DISCLAIMER – I own none of the characters and all things Morganville are completely owned by the amazing Rachel Caine (:

NOTES – Well, still gotta load of muse. So here's chapter three. Not really sure where this story is going at the moment, but it's not all going to just be fun and games so I hope ya'll don't mind a bit of drama (; don't forget to R&R please it really encourages me !

CHAPTER THREE ~

As snowballs pelted Claire and Shane's retreating back, the ducked their heads and raced around the corner of the house, slamming their backs against the wall and glancing at each other before bursting out laughing. There was something about being out in the freezing cold of winter with a snow fight on the horizon, that made them grin. Perhaps it was the idea of the fun; the fact that they could go outside, throw snow around and not have to worry about danger or blood and fangs for just a little while. Not that they never had fun...it just felt... different.

"Right. This is on." Shane whispered to his girlfriend, and he bend down, scooping up some of the snow and crushing it into a ball shape. Claire copied him, marvelling at how many inches covered the ground, and how different everything looked when covered in the beauty of it. She was glad that the snow wasn't the powdery rubbish that she'd seen before, and she managed to make several snowballs, gathering them in her arms before standing back up to see Shane in the same position. They shared another grin, cheeks already pink with cold.

"Right. Tactics talk time." Shane bent his head close to hers to whisper, glancing behind her to check that Eve wasn't sneaking up on them. Claire raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to elaborate. "So, if you come out from this side, i'll go round the back and come from the other side. Then we attack. Maybe take her down if we can." He grinned and Claire rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Okay. But you'd better not ditch me if our plan fails. You know my aim isn't as good as yours." Claire teased and Shane nodded with mock seriousness.

"True...if it fails...one for all and all for one i'd say." He grinned teasingly and Claire nudged him lighty. He lent down to kiss her quickly before turning and heading around the back. Claire grinned and spun around too, facing the way she'd come. She kept close to the wall, feeling spy-like as she attempted to sneak along the wall toward the corner of the house. She took one of her ready-made snowballs in hand and paused at the corner, peering around slowly...

...and ducked back fast as a snowball hurtled right past her face. Eve laughed and Claire grinned, darting out and throwing the one in her hand. She paused just to watch her best friend squeal as she tried to move out the way and was hit on her shoulder, before ducking back behind the wall.

"You can't hide there forever Claire Bear!" Eve called out, and Claire listened as she heard snow crunching beneath feet and ducked out again to throw another snowball. Eve was ready again and threw one back, hitting Claire's side and she shrieked and slid out the way, slipping on a patch of ice hidden beneath the snow and crashing to the floor laughing.

Eve took advantage of the fact that Claire couldn't duck out the way and lobbed several snowballs at her. Claire abandoned her weapons in attempt to protect herself and bat away Eve's advances. She scrambled back upright and ducked behind the corner of the house again, peering round to watch as Shane's part came to play. Eve didn't notice him as she aimed another snowball at Claire's head, which missed, and therefore had no time to duck as Shane threw several snowballs in quick succession. Eve shrieked in surprise, dropping the last of her snowballs and tried to protect her head as snow melted in her ebony hair.

"NOW CLAIRE! TAKE HER DOWN!" Shane yelled as he pelted another snowball, and Claire laughed and reappeared from her hiding place, slipping on the snow as she ran straight at Eve, sliding to a stop and nudging the back of her knees to try and get her to fall down. Laughing, they both fell to the ground, not in the slightest hurt by the protection of the soft snow.

Shane had just one snowball left, and as he moved over to them to take aim, Eve moved her leg and took him down too, laughing along with Claire as they watched Shane fall forward into the snow beside them. They lay for a second, laughing happily, limbs already freezing from the snow. Shane rolled onto his side, scooping up a handful of white snow and moving to drop it onto Claire's face, grinning widely.

"Shane!" Claire protested, mumbling from beneath his fingertips and wiping at her face before throwing some back at him with a giggle. She felt breathless, but there was no stopping the big smile on her face. She glanced to her right, head turning in the snow as she felt it moving around them. Eve was laying spread eagled on her back, moving her arms and legs back and forth and Claire raised an eyebrow.

"What the heck are you doing?" She asked. Eve turned her head, expression clearly believing the answer was obvious.

"A snow angel of course." Eve rolled her eyes and pushed herself back to her feet, shaking snow off her coat and moving away slightly to inspect her work.

"Of course." Shane rolled his eyes in return and sat up.

"Bite me." Eve stuck her tongue out at him and Shane flicked some snow at her.

"Rather not." He glanced down at Claire, who was now copying Eve's movements and making her own snow angel, and rolled his eyes.

"Dork." He teased her, and offered her a hand up, which she took gratefully, looking back at the shape in the snow and laughing again.

"They look nothing like angels." Claire grinned and turned her back on the shapes, catching Eve's eye and grinning. They might not have spent that long having a snowball fight, but both girls where distinctly dishevelled, hair saturated with melted snow and clothes just as bad. Neither of them minded though, they were having fun.

"You're the real angel here." Shane murmured lips close to her ear. She smiled, blushing at his words.

"What does that make you?" She whispered back with a grin. Shane pulled back slightly; face inches from her, eyes probing hers.

"The demon." He teased and lent down to press his lips to hers. Claire smiled and slipped her arms around his neck, pressing herself closer to him and reaching up on her tip toes.

"Okay enough. Get a room and save the making out for there instead." Eve pulled a face and Claire and Shane reluctantly pulled away, both turning to catch Eve's exaggerated eye roll.

"I have a room Goth girl." Shane murmured, bending down to kiss Claire again.

"Then use it." Eve shook her head but Shane and Claire ignored her...until she sent a freezing ball of snow their way. They broke apart and Claire took a step back.

"Alright alright!" Shane raised his hands in mock surrender and rolled his eyes. "And the plan now is...?"

"Sledging!" Eve grinned excitedly and clapped her hands together, causing Claire to laugh at her and then Shane as he groaned. But before Eve could dash off to grab a sled, Claire felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and she frowned, pulling it out. She could feel Eve and Shane glancing at her as she frowned at the flashing screen and then sighed in irritation. She pressed the accept button and held the phone to her ear.

"Yes Myrnin. What do you want?"

The voice on the other side of the phone was pleading, as always, but there was an edge to it that immediately had Claire wary.

"Claire, could you come to the lab...please." He asked, and Claire frowned.

"Why? What's wrong?" She asked, closing her eyes for a second and silently wishing it was nothing; just him wanting a donut or a coffee. Unfortunately no such luck.

"Just get here." He snapped and she frowned again, irritated and resigned.

"Fine. I'll be right there." But Myrnin had already hung up. Claire stared at the phone in disbelief, shaking her head and slipping it back into her pocket. She glanced up at Shane and saw that he looked just as resigned as she felt.

"Let me guess. Crazy ass boss wants you." He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, glistening droplets of melted snow dripping onto his shoulders as he slumped a little. Claire bit her lip and sighed, nodding.

"Yeah. He wants me to go to the lab...something's up."