"It's perfect, just perfect!"

"What is?"

"This." Brady said, spinning around. His boots sloshing in the cold mess on the ground. The smell of fresh snow permeating his nose. The snowflakes coming down fast and heavy, covering the top of his head and landing on his eyelashes.

"Come here!"

"Ah, Brady I think I'll just stay where, I am thank you very much!"

"And you wonder why I call you Diva?, Get your little butt over here!"

"Fine Brady, but I swear if I end up cold and wet I won't forgive you"

"Even if I warm you up?" Brady purred in Chloe's ear.

She stared straight into his eyes, aware that he was obviously flirting with her. She chose to ignore his comment and walk past him.

"So Brady what's the big deal about the first snowfall, why does everyone go so crazy for frozen water?"

Chloe turned to face him. When she did so, she realized, he was no longer standing behind her.

"Brady?" She said, in a quiet, muffled tone.

The sun was going down and the cloak of night was fast approaching.

"..Brady?" Chloe said again, with a little more force.

"I'm over here."

"Where?" Chloe said, turning 360 degrees trying to find him.

"Look lower"

"What? Look I don't know what kind of game you're playing here but your not scarring me"

"Good, 'cause that wasn't my intention. I'm over here" Brady said, moving to a sitting position and waving, so Chloe could make him out in the blackness.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked him, when she finally made her way to him.

"Snow angels!"

"Snow what?"

"Angels!"

When Chloe shot Brady a look that told him she was unfamiliar with the tradition he laughed.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of snow angels"

"Why do you always have to laugh at me?" Chloe said, pouting, mocking hurt.

"Here lay down beside me and I'll explain"

Still unsure of what Brady had in store. She complied with a little apprehension.

"Ok what do I do?"

Brady sprawled himself on the white blanket of snow beneath him, waving his arms wildly behind his head. Simulating angels wings in flight. Once he finished, he stood up and admired his creation.

"See, that's what you call a snow angel"

"Oh yes I see" Chloe commented, trying to stifle the laughs that were sure to come out anyway.

"And what's so funny Miss Lane?"

"It's just, all that effort and it looks more like a snow blob or big foot or well...anything but a snow angel." Finally she couldn't take it anymore and she erupted into fits of laughter.

Holding her stomach and wiping the free-flowing tears from her eyes, she looked up to see Brady's hurt expression.

"Oh Brady, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...I mean it is really nice..." Chloe stood above Brady's little creation. "...and the more I look at it, the more it does look like an angel."

Brady turned his back to Chloe. She looked from him to the upturned snow. "Brady...I really am sorry...Brady?" Chloe moved closer to him and placed her hand on his back, trying to turn him around to look at her.

Brady had suppressed his laughter as long as he could, but his laughter ceased, when he recognized the concern in her voice. She was really upset that she had potentially hurt him. He was touched, and wondered that maybe he shouldn't continue his plan.

Brady finally turned to face him and Chloe crushed her body into his, catching him off guard. He looked down at her. Her face was pressed into his chest and her arms tight around his waist.

It suddenly occurred to him how much she really did mean to him. He dropped the snow ball that he had intended for her to the ground and wrapped his arms around her.

Moving back a little, just enough to lift her chin, Brady looked into her eyes.

What he saw there shocked him beyond belief. Tears. She was crying. Why? Just because she thought she had hurt his feelings?

His voice soft, and warm Brady attempted to explain his failed attempt at a joke.

"Chloe...Chloe it's okay, I was only kidding. I was just trying to make you feel bad and then I was going to throw a snowball at you"

"Well then , I guess you succeeded." She said, wiping her eyes and pulling away from him.

"Actually, I didn't.." Brady laughed, calling attention to the smashed snowball on the ground. Chloe couldn't help but grant him a small giggle. "You're right."

"I'm sorry Chloe. I shouldn't have done that to you."

"Brady don't apologize, how were you supposed to know that I would react like this?"

"Ya, I guess."

Silence followed. Broken finally by Brady's ever present curiosity.

"Why did you react that way Chloe?"

"Because, I care about you"

"Thanks" Brady said, looking into Chloe's vulnerable eyes.

She was showing him for the first time, how she truly felt about him. She wasn't afraid any more because he made it safe for her. She saw her thought and feelings mirrored in his eyes.

"Your welcome!" Chloe said, whopping him in the face with a fistful of snow, before she took off running.

Brady gave chase and soon captured her in his arms knocking them to the ground in the process. Brady layed on top of her, his breath heavy, coating the air in mist. Chloe breath was constrained from Brady's weight and her predicament.

Looking deep into each others eyes, the snow seemed to melt away from the heat in their gaze.

Brady took off his glove and whisked away a stray hair from Chloe's flushed skin, letting his hand linger on her cheek. Through their heavy winter jackets, Chloe could still feel the jack-hammer beat of his heart. Brady moved closer so their lips were mere centimetres apart.

"So this is how you make snow angels." Chloe announced trying to get over her nervousness of being so close to her secret love.

"No Diva, you were right, you can't make snow angels, they just are!"

With that last statement he filled the gap. His lips captured hers in slow rapture. The first touch, unlike what Chloe had been expecting. Soft and tender, not rushed. Again his lips brushed hers, and she participated with her whole heart. His tongue glided along her bottom lip and sought entry into her mouth. She obliged and the kiss became profoundly rewarding. New sensations, new touches became familiar while the kiss deepened. She was amazed that with just the sweep of his tongue he could awaken such emotions within her. It was her that began to roam her hands freely on his upper torso, although there was little to touch beside his woolen scarf or oversized jacket. He broke away and shook his head, as if it may be a dream. But it was real and so was she. Finally they had confronted their feeling, he just hoped that she could handle it.

"Chloe..."

"Shh..." She pulled him closer and kissed him lightly. "I just needed one more to make sure it was real."

"And?"

"And it is the most real thing I have ever felt, now I see why everyone gets so excited about the first snowfall and especially about snow angels. It's magic."

"You're the real angel Chloe. You're the magic!"

They smiled together and knew that it was the start of something, totally unpredictable.

THE END


11-16-01