"locking" frame of nested MC

[natronp]

I've got an interface which allows the user to switch skins. the switch is facililtated by four buttons. i've got sliding covers and backgrounds to MC's on the main timeline and in loaded .swf's. I figured I could have the different skins for those components in MC's in their respective timelines. Then I can call frames from my main timeline (the four skin buttons) and jump to the frame with the correct cover/background.
the buttons work. but once you do anything within the newly skinned MC or .swf it defaults back to the original first frame of the mc with the old skin.
I their anyway to call a frame from an mc and lock it at that frame and then animate it? (i.e.-slide cover panel goes to the appropriate frame for the new skin and then the whole MC slides up out of the way)
thanks for any help...