Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

A Trip to Town

She snorted, "Maybe Mr. Brown left a pair of snowshoes in the cabin." Will rolled his eyes, and they made their way further into the forest. Rigel stayed close, constantly sniffing and trotting around to examine every rock and tree. Ana watched him, "You don't think there's bears around, do you?"

He held her a little closer, "I think they're all asleep for the winter, but we shouldn't let him wander too much." The path had obviously been put in to guide the wanderer to the lake, small lines of rock lining the side every now and then. It was rather helpful given how vast the property was proving to be, and they must have walked for half an hour before he could see the line of trees stop. "I think it's there."

"I don't see it." Ana squinted out, then back at him.

He clutched her hand a little tighter, "It's frozen." He glanced to Rigel, currently trotting towards the shore and getting close to the edge. "Don't let him go out on it!"

"Rigel!" Ana yelled, bringing the dog loping back to her side. She clutched his collar, looking to Will. "Do you think the ice-"

"I don't know." He couldn't stop staring at the lake, "And I don't want to find out."

"Let's go back." With a whistle to send Rigel panting away, she turned him around and started walking. "We can come see it during the summer." She suddenly seemed to have no problem negotiating the path now. "And we can get a boathouse built like you said, and bring the Lightollers out."

"Lights would like that." Will mumbled, trying to force out the thoughts coursing through his mind. What he would have done if Rigel had fallen through, how he would have been in the water to save him and been so cold and it was really how he should go, like all the others.

"Will." Ana had stopped, standing in front of him and her hands on his shoulders, hesitantly moving to his cheeks. "We won't go back to the lake until it melts. The cabin is warm, and I have no doubt the Bishops will come by."

He put his hands over hers, drawing them down. "Yes."

"Why don't we go through the other rooms and figure out what we want them to be? I think we may need a library here." She squeezed his hands tightly, "With lots of poetry." He could only nod at that, and then he wrapped himself around her. God, why was he thinking of that? She was here and Rigel was well trained, he wouldn't have gone far out over the water. Ana clutched him tighter, "It's done."

"It is." The walk back was slower though, and Ana seemed determined to help. Part of him wanted to laugh about how their places had switched so quickly, but all he really wanted to do was keep ahold of her hand. Which mean that she started dragging him from room to room, talking about a sun room and a library and maybe a still room. He laughed at that, "You're going to take up brewing?"

She shrugged, "You can do other things in them you know. Liz's housekeeper taught us how to make rosewater in her's one time." She pursed her lips, "I wish the garden was in bloom, I'd love to see what is growing."

"I'm sure it's mostly vegetables and herbs." Will paced the room she had selected for the library, noting the clear light from outside. "The Bishops don't strike me as the type to indulge in flowers."

"Well they should." Ana joined him in his pacing, "Do you think we could build a greenhouse out here?"

"I think you could pay someone too." Will chuckled, then gestured to their surroundings. "But I think we should deal with the fact that we have to furnish this place before we begin talking about clearing land for a greenhouse." She rolled her eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh all the harder. "Ana, we don't even have a clock here. We're going to need to go shopping, and soon."