Standard disclaimers, these characters aren't mine, I just borrowed them.
I promise I put them back where I found them when I'm finished with them

SNOW

By:  Alanna J. Patrick

     He flopped down on the bed exhausted. The day had been one of the
worst since he had arrived in Chicago.  Had it not been for Ray and his
wise cracks this would have probably been the day he told the Inspector
(or as Ray called her, 'the Dragon Lady') and the
Lieutenant both where to go and how to get there.  This wasn't like him,
this wasn't how he was raised,  he hated it when he felt like this. 
Rest, he thought, settling his head  down onto the soft pillow. Soft,
like the touch of new fallen snow on his cheek, soft, like her touch.

     She sat down on the bed beside him, gently caressing his cheek.
He was so beautiful when he slept, resting  like a child without a care
in the world.  Moving back the covers she began to unbutton
his long johns, carefully running her hand across  bare skin that peeped
from the red material.
     He awoke with a start, almost falling off of the bed in the
process.
"Shhh.  It's just me."  she whispered, tracing his jaw line with her
thumb.

     He relaxed back on the pillow, squeezing her hand, gently kissing
her knuckles.
"Why don't you come to me when I'm *awake*?" he whispered, not
wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that fell on the cool dark room.

     "I like to watch you sleep."  she smiled, leaning over to kiss his
forehead.                        

     "By the way, why are you here?"  he asked, pushing his upper body
from the bed with his forearms.
     "You need me."  she answered simply, resuming the task of
freeing the buttons.  Reaching the end of the row, she slid her hands
under the soft material, gently tracing  circles over  his chest, working
her way  back up to his shoulders, separating the flannel from his smooth
skin,  her actions silently willing him to relax. 

     He closed his eyes and breathed deep, trying to give himself over
to her gentle exploration.  Oh God! how he had missed her,
especially since he had been transferred to this place, where the air
still singed his lungs if he took too deep a breath.  How right she was,
he *needed* her, needed her to tell him he was safe and
everything was going to be all right.  He felt her weight settle in his
lap and opened his eyes to find her beautiful face just inches away from
his, her warm breath feeling like a soft kiss against his lips, her fingertips
tracing the edge of his jaw to graze the tender spots
behind his ears.  Pulling her close to his chest, he caught her lips
with his,  kissing her the way he'd dreamed of doing every night
since....

     A siren on the street below startled him out of  his deep slumber.
Sitting up, he felt a cool breeze slide across his chest and  looked
down to discover that his long johns were completely unbuttoned. Scratching
his head in minor confusion, he began to undo the
mischief he'd done himself during the night when he happened to
glance at his watch.  The realization hit him so hard he gasped for breath,
clutching the button so hard it popped free from the flannel. Today was
the 24th,  four years ago today since the accident, four years since
he last felt the tender caress of snow on his cheek.  He looked up out
the window and watched as the first soft shades of
daybreak crept up from the skyline,  and wept.

END?