Chapter 2

"Okay, everybody out!" Gi announced with a jovial note. There was a hint of excitement in her voice that caused Linka to look up from the road map she was studying. The Jeep had come to a halt in front of a structure that looked like a lodge, surrounded by crisp, white mountains of snow. Linka could see a chairlift in the distance, set against a cobalt skyline.

"So, what's with the secrecy around this mission?" Wheeler let out impatiently, quickly jumping out of the Jeep to examine his surroundings. His eyes were alert and analyzing, as if out of habit.

"The Yankee is right," Linka nodded along, stretching out her neck from the long trip they had just faced. The cold air found its way down her lungs but she welcomed it. She felt at ease in those surroundings, as they reminded her of home and its less-delicate climate. As much as she loved taking swims in the ocean to cool off from the heat on Hope Island, she often missed dressing warmly and cozily for winter, or ice skating on the frozen ponds by her grandmother's house.

The blonde girl watched as Ma-Ti opened the rear hatch while Kwame and Gi simultaneously took out two large pieces of luggage. Her eyebrow arched questioningly, and she did not miss the amused glance that passed over her friends' faces. Her only consolation was that Wheeler seemed as lost as she was, and this heartened her a little.

"We thought you two might benefit from a little get away… alone, together," Gi was explaining, innocently clasping her hands behind her back.

"This is an opportunity for you to… talk things out, without the rest of us in your way," Kwame felt the need to add once he took in Linka's shocked expression.

"This looks like a couples' resort," Wheeler observed, ever the quick-witted one, and Linka instantly followed his glance. The entrance of the hotel stood behind them, and in the distance she could see it was indeed pairings of two that were walking around the premises, some with skis under arm, others strolling about hand-in-hand.

"Do not worry about that," Ma-Ti was smiling, wiping away the observation with a wave of the hand. "Think only about relaxing and enjoying the snow."

"Yeah," Gi nodded along, energetically. "You both love winter sports!"

Linka watched as Wheeler considered this for about two seconds, then she saw him shrugging and smiling in that typical way of his she secretly deemed cute.

"Hey, I've never been one to turn down a free vacation!"

Linka gasped, maybe more out of habit, and placed her hands on her hips, facing the others.

"Why is it that the five of us cannot take this vacation together? Gi, is this your idea of a perfect match-making ploy? It is… ludicrous!"

"We all… uhm, have things to do," Kwame jumped in vaguely, and already he was reaching for the door handle on the passenger's side of the Jeep. Linka glared at him momentarily. The nerve of those three! Would they ever give it a rest? Did they always have to think up some way to push her and the Yankee together?

Linka suddenly wondered how good of a match they seemed to others. Physically speaking, she could envision it no problem, even though she had never been one for appearances. She and the American were both attractive, even though in different ways. But character wise, they were abysmally different. Fire and ice, she sometimes thought when she really got mad t him. He was too open and she was too secretive with her emotions, among other things. This sometimes made her wonder about everyone's fascination with their potentiality as a couple.

"Well, as Kwame said, we gotta take off," Gi was openly snickering, all but running to the driver's side. "Have fun!" she could not help but add, with a notable malicious note to her voice. Linka readily pouted her lips.

"If there are any problems, you can always contact me," Ma-Ti added helpfully, patting Linka on the arm and shaking Wheeler's hand. "But I'm hoping you will not need me."

Linka could not stay angry when the youngest member flashed his boyish smile, and watched wordlessly, still half in shock, as the Jeep's tires spun in the snow. In an instant, the large vehicle had swiftly disappeared from sight.

"Can you believe this?" Linka breathed, shaking her head as she moved her attention to her American companion. He seemed intent on inspecting their luggage before checking their weight.

"Yeah, I mean, what the hell did they pack in here? Our entire huts?"

"I was not referring to that!" Linka rolled her eyes, throwing up her hands in frustration. "I mean, we are stuck here for a week or longer, completely unprepared, and they want us to pretend to… argh, I cannot even voice how foolish this whole thing is!"

Linka realized she was upset because she had never been really alone with Wheeler. Not knowing what to expect turned her nerves to mush, made her feel powerless. It was not that she did not trust Wheeler, for she was more than convinced of his good heart, but perhaps she did not trust herself entirely. Sometimes, it was too easy getting lost in his eyes or smiling at him too indulgently. The way he constantly sought out her attention was starting to influence her behavior and her emotions more than she liked to analyze.

"Come on, babe," Wheeler was shrugging before meeting her eyes. They were the same color of the sky above them and Linka blinked. "You love skiing and I've been dying to try out some new snowboarding tricks. How bad can it be, really?"

"I just feel… tricked," Linka added, tucking away a strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea for us to spend some time away from the others. It's more cozy this way. You and me, the snow… it's kinda romantic," Wheeler winked at her in that bold way that belonged to his character. It caused the Russian girl to blush and examine the snow at her feet. She always felt so unprepared for these moments, timid like a deer in the woods.

Wheeler neared her slowly and his fingers gently tilted up her chin so that her eyes could lock with his. She looked up at him unblinking, and watched the expression on his face change a little.

"Unless… maybe you're bummed about spending your vacation with me?"

His doubts moved her, and even though she could be harsh with him on a number of occasions, she could never willingly hurt him. It was more her tempter that took a hold of her when they fought, anyway, and she always felt guilty about it afterwards.

"Nyet, it is not that," she softly remarked, biting her lower lip a little. "I just do not like surprises. But… now we are here, there is nothing we can do about it, so we may as well enjoy ourselves, I guess."

"I promise I'll try real hard not to make you upset, okay?" Wheeler grinned, sneaking a warm kiss on her cold cheek, but the unexpected impact of the tender gesture caused her to pull away. Fire burning through snow, melting it, Linka could only think incoherently. Her heart was racing a little too rapidly for her liking and she mumbled something about heading for the hotel.

Linka decided not to voice anything as Wheeler took both pieces of luggage and followed her lead. If he could try being less irritating, well, then so could she! Besides, the luggage really did look burdensome and she was thankful for Wheeler's level of fitness at that moment. She placed one foot ahead of the other and reminded herself brusquely to stop thinking about Wheeler's muscles. At this pace, they would become a couple by the morning if she kept up her silly behavior. And there could be none of that! Even if they were technically on vacation, there still needed to be order and rules and separation between them.

Linka sighed a little and for the first time wished she possessed tiny crumbs of Wheeler's nonchalance and self-confidence. Either that or a very, very large glass of wine.