When Thorne's body touched hers, Cress nearly jumped out of the bed.

"You're freezing too, you know," he said grimly. She was practically pressed against the wall now, and did not dare to turn around and face him.

She was lying in a bed with Carswell Thorne.

She was lying in a bed with Carswell Thorne!

The complexity of inviting him to share her bed on the satellite the first night in the mountain hit her hard. He had been right to choose the floor. This type of closeness was surely not meant for two people of the opposite sex, unless they intended to die an early death. The rate at which her heart raced made her believe that it would likely explode if he got any closer.

There was a rustling noise, and suddenly it became harder to see. She realized that Thorne had lifted the blanket above her face. "Tuck yourself underneath. It's better if we completely cover ourselves at first, I think. We'll be more likely to warm up." He paused. "Obviously, if you can't breathe…well, get some fresh air every now and then." Cress tucked herself in as best she could, eager to do anything to distract herself from the fact that in a matter of seconds she might be pressed up against him. The thought made her feel delirious.

"Prepare yourself," Thorne said. "Because you're about to have a rare treat. Most girls would kill for the chance to cuddle with the Captain." He chuckled, and then reached out lightly for her shoulder, as if beckoning for her to come closer.

Cress gasped at the electricity that radiated off her shoulder when his fingers made impact.

Thorne's hand jerked away. "Aces," he said. "Are you okay? I was just teasing, you know."

Cress wanted to reply, to tell him that no, he had nothing to be sorry for, but when she opened her mouth she heard only her teeth chattering. Thorne shifted on the mattress.

"Oh spades, you're scared of me." More shifting. "I'm sorry, Cress." His voice was full of discomfort and concern. "I know I was pushy about getting you in the bed, but it was just because it really is so important for us to be warm. I would never do anything to hurt you."

No, she wanted to yell. He misunderstood everything. Fear of Thorne was not the reason why her heart was racing and her mind was spinning. If only he knew, if only she could explain…

"Do you believe me?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, but it came out punctured. After steading herself a moment, she finally managed to reply. "Yes."

Thorne breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew. I was beginning to feel like such a cad."

Cress almost smiled to herself.

"Would it be okay if I got a little closer to you, for starters, then?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes," she whispered, telling herself to calm down.

Ice cold legs brushed against her own. They both yelped.

"That was pretty bad," he said, laughing a little. "Hey, maybe if you try to calm your breathing down, you'll relax more."

Cress focused on her breathing. Thorne slowly pressed his back against hers. "I'm going to put my arm around you now, okay?

She nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see. "Okay."

An arm encased her, and soon he was cradling her like a spoon. Warmth filled her like a flame, but not from his body; he was still an ice cube. The warmth instead came from deep inside her. It spread through her veins and enveloped her. Love. Her fantasy was coming true. She was lying in a bed with Carswell Thorne, and he was holding her.

"There you go," said Thorne after a few minutes, pulling her closer into his chest. "You're starting to feel less tense."

"I'm feeling a little better," she admitted. "Are you getting any warmer?"

"Not really," he said, "but this is definitely better than being out in the wind with the snow."

"Definitely." Cress finally started to relax. Her heartbeat was still very loud in her ears, but with each passing moment, she began to enjoy being wrapped up by Thorne more and more. Even if she was beginning to doubt whether "body heat" really did anything for someone who might have hypothermia. She decided against bringing it up. The truth was, as nervous as it made her, Cress wanted to stay in this position forever.

"Am I the first guy you've ever met?" Thorne wondered aloud.

Cress blushed into the blanket. "No. When I was a child, there were some boys in the lava tubes with me and the other shells."

"Okay, but since you've been in the satellite."

"Yes."

"Ah. That explains a lot."

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Nothing to apologize for. It just occurred to me that if this your first time being around a guy, this whole experience probably seems pretty overwhelming, huh?"

"A little." More like a lot.

"Scarlet was telling us about this before I came to get you—what it might be like to be alone for so long. If it helps, you could just think about it as one big hug."

Cress thought about it. "I've never been hugged before. Well, except for when you hugged me briefly by the door when we came in."

Her statement was met with a long silence. Then he shifted again and nestled his nose ever so slightly in the spot where her newly short hair met her neck.

"Well," he breathed, "maybe as payback, you now get an entire night's worth of hugs, just to make up for all the ones you missed out on." His breath tickled her skin just enough to make goose bumps rise up on her already frigid arms. But if Thorne noticed, he didn't say anything.

"It's not a bad first hug," she said.

A thumb grazed her hand lightly. Cress dared to reach out with her own thumb to capture his. His laugh left warmth on her neck, and he gave her hand a squeeze.

"Good," said Thorne. He was so close now that she could feel his lips brush against her skin when he spoke. "We should get some sleep. I, for one, need my beauty rest."

"Okay," she said.

As if she had voiced her approval, Thorne buried his face into the back of her head. She sighed happily and snuggled right back into him. She didn't need her fantasies tonight. Because her dream was right here with her, holding her close.

Cress woke up disoriented. Her brow was damp, and one side of her body had gone numb. She noticed, however, that the numbness was not from being cold anymore. In fact, she was quite warm—almost too warm—but it felt as though she'd been sleeping in the same position for far too long. Something was intertwined with her legs, and for a moment she thought that her hair had annoyingly wrapped itself around her body again. She reached down, but instantly noticed that she couldn't move because an arm was pinning her in position.

Cress opened her eyes with a start and lifted the blanket off of her face. Thorne. The light snoring in her ear confirmed that he was still behind her, and she hadn't dreamt it all. It was his arm holding her in place, and his legs that tangled together with hers. Her hair was still cut short. She tried to wriggle out of his vice-like grip. He responded instinctively by tightening his embrace.

"Thorne, wake up." She nudged him gently with her hip.

"Mmmm," Thorne murmured. He yawned and stretched, releasing her from under his arm. Cress turned so she could face him. This simple movement was painstaking difficult. Her body was sore and her feet felt as though they had been cut by knives. All that walking yesterday had probably ruined them. She would examine them later, though, when she felt more inclined to getting up.

"Good morning," she said, propping herself up on her elbow to study him. Thorne's eyes were still closed, and his handsome face glistened with beads of sweat. She thought his face looked slightly paler than she remembered. "How are you feeling?"

"Ughhh," he whined, "why did you move away? It's so cold."

Thorne slid one arm underneath her while the other went around her waist. The legs she had just detangled herself from became a part of her once again. Cress' face smushed against the hollow of his collarbone as he hugged her fiercely.

"Stars," he moaned, "I am so in love with your body."

Cress would have swooned at his words, but quickly recovered when he added, "you're like my own little personal furnace."

"Uh, Captain?"

The laugh that escaped him shook his whole body along with hers. "Hey, that tickles, Cress."

"What?"

He laughed again. "When you speak, it vibrates against my skin."

Cress tried to move her lips so they weren't touching him.

"Thorne? It's not cold anymore."

"Are you crazy? It's freezing. But you're warm." He made a contented noise and rested his chin on top of her head.

Cress used one hand to try to push him away. After two tries, he reluctantly let her go. She immediately put her hand on his forehead.

"You're burning up."

"No, I'm cold."

"Well I'm hot."

"Why yes you are," he drawled. "C'mere, damsel, and get in these arms."

Cress sat up in the bed quickly. He pouted.

"Captain?"

"Yes?"

"I think you have a fever."

A/N: Hehehe. I thought it would be funny to give Thorne the fever this time around. ;)