(This story is written strictly for the free enjoyment of fans of the "Beauty and the Beast" television series. No copyright infringement is intended.)

Snow Day

Angie

Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.

- William Shakespeare

New York was blanketed by almost three feet of snow and the city was at a virtual standstill. While the amount was not unknown, the fact that it had come all at once had set a 40 year record - and it showed no sign of either letting up or melting because of record cold temperatures as well.

Forty years! Catherine tried to imagine what she had been doing 40 years ago and failed. Well, to be honest, she didn’t want to remember. It made her feel old. Her son, patiently sitting beside her, was 18. Her twins were almost 10 years old now. That made her a matron - at the very least.

She and Jacob were in the office of the adjoining brownstone, taking advantage of the lull to clear up some paperwork associated with the Foundation. It was a good thing the two buildings were connected inside, she thought. The sidewalks outside were almost impassable since the most recent half foot of snow. Snow plows kept the streets clear at the expense of pedestrians and Catherine suspected Vladivostok probably had no higher snow banks.

The house was empty but for themselves. The students were on winter break and had returned to the relative sanity of the Tunnels, no doubt keeping William busy making meat pies and sausage rolls – to say nothing of their favourite desserts.

It was difficult to work. Catherine and Jacob’s bond was singing with a joy not their own. Vincent and the twins were in the garden of their brownstone, obviously playing in the unusual amount of snow. Catherine sighed and felt Jacob’s hand on her own. She looked in the azure eyes, so like his father’s, and felt his wry humour.

"Mom, why don’t we give in and join them? Perhaps we can channel all that energy into something useful."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Oh, I think there’s enough snow out there for a decent slide. The twins have those flying saucers they begged Mouse for – but have never used."

Catherine grinned. "Wonderful idea, Jacob. Let’s go!"

They exited the office and trudged back home along the chilly connecting tunnel. They entered the kitchen and looked out the door. The snow banks were so high Catherine couldn’t see over them, but a rough pathway led from the door.

There was a sudden eruption as they looked out and one of the twins slid across the path and into the snow wall, followed quickly by the other. Both shook themselves free of the snow, stood up and charged back the way they had come. A moment later Vincent rolled onto the path, no doubt propelled by the twins. He scrambled to his feet and suddenly turned to the door. He caught sight of his audience and his canines gleamed in a smile. He took a step towards them – and was suddenly buried under two smaller forms who pushed him into the snowbank and brought it down on top of them. All three wrestled themselves free this time and stood up on the path, brushing the snow off themselves. Vincent gave his audience a shrug, then ran off down the path, hotly pursued by the twins.

Catherine and Jacob looked at each other and sighed.

"Well, I guess we’d better get on some outdoor clothing," Catherine remarked. "They’re having far too much fun out there."

They went upstairs to find something suitable and Catherine looked out the French doors of their bedroom. The yard had very deep drifts, judging by the height against the enclosing wall, although half of it looked as if a herd of elephants had been doing polkas. Her husband and the twins were churning it up further as they pelted snowballs at each other.

The rest of the snow was so pristine in the bright sunshine, it looked like eiderdown.

Catherine found some snow pants buried in the back of her cupboard and put on a thermal shirt and thick sweater over top. Then she dug around for some thick socks, mittens, a scarf and a hat, then headed back downstairs. She grabbed her snow jacket and sturdy boots from the front of the house and carried them to the kitchen. Jacob was almost ready and waited for her to finish so they could exit together.

Catherine took her first breath outside and coughed as the cold hit her throat. She stamped up and down for a few moments to get her circulation moving and then trudged along the path behind Jacob. They emerged into the open near the garden shed, but the drifts were still too high for her to see over. Jacob was taller and turned to where he could hear sounds of activity.

The joy was still evident along their bond, but there the noise was muffled. Catherine was glad of that, for the sake of the neighbours. Like their father, the twins voices were slightly raspy and not ideal for shouting. She heard the occasional yelp as a something, probably a snowball, found its target.

Jacob took the initiative and raised his voice. "Attention everyone. We are going to construct a snow slide. If you wish to use it, you have to help make it."

There was a momentary silence at this and then three bodies exploded over top of a nearby bank and trudged over to them.

Vincent immediately hugged Catherine to him, panting a little, then released her and gazed at his children. His gaze settled on his eldest.

"What’s this plan, Jacob?"

"Well, there’s a huge drift against the back left corner of the yard. I saw it from upstairs. I think that would be the best place to start a slide. The twins have saucers and with all of us working, it could be done quickly."

There were soft whoops from Jennifer and Joseph, who immediately began to make their way to the corner, followed by the others.

The snow was somewhat packed and easy to carve. They quickly pounded out a firm slope with steps leading to the top, and began to work their way down to the path, sculpting a curve just before it. Once at the path, Vincent used a shovel to make another curve and began to improve the route to the back step. It was a steep, narrow canyon that shone in the sunlight. Magical almost, Catherine thought as she and Jacob packed the sides behind him. The twins, she realized suddenly, had disappeared.

Whoops came from the direction of the back corner and suddenly the three of them realized they were in the direct path of oncoming traffic. Jacob made a massive spring over the right bank, only half making it, his legs dangling before he hauled himself over, leaving a small avalanche behind him.

Catherine turned but could not follow Jacob’s example. She was too short. Fast as thought, Vincent stuck the shovel into snow, grabbed Catherine from behind, and with one hand under her arm and another between her legs, flung her over the left snow bank into the virgin white on the other side. He grabbed the shovel and braced it with one foot, put his other foot against the kitchen door and deflected first one and then the other saucer into the right snowbank and away from the back door. A small avalanche left them half-buried and they yelled as they extracted themselves.

Jacob slid back onto the path, his face stern. Vincent was about to give his two youngest a piece of his mind when he felt a blast of pure fright along his bond. Catherine! He charged over the snowbank leaving his children open-mouthed behind him.

Catherine felt herself airborne with surprise. She always forgot how strong Vincent was. She landed with a whump, face down in a feather-soft snowdrift, then felt it fold around her. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe and the snow was burning her face. Her heart jumped and she flailed in terror. She couldn’t seem to get her feet onto solid ground and panicked as she felt herself sinking further into the snowdrift as she tried to find it. Fear engulfed her.

Suddenly, she was yanked from the snow and into a strong pair of arms. Vincent cradled her, and she coughed as she took a wonderful breath of chilly air.

"Catherine," he rasped, brushing the snow off her face and kissing it at the same time.

She could feel his distress through their bond and looked at him, trying to get her heart out of her mouth. She was quivering and gasped breathlessly as she tried to comfort him.

"I’m okay. I couldn’t breathe. I panicked."

Vincent planted a kiss on her mouth this time and whispered. "I’m sorry. I forgot you’re not as young as the twins – and not to be tossed around."

He carried her back across the yard and down the snowbank to the path, where the twins and Jacob stood looking stunned. Catherine realized they must have felt her distress. She felt her face flush. She was glad Vincent’s arm was still around her, because her legs were rubbery and her voice shook.

"When I was a kid, someone pushed my face into a snowbank. I’ve never forgotten that feeling of being unable to breathe. It terrified me."

Without a word, they all came together for a joint hug. Their love sang along their bond warming them all to their toes.

Catherine sighed as they parted, then looked around at them all, trying to recover some of her dignity.

"Well, don’t just stand there – give me a saucer and let me try this luge run we’ve worked so hard to make. But first, someone made some modifications here so no one ends up in the kitchen. And next time, let the rest of us know you’re coming - before you take off!"

Catherine watched as the others flung themselves to the task, creating a solid curved bank with a side path to the back door, then adding an additional few yards through the right snowbank, winding the route almost back on itself.

Satisfied with the construction, Catherine walked back along the path with one of the saucers. She hauled it and herself up the snow steps to the top of the slide.

"FORE!" she yelled as she flung herself onto it. She passed the twins and the other saucer at a dizzying rate of speed, took the curve at the back steps, glimpsing Vincent and Jacob as she passed, then plowed into a snow wall at the end, coming to an abrupt stop and falling off with a thump and a gasp. The saucer was half-buried. Vincent was immediately there to help her up.

"Well, was it fun?" he asked, lifting her and hugging her to him.

"Yes," she whispered, stretching to kiss his neck, which was peeking out of his scarf. "Fastest thrill in New York."

"I think I’ll pass," Vincent remarked as a hoarse ‘WARE’ was heard from the head of the slide. "And we’d better get out of the line of fire."

They carried the saucer back to the kitchen step, just in time to see Joseph whiz by, followed by Jennifer on foot. He whumped into the end, deepening the gouge in the snow wall.

Jacob took the saucer from Vincent, grabbed Joseph’s as well, and jogged to the head of the run with the twins scrambling after him, their voices outraged.

Moments later, Catherine and Vincent, now safe on the back door steps, watched Jacob whiz by again, followed by Joseph and Jennifer crammed onto the other saucer. There was a succession of grunts and groans and a yell from Jacob as the three of them extracted themselves from each other and the snowbank fell in on them. They all trudged out and paused in front of their parents, looking somewhat wild-eyed, bedraggled - and covered in snow.

Catherine laughed.

"You look like a bunch of abominable snowmen," she managed to say. "I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had enough. But it’s a great sled run!"

They were interrupted by a loud rumble and Catherine realized it was her stomach.

"I think it must be lunch time," she commented. "I can’t even think of missing a meal anymore."

"Nor should you – and it IS lunch time," Vincent remarked. "I heard that William is making Coq-au-Vin today. I’ve reserved us seats."

"Well that’s a good enough reason to shed these clothes and dress for civilization Below," Jacob declared.

The twins looked a little downcast until Vincent remarked that cream puffs were also on the menu. Then they rushed inside ahead of Catherine and Jacob, who rolled their eyes at each other and followed. Vincent recovered the saucers and shovel, used the latter to tidy up the path, and left everything leaning against the wall near the back door. By the time he got in, everyone had shed their outerwear and hung it on hooks to dry over the radiator. The floor was clotted with melting snow. He sat on a chair to take off his boots, which seemed to be welded on, then tried not to step in the cold water. He found the mop, gave the floor a few swipes, then went upstairs.

He could hear a lot of noise from the big main bathroom and looked in. His three children were all standing in the oversized shower stall, Jacob obviously trying to get the incorrigible twins to wash without doing damage to himself or each other. There was water everywhere. Well, the bathroom had a good floor drain. He sighed and went into the bedroom.

Hearing the sounds of water from their ensuite, Vincent flung off his remaining clothes and joined Catherine in their own generously-sized shower stall. He closed his eyes and raised his arms into the hot water with a grunt, the movement making him aware that his muscles were a little stiff.

Catherine began to rub him down with the bristle brush, feeling his purr vibrate under her hand. When she finished and had turned off the shower he gathered her to him. Vincent found himself wishing he could lay down and rest for a while. Then his stomach began to growl.

Vincent sighed. "Catherine, I’ve never felt so tired in my life. Our twins have worn me out. I’m not even sure I can stay awake to eat. And as for anything else …."

Catherine chuckled into his chest, "We’ll get some food in you, give you time to relax and recover - then we’ll see what you are capable of."

"But no more snow play," Vincent declared. "I’ll leave that to the youngsters."

"Oh, I don’t think we could keep even our more sedate Jacob inside now," Catherine remarked, feeling their children’s happiness along their bond. "We may have to find another saucer. But the slide’ll keep them amused while we … um … do other things." She looked up at him suggestively.

Vincent looked down at her, his mouth twitching. "That must have been my ulterior motive out there."

"If you say so – and your ulterior is delightful," Catherine whispered, her hand reaching down to cup that delightful part and feeling, rather than hearing, his automatic, but tired growl. "And I’ll prove it - later."

He bent down and she met his lips in a kiss that cemented her promise. Then she began to rub him down with a towel under the heat lamp.

Vincent sighed. The snow play had been fun, but inside activities were ultimately more satisfying. He gathered Catherine into a hug.

END