Phenomena:
Shortie by Lone Wolf
Starring: Ashley Williams

(Author's note: I really should release this at Christman. But I'm lazy. Oh
well, enjoy! -L.W.)

	It was a typical December day - cold and dry. The lush, peaceful 
fields that surrounded the Hunters facility were stark, browned, and dead. 
That was, in a way, symbolic to out current standings. The Hunters had no 
missions on the roster and there was nothing new in the labs. Apparently, 
everything (including the bad guys) decide to take the three days before 
Christmas off. 

	It was the 24th, the day before. Everyone was on edge. The small 
groups of good friends were anxious to see what they were getting from 
everyone else. I hate to admit it, but I was a little anxious for that 
reason as well. And we were all waiting patiently for the annual Christmas 
party that would be held on the 25th. The Christmas season....even in the 
realm of the Hunters, it's a magical time....

	I was in the mess hall, sitting by one of the windows, staring out at 
the dry, cold wasteland of our base. I sighed. It looked so...plain. I 
didn't understand it. Tabitha, who had just gotten lunch for herself, came 
over to my table and sat down. "What's up Ashy?" she asked me before she 
started into her lunch.
	"Hmm?" I looked at her. "Oh, nothing."
	"Don't lie. I recognize that look in your eyes."
	I leaned back in my seat. "If you must know, I was wondering."
	"Wondering? About what?"
	"I've been here for, what, five years? I don't think I've once seen it 
snow around here."
	She chuckled. "Well, that makes two of us. I've been here for ten, and 
I've yet to see snow." She looked out at the barren waste land with me. "I 
wouldn't mind seeing some, though. Especially around this time of year."
	I smiled. "Yeah. I know. I wish we could have a real white Christmas."
	She looked at me. "A real white Christmas?"
	"Yeah." I leaned back in my chair. "I've only had one. That was when I 
was five. Up at my grandma's, right before she died. It was so much fun. Me 
and my cousins would go out, have snowball fights, build snowfoxes, and just 
enjoy ourselves."
	Tabitha nodded. "My fondest white Christmas memory was at my uncle's 
cabin. We made snow angles, snowskunks, built snow forts, and then, at the 
end of the day, we sat by the fireplace, wrapped up in blankets, and drank 
hot cocoa." She sighed. "Those were the days."
	"So that's your fondest memory, eh?" Michael's voice asked. He walked 
up to us in the middle of our conversation. "Can I sit here?"
	"Sure Michael," I said. He smiled and took the seat next to me.
	"Thank you." He took a bite out of his bread. "White Christmases..."
	"Yeah," Tabitha said. "You have one of those memories?"
	He stopped, folded his hands, and rested his head on them. "I was 20, 
up in Old Russia, and I met this absolute drop dead gorgeous otteress. 
Needless to say, that's a white Christmas I will never forget." He chuckled 
to himself.
	"Oh you!" I looked to the window and sighed again.
	He looked at me, peering over his shades. "What's wrong Ashley?"
	I touched the window. "I wish we could have a white Christmas. I'd 
love to relive my old, childhood memories with my new family." I looked to 
the two and smiled. "Especially with you two nuts."
	"Who? Us?" Tabitha asked, a smirk forcing it's way to the surface.
	"Nah," Michael said, pushing his shades up his face. "She must be 
talkin' about someone else." He chuckled and took my hand. "I am right, 
right?"
	I nodded. "Yeah, I guess you are." I leaned towards him a little, 
hoping to grab a spot on his arm. I am often prone to looking to him for 
comfort. Why that is eludes me to this day.
	As he usually does, he wraped an arm around me and pulled me closer. 
"I know I sound foolish when I say this, but make a wish."
	I looked up at him. "What?"
	"Yeah." He pointed out to the winter wastelands. "Make a wish. Say 
something like, I don't know, 'I wish that it would snow for tomorrow' or 
something of the like."
	I chuckled. "You do sound like a fool, Michael. But what the hell? 
I'm up for a laugh." I looked out the window and, after a few seconds, shut 
my eyes. "I wish that it would snow." I opened my eyes and looked back at 
him. "Now I sound foolish."
	He chuckled and hugged me. "No you don't. You sound hopeful. You sound 
like you're ready to have a good time."
	I nodded. "Yeah." I returned the hug. "Thanks Mike."

	Day turned to night. But not just any night, mind you. It's a 
scientific fact, the night of December 24th, nobody can sleep. I'm no 
different. Every year, I try to knock off a few hours of sleep. This year 
was no different. I layed in bed, hugging my pillow, praying that the 
stranger would visit tonight. But sleep would not come to me just yet.
	There was a knock at my door.
	I sighed and rolled onto my back. "Come in."
	The door slid open. "Ashley," Tabitha said. "I can't sleep."
	I chuckled. "Join the club. C'mon in and shut the door behind you."
	She hesitated a little. "What are you saying?"
	I shook my head, refusing to open my eyes. "You're gonna ask me if you 
can stay here the night, using the excuse that maybe it'll help you get a 
few Zs in."
	"Damn. You're good."
	"So, you gonna stand there or are you coming in?" The door slid shut 
and she climbed into bed with me. "Get comfy. It's going to be a long 
night." That was a poor choice of words. She tried to get cozy with me. But 
the key word there is TRIED. "Tabitha, no. Don't do that."
	"I'm sorry." She slunk away.
	My eyes opened up. "Why do you keep doing that?"
	"Trying to turn you into a dyke? I dunno. I'm just, y'know, curious."
	"Curious?"
	She rolled over and looked at me. "Yeah. I'm curious. I wanna know how 
much of a friend you'd be."
	I chuckled. "I refuse to go down on you. I won't let you go down on 
me. But I'll comprimise with you." I took her hands. "You want someone to 
cozy up to?" She nodded. "You got me then. Go ahead." She pulled herself 
closer to me, resting my arms around her.
	"Thank you Ashley."
	I chuckled. "You're welcome Tabitha."
	She grinned a little. "I'll make you bi-sexual yet."
	"I have to be sexual before I can be bi, Tabby."
	"True." We settled down. "So why aren't you sexual?"
	I snickered. "Two words: Michael D'Ketra. I start dating and doing the 
wild thing, he'll want in on it."
	"So you say no."
	"I know that. But his voice gets annoying when he's begging." I 
yawned. "Well, let's try to get some shut eye."
	"You're right." She kissed my cheek. "Good night Ashley."
	"Good night, Tabitha."

	I was jostled awake by Tabitha's shaking. I knew it was Tabitha 
because the shaking was joined by a barrage of very enthusiastic "Ashy, wake 
up" lines from her. I stretched and rolled on my back, looking up at her. 
"Come on." She grabbed my arm and pulled.
	"All right." I got up and to my feet. She instantly threw my winter 
coat at me. "What's this for?"
	"Just put it on and let's get going." She pulled on my arm again. The 
long coat (more like a trench coat) went on my body as she dragged me 
through the halls. She led me up to a group and pushed our way to the head. 
"Look!" She pointed out the window. I looked. My eyes widened.
	"Oh...my..." The stale, brown ground from yesterday was no more. It 
was covered in a white blanket. A light shower was still falling. "It...it's 
snowing..." There was at least an inch on the ground. "What...what 
happened?"
	"A sudden front came in," one of the others said. "Dumped a whole load 
of the white stuff on us. I'm telling you, it's a bloody miracle."
	I smiled and leaned closer to Tabitha. "My wish came true?"
	"Yeah." We made our way out of the crowd. "You wish came true."
	"Now I feel really dumb."
	"Ah, don't say that," Michael told me. He stepped up to us. "You only 
got what you wanted."
	I smiled and hugged him. "Thank you Michael."
	"You're welcome Ashley."
	I stood on the tips of my toes (he was at least six inches taller than 
I was), grabbed the back of his head, and kissed him deeply. "Merry 
Christmas."
	He blinked, a little dazed. "Merry Christmas to you too!" He smiled 
and kissed me again. I smiled and turned to Tabitha. "So, do we go get 
dressed, go outside, and have a snowball fight?"
	She smiled. "Sure."

End
Ashley Williams, Tabitha Evans, and Michael D'Ketra are © Lone Wolf and 
<([ Lone Wolf Studios ])>

See you next time.
	-Ashley Williams and gang!