"I'm alive!? H-how!?" William felt his voice choke in the back of his throat.

"Well..." Lady Winter scooted off of the end of the bridge to land on the icy river below. The ice beneath her feet couldn't have been more than a few millimetres thick and yet it quite comfortably held her without so much as a crack as she made her way towards him. "...that last performance was something of a game changer. You showed me love, unrestrained and without holding anything back. I told you that such an act has power. Power enough to create Life or, if you know how, power to restore a life that has been recently lost. I'd had enough of my realm and thought you might like to live here in your world instead. So

I remade you with a few small changes and brought you back here. I told you that time passes differently in my realm...you've barely been gone."

William instinctively took her into a gentle embrace as her words made his legs feel Like jelly.

“Your realm is gone? Doesn't that mean that winter is over and we're all going to cook?" William asked with understandable concern.

“I am winter, William. As long as I exist then you need not trouble your thoughts on such matters. In fact in many ways I'm feeling much better than I ever have." She lowered her head to settle herself against his shoulder.

"You did this for me?" He asked as she nuzzled her lips against his neck.

“Of course. Did I do something wrong?"

The kiss that followed was so ferocious that it made her toes curl as a fresh wave of energy coursed its way through her body. Clearly she hadn't done anything wrong.

“Come on..." He told her as he snatched her hand and made his way up to the road.

“Where are we going?" The question carried a hint of amusement and a lot of excitement.

“Well the night is young, the snow's stopped and the stars are out.

We're going to fix an old lady's heater. Then I think I'm going to teach you how to dance. After that it's your turn to think of something for us to do." He kept hold of her hand as they walked down the road together.

“I'm sure I'll think of something." Her lips took on a wicked smirk.

“What's that you're humming?"

“An old song. I think it's one you might Like."

"Oh? How does it go?"

“I'm not singing." He chuckled softly as she protested by gracefully stepping in front of him and giving him a Look of playful disapproval.

“Fine then!" He lifted her hand and placed his other on her hip, giving her a notable tug against him. "Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

In the lane, snow is glistening..."