A/N Second chapter, a little romance for all of you this winter. And remember, this is a memory... Hope you like it! Enjoy...

Michaels thoughts inadvertently shifted to a happier time, a time without loss, a time filled with love, happiness and banter.

I'll miss the winter
A world of fragile things
Look for me in the white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree

The winter in Minnesota was cold and white. Compared to Roswell winters, it was magical. Several inches of snow were piled up in the white forest, making it look like a world drawn from a fairytale. The whole group was cooped up in a small cabin, but somehow, the tension seemed to seep away in the magic of that first winter. Each couple had their own bedroom and stayed their almost the entire time, bonding.

Lying in their small bedroom, their naked bodies covered with layers of sheets, they bantered. Cause that was what they did, they fought like cats and dogs and they made up. After that, they bantered.

"No way mister, you can't just say that and not keep up to your promise!"

"Maria, if you want to do it, just do it. I sure as hell won't be the one to do it." Michael replied, faked annoyance in his voice.

"But…" Maria sputtered.

"No, and by the way, I never promised you I would do it. I just said you would have to be crazy to think of something like that."

"But it's so beautiful now. The whole world covered in freshly fallen snow. It all seems so fragile. Doesn't it make you think about the things of life?"

Michael snorted, "Yeah, it makes me think that I'm nice and warm in this bed, with you, covered in blankets."

He nuzzled a little deeper between the covers, draping his body halfway across hers, making her giggle in surprise.

Swatting his arm, she stopped his antics and started kissing the arm which was draped over her shoulder. If she couldn't convince him with words…

The deep groan coming from the body besides her, made her smile a satisfied grin. She stopped kissing, and turned her head towards his. Looking deeply into his lust filled eyes she said, with a sultry voice, "Please?"

And when he ignored her and started his own kissing path along her cheekbone, she added a little more oil to the fire.

"I'll make it worth your while…" she whispered, turning away from him, leaving an empty void in the warm bed.

And as she stood there, only a blanket covering her slim body, her now long blond hair falling messily down her bare back, Michael couldn't help but think she looked absolutely angelic. In a split second he knew she had him in the palm of her hand. If she would have said jump at that moment, he would have only asked, 'How high?'

And she knew it. A large smile spread itself on her face, brightening up her emerald eyes, making them glow in the early morning light. Michaels face remained stoic, but the lights in his eyes told her he didn't mind. So she decided to use it and do the thing she so desperately wanted to do.

"Come on Spaceboy, we've got ourselves a nice white blanket waiting for us to make angels into it." a small squeal escaped her as she bounced towards the screen door, giving them entry to the beautiful landscape of a Minnesota winter forest.

With a deep sigh, Michael got up from the bed, one blanket wrapped around his naked body. And as he shuffled slowly to the open screen door, already feeling the cold biting into his skin, a soft mutter could be heard underneath his breath, "I'm whipped…"

But as soon as he saw her standing outside, barefoot in the snow, making fresh tracks in it. He knew why he did this. Her lips were already red from the cold and small clouds were coming from her mouth as he walked over to her, ignoring the stinging cold in his feet, and wrapped himself around her.

And there they stood, two star-crossed lovers, on the run for the government, only covered with sheets keeping each other warm in this fairytale winter wonderland. Breathing in the early morning air which left their mouths in tiny clouds, they stood, not thinking, just feeling.

As a single tear made it's way down Maria's cheek, Michael made sure it didn't fall. Giving her the knowledge he'd always be there to keep her from falling…

I know you hear me,
I can taste it in your tears.
Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you

After a few minutes Maria suddenly broke away, running of into the nearby patch of trees. Leaving only a trail for Michael to follow. Her joyous laughter could be heard resounding through the trees, making her sound and look like a forest nymph. He saw how her long legs almost floated over the snow, while she firmly kept her sheet in place.

Grumbling a little, just loud enough for her to hear, he started the pursuit. When he almost had her and grabbed a piece of the sheet she was still clinging to, he stumbled and landed face down in the powdery snow. The thump his body made when making contact with the icy cold snow, made Maria stop dead in her tracks.

She carefully approached him, worrying now his body remained still in the cold snow.

"Michael?" she whispered, touching his bare back with one of her ice-cold feet.

"Michael, this isn't funny!" she whined, a little louder now.

"Michael?" she softly whispered again.

Touching his shoulder lightly, her face came closer to his. But the minute she was close enough, a growl escaped his throat and he jumped up, all covered in snow pulling her down with him.

A high pitched scream left her throat the minute he shot up and she staggered backwards, but she was to slow. Together the two of them fell down in the snow, both shivering, but also both feeling very flustered after a few minutes of 'snow wrestling'.

When Michael felt the deep shiver running through the small pixie in his arms, he suddenly got up, Maria still in his arms, sheets twisted around them, and carried her back to the warmth of the cabin.

Inside, near the small but warm fireplace he put her down, and made her remember the promise she made him. And she made it worth his while...