Chapter 3

Earlier I teased her about pissing in the snow. Now I'm feeling bad about it. She's in the back of the vehicle, trying to pee in an old soda cup and I'm sitting in the front trying to keep my eyes closed until she gives me an all clear.

It finally stopped snowing, and though it's dark outside, there's a full moon reflecting off the snow keeping enough light for us to see by. Our power cut off an hour ago, and it's getting cold in here. Damn cold.

I hear her pop the window open in the back and soon after she says, "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

She makes her way back to the driver's seat and I hand her the bottle of hand sanitizer from the glove box.

"Thanks," she says, smearing the stuff on her hands. She slips her gloves back on and tosses the little bottle on the console.

I take a look at my cell phone, but the cold has already sapped the battery down to low. "Your phone working?" I ask her.

She looks at hers. "Dead," she says.

I use mine to call in for an update. Nothing new, the plows are moving in our direction, but it's slow going. "Sit tight," they say. The SUV is roomy, but after 6 hours I'm starting to feel like I'm in a sardine can. I push the seat back as far as it will go, which is only a half inch farther than I already had it.

"You're pretty cramped over there," I say.

"I'm okay," she says. She rubs her arms. "Just cold."

A horn starts blaring up ahead. "I'll go," I say. I bundle up and trudge out in the snow, which now is up to my waist. I try to walk wherever it looks more shallow, following some of the same path I walked earlier.

It's the third car up that's bellowing. I forge a new path and get all the way to the driver's window. He rolls his window down.

"What the hell is going on? We've been stranded here for hours?!" he barks at me.

"Are you having an emergency?" I ask him politely.

"I'd say being stuck here is a damn emergency!"

"Sir," I say, and I can't help but smile even though I'd like to punch his lights out about now. After that walk, I can't feel my own testicles. "My partner and I are in the same boat. If you're not having an emergency, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make me walk all the way up here in this snow. The last word we had is they are coming through, but it's slow going." With that, I turn and walk back.

Alex asks me what that was all about, and she can see from the look on my face it was nothing. "Some people," she mutters.

I try to scoop away the snow that has accumulated in between the buttons of my coat and in the pockets of my pants. Next I reach down and try to work on the space between my pants legs and my socks, but it's hopeless. I can't reach well in the car, and my pants are soaked and uncooperative. I lean back and sigh in frustration.

The wind blows and snow drifts across the windshield. Without wipers, we won't be able to see out the window. Our light will be blocked, as well. I check my phone again, but it is wet and cold from my trek through the snow. "Well," I say, tossing the useless phone on the dash, "we're cut off."

Fifteen minutes later my teeth are chattering.

Alex roots around the back of the car and finds the emergency kit. She pulls out the silver plastic-y emergency blanket and shakes it out to full size. Next thing I know, she's in my lap, pulling the blanket over both of us. I can't complain. She's doing it for the warmth, but it feels great all the same.

It's nearly three in the morning when we're finally rescued. Alex seems fine, but they say they want us to go to the hospital anyway, just to be sure. They're worried about my feet and toes. I'm worried about my testicles.

Alex rides in the same ambulance as me, and I have never been so grateful to be in a warm car. They cut my pants off, the damn things are so wet. The blankets they put over me are like heaven. She's wrapped up in a blanket, too, and looking exhausted.

If it weren't for the tingling in my toes, I could probably go to sleep. They feel like somebody's zapping them with an electrical current.

They didn't admit me, just kept me in the ER for three more hours while they thawed out my toes. Eames stayed with me the whole time, even though she was declared fine as soon as we got here. I'm given a pair of scrub pants to wear, since my pants are history. The local PD is providing us with a ride to a hotel. I'm glad. I need a nice, warm place to sleep.

"I'm glad it wasn't frostbite," she says as she opens the door to my room. I walk inside and strip my soggy shoes off.

"Me too," I say. The hospital staff called it "frostnip." Close enough.

I'm surprised when she takes her shoes off, too. I watch her as she crawls into my bed and slides under the covers.

"Did you want me to take the other room?" I ask.

"No."

"Uh… Alex?"

"Get in, Bobby. We can both use some sleep."

Who am I to turn down a chance to sleep with the most beautiful girl I know? I strip down to my boxers and climb in beside her. "You won't be uncomfortable with those buttons?" I ask her, glancing at her shirt.

She smiles, and I can see mischief in her eyes. She unbuttons her shirt and takes it off.

I'm sure I smiled. I know I licked my lips. She squirms some more and I realize she's stripping her pants off, too. Lightning goes through me when I feel her bare arm against my chest.

"I guess I like having you to keep me warm," she says.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, and the next thing I know, her soft lips are against mine.

I hope we get snowed in.

THE END

A/N Thanks so much for reading. Please review, I always love to hear what people think!