Wrapped Up In You

A Deal is a Deal

Zacky was curious about Vix's foul mood. They had been having a fairly good day and then they left the bridge and she became grumpy and agitated. Dinner was a dismal affair not because the food was bad but because the normally sarcastic Vix was quiet and subdued. It made Zacky anxious and wanting to find out what he'd said wrong to make her act this way.

For Vix's part, she was feeling panicked and ancy. She was sure starting to fall for Zacky even though she knew better. She knew it was a bad idea and it was probably time to bolt. After all that was what she did best. As soon as she started to feel attachment to anyone, it dredged up memories of being left alone and made her flight extinct stronger. 

She awoke in the morning and stretched out in her bed. She was trying to think of the best way of quelling the fight or flight feelings she was having. When she came up blank, she intended on making the most of the day, she threw back the covers and shrieked. It was beyond cold.

She jumped up and pulled on Zacky's hoodie and hurried downstairs, hoping he had a fire going.

It was warm downstairs even though the fire had died out. There was residual heat coming off of the fireplace. The curtains were drawn and there was no sign of life from Zacky, which wasn't like him. He was usually up and moving around before she'd even opened an eye.

She rushed back up the stairs to the door of his room and listened but could hear nothing. For no other reason than wanting to see his face, she tapped gently on the wooden surface but there was no answer. So she opened the door and peered inside. Even though the curtains were drawn, the room was bright because of the radiant snow outside.

Zacky was lying on his stomach with most of his covers kicked off, despite the cold. He was wearing a pair of sweats and a long sleeved t-shirt, she noticed. He gave a soft snore and burrowed further into his pillow.

She watched him sleep for a minute...she couldn't help it. He was so adorable, even with the small scruff that he had growing...if you were into that look. Which she reminded herself, she wasn't.

"Are you checking out my ass?" came his sleepy voice, jolting Vix from her inspection of him.

"As if," she scoffed "I just came to make sure that you didn't freeze to death. But no such luck I see."

He shifted his position so he could face her. He rubbed the sleep from his green eyes ."Shit, when the power turns off the heating doesn't work upstairs. There's no hot water up here, either. I forgot to tell you that. Sorry."

He sounded genuinely apologetic and it made Vix's insides all warm and fuzzy. She tried to swallow the feeling.

"I'm hungry," she announced loudly trying to break the spell. "Get out of bed so you can make me breakfast for a change."

He sat up slowly "Oh really...and what would you like me to make you to eat?"

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes it is." He agreed giving her a half smile and noticing she was wearing only his large hoodie. "Why are you wearing my hoodie?"

"Because it's warm and huge."  She tugged at the fabric.

"That's what all the girls say," Zacky smiled smugly.

"They're talking about your head," she retorted.

"Get out of my bedroom."  

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  After clearing up after breakfast,  Zacky turned to Vix who was polishing off the last of her coffee. "I'm pretty sure my sister is going to bring her family up here now that she knows about me and ....errr...you."

Vix's eyes widened in surprised. That was something she hadn't planned on. "Are you serious?"

"Uh yeah," he said nervously wiping the counter. "Zoey...my sister....she's overprotective sometimes and I know she's curious about what's been happening up here since..."

"Nothing is going on up here," Vix said firmly 

"You know what I mean," he shrugged.

"Maybe I should leave then," she said in a low barely audible.

Zacky could feel his stomach in his throat. "We had an deal...right...we stay here till the new year and then..."

"I don't want to complicate things for you," she said.

"No complications," he said assuredly "A deal is a deal...besides...I don't want you to go."

Vix felt the sting of tears but she beat back the sensation and cleared her throat. "We're going to have to do something about this place. Have you any decorations? We can't have Christmas out here and not have decorations. And we need a tree. Where will we get a tree?"

Zacky turned his head slowly towards the window and looked pointedly at the wood, full of potential Christmas trees right outside. "I think I have an idea"

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  "I still don't get why I had to come," Vix complained as she trudged through the snow. Zacky had insisted that she come with him despite her pleading, pouting and adamant refusal. "It's so cold." 

"How many times do I have to remind you that Winter in Big Bear is always cold?" he asked and she noticed the tip of his nose turning red.

"And why couldn't we just go into town and buy a tree?" she sulked.

"I'm trying to be manly here," he joked "Besides, there are a ton of free trees out here just waiting for homes."

"Except you've rejected almost a thousand trees since we've been out here."

Zacky ignored her and pointed his axe at a tree. "That one."

Vix wrinkled her nose. "It's kind of small."

"You're going to have to help carry this back to the cabin."

"It's perfect," Vix reconsidered.

"Ok, stand back," Zacky ordered. He waited until she had taken a few steps back and began to swing the axe at the tree.

Vix watched him for a minute before taking in their surroundings. He had brought them close to the far end of the running stream they'd visited. There was a blanket of deep, pure, untouched snow all around. It looked like something from a Christmas card. Despite the cold, Vix was delighted she had come.

"It's really pretty here," she admitted.

Zacky paused in the act of chopping down the tree, huffing and puffing a bit. Chopping a tree wasn't as easy as it looked and he was sure his calloused hands were going to be even more raw after swinging the axe. "Yeah." He admired her jean clad butt as she stood on top of a mound, watching the stream rush past. "Don't get too close to the river, the bank can be deceptive in the snow."

As it turned out, the mound she was standing on was actually a fallen tree log, precariously balanced on a tree stump. Just as the warning left his lips, Vix took a step onto what looked like solid ground. It turned out to be snow covered branches hanging over the river bank.

With a scream of terror, she went plummeting into the icy cold water.