onto the ice. I joined thethrong of skaters and glided as fast as I could through the crowds. Every so often I would check behind me and see Frank trying to catch up. I laughed to myself and decided to cut him a break, and headed for the center of the rink so he could catch up to me.

I attempted to glide gracefully across the ice, but with my skates at least two sizes to big, graceful I wasn't. I finally stopped in the middle of the rink and glanced around in awe at my surroundings. Here I was in the middle of a picture perfect postcard of a New York City Christmas. It was a beautiful scene - the majestic Christmas tree stood guard, and a lightly falling snow made the moment even more magical.

I was brought out of my reverie when I heard a "swhoosh" behind me. I turned around and found a smiling Frank standing there. "Hi."

"Hi, there," I grinned back. "Glad you could make it," I teased.

"Very funny, Nan." Frank retorted.

"I try," I laughed, shrugging my shoulders. I did a lazy figure-eight around him, and made a sweeping motion with my arm. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Frank surveyed the area, before his eyes rested back on me. "It is," he agreed. The way he was looking at me, I was unsure if he was talking about the scenery… or me.

Suddenly, I felt a bump from behind and almost lost my balance. My arms flailed wildly as I tried to keep myself from falling. Frank reached out his arms in time to stop me from falling flat on my face, and the wayward skater that had bumped into me yelled a quick "Sorry!" before skating away.

"Thanks," I said softly, enjoying the feel of Frank's arms around me. My face was a light shade of red, both from the cold and the embarrassment.

"Anytime," Frank replied. He unwrapped his arms from my waist and took both my hands in his. Wordlessly, he began skating backwards, pulling me along with him.

As we made our way back to the outer circle of skaters, I grinned, "I think you might skate better backwards, than forwards."

"Yeah, well at least I can stand on the ice without falling down," Frank teased right back. The words had barely left his mouth when another skater cut him off and Frank tried unsuccessfully to stop. He lost his footing, and he hit the cold ice, pulling me down with him.

I laughed heartily as the crowds skated around us, "You were saying?" I managed to say through my laughter.

Frank blushed, as he dusted himself off. "Point taken," he conceded, as he stood up. He reached down a hand to me and helped me to my feet. "I'm blaming the skates," he insisted.

"Sure, Hardy," I winked. "I think it's the feet inside the skates that are the problem."

"Yeah, they don't fit," he laughed. "Mine are at least two sizes to big, yours?"

"The same," I replied.

"Then why don't we ditch the skates and go get some hot chocolate?" he suggested.

"Sounds like I plan," I agreed. As much fun as it would be skating around the rink with him, I wasn't too keen on the idea of all the bumps and bruises that would appear tomorrow if we kept falling down.

He took my hand in his once more, as we skated back to the rink entrance. We managed to make it without falling down and we both sighed in relief as we stepped off the ice.

"You said something about hot chocolate?" I reminded him, after we had exchanged out the rental skates for our shoes.

Frank grinned. "That cold, huh?" He tapped the end of my red nose with his finger lightly for emphasis.

I blushed at his touch, but the color that went to my cheeks was lost in the color from the cold. "A little," I replied. I rubbed my hands together to warm them up.

"Well, c'mon, let's go get a steaming cup and warm you up." He stood up from the bench we were occupying and held his hand out to me.

I took his offered hand, which was just as cold as mine. As we walked through the crowds to the concession stand I looked down at our joined hands. "We're not skating anymore," I reminded him softly, lifting up our hands in question.

"I know," he answered simply. He interlocked his fingers with mine, in response to my statement and a warm rush spread through me.

I wanted to ask him what was going on, and what he was thinking, but I couldn't bring myself to find the words. Deciding just to go with the flow, I pushed the torrent of thoughts out of my mind.

"Two hot chocolates, please," I heard Frank say, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I sighed inwardly as Frank released my hand to hand the cashier money. Frank handed me a steaming cup of cocoa, and I wrapped both of my hands around the warm cup. "Wonderful idea you had, Hardy," I said, taking a light sip of the hot drink.

"I have a few of those every now and then," Frank laughed in response. We moved away from the concession stand and his hand reached for mine once more. This time I accepted it without question, and we meandered through the crowds silently, sipping our drinks and warming up considerably.

When we finally claimed an empty bench near the rink and I asked Frank "Do you see Bess and Jean-Claude?"

Frank released my hand and pointed across the rink, "They're over there."

I followed his gaze and watched as the happy couple skated hand in hand. A small smile crossed my face as I saw Jean-Claude reach down and give Bess a soft kiss. I was happy for my friend, and glad that she was enjoying herself. "Aww," I grinned. "They look happy don't they?"

"They do," he agreed. "And so did Joe and Fiona earlier." He casually draped his arm over my shoulders. "There must be something about this place."

"There must be," I echoed, resting my head on his shoulder.

Frank dropped a quick kiss on the top of my head before speaking, "Nan," he began.

"Yes?" I questioned, raising my eyes to meet his.

"Like I tried to say earlier…. I've been doing some thinking," he said solemnly.

"About?" I asked softly, my heart thumping rapidly in my chest. I bit my lip in nervousness as I wondered what he was about to say.

"Us," came the simple answer.

I looked down and toyed with the cup in my hands. "Don't, Frank," I said, finally raising my eyes to meet his again.

The confusion was evident in his eyes as he looked back at me. "What?"

"I don't want to think about it, I just want to enjoy it," I answered softly. "I don't know what's going on here," I admitted. "But I like it. And if we stop to think about it, we'll think..." 'About Ned and Callie' I continued on in my mind.

Frank regarded me carefully as he listened to my words. We shared a crazy connection and I knew he knew what I was trying to say. He nodded in agreement as he finally responded. "Okay," he answered. "No thinking, just enjoying."

He gently brushed a stray lock of hair off of my face and a small smile crossed his face. "I think I can manage that."

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