"Yeah," Brian said into his cell phone. He had been digging through the snow for at least twenty minutes and he tried to keep his breath regular. He was getting fucking tired. He didn't know how many shifts of shoveling he had had during the day.

"Brian, it's almost dark," Emmett said into the phone. "We should have met up with you." Brian could hear the tears in Emmett's eyes. "Why can't we find you? How fucking long is the lane? I don't know what to do. I yelled at Drewsie and now he's mad at me. And Ted and Allen are out digging, but they're mad at me too because they've been digging all day and they're so tired and I don't know what to do."

"For fuck's sake, Honeycutt, calm down," Brian said harshly. If he had been in Emmett's presence he would have smacked him to get him out of this major queen out. He knew it was serious when Emmett said nothing, and didn't yell at him to stop calling him Honeycutt. All he heard was a shuddering breath from the phone. "Emmett, talk to me. It will be all right."

"No, no, it won't," Emmett whispered. "This was my idea and I've worn everybody out and we're no closer to being together than we were before we started."

"It kept everybody busy all day," Brian said philosophically. "At least they weren't whining at me about being trapped in the cottage."

Emmett frowned. He didn't like Brian reducing his great master plan of linking the houses together with a path through the snow to something that merely kept their guests occupied for the day. "It's always all about you, isn't it?" Emmett said.

"Of course it is," Brian replied with a smirk.

"You … you are…"

"I know, I'm an asshole. What else do you want to tell me?"

"With all the digging we've done, I don't understand why we haven't met on the lane," Emmett continued to whine, Brian's momentary distraction forgotten.

"I'm in a fucking deep drift at the moment, so I can't see anything."

"But we have cleared a long way from the cottage. You must be way down the lane too."

Brian frowned. He had been thinking the same thing. He would swear he was almost to Emmett's cottage. They really should have met up. "If I get through this drift in the next couple of minutes, I should be able to see more. I'll call you back when I scope it out."

"Okay, but make sure you do," Emmett said with a sniffle, before Brian cut the connection.

"Is he queening out?" John asked as he continued to throw shovels full of snow to the side.

"Yeah, big time."

The two brothers had taken the latest shift of digging. It would probably be the last one as the sun was quickly going down. They dug in silence for a while until they broke through the high drift into an area with little snow.

"We should plant some more trees along the lane," John said as they took a breather. "Where we have the trees they've really blocked the drifting."

Brian assessed the situation. "Yeah," he agreed looking around. "I can't figure out why we haven't met up with Emmett's team of diggers. There's the roof of the cottage over there."

"That's the first time I've been able to see it," John said. "Where could they be digging? Didn't Emmett say Ted and Allen were out?"

Brian nodded. "They're probably lost in a snowdrift somewhere, knowing Schmidt," Brian snarked putting extra emphasis on Ted's name.

"Did I hear my name?" a voice called out.

"Is that you, Schmidt?"

"Bri?"

"Yeah, where the fuck are you?" Brian called.

"Over here!"

"Where's over here?" John and Brian craned their necks over the drifts but couldn't see anything. "I can't see you," Brian called.

"Keep talking," Ted called we're trying to come to you.

"John and I are in a bit of a clearing," Brian called, more so Ted could follow his voice than to give directions. "Do we sound any closer?"

"A bit," Allen called out. "Keep talking."

"What the fuck am I supposed to say?" Brian asked John. John shrugged and just smiled. "Schmidt, if you can hear my voice, get your ass over here!"

"Yes, Boss. Sure, Boss. On my way, Boss," they could hear Ted saying.

"They seem to be getting closer," John said hopefully.

"Schmidt, I'm waiting," Brian called.

"Be right there," Ted exclaimed as he broke through the drift and stood panting just behind Brian and John.

"You okay?" John asked.

"Bri," Ted gasped as he threw himself into Brian's arms.

"Let's not get fucking carried away," Brian replied, but he couldn't help returning Ted's hug.

Allen and John had a momentary clasp, before John had to ask, "Why were you way over there?" John pointed at the direction from which they had just come.

"More to the point, why are you guys way over here?" Ted retorted.

"Looks like we've been working at cross purposes," Brian said. "How far have you dug in that direction?"

"Quite a ways," Allen said as he caught his breath. "We were starting back to the cottage when we heard your voices."

"Can we connect with your trail?" John asked.

"I think so," Ted replied. "We just need to break through that drift." He pointed at the drift from which they had just emerged.

"Then let's get digging," John said.

The four of them made quick work connecting the two tunnels in the snow. Once they had joined up with the trail from Emmett's cottage they all walked in that direction. The cottage came into view partially buried under its blanket of snow.

"Christ, I don't think I've ever seen this much snow," Brian observed.

"That makes two of us," Allen contributed. "This has to be one of the worst winter storms ever."

"Emmett's had the radio on and they're saying the roads are still nearly impassable. They're gradually getting the interstates cleaned out, and some of the major roads," Ted explained.

"So you're telling me that it's going to be a while before they get around to our little road," Brian griped.

"And even longer before the plow can get into the lane," John added.

"Fuck!"

"But just think that we could have left your place and headed out into that storm," Allen said.

"Thank God you all decided to stay," John stated emphatically.

"Yeah, we're all safe and have a place to sleep, and heat and light," Ted ventured.

"I guess we have to be grateful," Brian said.

"Even if you're stuck with me?" Ted laughed.

"Even if…" Brian agreed.

As they walked up the path to Emmett's front door, it flew open and Emmett came barreling out. "Oh my fucking God! You found each other!" he shrieked and threw himself into Brian's arms. "I was so fucking worried." Emmett's arms stayed firmly clasped around Brian's neck.

"Honeycutt! Honeycutt!!! Let the fuck go," Brian demanded. Brian tried to pry Emmett's hands loose.

"Oh, um, sorry, Brian. I'm just so happy to see you."

"It's been what, all of eighteen hours?" Brian scoffed.

"I don't care, you big Meanie! I missed you."

"Missed you too, Honeycutt," Brian admitted with a smirk.

Emmett smiled enough to make up for the rapidly waning sun.

"You guys okay here?" John asked. "Anything you need?"

"We're good," Drew said as he came to the door with Hunter and Nick.

"You mean we're finally finished digging?" Hunter asked with a sigh.

"And you're the young ones," John scoffed, shaking his head.

"They'll never keep up with us old timers. Right, Bri?" Ted said with a grin.

"Speak for yourself, old man!" Brian retorted.

Everyone had a good chuckle over that, including Ted.

"We should get back," John said. "They'll be wondering what's happened to us."

"Do you want to join us for dinner?" Brian asked. "We could probably rustle up a real feast out of what we have left over."

"That sounds like a plan," Allen said.

"Partay!" Emmett replied snapping his fingers over his head.

Brian groaned. "A real extravaganza!"

"What else do I have?" Emmett asked indignantly.

"We're heading back," John said. "You guys come when you're ready. Stay in a group. Ted and Allen can show you where to cut across to our trail. Make sure you have several flashlights."

"Yes, Daddy," Hunter smirked earning him a scowl from John.

"See you all at the cottage," Nick called as Brian and John headed out.

"It's so good to be home and with our friends," Emmett said wiping a tear from his eye.

"It's okay, Emmett. We'll all get safely to Edna's treasures and you can work your magic with dinner." Drew hugged his weepy partner.

"Let's get started," Emmett replied suddenly flashing a big grin on his formerly somber face.

They all headed inside to get their coats and boots and mitts and flashlights and…

While the drama was unfolding at Emmett's end of the lane, Rachel and George's end was relatively quiet. The digging out crew led by Bobby had completed clearing up the path between the cottage and the house. John let Bobby know about the impending extravaganza, so Rachel and her guests decided to bring their own contributions to the feast. The dinner, while a lot simpler than the Christmas feast, was no less impressive.

Joan had expertly carved up the leftover turkey to make sandwiches all day long for the shovelers. But there was still plenty of meat left on one side. Finding a sharp pair of poultry shears, Joan cut the bird in half, taking the bones to make the basis for soup stock. For most of the afternoon she had the carcass in a large pot boiling away. She had the added convenience of a variety of fresh herbs, courtesy of Brian's indoor version of his spice garden. He had several small pots on the large sill of the big window in the living room. Between Joan and Debbie's magic, everyone was guaranteed at least one large bowl of the soothing soup. Just the thing after a long hard day of labor out in the cold.

And there was plenty more leftovers. Between the four homes, there would be enough food to keep everyone full for the week.

"Hellooo-oo!" Emmett called out as he and the occupants of his cottage walked through the front door of Brian's end of Edna's Treasures. "Anybody home?!"

"Honeycutt, are you getting my floor all wet and dirty?" Brian bellowed with little bite to his bark. "It took us hours to get it all cleaned up!"

"Oh pooh! I thought you got over that little obsession of yours regarding your hard-wood years ago!" Emmett quipped loudly for all to hear, and relishing the giggles his double entendre had produced.

Brian was about to let one fly but instead planted a wet sloppy kiss on the big queen's cheek effectively rendering the man speechless.

"Gotcha!" Brian stated as he took all their coats and ushered his friends into the sun porch where the rest of the family was milling around and preparing the table for dinner.

Everyone was pitching in, in one way or another and those who had nothing to do were just staying clear of the flow of traffic.

Hector was making himself useful by helping to set up the 'kids' table with Justin.

"Justin, I've heard many of you refer to the cottage as Edna's Treasures. Who is Edna?" Justin's face took on a wistful expression. "Did I ask something painful?"

"No, not at all. Edna was an amazing woman we met when we traveled through Panama. We didn't know it at the time but she also knew Katerina and her family. She was the wife of a missionary and she helped us in our quest to follow the path of the artist Kinney and his lover, Patrick. Just before she died, she had discovered more paintings. She left us a legacy. I wanted to honor her memory." Justin paused as he remembered the feistiness of the wonderful old broad.

"If you're interested, we've compiled a large file on Kinney and Patrick. It includes the villages they passed through and many chapels they painted. Katerina and her brother, JP, contributed copies of Patrick's letters and journals too."

"I'd love to see it. Many of my family come from Central and South America. It would be an honor to see what you've learned."

Justin smiled brightly. They finished setting the table then joined the rest of the family in bringing out the various dishes they would have for dinner.

*****